Title:Working in a Difficult Place

Date:9/1/02

Text:1 Kings 18:1-16

Title:Working in a Difficult Place

Theme:As followers of Jesus Christ, even in the midst of an unfriendly work place, we can bring glory to God's name.

Introduction:

In 1882, Peter McGuire of NY introduced the idea of honoring the American workers. In 1894 Congress passed a bill making the 1st Monday in September, LaborDay, and a national holiday. The intent of this day was to celebrate the social and economic advancements of the United States and pay tribute to the driving force of our economy — the American laborer.In other countries, Labor Day falls on May 1st. Now, Labor Day is just another holiday, falling between July 7th and Thanksgiving Day.

In many ways, today’s work place is very different from what it was 100 years ago. There is little commitment between the employers and the employees. Many corporations find themselves being forced to align with and support certain social issues and agenda in the context of social responsibility.

I trust that almost everyone of us has a horror story about our work place. How difficult or mean our boss is to us. That our work place is unfriendly towards Christians. You can speak out as a homosexual, as a Muslim or Buddhist, but try to tell others that you believe in the Bible and Jesus Christ, you will be treated as an alien.

Imagine this want ad. “Manager needed for a large estate. Room and Board provided plus excellent salary and fringe benefits.”It is hard not to apply, especially when you are out of a job. Then a friend approaches you and gives you the insider’s tip, “The owner of this estate is mean and evil. His wife is even worse. Most of his past managers walked into the estate to report for work, but days or months later, they come out lying on a stretcher!” Now, would you still hand in that application form? What if you are already hired and have started working there?

This morning we want to look at an individual in the OT who worked in a very difficult environment.

Let’s first take a look at the setting of this passage. There are 3 main characters: Elijah, Obadiah and Ahab. In 1 Kings 16 is a detailed description of Ahab. He was the king of Israel and ruled for 22 years. He was known as the king who did evil in God's sight, more so than any other king before him(亞哈行耶和華眼中看為惡的事，比他以前的列王更甚). Not only that, he married Jezebel, the daughter of king of Sidon. Sidon was the home of the idol Baal. Jezebel succeeded in influencing Ahab to worship Baal and built temples for it. In 1 Kings 16, it was recorded that because of what Ahab did, he, more than anyone else made God angry (他所行的惹耶和華以色列神的怒氣，比他以前的以色列諸王更甚。)Jezebelnot only wanted to introduce Baal worship into Israel, but also eliminated the prophets of Jehovah from the land by killing them. She was ruthless in carrying out her plan. This was an evil household.

Elijah was the second character. He was a prophet during Ahab’s reign. He was known for the several miracles he performed. He represented God, he was God's spokesman. He was the prophet sent by God to confront Ahab about his evil. So Elijah’s conflict with Ahab was really a conflict between God and Ahab, God and evil. In Chapter 17, Elijah was sent to Ahab and told him that there would not be any rain unless he said so.

And now the third character, Obadiah. He was an employee of the evil king, Ahab. He was trusted by Ahab, so much so, he was made the manager of Ahab’s household. We are also told that he feared the Lord greatly. How so? One time Jezebel set out to kill the prophets, Obadiah, at the risk of his own life, hid 100 of them in caves, supplying them with bread and water.

As the drought got severe, Ahab sent Obadiah to look for water for his herds. While searching, Obadiah met Elijah. Elijah told Obadiah to tell Ahab to come and meet him.

Needless to say, Obadiah found himself between a rock and a hard place. He was a devoted follower of the Lord, but also working for a very wicked and evil king. How could he survive in such a situation? You may have a very difficult boss, teacher or coach, so what are you supposed to do as a follower of Jesus Christ? What if you are working for the Coors brewing company or Philips Morris, the tobacco giant?

This morning we want to learn from Obadiah what does it mean to follow Jesus Christ in a difficult work place.

I.A faithful worker.

