A number of years ago, a book came out called "I'm Fine with God... It's Christians I Can’t Stand". This book was written with a humorous slant, but if you have been in church for a while, you can see where that author was coming from! The more you spend time with other Christians, the more you realize that most of us, and most of our families, have problems. However, throughout the New Testament, we are repeatedly commanded to care for one another and in Ephesians 5:1-2, Paul challenges his readers, writing this, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Over the next five weeks, we will be looking at how we can imitate God in our relationships in our church and with friends and family.
This week, we begin with the basics, some soul care foundations that we can apply to all of our relationships. We will be looking specifically at a story in 1 Kings 19, where we find God ministering to Elijah at one of the lowest points of his life. As we walk through the text, a pattern of care becomes evident, and I pray that we will be motivated to apply it as we imitate God's love in our care for one another!
Series: Imitators of God
Message: 1 - The Basics: Soul Care Foundations
Text: 1 Kings 19:1-18
Nathan Hooper
Harvest Bible Chapel
April 12, 2026
Ephesians 5:1-2
Elijah failed in the very point at which he was strongest, and that is where most men fail. In Scripture, it is the wisest man who proves himself to be the greatest fool; just as the meekest man, Moses, spoke hasty and bitter words. Abraham failed in his faith, and Job in his patience; so, he who was the most courageous of all men, fled from an angry woman.
- Charles Spurgeon
If I am to imitate God in caring for others, I will….
…consider their needs holistically (v. 5-8)
Is it not amazing: though we know the power of the Holy Spirit can be ours, we still ape the world’s wisdom, trust its forms of publicity and its noise, and imitate its ways of manipulating men! If we try to influence the world by using its methods, we are doing the Lord’s work in the flesh. If we put activity, even good activity, at the center rather than trusting God, then there may be the power of the world, but we will lack the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Francis Schaeffer, No Little People
Psalm 23:1-3
Matthew 11:28-30
…listen to their story (v. 9-10)
…point them toward God (v. 11-14)
Galatians 6:1-2
2 Timothy 3:15-17
The sufficiency of Scripture means that we don’t need any more special revelation. We don’t need any more inspired, inerrant words. In the Bible God has given us, we have the perfect standard for judging all other knowledge. All other knowledge stands under the judgment of the Bible even when it serves the Bible.
- John Piper
How Scripture speaks to us:
- It encourages us in our suffering.
- It convicts us of our sin while holding out grace.
- It gives us a sense of our intrinsic value, not because of our achievements or special qualities, but as those created in God’s image.
- It offers principles of how we should conduct ourselves in business and in our work or with our finances.
- It outlines how we should treat our spouses and how we should raise our kids.
- It speaks to our mission—giving us “built-in” meaning and purpose.
- It provides a clear understanding of the security we have in Christ and His righteousness, so that we can stop striving and rest in him! We belong to him!
…encourage them to get back on their feet (v. 15-18)
Jeremiah 12:5a
Every step of the way we are accompanied by the God who, in Christ Jesus, will never un-love us, un-adopt us, un-redeem us. No matter what we’ve done, no matter what fallout from our actions has decimated our lives, no matter how much spite or malice, grief or pain, bitterness or despair we feel, we have a God who is on our side. He's walked this path with countless people before us. Now he walks it with us. And there is no better companion than the God who was once called the friend of sinners.
– Chad Bird
