Click to hide HTML preview
Sketches of Leadership - students3.indd
SKETCHES
T @
of Leadership o o o o >
he Leader and Burnout
1 Kings 19: 1-18
Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets
with the sword.
2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods
do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by
this time tomorrow."
3Then he was afraid; he got up and fl ed for his life, and came
to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah; he left his servant there.
4But he himself
went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary
broom tree. He asked that he might die: "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my
life, for I am no better than my ancestors."
5Then he lay down under the broom
tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, "Get up and
@
eat."
6He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar
Elijah has just seen a great victory and God's
vindication over the supporters of Baal. Why is
of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again.
7The angel of the LORD came a
he suffering from depression?
second time, touched him, and said, "Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be
too much for you."
8He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of
that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.
9 At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there. Then the word of the
LORD came to him, saying, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
10He answered,
"I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have
forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the
sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away."
11He said,
"Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD, for the LORD is about to
pass by." Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and
breaking rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and
after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake;
12and after
the earthquake a fi re, but the LORD was not in the fi re; and after the fi re a sound of
sheer silence.
13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went
out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said,
"What are you doing here, Elijah?"
14He answered, "I have been very zealous for
the LORD, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown
down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they
are seeking my life, to take it away."
15Then the LORD said to him, "Go, return on
How does God deal with Elijah in his depres-
sion?
your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael
as king over Aram.
16Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel;
and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your
place.
17Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever
escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill.
18Yet I will leave seven thousand
in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not
kissed him."
INTERVARSITY ®
Sketches of Leadership #18
I
SKETCHES
of Leadership o o o o >
d
@
olatries On Two Mountains
Mount Carmel, with the people who worshiped the idol Baal. God gained a very public victory over this idolatry through raining down fi re at
the request of Elijah. Everyone that day knew that the LORD was God.
Mount Horeb, with Elijah who idolized the dramatic event. God gained a very private victory over Elijah's idolatry by coming, not in wind,
earthquake, or fi re, but in a small sound of sheer silence. Elijah was being obedient in the Mt. Carmel display, but he was trusting in the great
display of God's power to save him, not in God himself. He was trusting in a specifi c picture of what salvation and hope would look like, not in
the God who backed that hope. On Mt. Horeb that day, Elijah came to realize that God's power is bigger than any opposing force and he can
indeed be trusted, even when ministry doesn't work out the way he expects.
How @
What is God's message for us when we
are we tempted to trust in some specifi c
experience burnout or depression:
picture of how God works, rather than in
God himself?
>
· We take evangelistic risks with our friends, sensing God's call. Yet they
God is with us and he has given us partners, to help
don't respond the way they thought they would, so we get discouraged
and encourage us. God gives Elisha to Elijah as a part-
and doubt God's existence, power, or goodness.
ner, but still Elijah must take the initiative.
· We take steps of faith to pray for healing for a friend based on a sense
of promise from God, but in the short run it seems that the promise isn't
kept, or no dramatic results come.
>
as we think. God reminds us that we are not without
· We pay great sacrifi ces of time and money for the sake of a creative
his resources, help, and ultimate vindication. Our
ministry outreach, expecting that God will honor these sacrifi ces and
perception needs to change--we must see God larger
vindicate our priorities. When we experience costs we didn't anticipate
and our problems smaller.
(lower grades, our boss' disapproval at work) or when we fail to see the
results we were expecting, we can get discouraged and even burned out.
> God's work is sometimes
When are you most tempted to experience burn-
Just because we haven't seen people healed does not
out or ministry discouragement?
mean we haven't seen the power of God or experi-
> After a missions trip
enced his grace and healing touch in our own lives.
> After a hard talk with your parents
>
God calls us in the midst of the quiet to rely on him
After a loud discussion with non-believing friends about God
> After receiving a low evaluation or grade
and to press ahead with his purpose for our life: to
> After a person in your small group decides to drop out
love him and love others.
In these (and other) times, what is God's encouragement for you?
INTERVARSITY
®
Sketches of Leadership #18
©2007 InterVarsity Christian Fellowship 6400 Schroeder Road, P.O. Box 7895 Madison, WI 53707-7895
tel 608.274.9001
email info@intervarsity.org
web www.intervarsity.org
Background to this story. Elijah wins the great
SKETCHES
T @
of Leadership o o o o >
battle of the gods on Mt. Carmel, calling down
he Leader and Burnout fi re from heaven. After victory, he personally
kills all the enemy prophets of Baal, then prays
and ends the three-year drought. It had been a
1 Kings 19: 1-18
good day of ministry until....
Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets
with the sword.
2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods
do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by
this time tomorrow."
3Then he was afraid; he got up and fl ed for his life, and came
to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah; he left his servant there.
4But he himself
went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary
broom tree. He asked that he might die: "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my
life, for I am no better than my ancestors."
5Then he lay down under the broom
tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, "Get up and
eat."
6He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar
@
of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again.
7The angel of the LORD came a
Elijah has just seen a great victory and God's
vindication over the supporters of Baal. Why is
second time, touched him, and said, "Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be
he suffering from depression?
too much for you."
