Transcript
Chapter four, reading from verse eight. Second Kings four, eight.
Now it happened one day that Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a notable woman, and she constrained him to eat some food. So it was, as often as he passed by, that he turned in there to eat some food. And she said to her husband, ‘Look now, I know that this is a holy man of God who passes by us regularly. Please, let us make a small upper room on the wall, and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand, so it will be, whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there.’
It happened one day that he came there, and he turned into the upper room and lay down there. Then he said to Gehazi his servant, ‘Call this Shunammite woman.’ When he had called her, she stood before him. And he said to him, ‘Say now to her, “Look, you have been concerned for us with all this care. What can I do for you? Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?”’ She answered, ‘I dwell among my own people.’
So he said, ‘What then is to be done for her?’ And Gehazi answered, ‘Actually she has no son, and her husband is old.’ And he said, ‘Call her.’ When he had called her, she stood in the doorway. Then he said, ‘About this time next year you shall embrace a son.’ And she said, ‘No, my lord, man of God, do not lie to your maidservant.’ And the woman conceived and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her.
Now, here is a song that I learned at my mother’s knee. ‘Rockabye, baby, in the treetop. When the wind blows, the cradle will rock. When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall. And down will come baby, cradle and all.’
Now evidently James Patterson learned the same song at his mother’s knee because last year he published a book with the title Cradle and All. Now James Patterson just happens to be one of America’s best-selling crime story writers. And even though there’s plenty of crime in Cradle and All, it’s not really a book about crime.
It’s a book about religion and prophecy. And it turns out that almost all the religious people in Cradle and All are Roman Catholic. So you meet in this book Roman Catholic priests and Roman Catholic nuns and a couple of popes. And according to the fictional story of James Patterson, the famous secret prophecy of Fatima predicted that in the future there would be two new virgin births. One of these virgin births would produce the savior and the other virgin birth would produce the beast. And the whole story in Cradle and All revolves around two young ladies, two virgins, who are expecting a child. And the question is which of them will give birth to the savior and which will give birth to the beast.
Now if you have already concluded that that doesn’t fit too well in the Bible give yourself a gold star because that is certainly the case. And there were a few times I was tempted to toss the book aside and not read anymore. But I have to admit that James Patterson is a good writer. He’s a page-turning writer. And so I just had to find out how the story ended. And of course there were surprises. One of the girls gave birth to a normal human being and the other girl did give birth to the beast. And then at the very end of the story a woman who was a former nun, who was in her thirties and had played a prominent role in the story, suddenly became miraculously pregnant. And she gave birth to the savior. And as if you were not already surprised enough, the savior turned out to be a girl. And not inappropriately they named her Noel.
Now folks, when I came to the end of that book I didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. And one thing I was very, very sure of, I just didn’t believe that things like that could happen in real life. And I suppose that all of us have read or heard stories that impressed us that way, right? But isn’t it true, isn’t it true that sometimes things happen in real life, sometimes things happen in our own personal experience. And when they do the first reaction that we have is I just can’t believe it,
I just can’t believe it. And those words, my friends, are words that I want to talk to you about a little bit this morning in my message today. In fact those words constitute the title of my message. And you know how I like to be sure that you’ve at least got the title of my message so I’m going to repeat it again. The title of my message today is this, I just can’t believe it.
Alright, let’s leave the fictional ladies in Patterson’s story behind and let’s talk about a real nice lady who really faced something that she just couldn’t believe. I’m sorry I can’t give you her name because it’s not given in the passage of Scripture that we read a few moments ago and it’s not given anywhere else in the Bible. She is simply called a notable woman because apparently she was married to a rich older husband. And she is called a Shunammite woman because she lived in the town of Shunem. But her name is not given.
You know there’s something very appropriate about that because it turns out in this story that this is not the kind of woman that likes to be in the spotlight. This is not the kind of woman that enjoys being at the center of the stage. She’s not like maybe some ladies today who dream that someday they’ll be as famous as Oprah or Hillary Clinton or Julia Roberts or Helen Hunt or somebody like that. No, this woman is just a down-to-earth, common-sense, practical woman.
And one day the great prophet of God Elisha came to the village of Shunem and she invited him in and she fed him. And it turned out that he came by pretty regularly. And so every time he came to their village she invited him in and she fed him. And then one day she said to her husband, ‘Look, I know that this man who is passing by us continually is a real man of God. Why don’t we build a little upper room that kind of juts out from the wall of our house? And why don’t we put a bed in that room? Why don’t we put a table and a chair and a lampstand? And then every time this man of God comes to us he can turn in there and have a little rest.’
Now please notice she didn’t talk about furnishing this room with expensive and ornate furniture, did she? She didn’t talk about hanging the walls with expensive tapestry. She didn’t talk about having all of the dishes and utensils in the room made of silver and gold. No, she’s speaking in very, very down-to-earth terms. In fact she is engaged in what I would like to call simple hospitality, simple hospitality.
