There is a difference between the theology of glory and the theology of the cross. The theology of glory seeks power, success, and fame. It preaches a message of health, happiness, and prosperity. It promises a life free from problems. The theology of the cross, on the other hand, teaches that salvation is by means of a cross—the cross of Christ. It also teaches that suffering is a reality in our fallen world. It promises hope, peace, and forgiveness that is found in Christ alone.
We will learn today that the prophet Elijah was tempted to follow a theology of glory. Yet, in the end, God taught him to trust in His Word; to trust the promises of God.
To begin with, let me take you back to the year 871 BC. Elijah is the prophet, and Ahab is king over Israel. Ahab is married to wicked Jezebel. He did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him. He worshiped the false gods of Baal and Asherah. Sexual immorality was rampant, as well as, sacrificing children to Moloch. Needless to say, God was very angry. He had Elijah and the other prophets call the people to repentance.
Because of Ahab’s wickedness, God sent a drought for three years. Even Baal could not cause it to rain.
It so happened that Elijah told Ahab to gather the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah and meet him at Mount Carmel and so he did. Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Cut a bull in pieces and lay it on the wood, then call upon the name of Baal to see if he will answer with fire.” They did so and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, but there was no answer. There was no fire. Then Elijah cut a bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. He even poured water on it three times. Then Elijah called on the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He said, “O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God” (1 Kings 18:37). Then God answered Elijah immediately. Fire fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust and licked up the water. Elijah, then, killed the prophets of Baal and of Asherah.
This miracle proved that God is the one and only true God and that Baal and Asherah do not exist. God alone reigns supreme. So also today, there is only one true God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. No matter how powerful the forces of evil are in our world, God is still in control for the good of his people.
When wicked Jezebel heard about what happened, she was furious, and she threatened to kill Elijah (1 Kings 19:1-2). Elijah was afraid of Jezabel. He panicked. He feared for his own life. So, he ran away.
Why was Elijah afraid of Jezebel? Her gods do not exist. God fed Elijah for three years during the drought. Elijah raised the widow’s son of Zarephath from the dead. God gave Elijah victory on Mount Carmel. There was no reason for Elijah to be afraid.
Was Elijah hoping that after what took place on Mount Carmel that Ahab and Jezebel will turn from unbelief to faith in the one true God? Was Elijah hoping that there would be a tremendous religious revival? Does Elijah think that the war against all false prophets is now over? Does Elijah think that success in ministry depends on him? If so, then he is following a theology of glory.
Do we waver in our faith especially in opposition from an evil world? Do we think that success depends on us? Do we want a heaven on earth with no problems? Do we follow a theology of glory?
Elijah ran away. He traveled to Horeb, the mountain of God. It was about a 200-mile journey. He finally has a chance to talk with God. Right way, Elijah talks about what he has done for God. He focuses on himself. He even thinks that he is the last surviving prophet.
It is time, now, for God to gently correct Elijah and to encourage him in ministry. God reminded Elijah that he is not alone; that God is with him; and that God is still in control.
So, God sent a strong wind, an earthquake, and fire, but the Lord was not in the wind, or the earthquake, or the fire.
Sometimes, we look for God in all the wrong places. It’s easy for us to think that God speaks to us directly and not from His Word. It’s also easy for us to think that true faith depends on our emotions and our experiences and not from the Gospel and the Sacraments. But nothing is farther from the truth.
God’s Word came to Elijah in a small and quiet voice, a low whisper. It was God’s voice. Elijah heard God’s Word with his own ears.
There were times when God dealt with His people in the Old Testament through his might and majesty, such as, the plagues in Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, the manna and quail in the wilderness, the crossing of the Jordan River, and the contest on Mount Carmel. But God’s usual way of dealing with his people—calling them to repentance and to faith in the coming Messiah—is through his Word and it is no different today.
In our Holy Gospel for today, Jesus was preaching the Word. Peter’s boat was the pulpit, and the people were listening to Jesus and were being converted from unbelief to faith in Christ. When Jesus ask Peter to put the boat out for a catch of fish, Peter knew that this was not the right time of the day to go fishing, but Peter said, “But at your word I will let down the nets.” Peter took Jesus at his Word.
Before Jesus ascended, He commanded His apostles saying that “repentance and the forgiveness of sins should be preached in My name to all nations” (Lk 24:47). Jesus wants pastors to preach the Word of God because this is how faith is created and nurtured. Preaching involves words – words of sin and grace; words of law and Gospel; words of repentance and the forgiveness of sins; words about the cross and resurrection; words of death and life.
