in order for God to do His work in us so He can do His work through us, we need to empty ourselves

humble yourself

in order for God to do His work in us so He can do His work through us, we need to empty ourselves

2 Kings 4:1-2 One day the widow of a member of the group of prophets came to Elisha and cried out, “My husband who served you is dead, and you know how he feared the Lord. But now a creditor has come, threatening to take my two sons as slaves.” “What can I do to help you?” Elisha asked. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?” “Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,” she replied.

2 Kings 4:3-4 And Elisha said, “Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors. Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.”

2 Kings 4:5-6 So she did as she was told. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she filled one after another. Soon every container was full to the brim! “Bring me another jar,” she said to one of her sons. “There aren’t any more!” he told her. And then the olive oil stopped flowing.

God loves to fill what is empty

What’s the only thing that must be true of the jar in order for it to be filled? It needs to be empty [CLICK] reponse

Filling the empty Luke 7 Simon & the prostitute Luke 18 Pharisee & tax collector John 6 fill up the 5000 Luke 8 house filled with joy John 8 woman filled with hope [CLICK] each line

Water into wine

Luke 14:1-24

…the place where God addresses the deepest needs of His people A banquet… …the place where God addresses the deepest needs of His people

Luke 14:16-17 A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ But they all began making excuses.

Luke 14:17-20 One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I now have a wife, ‘So I can’t come.’

Luke 14:21 The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’

Luke 14:22-24 After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’

excuses 1 I bought a field

A presumption of emptiness

That’s how our advertisements are geared toward us

consumerism the idea that our success and happiness is directly related to our ever-increasing consumption of goods

Mother teresa The spiritual poverty of the Western world is much greater than the physical poverty of our people in Calcutta. You in the West have millions of people who suffer such terrible loneliness and emptiness.

1 I bought a field 2 I bought five oxen excuses 1 I bought a field 2 I bought five oxen [CLICK] each line

Busyness serves as a kind of hedge against emptiness.

Smartphone usage 80% check their phone within 15 minutes of waking up 75% use their phone in the bathroom [CLICK] each line

excuses 1 I bought a field I bought five oxen I just got married

And so it all builds up to this moment at the end of the movie, where Tom Cruise says to her,

excuses So we come up with these different excuses

Ephesians 5:18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit… Let Me fill that cup.

Ephesians 5:18 be filled with the Holy Spirit imperative not an option, a command present not just 1 time but on-going passive put ourselves in position to receive [CLICK] for bullets

empty ourselves

I firmly believe that the moment our hearts are emptied of selfishness, ambition and self- seeking and everything that is contrary to God’s law, the Holy Spirit will come and fill every corner of our hearts. But if we are full of pride and conceit, ambition and self-seeking and the pleasures of the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God… before we pray that God will fill us, I believe we ought to pray that He would empty us. There must be an emptying before there can be a filling. And when the heart is turned upside-down and everything that is contrary to God is turned out, then the Sprit will come. d. l. moody

Lord, empty me of me so I can be filled with you

Luke 14:21-24 ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame… Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’ Okay, well, go find people who aren’t so full of themselves. Go find people whose lives aren’t so stuffed, and you invite them to come to My table.

The only person God sends away empty is a person full of him/herself.

pray