Fathers Day 2025: A Godly Troubler

Fathers Day: A Godly Troubler

June 15th, 2025/Seventh Day Adventist

Happy Father’s Day!

As a dad, I feel like I have to bring some dad humor today….. question….

• Who was the fastest man in the Bible? Adam—he was first in the human race.
• Why didn’t Jesus wear jewelry? Because He breaks every chain.
• Why didn’t Noah go fishing? Because he only had two worms.
• Who’s the best financial planner in the Bible? Pharaoh’s daughter—she went down to the bank of the Nile and pulled out a prophet.
• What kind of man was Boaz before he got married? Ruth-less.

You're welcome. That’s the kind of humor your kids secretly love and your wife pretends to hate.

Today we’re going to be talking about the prophet Elijah.

Elijah is a prophet in one of Israel’s darkest moments. The nation has turned its back on God, and King Ahab, the most wicked king to ever rule Israel, has led the people into worshiping false gods, especially Baal. So Elijah steps in and delivers a bold word: “There’s going to be a drought.” And it’s not just about water, it’s about worship. The drought is God’s mercy to wake the people up and call them back to Him.

For the next three and a half years, Elijah is on a private faith journey:

• He’s fed by ravens while hiding in a ravine.
• He lives with a widow and her son during a famine, and miraculously, their oil and flour never run out.
• Then the widow’s son dies… and Elijah prays, and God raises him from the dead.

Now we step into one of the most iconic moments of Elijah’s life, 1 Kings 18. Elijah comes out of hiding and walks straight into enemy territory to King Ahab. King Ahab sees him and says in 1 Kings 18:17: “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” NIV

Elijah fires back in verse 18: “I have not made trouble for Israel... But you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the Lord’s commands and followed the Baals.”

I love this word troubler. It’s meant to be a dig at Elijah… In Hebrew it means one who brings trouble or disaster, and Elijah hands the label right back to Ahab. But here’s how I’d apply it: obeying God will often stir things up, disturb, and shake things out of complacency. Ahab thinks Elijah is the problem, because Elijah stands against the culture, exposes what’s false…. But Elijah wasn’t bringing chaos, he was bringing truth. He was bringing God back to a land that had forgotten Him.

Sometimes the most loving thing a leader can do is disturb what’s comfortable in order to rescue what’s broken. That’s what Elijah was doing.

A Godly troubler is someone who refuses to let brokenness stay broken. When you lead against the grain of culture, you will be labeled a “troubler.” But in reality, you’re the one bringing life.

Today, I want to speak to fathers. But this message is for anyone who leads. The culture today needs more troublers for God! Sometimes you’ve got to stir things up… you’ve got to disturb the status quo… and you’ve got to lead.

Big Idea: God is looking for leaders who have the courage to rebuild what’s broken, confront what’s false, and lead others back to His presence.

It takes courage to lead like a Godly troubler…..

Let’s jump back into the story and see how Elijah had courage…..

19 Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

Elijah is calling for a public showdown on Mount Carmel to expose the false gods Israel has been worshiping under Ahab and Jezebel’s influence.

20 So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing.

In this moment, it’s God’s chosen people that had rejected Yahweh. He asks, “How long will you waver?” because Israel knows deep down they’ve drifted; they’re caught between God and the idols of their culture. They say nothing because they know they are in the wrong.

Drifting away from the commands of God will result in the silence of the saint.

22 Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. 23 Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God.” Then all the people said, “What you say is good.”

Elijah sets the stage for a public test: one altar for Baal, one for the Lord, Elijah is outnumbered, 450 to 1, (So you’re saying there’s a chance) The bull, was chosen intentionally, it stood for 2 things…it was the standard sacrifice in book of the law for repentance, and it also served as a direct challenge to Baal, who was symbolized by a bull.

25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.” 26 So they took the bull given them and prepared it.Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming, or is relieving himself. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” 28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. 29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.

