November 16th, 1958 “Alive or Dead” Late Mr. N. Daniel

Ephesians 2:1, 8 & 9 and II Kings Ch.4

The son of the Shunamite woman was dead. You are also dead. You cannot live in the house of God as David said in Psalm 23. We are all dead at one stage. We felt we were good Christians. We went to church regularly and read our Bibles. But we were dead because the life of Christ had not come into us. We had not repented. There was not the broken spirit in us. We had not received life.

The boy who made his parents and relatives happy was now dead. He was laid on the bed of Elisha. It is a blessing to be laid on the bed of Elisha but it is not life. It can be promoted to life. You go to church, you read your Bible and pray. You are lying on the bed of Elisha. But you are dead. There was no warmth in the body of the boy. There was no life in him. There may be a little warmth -- a little righteousness, love and service in you. But they are all found in the natural man. There is no creative power in you. Why? There is no life in you. Many Christian parents are dead. Such parents cannot help their children.

Here, the Shunamite was alive. She saw that her son was dead. She understood what had happened. That boy who was the life of the house could be so no more. He was only fit to be put out of that house. He must be buried. Without Christ in our lives our lives are only fit to be buried. The Shunamite got upon an animal and drove fast. Why? She could recognize what had happened. Have you recognized what is happening in your house?

Where is she going? She is going to the man in whom there was the warmth of God, a man who could pray back the boy's departed spirit. There was only one such man available. He had a servant. His servant could not do that. He is not a man fit to be the servant of the man of God. Anyway, the master beckoned him and sent him with his stick. He ran and put the stick on that boy. Nothing happened. We are dead in our sins and trespasses. Who will help us? Is there anyone to sound the alarm? There are homes in which no one knows that all are dead. Nothing creative comes out of them.

Here was a family which recognized the worth of a man of God. They wanted to have him in their house. The coming of the man of God had created faith in them. The faith that was in Abraham came into the Shunamite's husband. Elisha the mouthpiece of God had once said that she would have a son. When a boy was born, there was joy in that house. Faith created such joy. When the child died, faith could recreate that joy. Though we are dead in trespasses, by faith we can become alive.

Elisha came. Where did he come from? From the mount of Carmel. With whom was he there? What was he doing? He was having fellowship with God. He was full of life. Not the natural life but the life of God. When he heard of death, he bestirred himself. “Death? death? I will go. My God will come with me”, he said. God’s children are like that.

God from His throne in heaven looked upon us. He found us dead. Perhaps you are on the bed of Elisha. You have the desire to be in a place of worship. Many are awakened sinners. That is still not Christianity. Has Elisha come? Has Christ come? But you are satisfied with your condition. You confess a few sins. You are a dead man but you say that you surrender yourself to God. God does not want a dead man's surrender. Have you got life? Christ came into the world. He submitted to lying in the grave. He rose again. He brings death as well as resurrection into you. He brings about the death of the Cross and then the resurrection. He has a message for all parts of the body. The warmth of His love warms you. But that is not enough. He has the power to give you the resurrection power. You are saved by faith. What is faith? It is an active power. It is a belief which produces action.

If you listen to the Word of God, the Holy Spirit will help you. Elisha brought back the spirit of the boy. Christ makes your spirit alive. You will never go back to sin. The boy is raised from the bed and is in his mother's arms. We will be so too. If you are alive, you take interest in God's work. You will be active and want to do something for God. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” Do you want blessing, long life, peace, joy, health, education? and anything more? All these are contained in God's blessing. You change the order.

You are running after the world. You have forgotten that you are dead. You are only on the bed of Elisha. There is no life in you. The Shunamite went all the way to Carmel. Don't lessen the speed. Run. The child is dead. There are people who flatter you. But the man of God wants you for Christ. Have you prayed till Christ came into you? Faith seeks. Faith runs. Faith pleads and prays. Eph. 2: 10. All the dead cells of the body of the boy came to life. The heart began to beat and the blood began to circulate. All your dead cells receive new life. Your heart pumps out evil blood. Christ's blood is permitted into your body. Blood is life. Christ's life produces a different nature in you. You will hate sin. This is a wonderful thing. It is a gift. Faith works. Faith that does not have action is dead. It is devil's belief. James 2: 1 9 to 21.

Are you on the bed of Elisha? Is that all? Are you going to be like this all your life? Has anyone come and met you? Was the body that hung from the Cross laid on you? Hosea 7: 14 Jesus calls you. Why? He wants you to share the glory of heaven and to be one with the saints. You allow your own nature to die. You allow yourself to be buried. You allow your emotions to die. New desires and hope come into you. These come from the new life of Christ. It recreates your nature. O wise man without Christ! You will condemn yourself as a fool. Jesus called the rich man fool. Once I was a fool. I am happy that I realized that I was a fool. Christ laboured for me. He removed my sin and injected new life. I laid my hands in the hands of the Wisest Helper in the world. Will you do that? God will come from Carmel. He will come from his Cross. He will come and take you to the Cross and then down to the grave and will place you on the throne. Your place is there by His side. He weeps like a mother: “My son is not in my bosom. He is cold.” God is calling you. It is the call of love.