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REPAIRING THE ALTAR OF THE LORD
1 KINGS 18:30
Introduction
Here we see God’s people in a crisis situation. Anywhere sin reigns there is a crisis situation.
(Whether sin reigns in a nation, A community, a Church, a family, or an individual.)
Proverbs 14:34–“Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”
In our passage, the times of blessing had long past as there had been over 100 years of wickedness. In fact, there had not been a king in Israel that did right in the sight of the Lord for a very long time.
The spiritual condition of the nation was shown by its leadership–vs 17-18.
They had forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and had followed Baal.
(Baal was the chief god worshiped by the people of Canaan.)
The Israelites were tempted continually to forsake the worship of the true God of Heaven for the worship of Baal instead.
The worship of Baal was frequently connected with immorality, which is one of the reasons the Israelites were so sorely tempted toward Baal worship.
(The Devil still uses the lust of the flesh to draw men away from God.)
The spiritual condition of the nation was shown by its people–vs 21.
The problem is that the people of God did not want to wholly commit unto God.
(They were just like a lot of people today who want to ride the fence.)
They weren’t really opposed to God being worshiped, but they wanted to hang on to God and Baal at the same time.
It just won’t work! If the LORD be God, follow him!
The spiritual condition of the nation was shown by the condition of the altar–vs 30
I want to focus my message upon this broken down altar and its need of repair.
I. THE PURPOSE OF THE ALTAR.
The altar was suppose to be a sacred place where a man got into contact with God.
A. The Altar Was A Place Of Thanksgiving And Praise. (Exp.--Noah)
But the altar of the Lord had been broken down.
1 Thessalonians 5:18–“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Hebrews 13:15–“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”
Psalm 100:4-5–“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”
B. The Altar Was A Place Of Confession.
But the altar of the Lord had been broken down.
Proverbs 28:13–“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
The reason why there is no confession is because there is no brokeness over sin.
Psalm 34:18–“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
Psalm 51:17–“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
Isaiah 57:15–“For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”
Isaiah 66:2–“. . .but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.”
C. The Altar Was A Place Of Sacrifice.
1. There a man would offer his firstfruits to the Lord.
2. There a man would set apart or consecrate his best to the Lord.
But the altar of the Lord had been broken down.
God wants our best, he doesn’t want our leftovers!
Romans 12:1-2--I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
D. The Altar Was A Place Of Death.
It was to be a continual place of death.
But the Altar of the Lord had been broken down.
In Genesis 22 we see where Abraham built an altar on Mt. Moriah to be obedient to God and to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham had to die to himself before offering up Isaac.
You have to die to self before you will ever be obedient to God!
Mark 8:34-35–“Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
1 Corinthians 15:31–“I die daily.” We can’t even get folks to die on Sunday.
E. The Altar Was A Place Of Communion.
It is there where men would call on the name of the Lord and meet with God.
But the altar of the Lord had been broken down.
Jeremiah 33:3–“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Isaiah 59:1-2--“Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”
THE PURPOSE OF THE ALTAR.
The Altar Was A Place Of: Thanksgiving And Praise, Confession, Sacrifice, Death,
and Communion.
II. THE POLLUTING OF THE ALTAR.
What caused the condition of the altar?
A. The Altar Had Been Misused.
Often that which was dedicated to God was used to sacrifice to other gods.
Listen, you can’t sacrifice to Baal Monday thru Saturday and then expect fire from God on Sunday.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20–“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
People are misusing God’s temple and the altar is in the temple–the heart.
Proverbs 4:23–“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
The Altar Had Been Misused.
B. The Altar Had Been Abused.
The condition of it was such that it was broken down.
Things are abused when they are regarded lightly.
Things are abused when people have an attitude of “it doesn’t really matter.”
Many show that they take the things of God lightly when they use them for their own purposes.
1. Some Have Abused God’s Local Church.
a. To Some It Is Somewhere To Be Married.
b. To Some It Is Somewhere To Be Buried.
c. To Some It Is Just Another Place To Be Entertained.
d. To Some It Is Just Another Social Club.
2 Timothy 4:2–“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
2. Some Have Abused Salvation.
Ephesians 2:8-10–“For by grace are ye saved. . . .”
Romans 8:29–“For whom he did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son. . .”
Too many professing Christians are resting on their blessed assurance while the fire of God is withheld.
3. Some Have Abused The Altar.
Some folks only come to God when they are in trouble or want something from God.
The Altar Had Been Misused.
The Altar Had Been Abused.
C. The Altar Had Been Neglected.
Something that is neglected will not get better, but will only deteriorate.
(Example–An automobile; a house.)
The same holds true for our walk with God.
We need the Word of God. (“The Bible will keep you from sin or sin. . . .”)
We need Prayer.
We need the Assembly.
THE PURPOSE OF THE ALTAR.–Thanksgiving and Praise, Confession, Sacrifice, Death, Communion.
THE POLLUTING OF THE ALTAR–Misused, Abused, Neglected
III. THE PREPARATION OF THE ALTAR.
A. Elijah Recognized The Condition Of The Altar.
Some people are blinded to the fact that the altar is broken down.
We won’t have the fire of God until we open our spiritual eyes and recognize the awful broken down condition the altar of our heart is in.
As long as we deceive ourselves into thinking that nothing is wrong with the altar, we’ll never make the needed repairs in order to see the fire fall.
B. Elijah Repaired The Altar.
Sacrifice on a broken altar is unacceptable to the Lord.
1. We’ve Got To Become Dissatisfied With The Condition Of The Altar.
2. We’ve Got To Become Determined To See God Work.
C. Elijah Set Things In Order Upon The Altar. (Vs 33)
D. Elijah Removed All Human Possibility. (Vs 33-35)
E. Elijah Reverenced God. (Vs 36-37)
F. Elijah Relied Upon The Word of God. (Vs 36)
G. Elijah Requested Action On The Part Of God. (Vs 37)
Conclusion
What shape is your altar in today?
How can we see the fire of God fall today?
Well we won’t see it in some things:
1. It Is Not In The Numbers. (That is, fitting in with the majority–450 to 1) (Vs 22)
2. It Is Not In The Noise. (That is, how loud we cry) (Vs 26, 28)
3. It Is Not In The Activity. (That is, how much busyness we are involved in) (vs 26, 28)
We will see it in the right things:
1. It Is In Serving The Right God!
2. It Is In Proper Preparation Of The Altar.
Revival is not just going to happen in the Church! We have to prepare for it!