Baal was never a real god. The text doesn’t tell us why these prophets accepted the challenge. My guess is they had seen demonic signs and counterfeit miracles before… But now, under the authority of Yahweh, they are completely silenced.

This moment reveals a key truth: false gods may have some ability, but they do not have ultimate authority, and in the presence of the living God, they are exposed as empty. (Slow)

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.” 32 With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed.(Like 4 gallons of dry seed- 5 gallon bucket ) 33 He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.”34 “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again.“Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35 The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench. 36 At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. 39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”

This was a dramatic display, when fire falls, It was so hot it burned not just the bull water and soil, but the stones… LAVA…. it means God has shown up in force. His presence, His power, and His purifying work all in one moment.

40 Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!” They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there. 41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.”

It would be easy to skip over this part and do my message…. But Let’s be honest, this is a hard moment to process. It feels extreme. Violent. Maybe even unsettling. Why would God allow this, and I don't want to skip over something because it is hard.

Here’s what we can’t ignore about the prophets of Baal…. These weren’t just misguided men, they were spiritual leaders who had systematically led an entire nation into generational idolatry, sexual corruption, and even child sacrifice.

Elijah isn’t acting out of rage; he’s obeying God’s command to confront deep, systemic evil which is commanded in Deut. 13– “If a prophet... says, ‘Let us follow other gods’... that prophet or dreamer must be put to death for inciting rebellion against the Lord your God...”

Before revival can come, what’s false must be torn down. Elijah’s bold stand doesn’t just confront Baal worship, it clears the way for rain, renewal, and a nation’s return to God.

God raises up a leader in Elijah to rebuild what’s broken, confront what’s false, and lead the people back to God.

We need Fathers like Elijah.

Dads, I want to give you 3 steps to leading your family…. The first is you have to have the courage to……

Main Points:

1. Rebuild What’s Broken

   1. “Elijah repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down.”

      1. Before the fire came, before the miracle happened, Elijah rebuilt the altar. The altar represented repentance, obedience, and surrender—and it had been neglected. Israel didn’t need something new, they needed to repair what was broken.
      2. They had been given everything they needed to be successful, but they had neglected it and now it’s in ruins.
         2. And the same is true for us.
         3. Dads: your family needs more than provision. They need spiritual covering. And that covering starts with your repentance, your obedience, and your devotion.
         4. You can’t call down fire if your altar is in ruins.
         5. So How Do you Rebuild the Altar:

      3. Lead in Devotion

         1. You can’t lead your kids somewhere you’re not willing to go yourself.
         2. You can’t outsource discipleship. You are the model.

         3. Ask yourself: What do you want for your kids when they’re grown?

            1. Do you want them to love God’s Word?
               Then let them catch you reading it.
            2. Do you want them to pray bold prayers?
               Then let them hear you cry out to God.
            3. Do you want them full of faith?
               Then let them see you trust God when it’s hard.
            4. Do you want them in Godly community?
               Then bring them into the house of God regularly.
            5. Do you want them serving and giving generously?
               Then let your generosity be obvious.

            6. Do you want them loving their neighbors?
               Then show them what it looks like to live sent. 4. Children will rarely go further than the path their parents have paved.

            7. They may hear what you say, but they’ll become what you live. 5. Their hearts aren’t shaped by your commands as much as your consistency.

