(with 1 Kings 17:9)
I. Faith precedes blessing. There are no blessed rays till we believe, till we have acted on our faith, and found the answer in the Father's eternal love. I think the woman did not regret the day she met the strange man on the borders of the wilderness. In the land of idolatry there was trouble; on the borders of famishing and doubt there was a constant supply. Mysteriously the meal held out, and the cruse of oil did not run dry. Thus they continued together, two blessed strangers. God sends His servant not to a palace, but to a widow's cottage, from the solitude of the wilderness, there to learn the humanities of society; from the cry of famine to rely on God, and there to learn the lessons of faith.
II. All great faith precedes great trial. One day, how hoarsely moaned the sea; the waves came murmuring wildly, and dashing on the rocks of Sarepta. The child was dead, and the sun looked down mistily on a distracted mother distracted indeed, for she impeaches falsely her very blessings. "O thou man of God, art thou come to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?" If I had not entertained him, he had not died. But Elijah was faithless, too. How wildly he, who ought to have known better, calls upon God. Then comes the restoration and the confession. "By this I know that thou art a man of God." Ah, how many proofs are necessary! If her son had continued dead her faith had been buried in his grave. But God helps our infirmities, and condescends to our fears, that He may work out our salvation. And in this He no doubt preached to the prophet not less than the prophet preached to the woman.
E. Paxton Hood, Sermons,p. 343.
References: Luke 4:27. Preacher's Monthly,vol. i., p. 129. Luke 4:28; Luke 4:29. W. Wilkinson, Thursday Penny Pulpit,vol. viii., p. 53.Luke 4:28-30. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xiii., No. 753.Luke 4:33-44. F. D. Maurice, The Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven,p. 62.Luke 4:39. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xviii., No. 1071.Luke 4:40. New Outlines on the New Testament,p. 44.Luke 4:42-44. W. Hanna, Our Lord's Life on Earth,p. 127.