Create a sermon from the Biblical story of the "Widow of Zarepath." Include a bible exegesis of the relevant passage of scripture, historical background, and modern day spiritual lessons to be learned.
Here is a sermon based on the story of the Widow of Zarephath.
The Last Little Bit: Faith When the Jar is Empty
Primary Text: 1 Kings 17:8-24 Series: A Faith That Survives
Introduction: The Bottom of the Barrel
Have you ever been there?
I'm talking about the bottom of the barrel. The place where you're "running on empty." Maybe it's not a food pantry; maybe it's your bank account, and there are more days in the month than dollars in the account.
Maybe it's your patience. You're at the end of your rope with a child, a spouse, or a job. Maybe it's your hope. You've received a diagnosis, faced a loss, or been in a season of despair for so long that you've stopped praying for a miracle.
You look at what you have left, and you say, "This is it. I have just enough for one last try, one last meal, one last breath... and then I'm done."
If you have ever felt that way, or if you feel that way right now, then this is a story for you. It's a story from a time of national crisis, about a prophet running for his life and a woman who was at the absolute bottom of the barrel.
It’s the story of the Widow of Zarephath.
Part 1: The Historical Background (God's Strange Map)
To understand this story, you have to understand the world it's happening in.
The setting is 9th-century-BC Israel. The nation is in a spiritual freefall. The king is Ahab, and he is married to one of the most infamous women in all of history: Jezebel.
Jezebel was not an Israelite. She was a Phoenician princess, the daughter of the King of Sidon. And when she married Ahab, she didn't just bring her luggage; she brought her religion. She was a high-priestess of a god named Baal.
Baal was the god of the storm, the god of rain, the god of fertility and harvest. He was the "bread and butter" god. And Jezebel was on a mission to make Baal-worship the state religion of Israel.
Into this chaos steps the prophet Elijah. He is a man of God, rugged and raw. He walks into King Ahab's court, looks the most powerful man in the country in the eye, and delivers a message of defiance. In 1 Kings 17:1, he says, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word."
This wasn't just a weather forecast. This was a declaration of war. Elijah, the prophet of Yahweh, was calling out Baal, the "god of rain," on his own turf. It was a showdown: My God is bigger than your god. Let's see who can make it rain.
And for three years... nothing. The skies are brass. The brook where Elijah was hiding dries up. The economy collapses. The famine is severe.
And this is where our story picks up. God's first provision for Elijah, the brook, is gone. And God gives him a new command.
1 Kings 17:8-9: "Then the word of the LORD came to him: 'Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.'"
Pause. Let's not read that too fast. "Go to Zarephath... in the region of Sidon."
Where is Sidon? Sidon is Jezebel's hometown. It is the heart of Baal-worship. It is enemy territory.
This is the first spiritual lesson: Lesson 1: God’s provision is often found in the places we least expect.
God is sending his prophet out of the "promised land" and into the heart of the enemy's stronghold. Why? To prove that His power isn't confined to Israel's borders. To show that even in the capital city of Baal, Yahweh is in control.
And who is God's chosen instrument? A king? A wealthy merchant? No. "I have commanded a widow."
In that culture, a widow was the most vulnerable person. She had no husband, no political power, no social standing, and no source of income. God chose the poorest person, in the poorest region, in the middle of a famine, to provide for his prophet.
He is sending one empty, desperate man to one empty, desperate woman. This is God's strange and beautiful map.
Part 2: The Exegesis (The "But First" Test)
So Elijah goes. He arrives at the city gate, and he sees her. She's gathering sticks.
v. 10-12: He asks for water (a huge request in a drought). She agrees. Then he goes for it: "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."
This breaks her. She turns to him, and the mask falls. She says, "As the LORD your God lives..." (Notice she says your God, not my God). "I don't have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a final meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it... and die."
This is the bottom of the barrel. This is not a figure of speech. She has done the math. She has counted her resources. She is preparing for her and her child's death. This is the end.
And what Elijah says next sounds, to our modern ears, like the most selfish, insensitive thing a "man of God" could possibly say.
v. 13-14: "Elijah said to her, 'Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first... make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry...’"
"But first..."
This is the crux of the entire story. This is the pivot point of faith. Elijah gives her a promise, but it is attached to a command. The miracle is on the other side of the obedience.
She is staring at her "last little bit" of flour. Logic, fear, and maternal instinct all scream: "Protect what's yours! Feed your son! This man is crazy!"
