Scripture References: 2 Kings 4:1-7; Matthew 25:1-13; Isaiah 55:1-3, 6-7; Psalm 81:10; Hebrews 12:1
Intro: Welcome! Following up on remaining/abiding in God's love, today we explore how we connect meaningfully with Him, drawing from 2 Kings 4 (the widow's oil) and Matthew 25 (the ten virgins). Consider this message an "alarm"—an urgent invitation to cultivate our inner life with God and a warning to be prepared. Jesus calls this "getting oil."
Key Points:
- The Context: Readiness for the Bridegroom (Matt 25): Jesus' parable of the ten virgins sets the scene. We live between His ascension and return, awaiting the Bridegroom. Our primary task is readiness, which requires having sufficient "oil."
- The Oil: Inner Life with God (Matt 25): Oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit's presence and our personal, cultivated relationship with God. It's the inner resource we draw upon. Crucially, it can't be borrowed last minute; it must be personally acquired. Many feel their reserves are low.
- How to "Get Oil" (Lessons from 2 Kings 4): The widow needing miraculous provision illustrates how we receive from God:
- Start with Need: Her desperation drove her to Elisha. Our acknowledged weakness and need are doorways to God's grace, not disqualifiers.
- Ask & Gather (Risk/Faith): She had to ask neighbors for vessels ("not too few"). Pursuing God often involves stepping out in faith, risking looking foolish to the world.
- Require Emptiness: The vessels had to be empty. To be filled with God's presence, we must intentionally remove distractions, idols, and "superfluous" things crowding our hearts and minds (Heb 12:1). We can't be filled if we're already full of other things.
- Faith Sets Capacity: God provided oil as long as empty vessels were available. Our faith, desire, and expectation often determine our capacity to receive His generous outpouring ("Open wide your mouth and I will fill it" - Ps 81:10). Don't limit Him by asking small.
- Provision to Live On: The oil met her immediate need and provided sustenance ("live on the rest"). Our inner life with God is our vital resource for ongoing spiritual life and endurance.
- Our Part & God's Part: The widow actively participated (asking, gathering, pouring), but God miraculously provided the oil. Grace requires our effort (action) but not earning (attitude). We must participate – come to Him, ask, seek, remove hindrances – trusting Him to fill us. Even weak cries for Him are heard.
Conclusion: We await Christ's return. Our essential task now is to "get oil" – cultivating deep reserves of relationship with God through His Spirit. This requires acknowledging our need, making room for Him by setting aside lesser things, asking expectantly, and actively participating in His grace. He provides the oil; we prepare the vessels.
Call to Action: Assess your spiritual reserves. What needs to be removed to make more room for God? What daily habits is He inviting you into to "get oil" (prayer, Scripture, solitude)? Ask Him this week. Respond to His invitation: "Come everyone who thirsts, come to the waters... Seek the Lord while he may be found" (Isa 55).
radiantvisalia.com
Get Oil (2 kings 4:1-7)
with Lori Riley
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