HIGH NOON
1 Kings 18:16-40

INTRODUCTION: 950 to 1. That was the odds that Elijah faced on Mount Carmel between the prophets of Baal and of Asherah. Any time a messenger of God confronts the evil of this world with a message from God it won’t be very popular: John 15:18-21. Did you think after you came to know the truth that when you spoke everyone would love you? Ahab was the king over Israel and his wife Jezebel was extremely wicked: 1 Kings 16:29-33. Because of Ahab andJezebel’s evil and idolatry God brought judgment on the nation of Israel. No rain or dew fell on the land of Israel for three-and-one-half-years. 1 Kings 17:1; 1 Kings 18:17-18. We praise God for all his truths found in His Word: Lamentations 3:22-23. However our God will not show mercy unto the unrepentant! Proverbs 29:1; 1 Kings 18:35-39. The primary question Elijah asked of the people is still a prime question for today: “How long will you waver between two opinions?” 1 Kings 18:21; Luke 16:10-15: It was High Noon on Mount Carmel: Jeremiah 6:16. Yogi Berra said “If you come to a fork in the road take it.” That is how some people try to live but it cannot be done! Why do we waver so much?

    I. WE WAVER BECAUSE OF THE FALSE COMFORT OF GOOD INTENTIONS!

Don’t good intentions count for something? No! The promises many people make are for BPO. You ask what is BPO. It means those promises are for burial purposes only! Not lived out in their lives. A Biblical life is built on commitments that lead us to action: James 4:17; Proverbs 11:3; John 1:47; Proverbs 20:6. We must choose one Lord to live for.

      II. WE WAVER BECAUSE WE PROCRASTINATE!

We keep putting off the major decisions in life because we think there will always be another time when we can make our choice. “Tomorrow is the excuse of the lazy and refuge of the incompetent!” When the Word of God tells us to stop or start doing something we do not need to wait for a prompting of the Holy Spirit to move: 1 Corinthians 6:12; 1 Corinthians 10:31.

  III. WE WAVER BECAUSE OF AVOIDING THE TRUTH OF REALITY!

As we play with our sinful habits, they are literally killing us. Proverbs 28:13-14: Do you want God’s mercy or trouble in your life? The avoidance of reality starts with a belief that I don’t need to make a decision today. I will just go along and nothing will happen. Galatians 6:7-8. We sow in the Spirit by making a commitment in our heart that we believe that our God is and will reward the just man for his works and the evil man for his. Joshua 24:14-15. We are all commanded in God’s Word to make that exact choice: 1 Peter 3:15. In the life of true faith neutrality is not an option. We must chose or learn that by not choosing we have in reality made our choice. 1 Corinthians 4:7. Just as the fire fell in Elisha’s day so you will see the fire of God fall on your heart as you choose to obey Him and become a living sacrifice to Him in accordance with His Word: Romans 12:1-2. That choice will cause God’s fire to burn away the chaff in your life and purify your hearts with the fire of God. Don’t get caught between two opinions. Make your choice to follow Jesus Christ and His commands for your life. It is truly High Noon! 2 Corinthians 6:1-2.