Pastor Gao Mingqian | Topic: Must Have the Heart of Elijah (Lecture 4)

Sermon Notes: "I Am No Better Than My Fathers"

Theme: Must Have the Heart of Elijah

Bible Study Area: 1 Kings 19:1-8

Speaker: Pastor Gao Mingqian

Mandarin interpretation: Pastor Zhou Zhihao

1. Information Outline

• The Gap from Super Success to Super Failure (19:1-3)

  • After the great victory at Mount Kamagra, Elijah fled the northern kingdom due to Jezebel's intimidation, and even "retired" to Beersheba in Judah (the southernmost part of Israel), leaving the scene of his service.

• Praying to Die Under the Juniperus Tree (19:4)

  • Elijah said, "It is enough, Lord! Please take my life, for I am no better than my fathers." He believed that he had no right to commit suicide and could only ask the Lord of life to take his life.

• Two Angelic Provisions (19:5-8)

  • The angel prepared charcoal-baked bread and water and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too long for you." The water and bread continued the miraculous signs of 1 Kings 17-18, confirming that Elijah was still a prophet.

• Core Themes

  • The word "life" (nefesh) appears seven times in chapter 19, creating a tension between life and death and emphasizing the importance of life.

  • Elijah went to Mount Horeb for forty days and nights, which laid the foundation for his image as the "second Moses", because Moses also did not eat or drink for forty days and nights to receive the law.

• Burn-out in the Service and the Believers Today

  • The speaker pointed out that when a servant is exhausted or even wishes to die, it is like entering the state of "Moses 2.0".

II. Sermon Highlights and Scripture Explanation

• Comparison of Messengers : Jezebel sent an "angel" to kill Elijah, which represents death; but the Lord sent an "angel" to provide for Elijah and preserve his life, which represents life.

• The word "enough" : When Elijah asked for death, he said "Enough" (the original meaning is "Enough"), expressing his giving up and fatigue in serving; and the angel used "The way you have to go is a long way" (the original meaning also includes "Enough") to remind Elijah that he had gone far enough and it was time to turn back.

• The Meaning of Water and Bread : The provision of water and bread continued the signs of the miracles in 1 Kings 17-18, confirming that Elijah’s prophetic identity was still being used by the Lord.

• Walking for forty days and nights Elijah walked for forty days and nights without eating or drinking, which parallels Moses’ experience of abstaining from food and water for forty days when he received the law on Mount Horeb (Exodus 34:28), foreshadowing that Elijah would become the “second Moses.”

3. Biblical Comparisons and Illustrations

• Old Testament (Genesis 21) Provided by an angel in the wilderness

  • Elijah's experience is like Hagar 2.0. Both experienced despair in the wilderness (Beersheba) and were provided for by an angel. However, Hagar did not ask for death, while Elijah did. This is the key difference between the two.

• Moses (Num. 11:15) and Jonah (Jonah 4:3) also prayed for death.

  • Two prophets in the Bible prayed for death: Moses because of the people's complaints, and Jonah because his gourd withered. This shows that burnout was a common phenomenon among prophets during their ministry.

• The example of Pastor Liang Deren

  • Pastor Liang Deren, a 1951 Baptist Theological Seminary graduate, not only did not leave Vietnam during the raging Vietnam War of the late 1960s, but instead called on Chinese preachers to engage in missionary work. Facing life-threatening situations, he demonstrated unwavering resolve. In the publication "Over the People," Pastor Liang wrote: "An exclamation mark on safety. A question mark on safety. Being mummified at the base of a pyramid might be the safest option, but what's the point?" This serves as a reminder to Hong Kong churches not to pursue safety so excessively that they withdraw from ministry, or even to question whether Jesus had insurance during his crucifixion.

• The speaker's personal calling journey

  • 1998 Responding to the full-time job calling was met with strong opposition from parents While at the University of Hong Kong, the speaker responded to the call to full-time ministry. On the eve of the 1998 World Cup final, he told his parents about it. His father scolded him, and his mother wept and knelt down, begging him not to become a preacher. He then read Luke 9:60, "Let the dead bury their own dead; but you preach the word of God," and felt God speaking to him. Six months later, on the third day of the Lunar New Year, his parents unexpectedly said, "Son, you're old enough to have your own world. Do whatever you want."

  • During Campus Crusade for Christ, a student raised funds on his own and was verbally abused while on a short-term mission trip to Kazakhstan. After the preacher joined Campus Crusade for Christ, his parents kept asking when he would stop preaching. They were shocked to discover that he was self-financing and accused him of "deceiving us for years." Later, while raising funds for a short-term mission trip to Kazakhstan, he received letters cursing him as a "vampire." His mother again advised him against preaching, leaving him feeling humiliated and even considering dropping out of school.

  • Encouragement from many "angels" in my life Miraculously, the speaker's parents eventually came to faith and were baptized before he left for England to pursue his doctorate. His three-year-old daughter laid flowers for her grandparents at their baptism, becoming his "angel." His wife also continues to encourage him and remains his "angel." These experiences have taught him that when he wishes to die and feels "enough," God will send angels to provide strong support.

IV. Reflection on Action

• Examine whether you are still in the "Broom Tree" state - discouraged with service, wanting to quit, or even entering a "dramatic sleeping state" and becoming an "insulator."

• Open your heart to receive the “angels” sent by God: a word of encouragement, a provision, reminds us that we are still called, and as long as we can drink water and eat bread, we are still prophets.

• Remember: As long as you have life, your service is not over; the battle with the idol (Baal) is still going on, and the scene of service is still dangerous. God's angel did not rebuke or punish Elijah, but provided for him and saved his life, because "as long as you have life, you win."

• Be brave enough to transcend the framework of "security" and return to the service scene entrusted by God. Do not withdraw from the ministry or stop supporting certain people because of the pursuit of safety.

5. Golden Sentences

• "It is enough, O Lord! Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers." (1 Kings 19:4)

• "Arise, and eat: for the journey is great for you." (1 Kings 19:7)

6. Take-Home Homework

• Read 1 Kings 17-19 in succession to review the background of Mount Meru and the full story of Elijah.

• Pray quietly: Lord, where have I gone "too far"? Please show me the way back.

• Write down three "angels" who have supported you during your downturn, thank them, and pray for them.

Next Bible study preview: 1 Kings 19:9-18 - "The still small voice" and Elijah's mission as the "second Moses."