            8. The eyes of a child are always watching, not listening for speeches, but absorbing the quiet sermons of your life. 2. Be Involved in Church
               1. Don’t underestimate the power of your consistency. You may think your kids aren’t watching, but they are. And the data is striking. 2. In one Swiss study, when the father attended church regularly and the mother did not practice, 44 percent of their children became regular attenders as adults.
               But when only the mother attended regularly, that number dropped drastically to just 2 percent. 3. That’s not just a statistic. It’s a wake-up call.
               It’s not about perfection; it’s about presence.
               Because when a father leads the way in spiritual habits, his children are far more likely to follow. 4. And it’s not just about sitting in a seat.
               It’s about showing up, serving faithfully, worshiping boldly, and giving generously.
               You set the spiritual ceiling of your home. Your kids will often rise or fall to the level you live. 5. “Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” - Hebrews 10:25 (NLT) 6. So show up. Stay planted. Serve with joy.
               Your faithfulness to God’s house is building more than memories. It’s building a future. 3. Consecrate Your Home
               1. Make it clear who lives there. 2. Your home is not just a place to eat and sleep. It’s a place where the presence of God should dwell. It’s sacred ground. It’s holy ground. 3. Walk through your house and declare that it belongs to Jesus. Pray in every room. Speak peace over your family. Walk around your property and anoint it. Anoint the doorways and windows. Lay hands on the beds your children sleep in. Say out loud: “This is a house of worship. This is a house of the Lord.” 4. What you allow in your home will eventually take root in your family. So set the tone. Fill it with prayer. Cover it with worship. Guard it with discernment. 5. Let your kids grow up in an environment where God’s presence is normal, not rare. 6. Joshua said it best: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” - Joshua 24:15 7. We must rebuild the altar—starting at home.
               Because the battle for the next generation isn’t won in public. It’s won in the living room.

               6. Dads, the 2nd step to leadership of your family is you have to have the courage to…

2. Confront What’s False

   1. You can’t call down fire and keep playing with idols.
   2. Elijah wasn’t afraid to say it like it was. He stood in front of a crowd that couldn’t decide. “How long will you waver between two opinions?” (1 Kings 18:21) Translation: Make up your mind.
   3. If God is God, then follow Him. If He’s not, stop pretending.
      1. The people were stuck in compromise. And Elijah didn’t coddle it. He confronted it.
      2. Dads, we’ve got to do the same. You can’t lead your family if you’re bowing to what’s broken.
      3. Baal isn’t on a throne today, but his spirit still speaks. And today’s idols? They don’t demand goat blood. They demand your peace, your time, your marriage, your kids.
   4. We’re watching families bleed out on the altars of:
      1. More money
      2. Better image
      3. Constant busyness
      4. Cultural applause
   5. Culture says your kid’s performance matters more than their purpose.
   6. Culture says let them find their own truth.
   7. Culture says you deserve comfort over conviction.
   8. But that’s counterfeit. False gods always cost more than they promise.
      1. Idols demand blood. But Jesus already gave His.
      2. You don’t have to earn what’s already been paid for.
      3. You don’t have to destroy your soul trying to win what Jesus already won.
   9. The cross isn’t just a moment. It’s the final word. One sacrifice for all time. One Savior for all people.
   10. So here’s the question. What are you still tolerating in your home that you should be confronting?
   11. You can’t preach revival and protect rebellion. Elijah called out what was fake, and fire came down. And Scripture says, “The power of the Lord came on Elijah” (1 Kings 18:46).
   12. God’s presence is His endorsement. When God puts His hand on you, you can walk in authority you didn’t earn. So once you’ve rebuilt what’s broken, and you’ve confronted what’s fake, then you point others back to His presence…

3. Lead Others Back To His Presence

   1. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!” - V39
   2. When the fire falls, the people repent and worship. That’s what the presence of God does, it awakens, convicts, and draws hearts home. You are leading under God's authority now, not yours.
   3. The story isn’t over. Elijah keeps leading the nation back. The story began with drought, and now he climbs back up Mount Carmel, gets on his knees, and prays. Not once. Not twice. Seven times. And finally — a cloud the size of a man’s hand appears. That little cloud became a downpour.
   4. Then “the power of the Lord came on Elijah” and he outran Ahab’s chariot. That’s the sign: when the Spirit comes upon you, you don’t follow the world’s lead, you lead the way.
   5. Here’s how I’d apply this. Think of the fire as God’s presence.
      Think of the rain as God’s blessing.