You know what thought crossed my mind when I was preparing this message? I thought to myself, suppose we asked the folks at Victor Street Bible Chapel which home connected with Victor Street Bible Chapel have you been in two, three, four times? Which is the home that you have enjoyed the hospitality of the most? And probably nobody in this audience would hesitate to say immediately why it’s the home of Lewis and Theda.
And then I thought of another question. I thought to myself I wonder how many homes there are connected with Victor Street Bible Chapel where Lewis and Theda have been guests two, three, four or more times. Is it possible, my friends, that in a church where we have this outstanding and glowing example of Christian hospitality that we ourselves have not learned to use our homes to the glory of God?
Now I know mothers-in-law involve more than their share of hard knocks so forgive me for this story. There was a man who went to a veterinarian one time and he told the veterinarian he wanted his dog’s tail cut off completely. And the vet said I don’t like to do that and why completely? And the man said because my mother-in-law is coming to our house for a visit and I don’t want there to be anything to suggest that she is welcome. He didn’t even want the dog wagging its tail. Now I know it’s different at your house right? And if you do have a dog I am sure your dog vigorously wags its tail every time your mother-in-law shows up. I’m confident that must be the way it is.
But if you do have a dog let me ask you this question. Are there any Christian brothers and sisters, are there any servants of Jesus Christ who are not related to you by blood, they’re not related to you by marriage, and they show up so often at your house that your dog always wags its tail when they come? Did you know that the Bible commends hospitality over and over again? And in Romans chapter twelve we are told to pursue hospitality. And this lovely little story that we are looking at begins with a case of simple hospitality.
And then guess what happened? Guess what happened? One day Elisha came to the city, turned into the room they had prepared for him. He may have done this many times before. And the Bible says he lay down there. Your speaker appreciates that very, very much. Usually when I get off of work in the afternoon and go to my house I don’t waste very much time sitting up. It’s much nicer if I lie down. And I usually put a pillow behind my head on my couch. And even if I start off by reading pretty soon I’m sound asleep. And I kind of like to think that if Elisha may have had a hard trip this particular day when he lay down on that bed, boy did it feel good. That was a wonderful, wonderful feeling.
And the thought crossed his mind what can we do for the woman who has prepared this hospitality, has furnished this room for us? And so he said to his servant Gehazi, ‘Go call the Shunammite woman.’ Now obviously Gehazi is filling the role with Elisha that a servant used to deal with. He is Elisha’s servant. And so he goes and calls the woman and she stands before him. And I believe probably Elisha is following the protocol that older men of God followed in those days. He doesn’t directly talk to the woman. He talks to her through Gehazi. And he says to Gehazi, ‘Tell her this. Look, you have been concerned for us with so much care. What can I do for you? What can I do for you? Shall I speak for you to the king or maybe to the commander-in-chief of the army?’
Now remember folks, even though Israel had a lot of idolatry in those days the miracles that God had done through Elisha had made him a celebrity. And if he wanted to get in to see the king he could get in to see the king. And if he wanted to sit down with the commander-in-chief of the army he could sit down with the commander-in-chief of the army. And he could probably get anything he wanted from that. And this is a golden opportunity. And guess what the woman said? She said, ‘I dwell among my own people.’ And I think she just simply means I’m satisfied with my circumstances. I’m living here with my relatives and my friends and the people I’ve grown up with. I don’t have any needs.
You know if we had been in her place might there not have been a time when we sat down by ourselves and thought you know I’m glad I have an opportunity to serve God by entertaining his prophet Elisha. But it occurs to me that Elisha could really, really do something for me. And I hope he gives me an opportunity because if he gives me a chance I’ll ask him for a really important favor. I hope he’ll say something. I hate to be the first to mention it but I’m ready if he mentions it. And obviously she hadn’t thought that way and she hadn’t felt that way at all.
And don’t you see not only is she engaged in simple hospitality she is engaged in unselfish, unselfish hospitality. The Lord Jesus Christ was sitting at dinner one time and he turned to his host and he said to his host, ‘Look,’ he says, ‘when you put on a dinner or a supper don’t invite your relatives, don’t invite your rich neighbors, don’t invite your friends or brothers because they may invite you back and you’ll be repaid. When you put on a dinner or a supper invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you shall be blessed because they cannot repay you and you will be repaid in the resurrection of the just.’
Would you like to meet some people at Victor Street who are busy laying up reward in the resurrection to come? Would you then come down here on Wednesday night and see the people who are offering the hospitality of this church to the poor, the destitute, and to the homeless? Unselfish hospitality.
