7 December 2008 - "Choose today"

Summary of sermon by Rev Alpheus Mdlalose

Rev Alpheus Mdlalose preached on the Youth Conference theme from 1Ki 18:21, "And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word." King Ahab was more evil than all the kings that were before him. All his evil he did in the sight of God. It would be good if we remember that everything that we do is done in the sight of God.

King Ahab sinned more and more by taking Jezebel to wife who was a diligent worshipper of Baal. She had all the prophets of the Lord killed and taught Israel to worship Baal. But God raised up Elijah who served the Lord with all his heart and wasn't afraid to confront Ahab and Jezebel. When he stood before Ahab he said, "As the Lord God of Israel lives before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years but according to my word" (1Ki 17:1).

Again when Ahab had Naboth killed for his vineyard Elijah met Ahab as he went to take possession of it and pronounced God's judgement on him. It would be good for us to know the fear of the Lord and therefore not fear the face of man.

As Naboth would not sell his inheritance when Ahab wanted it, so too let us not sell to the enemy what we've received from the Lord. Elijah challenged Israel to choose whom they would serve. Let us today make the right choice and choose the Lord outright and turn our backs on the world and its pleasures.