Elijah's Call to Counter-Cultural Faith

Episode Summary:  With the return of football season, I’m reminded of one of the pairs of network commentators for NFL games, Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. Whenever Buck introduces his partner, he adds the new first new he has given him: Hall of Famer, “I’m Joe Buck and this is Hall of Famer Troy Aikman.” When it comes to our own motivation to follow Jesus and motivating those under our care, it is worth noting that there is a hall of fame given by God in Scripture. Its members are identified in Hebrews 11: Abel, Enoch, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Gideon, Rahab, Jephthah, David the prophets and others. All of these showed one distinctive attribute that got them into God's Hall of Fame—unconquerable faith.  Such was the faith of Elijah the Tishbite, a giant from God’s hall of fame. Today we begin a new series that looks at Hall of Famer Elijah and what lessons can we can learn from him as a man and as a leader. This episode examines the seeds of his faith, which he lived out in a world that is as hostile to God and his kingdom as is the world we live in today.

For Further Prayerful Thought. 

1. Do you think it is self-centered or properly self-motivating to want to strive to be in the NFL hall of fame? What about God’s hall of fame in this NT era?
2. Christianity is the only faith that says it is hopeless to think you can earn your eternal presence with God by trying to be good. Yet that admission requires a humility that not only surrenders to God’s provision for our sin but to him as our Lord. How would you explain why might others might be inclined towards false religions instead of Christianity, or atheism?
3. Which components of Elijah’s faith stand out to you?

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