   6. And most dads I know, we’re desperate for the rain. We want blessing. We want our kids to thrive. We want to provide.

      1. But here’s the truth: You can’t have the rain without the fire. You can’t receive the blessing of God without first dwelling in the presence of God.
         7. My prayer for you is this… that the Spirit of God may come upon you. So you can run ahead. So you can lead your family into revival.
         8. Will you be the one your children thank years from now when they say: “My dad showed me what it looks like to run after God.” This is my hope for every dad in this church….

Will you join me in prayer?

As every head is bowed, eyes closed… if you are a father would you look up at me I just want to talk directly to you.

If you feel weary… if you’ve been questioning your role… If you look at the patterns in your family and you’re ready for something different… Jesus is here to meet you. It takes courage to step forward. But I see it in you. You can do this. You can carry the presence of God into your home.

Don’t just survive the drought. Chase the cloud. Let the fire fall. Let the rain come. You’re not just leading a family, you’re building a legacy.

Closing:

Elijah stood on that mountain, not because he was the strongest, not because he had the biggest following, not because he had it all together, but because he was available. Because he said yes. Because he was desperate for God. And in the face of a nation that had bowed to false gods, Elijah stood alone… and called fire from heaven.

And today, I believe God is looking for men, for fathers, for leaders who will stand like that again.

Not perfect men.

Not religious performers.

Not superheroes.

But men who will rebuild what’s broken in their homes…
Men who will confront what’s false in their culture…
And men who will lead their families back into the presence of God.

We need fathers who say, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” We need Godly troublers.

So let me speak plainly to three kinds of men in the room:

1. To the Dad Who’s Never Given His Life to Christ:

Sir, I want to say this with love and urgency—you can’t lead your family where you’ve never been.
You can’t pass on a faith you haven’t owned.
And maybe today is the day you stop running.
Today is the day you surrender.

You weren’t created to wander.
You were created to worship.
And your Father in Heaven is calling you home today.

The fire of God didn’t fall to destroy Elijah, it fell to show the people who God really was.
And that same God sent His Son to take your place, your punishment, your guilt—so you could be free.

You don’t need to clean up to come to Him.
You just need to come.

2. To the Lukewarm Dad:

Maybe you’ve been coasting.
You know the lingo. You show up to church. You’re a “good guy.”
But deep down, you’ve stopped leading.

Your altar is broken. Your passion has grown cold.
You’ve settled for success in the world and silence in the Spirit.

But today, God’s calling you higher.
He’s saying: "Rebuild it. Return to Me. Watch what I’ll do with a man fully surrendered."

Don’t leave your kids guessing about what you believed.
Let them see a fire in your heart again.
Let them watch your worship. Let them hear your prayers.
Let them say, “That’s a man of God.”

3. To the Fired-Up Dad:

You’re here and you’re hungry.
You’ve been praying, leading, serving, but you want more.
You want fire. You want rain. You want revival in your home.

Let me encourage you, keep pressing in.
Don’t back down. Don’t give up. Don’t grow weary.
You may not see the cloud yet, but it’s coming.
The seeds you’re sowing in your kids will bear fruit.

And when you lead, others will follow.
Your fire will spread. Your obedience will inspire.
Your legacy will outlive you.

So here’s what I’m asking today:

Fathers, will you say yes?

This is a moment to decide.

I want every father who’s ready to say, “I’m in. I want to be a Godly leader. I want to lead my family into the presence of God”—to stand. Right now. In this room.

Don’t wait. Don’t look around. If you’re serious, stand to your feet.

And if you’re next to a father who’s standing, reach out and put a hand on him. Let’s cover him. Let’s pray for him.

If you want to make a decision to follow Jesus. Then join me and everyone else in the building as we pray out loud together. It’s not the prayer that saves you, but your faith, making Jesus Lord of your life. We don’t let anyone go on the journey alone. If you have faith in Jesus, then let’s join together as we pray…

Prayer of Salvation:

Jesus, I acknowledge that I need you

I confess that I have sinned against you

I believe that God raised you from the dead

And right now, by faith, I say “Jesus is Lord”

Thank you for forgiving me

By your grace I am saved

And by your power I am set free