From the Desk of Pastor Toby Powers
Truth Baptist Church
Bremen, GA
www.trumpetoftruthonline.org
Value Of Oil
II Kings 4:1-7
Intro: The central theme of this story is the value of the oil. Throughout the Bible we see people learning the lesson of the value of oil. This account and one more come immediately to mind... the parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matthew 25). The wise virgins took their lamps and plenty of oil. The foolish virgins took their lamps, but the lamp was useless without oil. The five wise virgins, this widow woman in II Kings 4, and her sons were all learned of the value of the oil. I want to preach on the Value Of Oil:
I. Personal Oil: Elijah asked the woman, “What hast thou in the house?” He was not interested in someone else’s house. The five foolish virgins had no oil and asked to borrow some, but you can’t borrow the oil from your neighbor; it’s personal oil. You will have to develop your own personal relationship with God
II. Provided Oil: The woman did not have money to buy oil, but the oil was already provided. The virgins had no one to buy oil from, but it was provided. You have no source to purchase oil and no means to pay for it, but Christ has provided it
III. Powerful Oil: It filled every vessel, yet the oil stayed This testifies to the power of the oil in longevity. There is enough oil for every saint of God to make the last mile of the trip with our lamps trimmed and burning Furthermore, the oil shines bright enough to light the path all the way home
IV. Pure Oil: She did not water it down to try and stretch it. That kind of oil would smoke up the lamp, but pure oil burns clean. If you have the pure oil of the Holy Ghost of God in you, it will make you burn clean, live clean, walk clean. Dirty lives can not shine bright for God’s glory. It’s time for God’s people to clean up and clean out
V. Plentiful Oil: This woman thought all she had was a little pot of oil, but she had plenty. It may seem as though you are running short, but the Lord has enough for whatever you need.
(Illustrate: There was a little girl who grew up in a very poor farming family back in the 1930’s. They had but one old worn out cow, and they sold most of the milk and dairy products that they were able to generate from her to purchase the necessities of life. They would only retain a few little of the milk for their own consumption. They would water down the milk to stretch it as far as they could, and each evening the mother of the home would pour one quart of the watered down milk in a mason jar. On the jar would be lines drawn. They would pass the jar around the table with each one drinking down to the next line and passing the jar along to the next.
One day the little girl got very sick and was put into the hospital. They kept her overnight for observation. That evening a nurse brought in a big tray of food. On it was a tall glass filled with cold milk. The little girl asked the nurse, "Where are the lines?"
The nurse not understanding asked the girl what she meant, and the little lady went on to explain how they only could drink to the next line at home lest they not have enough for everyone to get a drink. With tears in her eyes the nurse looked back at the sickly little girl and said, "Honey, there are no lines. There are no limits. You just drink and drink and drink. Drink all you want, and if that runs out, there will be more where that came from!"
These are perilous days... difficult times... it seems sometimes as though we are running short, but we can still place the straw of our need in the reservoir of God’s grace and love and drink and drink. If we need more, there is plenty where that came from! He is the God of all grace!).
VI. Precious Oil: This oil is precious... not because it is in low supply, but because it is in limited supply. It is limited to those who will trust in Christ as Savior and serve him as Lord It was precious enough to our Lord that he was willing to give his life to pay for it It is precious to be an old time Christian with the Spirit of God living within. I tell others about the services here, and they say, “You just don’t hear about that anymore ” Brother, it is precious to have the oil of the Spirit
VII. Particular Oil: Just any old oil won’t do. It must be oil made for the lamp. Just any old religion, any old doctrine, any of way of living, any old Bible, any old kind of singing, any old program, any old profession won’t do There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is the way of death We must go God’s way
Conclusion: Do you have a pot of oil? Do you understand the value of that pot? I don’t think we really do, for if we did, we would be running these isles nearly every meeting praising him for the oil in our lives. Why don’t you come for a fill-up? If you have never been saved, are away from God, or have simply drawn cold in your worship recently, come to the Lord. Isaiah 55:1, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”
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