God communicates with us through his Word. God’s Word was attached to water during your baptism. This morning you heard the words, “I forgive you all your sins.” This morning you heard the Word read from the lecturn and you now hear it peached into your ears. God’s Word will be attached to bread and wine giving you the body and blood of Christ.
Jesus’ words are always life creating and powerful. They always accomplish what they say. They remove sin. They cleanse the heart. They refresh and restore us. They bring to life. Afterall, Jesus is the Word incarnate—the Word made flesh. He came to fulfill the law in our place. He died upon the cross as a payment for our sin and He rose from the dead on the third day. Sin is now paid in full, and death and Satan are defeated. Heaven is now open for all who believe in Christ.
Our Epistle lesson from 1 Corinthians says, “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1:18). The world thinks that the way of salvation by means of the cross is foolish. The world seeks a message of power, success, and fame not a message of the cross. But for us poor sinners, we are not ashamed of the Gospel. It is our only source of life and salvation.
So, don’t look for God in the heart or through your feelings or emotions. Don’t look for God in the miraculous and among the mighty. Don’t look for God among signs and from human wisdom. Rather, go to where God has promised to be present, namely, through water, word, bread, and wine. In this simple and lowly means, God gives you forgiveness, life, and salvation on account of the cross and resurrection of Christ.
Elijah will now learn that God will deal with the wickedness of the people in the Northern Kingdom in His own way and time. It is not on Elijah’s shoulders, but it is in God’s hand. God will work through Elijah.
God told Elijah that seven thousand people have not bowed to Baal and have not kissed him. In other words, Elijah is not alone but there are many others who have faith in the one true God and who look forward to the coming Messiah. God has preserved them in saving faith through his Word.
And so also today, it’s easy for us to be depressed as we see Christianity decrease. It’s easy for us to be discouraged as we see wickedness increase and hostility against Christianity rise. It’s easy for us to think that we must take matters in our own hands. But just as God saved a faithful remnant in the Old Testament, so also, he will save a faithful remnant today. God will deal with the wickedness today in his own way and time. It is not on our shoulders, but it is in God’s hand. Oh, we have the duty to speak out against false doctrine and to confess the truth, but God gives the increase. There are many Christians who have not bowed to idolatry and who have faith in Jesus as our one and only Savior.
God, then, basically said to Elijah. Get back to work. Anoint Hazael to be king of Syria and Jehu to be king of Israel and Elisha to take your place. In other words, God has and will maintain control over nations and history. God will deal with wicked people who reject the truth, and the Word of God always has results; God’s purposes are always accomplished.
And so also today. God has and will maintain control over nations and history even today. Things may not go according to our will and according to our timetable, but God is in control. God will eventually deal with wicked people who reject the truth on the last day—during judgment day. The Word of God always has results according to God’s purposes. The results might or might not be seen by us or be what we had hoped for, but God calls us to be faithful.
Even today, it’s through the simple preaching of the crucified and risen Christ that people are converted from darkness into light; from the world into the church; from death into life; and from unbelief to faith in Christ.
Just as Elisha was Elijah’s successor, so also, God provides ministers for his church. God will raise up faithful servants of the Gospel to minister to this generation and to the next. God’s Word will endure forever; no human or satanic force can exterminate God’s Word. The gates of hell will never prevail against the church. God will make sure that the teaching and preaching of Christ crucified for our salvation will continue.
In our Old Testament reading for today, Elisha left his vocation as farmer and followed Elijah as a prophet. In our Holy Gospel for today, Peter, James, and John left their vocation as fishermen and followed Jesus. After the resurrection, Jesus made these fishermen into apostles. They and the other apostles eventually brought the Gospel message to the world. They were eyewitnesses of the death and resurrection of Christ. They even gave their lives in martyrdom for the sake of the Gospel.
Jesus calls us to follow him. He says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matt 16:24). By God’s grace and with faith in Christ, we deny the world definition of success. We put on our cross of suffering for the sake of Christ and we follow Jesus on his path of righteousness confessing to the world that Jesus is the one and only Savior. We repent of our sin, and we receive the forgiveness of sins. We confess Christ as our one and only Savior.
So, the power of God to save is not in spectacular signs like wind and earthquakes and fire, nor is it to be found in human intelligence and wisdom. The church is not about glory, power, success, and fame. But the power of God to save comes in the still, small voice of the preaching of Christ crucified. We are saved by means of the cross. This gives us poor sinners comfort and peace in Christ alone. Amen.
