September 14, 2002
I. Introduction:
A. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
1. The most famous American memorial for unidentified soldiers killed in combat is located at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
2. Though it was never officially named, the memorial has come to be known as the Tomb of the Unknowns or the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. In 1921 a soldier who had died in France during World War I (1914-1918) was interred at the site. A massive marble tomb was placed on the site of the original grave in 1932. An inscription on the walls of the tomb reads: "Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God." On Memorial Day 1958 two other unknown soldiers, one who served in World War II (1939-1945) and one who fought in the Korean War (1950-1953), were also buried at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; on Memorial Day in 1984, a soldier who served in the Vietnam War(1959-1975) was interred.
B. Unknown soldiers known for their:
1. Commitment
2. Faithfulness
3. Dedication
4. Bravery
5. Loyalty
C. Unknown Soldiers of the Bible
1. Little maid at the household of Commander Naaman
2. Demoniac healed by Christ who spread the gospel throughout his city.
3. Widow of Zarephath
II. Body:
A. Widow of Zarephath—what we don’t know about her
1. Name
2. Age
3. Background
4. What type of house she was living in
5. Whether she had relatives around her or not
6. How long she was a widow
7. Education
8. How much money she had in her bank account
B. Widow of Zarephath—what we know about her
1. Dedication
2. Faithfulness
3. Trust in God’s promises
4. Generosity
C. Principles of stewardship derived from the life of the widow of Zarephath
1. Principle number 1—God first and self is second
a. This principle diagonally contradicts the principle that the world is promoting
1. “I” principle
2. Self promotion
3. Self exaltation
4. Self preservation
b. This principle is in keeping with the first commandment and the tenth commandment
1. Exodus 20:3—“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
2. Exodus 20: 17—“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.”
c. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:31—“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
d. Matthew 6:33-34—“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
2. Principle number 2—Circumstances does not change God’s command to be faithful
a. As human being we are good at finding or making excuses to be less faithful to God.
1. Circumstances—threat of losing a job, imprisonment, death, alienation, etc., as excuses to be less faithful to God.
2. Personal needs—“God helps those who help themselves.”
3. Family and peer pressures—unbelieving spouse, children, and friends as alibis not to be faithful to God.
4. Bad experiences caused by church leaders and members as alibi not to be faithful
5. Modernization—old time religion is no longer applicable in our modern society.
6. Delay of God’s coming as an excuse for not being faithful.
b. Ellen G. White, Counsels of Stewardship, pages 138-139, wrote, “The Scriptures teach that wealth is a dangerous possession only when placed in competition with the immortal treasure. It is when the earthly and temporal absorbs the thoughts, the affections, the devotion which God claims, that it becomes a snare. Those who are bartering the eternal weight of glory for a little of the glitter and tinsel of earth, the everlasting habitations for a home which can be theirs but a few years at best, are making an unwise choice. Such was the exchange made by Esau, when he sold his birthright for a mess of pottage; by Balaam, when he forfeited the favor of God for the rewards of the king of Midian; by Judas, when for thirty pieces of silver he betrayed the Lord of glory. {CS 138.3}
c. Reality check—regardless of our situation, God expects us to be faithful to Him.
d. Biblical examples of faithfulness:
1. Noah—120 years of preaching amid taunting and ridicule from people around him.
2. Joseph—faithful in spite of being sold by his own brothers; carried to a foreign country where idolatry was everywhere; and imprisoned for a crime he did not commit.
3. Daniel—taken from his beloved city, educated in Babylon, surrounded by paganism, thrown into a lion’s den.
e. Romans 8:38-39—“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
3. Principle 3—The Value of a gift is measured in quality not quantity.
a. Quality of the gift is based on
1. Circumstances of the giver
2. Motives
3. Needs of the recipient
b. The last flour that the widow of Zarephath baked into bread and gave to the prophet Elijah embodied her life and that of her son.
c. It was a demonstration of her willingness to give up her life for the sake of the prophet.
4. Principle number 4—Faithful stewardship is taking God’s word at face value
a. Jesus Seminar
1) The Jesus Seminar is composed of theologians from different denominations with the purpose of discovering the authentic sayings of Jesus in the Bible.
2) Unfortunately, most of their conclusions are for the detriment of the Christian church.
3) They conclude, for example, that the Gospels were concocted by early Christians
4) Another conclusion, only two words are attributed to Christ as authentic in the Lord’s Prayer—“Our Father.”
b. Taking God’s word at face value
1) If God says it, it’s enough for me.
2) If God says, “Saturday is the Sabbath,” it’s enough for me.
3) If Jesus says, “I am coming again,” it’s enough for me.
4) If God prohibits us from eating certain foods, or from wearing certain ornaments, from going certain places, it’s enough for me.
5) Ellen G. White, in Acts of the Apostles, page 69, wrote, “We are to receive this word as supreme authority. We are to recognize human government as an ordinance of divine appointment, and teach obedience to it as a sacred duty, within its legitimate sphere. But when its claims conflict with the claims of God, we must obey God rather than men. God’s word must be recognized as above all human legislation. A "Thus saith the Lord" is not to be set aside for a "Thus saith the church" or a "Thus saith the state." The crown of Christ is to be lifted above the diadems of earthly potentates. {AA 68.2}
We are not required to defy authorities. Our words, whether spoken or written, should be carefully considered, lest we place ourselves on record as uttering that which would make us appear antagonistic to law and order. We are not to say or do anything that would unnecessarily close up our way. We are to go forward in Christ’s name, advocating the truths committed to us. If we are forbidden by men to do this work, then we may say, as did the apostles, "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." {AA 69.1}
5. Principle number 5—Generosity pays
a. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, saying, “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
b. Ellen G. White, in Prophets and Kings, pages 131, 132, wrote, “The widow of Zarephath shared her morsel with Elijah; and in return, her life and that of her son were preserved. And to all who, in time of trial and want, give sympathy and assistance to others more needy, God has promised great blessing. He has not changed. His power is no less now than in the days of Elijah.”
c. Illustration:
1) I was a student at Andrews University from 1994 to 1996. As a student, my family and I were financially strapped.
2) One Sabbath morning, there was a promotion in the church encouraging us to bring non-perishable foods the following Sabbath for those in need.
3) When the next Sabbath came, we gave 2 boxes of canned food and other non-perishable products.
4) Also on that Sabbath morning, there was an appeal for a church building fund. I checked my wallet and saw my last five dollar bill. Without hesitation, I dropped my last five dollar bill in the offering plate.
5) Before we got home that Sabbath, the church gave us 2 boxes of food, and when we got home, another 2 boxes of food was waiting for us in front of our door. Inside one of the boxes, there was a ten dollars gift certificate from the Apple Valley store.
6) The two boxes of food that we brought in the church that morning became four. And the five dollar offering that I gave became ten.
6. Principle number 6—God is faithful
a. Matthew 10:29-31—“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”
b. Psalm 37:24-26—“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.”
c. Lamentations 3:22-23, “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”
d. God is faithful.
1) The song proclaims it—Hymn number 100
2) The nature testify to it
3) The widow of Zarephath have experienced it
4) Noah have seen it
III. Conclusion:
A. What are the things that you want people to remember about you?
1. Friendly
2. Joyful
3. Devoted
B. The Widow of Zarephath had all the reasons not to give that last piece of flour to God’s prophet. But she gave it anyhow. At the end, she saved both her life and that of her son.
