And Elisha Went Over

Over the past several Sundays we have focused on the three services of the Christian community: 1) Attentive listening to the people in and around our community, listening to their needs and fears, hopes and dreams. 2) Active helpfulness by finding ways to help those in our community that doesn't hurt them but to help exactly where their needs are and help them to know a fuller life in Christ by showing them better ways to live. 3) To bear one another's burdens so that we may fulfill the law of Christ, by lifting up one another in prayer, by encouraging one another, and by walking along side one another, caring in deep meaningful ways. These three services are services that embody how a Christian community is to function and we function this way because it is Christ, who is our pioneer in faith, the one we are to imitate, who showed us how to function in a serving way.

Sometimes, preachers have the tendency to get in their own way when they preach. Today, I simply wish to share one of my favorite stories in the Old Testament that I believe embraces all we have spoke about these past few months.

After a very long week, in which Elijah built an altar and challenged the prophets of Baal to a “god-off”, he went on the run because Jezebel, seeking vengeance, made a vow to take his life. Being afraid, as we all would, Elijah fled to the wilderness. He retreated a day's journey into the wilderness, and under a solitary broom tree, alone, he prayed, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life away, for I am no better than my ancestors.”

Elijah is worn out, feeling depressed. He has been zealous for the Lord, being the Lord's prophet for many years, and he is done. An angel touches him and tells him to get up and eat because the journey will be too much for him. After laying down and waking again and eating once more, he went on for forty days and forty night to Horeb, the mount of God. He climbed inside a cave and spent the night there. Then the word of the Lord came to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts, for you! For the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your alters, turned from you, killed your prophets, and I am left alone. Now they are seeking my life.”

The Lord spoke, “Go out and stand on the mountain before me. For I am about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong it tore down a 300 year old oak, but the Lord was not in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. A gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Elijah answered once again, “I have been very zealous for you; for the Israelites have forsaken you and your covenant, tore down your altars, and killed your prophets. I am alone and they are seeking to take my life, to take it away.” The Lord said to you, “Go. Return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you get where you're going, anoint Hazael as king over Aram. Anoint Jehu as king over Israel. When you have done that, go and anoint Elisha as prophet in your place.”

Elijah sat out from there and found Elisha at the farm plowing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him. He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother goodbye, and then I will follow you.” Then Elijah said to him, “Go back again; for what have I done to you?” He returned from following him, took the yoke of the oxen, and slaughtered them; cooked them and gave them to the people, and they ate. Then Elisha set out and followed Elijah, and became his servant.

After following and serving Elijah, the time came for Elisha to take Elijah's place. They traveled together on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. The company of prophets who were in Bethel came to Elisha, asking, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” He looked at them and solmnely said, “Yes. Yes, I know; keep quiet.” Then Elijah said, “Stay here, Elisha; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.

As they both were standing by the Jordan, Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground. When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, my friend, what may I do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.”

Elijah, looking into his eyes, responded, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.” As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out, “Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!”

When he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. He picked up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” The water parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over and carried on.

Amen and Amen