It is hard to think of a more difficult place to work than Obadiah working for Ahab. Yet in 18:3, we learn that he was given the job of managing Ahab’s house (亞哈將他的家宰俄巴底召了來。). He was trusted by the most evil person of that time. He must have been a good and faithful worker. This reminds us of Joseph who also worked in a rather unfriendly environment. Yet he was faithful in what he did in that he was given the job of managing Pharaoh’s house. Yes, the boss was evil, yet, Obadiah was a faithful servant. He did his work faithfully and rightly.

Many years agoI heardone Christians said, “My real job is ministry in the church. I work to support myself so I can serve God in the local church.”It sounds very pious. But if you are the boss, what would you think of this Christian employee? His heart is really not here. He is using me so he can do something else. There is something wrong with this, right?

From Obadiah we learn that even though our boss, our coach, or teacher, is mean and unfriendly,we can still be faithful in the work given us. Yes, if the boss is more encouraging, and motivating, it is so much easier to be faithful. However, our work ethics is that all jobs are vocations, meaning a calling from God. All work is sacred. Not just full time ministry is a calling, but all vocations are. Whether you are a doctor, lawyer, engineer, scientist, nurse or a janitor, your work is sacred and important. Therefore we do our best, we give our 100% to the work given to us.

II.A Man of courage.

In this passage, an incident was mentioned two times. The first time in vs 3, “………耶洗別殺耶和華眾先知的時候，俄巴底將一百個先知藏了，每五十人藏在一個洞裏，拿餅和水供養他們。when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water.”It was brought out again in vs.13. Can you imagine when your boss is killing the prophets, you hide 100 of them? Obadiah did not give in; he resisted conforming to the surrounding culture, a culture of evil and death. One can imagine his pressure while, also his courage.

This must remind us of the Schindler’s List. This German businessman during the 2nd world war helped about 1000 Jews to escape Hitler’s death camp. Then there is also Corrie TenBoom and her family in Hollandhiding Jews from the Nazi. They refused to conform to the evil around them.

We too can be strong and courageous in difficult situations. At school when the weak are being bullied and made fun of, we can stand up for them. At work, we can speak out and help those who are the minority, who are being mistreated. We stand up when basic human rights are clearly discarded and violated.

Moreover, even in those dark places, we can be a light. We can tell others about Jesus Christ. We can be the agent to bring healing to those spiritually and emotionally wounded colleagues.

III.A Man of Wavering faith.

What follows is kind of confusing. We saw how courageous Obadiah was under some very trying conditions. But here… In vs.8, Elijah told him, 你去告訴你主人說，以利亞在這裏。Go, tell your lord that Elijah is here. Obadiah’s response in vs.9, “…「僕人有甚麼罪，你竟要將我交在亞哈手裏，使他殺我呢？我指著永生耶和華你的神起誓，無論哪一邦哪一國，我主都打發人去找你，若說你沒有在那裏，就必使那邦那國的人起誓說，實在是找不著你。現在你說，要去告訴你主人說，以利亞在這裏，恐怕我一離開你，耶和華的靈就提你到我所不知道的地方去，這樣，我去告訴亞哈，他若找不著你，就必殺我How have I sinned, that you would give your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent toseek you. And when they would say, ‘He is not here,’ he would take an oath of the kingdom or nation, that they had not found you. And now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here.” ’And as soon as I have gone from you,the Spirit of the Lord will carry you I know not where. And so, when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me….” In essence, Obadiah was saying, “you must be kidding. If I go tell Ahab that you are here, and then the Lord takes you away, Ahab will certainly kill me.” He is saying, previously I have hidden 100 prophets at the risk of my own life, but not this time. This is a suicide mission. No thanks.

You may wander what happened to Obadiah? He recognized Elijah as the prophet, the one representing God. But now, he had problem listening to him. We see him wavering in his faith in God. Yes, there was a time when he did something very courageous, but now?