But the promise of God says, "The only way to save what you have is to give it away. The only way for your jar to become full is to use it when it's empty."
And here is the most powerful verse in the story:
v. 15: "She went away and did as Elijah had told her."
She did it. She took her last little bit. She scraped the bottom of the barrel. She baked that little, pathetic cake, with the smell of death in her own home, and she put it in the hands of the prophet.
Lesson 2: Faith is acting on God's promise before you see the provision.
We want God to fill our jar first, and then we'll be generous. We want God to give us the overflowing blessing, and then we'll be obedient. But faith doesn't work that way. God doesn't honor our "what if." He honors our "even though."
The widow had to bake the cake while the jar was still empty. You have to give the forgiveness while the wound is still fresh. You have to show the kindness while the person is still difficult. You have to offer the tithe while the bank account is still low.
The miracle is triggered by the obedience.
Part 3: The Spiritual Lessons (Daily Bread)
So she bakes the cake. And the story says:
v. 15b-16: "So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry..."
Now, notice what didn't happen. The heavens didn't open up. A CostCo truck didn't pull up to her house. The jar didn't magically overflow and fill her whole pantry.
No. It just didn't run out.
Every morning, she would wake up, look in the jar, and there would be just enough flour for that day. She'd look in the jug, and there would be just enough oil for that day. For three years, she lived in a state of constant, daily, miraculous provision.
Lesson 3: God's provision is often "daily bread," not a "ten-year stockpile."
Why? Because God is more interested in our dependence on Him than our independence. If He filled the whole pantry, she would have thanked Him once and forgotten about Him for a year. But because He gave her "just enough," she had to wake up every single morning and trust Him all over again.
He is teaching us to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." He is the God of just enough. Just enough grace for today. Just enough strength for this trial. Just enough patience for this child.
Conclusion: A Faith for the Famine and the Fire
But the story doesn't end there. In verse 17, a second crisis hits. A bigger one. The widow's son gets sick and dies.
And the widow, the woman of faith, is shattered. She runs to Elijah and screams, "Did you come here to remind me of my sin and kill my son?!" She had faith for the famine, but this new fire is too hot.
And Elijah takes the boy, cries out to God, and God raises him from the dead. And it's only after this second, harder miracle that the widow says the final words of the story:
v. 24: "Then the woman said to Elijah, 'Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth.'"
Wait. Now you know? What about the flour? What about the oil? What about the supernatural, three-year-long miracle?
Here is the final, most powerful lesson.
Lesson 4: God is not just interested in your provision; He is interested in your resurrection.
It was one thing to trust God for flour and oil. It is another thing entirely to trust Him with the life of your only son. God allowed her to go from a crisis of provision to a crisis of life, so He could prove that He's not just the God of pantries, He's the God of graves. He's not just the God of bread, He's the God of breath.
What is your "last little bit" today?
Is it the last bit of flour in the jar? The last dollar in your account? Or is it something deeper? Is it the last bit of hope for a dead marriage? The last bit of faith for a lost child? Is it the last bit of life in a body wracked with sickness?
This story is our invitation. God is not asking for what you don't have. He is asking for that "last little bit" that you do have.
The question for all of us today is the same one that was put to the widow at the gate. Will you hold onto your "last little bit" in despair, and eat it, and die? Or will you offer it to God in faith, trusting that He is the God of the empty jar, the God of the daily bread, and the God of the resurrection?
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Sermon Title: The Last Little Bit: Faith When the Jar is Empty Primary Text: 1 Kings 17:8-24
1. Introduction: The Bottom of the Barrel
Hook: Have you ever felt like you were "running on empty"? You've looked at your bank account, your patience, your emotional energy, or your hope, and realized you're at the very bottom of the barrel.
The Problem: We all face "famines"—seasons where our resources are depleted and our needs are overwhelming. We are left looking at our "last little bit," wondering how we will survive.
The Story: Today's story is about a woman who was there. She was at the end of her rope, preparing for her and her son's death. But God met her in that impossible place.
The Big Idea: This is a story about how God's greatest miracles often begin with our greatest scarcity.
2. Point 1: The Context of the Crisis (Historical Background)
Scripture: 1 Kings 17:1-7
Historical Context:
The Nation: Israel is in a spiritual crisis under King Ahab and his Phoenician wife, Jezebel.
The "God" (The Rival): Jezebel has made worship of Baal the state religion. Baal was the god of rain, storms, and fertility.
