Elijah 2 Kings 2:1-15 July 25, 2010

Sermon 7-25-10 Elijah qqqq

1 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel." But Elisha said, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel. 3 The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, "Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?" "Yes, I know," Elisha replied, "but do not speak of it." 4 Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho." And he replied, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So they went to Jericho. 5 The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, "Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?" "Yes, I know," he replied, "but do not speak of it." 6 Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan." And he replied, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So the two of them walked on. 7 Fifty men of the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?" "Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit," Elisha replied. 10 "You have asked a difficult thing," Elijah said, "yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise not." 11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, "My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!" And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them apart. 13 He picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the cloak that had fallen from him and struck the water with it. "Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over. 15 The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, "The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha." And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.

Series-great people, great stories of the old testament
Elijah & Elisha

Elijah caught up to heaven in a whirlwind
The picture in the stained glass

The work of Elijah, the works of elisha

Omri king, ahab son. Jezebel priestess of baal. Cannanite god. Town of sidon. This defines elijah’s work

elijah
Fed by ravens
Fed by widow of zarefath
Raises widows son
Vs prophets of baal – 1 kings 18
Hides in cave
Wind, earthquake, fire still small voice
Departure in chariot of fire

Such a prolific figure that john the Baptist and jesus are compared to him

Elisha
Kills oxen, offers sacrifice
Follows the master

There was a large group of prophets who wandered around and talked about spiritual stuff, and there was one guy that is pursuing it

Slap the water of the Jordan
Does Jeff believe in miracles?

Three things to look at today
Why don’t you just stay where you are?

Elisha gets 3 chances to stay behind – to settle for the easy life, the comfortable life

The Call of Elisha 1 kings 19
19 So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. 20 Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. "Let me kiss my father and mother good-by," he said, "and then I will come with you."
"Go back," Elijah replied. "What have I done to you?"
21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.

"Why not stay where you are?" stop following me.

what does Elisha answer: "I will never leave you!"

How do you answer that question
Are you happy wehre you are at?
Most men and women live lives of quiet desperation

We grow accustomed to doing and being
What if you wanted to become more
Read- flight of the buffalo
What would happen in a congregation if everyone was reading?
In a marriage, in a family, in a work place

Mentoring
Mentoring
Who are you mentoring – investing in?
Youth trip – mike Sickendick
Everyone can do this
What do you want from God?

The prayer for a double portion
What do you want your life to be about

Double portion and your inheritance
Elisha asked to "inherit a double-portion" of Elijah's spirit. This is indicative of the property inheritance customs of the time, where the oldest son received twice as much of the father's inheritance as the younger sons. For example, if a man had 3 sons, his property was divided into fourths. Each son received one-fourth, with the oldest receiving two-fourths (twice as much as the others). In this instance with Elijah, Elisha is not asking to become twice as powerful as Elijah, but that he may be seen as the "rightful heir" to the work of the Lord that Elijah had done.

Its more than that- he wanted a double portion of the spirit-
What are you asking god for
Its ok to ask god for the right things

Be careful what you ask for

2Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. James 4:2-3 KJV

2You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. NIV

Old testament. Joseph - I want more.
Genesis 30
22 Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and opened her womb. 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, "God has taken away my disgrace." 24 She named him Joseph, [h] and said, "May the LORD add to me another son."

Barren for years. Jacob works 7 years for Rachel. Then 7 more.

What are you asking God for?
Young people, make this the business of your life…..the pursuit of God

Conclusion
Are you satisfied with being who and what you are?
Who are you mentoring, who are you investing in
What are you asking God for?