8He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of
that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.
· He feels alone
· He thought his faithfulness would yield
9 At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there. Then the word of the
different and more positive results
LORD came to him, saying, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
10He answered,
· Even after the powerful victory, Jezebel
"I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have
still has power to threaten his life (in his
mind)
forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the
· Before, he could look forward to vindica-
sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away."
11He said,
tion on Mt. Carmel. Now, he has nothing
"Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD, for the LORD is about to
to look forward to in ministry. This seems
like the end. "I am no better than my
pass by." Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and
[dead] ancestors": I am as good as dead.
breaking rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and
· He doesn't doubt God's existence or
after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake;
12and after
power, but doubts God's goodness
the earthquake a fi re, but the LORD was not in the fi re; and after the fi re a sound of
God says, "What are you doing here,
sheer silence.
13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went
Elijah?" God has been directing his move-
out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said,
ments for several years, but this visit to
Horeb was Elijah's idea.
"What are you doing here, Elijah?"
14He answered, "I have been very zealous for
the LORD, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown
God was not in the fl ashy things (wind,
down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they
earthquake, fi re) but in small sound of
silence. Elijah recognizes God's presence
are seeking my life, to take it away."
15Then the LORD said to him, "Go, return on
and God ministers to him.
your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael
How does God deal with Elijah in his depression?
as king over Aram.
16Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel;
and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your
· He doesn't say, "There, there, Elijah, you
need to take a break from your ministry
place.
17Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever
· Yet he is not impatient with Elijah. He
escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill.
18Yet I will leave seven thousand
loves Elijah.
in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not
· God demonstrates that he is not only in
the fl ashy events, but he is in the silence.
kissed him."
· God reminds Elijah that in fact he is NOT the only
· God gives Elijah something to do. He
one left in Israel. God has been watching and paying
invites him back into his ministry, renew-
attention, and he knows that 7000 have not bowed
ing his sense of vision. "Anoint kings who
INTERVARSITY ®
to Baal. As a prophet, Elijah sees many
will accomplish my purposes."
things others do not, but even Elijah
· God gives Elijah a partner: Elisha. He will
needs God's corrective lenses to see real-
no longer be alone.
ity clearly. God is paying attention more
Sketches of Leadership #18
closely than Elijah thinks.
I
SKETCHES
of Leadership o o o o >
d
@
olatries On Two Mountains
Mount Carmel, with the people who worshiped the idol Baal. God gained a very public victory over this idolatry through raining down fi re at
the request of Elijah. Everyone that day knew that the LORD was God.
Mount Horeb, with Elijah who idolized the dramatic event. God gained a very private victory over Elijah's idolatry by coming, not in wind,
earthquake, or fi re, but in a small sound of sheer silence. Elijah was being obedient in the Mt. Carmel display, but he was trusting in the great
display of God's power to save him, not in God himself. He was trusting in a specifi c picture of what salvation and hope would look like, not in
the God who backed that hope. On Mt. Horeb that day, Elijah came to realize that God's power is bigger than any opposing force and he can
indeed be trusted, even when ministry doesn't work out the way he expects.
How @
are we tempted to trust in some specifi c
What is God's message for us when we
picture of how God works, rather than in
experience burnout or depression:
God himself?
>
We aren't alone.
· We take evangelistic risks with our friends, sensing God's call. Yet they
God is with us and he has given us partners, to help
don't respond the way they thought they would, so we get discouraged
and encourage us. God gives Elisha to Elijah as a part-
and doubt God's existence, power, or goodness.
· We take steps of faith to pray for healing for a friend based on a sense
ner, but still Elijah must take the initiative.
of promise from God, but in the short run it seems that the promise isn't
kept, or no dramatic results come.
>
Reality is not as bleak
· We pay great sacrifi ces of time and money for the sake of a creative
as we think. God reminds us that we are not without
ministry outreach, expecting that God will honor these sacrifi ces and
his resources, help, and ultimate vindication. Our
vindicate our priorities. When we experience costs we didn't anticipate
perception needs to change--we must see God larger
(lower grades, our boss' disapproval at work) or when we fail to see the
and our problems smaller.
results we were expecting, we can get discouraged and even burned out.
> God's work is sometimes
When are you most tempted to experience burn-
small and quiet.
out or ministry discouragement?
Just because we haven't seen people healed does not
> After a missions trip
mean we haven't seen the power of God or experi-
> After a hard talk with your parents
enced his grace and healing touch in our own lives.
> After a loud discussion with non-believing friends about God
> After receiving a low evaluation or grade
God calls us in the midst of the quiet to rely on him
> After a person in your small group decides to drop out
and to press ahead with his purpose for our life: to
In these (and other) times, what is God's encouragement for you?
love him and love others.
INTERVARSITY
®
Sketches of Leadership #18
©2007 InterVarsity Christian Fellowship 6400 Schroeder Road, P.O. Box 7895 Madison, WI 53707-7895
tel 608.274.9001
email info@intervarsity.org
web www.intervarsity.org
Document Outline
Click to see HTML preview