The Conflict: Elijah, the prophet of Yahweh, directly confronts this. His first act is to declare a drought ("there will be neither dew nor rain... except at my word"). This is a direct challenge: Let's see whose God actually controls the rain.
The Famine: The drought is now severe. The economy is broken. Everyone is desperate.
The Strange Command:
Scripture: 1 Kings 17:8-9
The Command: God tells Elijah, "Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon..."
Historical Lesson: Zarephath is in Sidon. This is Jezebel's hometown. It is the heart of Baal worship. God is sending his prophet from the "Promised Land" into the "Enemy's Stronghold."
Spiritual Lesson: God’s provision is often found in the most unexpected places. God's power is not limited by our geography, our politics, or our enemy's territory.
3. Point 2: The Test of the "Last Little Bit" (Biblical Exegesis)
Scripture: 1 Kings 17:10-14
The Encounter: Elijah, empty and desperate, finds the widow. God's chosen provider is not a wealthy merchant, but the most vulnerable person in the culture: a pagan widow with a child.
The Widow's Reality (v. 12): This is the bottom of the barrel. She's not being dramatic; she is stating a fact. "I have... only a handful of flour... and a little olive oil... I am gathering a few sticks... that we may eat it... and die." She has done the math. She is preparing for death.
The Test (v. 13): Elijah's response sounds harsh: "Don't be afraid... But first... make a small loaf of bread for me..."
Exegesis: This is the pivot point of faith. Elijah isn't being selfish; he is presenting her with a divine test. He is asking her to prioritize a promise from God over her present reality.
The Promise (v. 14): "For this is what the LORD... says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry...’"
Spiritual Lesson: Faith is acting on God's promise before you see God's provision. The miracle was on the other side of her obedience. God asked for her "last little bit" as the seed for her miracle.
4. Point 3: The Miracle of Daily Provision (Modern Lesson)
Scripture: 1 Kings 17:15-16
Her Obedience (v. 15): "She went away and did as Elijah had told her." This is the quietest, most powerful verse in the story.
The Miracle (v. 16): "The jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry..."
Exegesis: Notice what didn't happen. The jar didn't suddenly overflow. A chariot of grain didn't arrive. Every time she went to the jar, there was just enough for that day.
Modern Lesson: God's provision is often daily bread, not a ten-year stockpile. God is more interested in our daily dependence on Him than our long-term independence. He gave her just enough for the day, so she would have to trust Him again for the next day. This is the model of the Lord's Prayer: "Give us this day our daily bread."
5. Point 4: The Greater Miracle of Resurrection (The Final Lesson)
Scripture: 1 Kings 17:17-24
The Second Crisis (v. 17): Her son becomes ill and dies. This is a far greater "famine" than the first.
The Crisis of Faith (v. 18): Her faith shatters. She blames God and Elijah: "Did you come here to remind me of my sin and kill my son?" She had faith for the pantry, but not for the grave.
The Climax (v. 19-23): Elijah takes the boy, cries out to God, and God raises him from the dead.
The Confession (v. 24): The woman says, "Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth."
Exegesis: Why now? Wasn't the three-year-long supernatural flour and oil miracle enough?
Modern Lesson: God is not just interested in your provision; He is interested in your resurrection. It's one thing to trust God for your bills, but it's another to trust Him with your life, your marriage, your child. God allowed this second, greater crisis to prove that He's not just the God of bread; He's the God of breath. He is not just the God of the pantry; He is the God who raises the dead.
6. Conclusion: What's Your "Last Little Bit"?
Summary: God met the widow at the bottom of the barrel. He tested her with her "last little bit." He provided for her daily. And then He showed her that His power went far beyond simple provision to resurrection.
Application:
What is your "famine" right now? (Financial, emotional, relational?)
What is your "last little bit" that God is asking for? (Your last bit of energy, your last bit of hope, your last dollar?)
The widow had two choices:
Cling to her last bit, eat it, and die (as she planned).
Offer her last bit to God in faith and live.
Call to Action: God is not asking for what you don't have; He's asking for what you do have. Bring Him your empty jar. Offer Him your "last little bit." Trust that the God who met the widow in Zarephath is the same God who meets you today. He is the God of the empty jar, and He is the God of the resurrection.
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Here is the text of 1 Kings 17:8-24 from the King James Version (KJV):
8 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.
12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.
15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.
17 And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.
18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?
19 And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.
20 And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?
21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.
22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.
24 And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.
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