Back in the day when India was part of the British Empire a man by the name of Lord Lawrence was the governor-general of India. And on one occasion he was travelling on a steamboat. And on this same steamboat was a mother and her baby. And the mother totally ignored the baby and the baby took out his vengeance by crying all the time much to the distress and anger of the other sailors on the steamship. Some of them could go to sleep at night.
And more than one person said to the steward, ‘Steward, throw that baby overboard.’ And when Lord Lawrence realized that the mother had left the child motherless he took the baby and sat the baby on his knee and entertained it for hours at a time by showing the baby his watch or anything else that amused the baby. And the baby took instantly to Lord Lawrence. And whenever Lord Lawrence had him the baby was quiet.
And finally one of the passengers on the steamship came to Lord Lawrence and he said, ‘My lord, why do you take notice of that child?’ And Lord Lawrence had a little twinkle full of humor in his eye and he says, ‘Because this child is probably the only human being on this ship who doesn’t want anything from me. And therefore I enjoy its company.’
Isn’t it true we invite somebody to dinner and we think maybe they’ll invite us back or we think maybe they can do something for us or maybe we think you know I’m going to kind of store up favor with that? Don’t do it that way. Let the Lord give your hospitality to those who can’t repay. And happy is the man, happy is the woman who is truly engaged in unselfish hospitality.
So the woman apparently leaves. And I guess Elisha could have said, ‘Oh well, we tried. I gave her a chance and there isn’t anything she wants. She’s satisfied. So let’s just forget about this.’ But my friends God does not forget about the favors that we do for him, even the small things that we do for him. And on this occasion his servant is not going to forget about it either.
And he says to his servant Gehazi, ‘What can be done for her?’ Now Gehazi remember was his contact person with the family and Gehazi knows more about the family situation than Elisha does. And Gehazi answered, ‘Actually she has no son and her husband is old.’
Now please notice he doesn’t say they have no son. There’s a very good chance that this husband had been married before, had been widowed, then married a younger woman. And he may have had sons and daughters by the first wife. Notice that Gehazi doesn’t say she has no children. She had married this man when he was old but maybe they had a chance to have a couple of children but they turned out to be girls. I have a friend who has five kids and the first four times around the track they were all girls which is wonderful.
But the fifth child was a boy. And you see this lady has grown up in the land of Israel. As a young girl she probably dreamed about being a wife and mother and she dreamed about having children including girls. But it was a special desire for Israelite women to bear their husband a son who would carry on the family name. And obviously that is what this woman did not have.
And so Elisha says, ‘Call her.’ And she comes back. She stands in the doorway. And Elisha announces to her, ‘About this time next year you will embrace a son.’ Did you notice that the woman said hallelujah I’m so grateful I appreciate it wonderful wonderful? No she didn’t do that, did she? Here’s what she said.
Mind you this is a woman who has reverence for God and reverence for his servant. Mind you this is a woman who has expressed simple and generous hospitality. And when Elisha makes this announcement to her she says, ‘No, my lord, man of God, do not lie to your maidservant.’ You want a free translation of her words here it is. I just can’t believe it. I just can’t believe it.
Now listen carefully. Anyone who has heard us preach from this pulpit over the years knows how important I think it is to have faith in God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact you can’t get to heaven except by faith in Christ and faith in Christ alone. Nothing else. Jesus said,
Most assuredly I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.
And we are constantly challenged to believe the Word of God. That’s important. But listen to me. Some people go to the other extreme and they say if you don’t believe it God can’t do it. If you don’t have the faith God won’t do it. And I’m here to tell you this morning that the God of the Bible is a God of wonderful surprises.
Do you remember the words of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians chapter three?
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that you ask or think.
Did you get those words? To Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that you ask or think. And if you are living a life of obedience and service to God prepare to be surprised.
Albrecht Dürer was a very gifted artist but like many artists his behavior was eccentric sometimes. And on one occasion he was invited to enjoy the hospitality of a family at their beautiful country villa. Well when he got there he behaved rather crudely. He took total control of his own room. He wouldn’t even let the servant come in. He wouldn’t let the maid come in to make the bed and sweep the room. The sweepings of the room were placed outside the door every morning so the maid could pick them up.
And finally when he left the house he left without saying goodbye. Well the servant went in and the servant noticed that the sheets on the bed were gone. And convinced that the artist had taken them the servant reported that the artist had stolen the sheets. But after a very careful search they found the sheets very tightly rolled up like this. And when they unrolled the sheets they found that this artist had painted a very lovely and exquisite picture. In fact a famous picture which is called Alexander in the Temple of Garea. And he had chosen this surprising way to reward the hospitality of his host.
You know what? If I were an artist this morning if I could actually paint a picture of the reward that God is preparing for you for your obedience and for your hospitality to His people I could paint you a picture of that reward. And you looked at it you know I think you would probably say, you know what I think you would say if you looked at a picture of God’s reward for you, whether you get it in this life or the life to come. Here’s what I think you would have said. You would say I just...