May be this is what makes us feel close to Obadiah. Isn’t it true that there are times when we are strong and firm, standing up for the Lord and for what is right. Then just a few days later, we do something stupid. This brings out the humanness in all of us. Our past experiences are no guarantee of the present or future steadfastness. However, Obadiah’s story does not end here.

IV.A man of discernment.

After listening to Obadiah’s response, Elijah said in vs.15, “「我指著所事奉永生的萬軍之耶和華起誓，我今日必使亞哈得見我。And Elijah said, g “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.” He called on God's name, assuring Obadiah that he would not go away. In so many words, Elijah is saying that this is really a conflict, a confrontation between God and Ahab, between God and Baal. With this, Obadiah listened and went to tell Ahab to come and meet Elijah. The following encounter between Ahab and Elijah leads to the final show down between Elijah and the 400 prophets of Ball on Mount Carmel. It is a final show down between God and Baal.

As we look at Obadiah through this lens, it appears that there were times in his life that he would be courageous and stand up for what he believed in. Then there were times, he was silent. It would be hard to imagine that on a daily basis, he would publicly, in front of Ahab and Jezebel, point out their wrongs and sins. If so, he would have long gone from the scene. Instead, he appears to know when to speak out and when to keep quiet. He was a person of discernment.

This too is an important lesson we can learn from Obadiah. In our work place, we need to know when to speak out, when to be quiet. We are to carefully choose which battle we want to fight.

It is difficult for anyone except yourself to suggest when is the right time to speak out. Each one of us needs God's wisdom for such discernment. Beginning in September, NY Times will change its Wedding announcement section to Wedding and Celebration section, meaning it will include announcement of unions of gay and lesbian couples. If you are the social editor at NY Times, will you choose to fight this battle?

If the company solicits opinions regarding which social agency it should support, then as Christians, we need to gently and clearly articulate why we feel it is important to support some of the pro-life agencies and not organizations that advocate abortion. When we see the weak, the voiceless ones being mistreated and discriminated against, we speak out for them.

Each one of us will need to make some hard decisions in our work place.

Conclusion:

Looking at Obadiah, it becomes clear that even in a very hostile environment, he was able to be a follower of Jehovah. In that seat of evil, he was faithful, courageous and discerning. If I am to stop my sermon her and encourage us to learn form Obadiah. Then it would be a rather moralistic sermon. Learn from Obadiah and do 1,2,3.

What is the source of Obadiah’s strength? In this passage, two times it mentioned he was a devote believer of the Lord. He worshipped the Lord since his youth. Because he believed the Lord, he worshipped the Lord, he was able to be faithful, courageous and discerning in the difficult work place. Obadiah was an example of what Paul wrote several hundred years later: in Colossians 3:23, “無論作甚麼，都要從心裏作，像是給主作的，不是給人作的，Whatever you do, work heartily,as for the Lord and not for men…”

Because Obadiah feared the Lord, in whatever he did, he did it as to the Lord. Obadiah’s life is to call our attention to the truth statement in the NT, that whatever we do, we do it as to the Lord. As we fear the Lord, as we believe in him and worship him, we too will do everything whole heartily, as we do it to the Lord.

Al worked on the 105th floor in the WTC. He hated his job; he couldn’t stand the environment. It was a world so completely out of touch with hisChristian values. But he wouldn’t quit. He was convinced that God wanted him to stay there, to be a light in the darkness. To that end, Al freely shared his faith with his co-workers. They mocked him, but when horrible things happened in their lives, they always asked Al for prayer.

On 911, 2001, Al and others were trapped on the 105th floor after the WTC was hit. There were reports from some emails and last phone calls, saying that there was this man leading people in prayer. Later it was confirmed that when it was realized that they not be able to escape, Al share the gospel with a group of 50 co-workers and led them in prayer.He died with them.

As we work faithfully, courageously and with discernment, even in the midst of a difficult work place, we’ll be like a light in darkness, pointing others to Christ.

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