Elisha - Just Doing the Job

 

Read 2 Kings 4:8-37 – too long to print here

 

As was mentioned last time, Elisha had been groomed and mentored by Elijah for the work of the prophet. And Elijah’s investment paid off. Elisha, by all accounts exceeded the works of his mentor – longer service, twice as many miracles, and he helped and challenged more kings. The Old Testament spends more time telling the stories of Elisha than Elijah. Yet, in all that was told about Elisha, not once does it record him complaining or wanting to quit. Elijah tried to quit multiple times.

Still, Elijah is revered as the greater prophet. Most likely, more of you reading this know more about Elijah than Elisha. Jesus had problems with his disciples arguing about “who is the greatest? I don’t know why this is the case, but here’s my simple point this morning. It doesn’t matter. Who gets more credit? Who’s more famous? Who’s more “important?” God does not care.

But let ‘s be honest. It matters to us. Humans like “pecking orders” just as much as chickens. We want to know where we stand. But along comes Elisha and simply just does what he’s called to do and lets the cards fall where they may. I’m not naïve enough to think that he never played the comparison game. Nevertheless, Elisha just kept doing his job without complaining.

I need to hear that and I bet others need to hear that. As nice as it is to get credit and be affirmed, what I(and you) need to remember is that the work is often it’s own reward. In addition, God is pleased when we do what He has led us to do. We serve at the pleasure of our God. Keep on keeping on!

 

Prayer: Lord, make us clear about the things we can do today that matter, whether we get credit or affirmation or not. Amen.

 

Prayer Focus: Pray for unity to grow around what we can do as a country to solve the problems we are facing right now

 

Song: Alicia Keys - Good Job

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ighFo0i0nrA

Elijah and Elisha

 2 Kings 2:1-14 - When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 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.

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, “so be quiet.”

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.

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, “so be quiet.”

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.

Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 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.

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.

“You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

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. 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 garment and tore it in two.

Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah 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.

 

Today we say goodbye to Elijah with the story of Elijah saying goodbye to Elisha (and everyone else for that matter). Elijah had chosen Elisha to eventually replace himself. But more than just choosing him, he took Elisha under his wing and taught him the work of a prophet. Elisha had the benefit of an apprenticeship for the work he would do after Elijah was gone. We see this in many places in the Bible - Moses and Joshua, Jesus and the twelve, Paul and Timothy, Paul and Barnabus and others.

Unfortunately, we don’t see enough of it today. I just want to encourage you to think about two things today:

1) Are you being taught by someone? We never get too old for mentors and we should always be learning. If you don’t have someone who you are learning from, seek it out.

2) Who are you teaching? You have knowledge and wisdom that could make someone’s life easier and more impactful.

Elisha had a fruitful ministry in large part because Elijah had prepared him to do so.

 

Prayer: Lord, show me what I need to learn and who I need to learn it from. Also, show me who I can help along their way. Amen.

 

Prayer Focus: The questions above.

 

Song: So something a little different today that goes with the topic. Antonio Salieri, a composer most known as a Mozart-hater (although this has been seriously over-dramatized), also mentored and taught the likes of Beethoven, Shubert, and other notables. Specifically, Beethoven learned vocal composing from Salieri. Today’s music is a small snippet from Beethoven’s “Choral fantasy.” Enjoy

 

Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy performed by the Belin Philharmonic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjiznsY0PVg

Matthew 10:40-42 - What is a "Prophet's Reward?"

Daily Devo w/ Pastor Eric October 12, 2021

What is the Prophet’s Reward?

 

Matthew 10:40-42, NIV - Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.  Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.  And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”

 

                There’s a lot to unpack in these three verses, so let’s dive right in.  First, remember that this passage is part of Jesus’s instruction to the twelve as He sends them out on their first mission. Jesus has just told them pretty forcefully that they will encounter stiff resistance as they seek to represent Him to others.  But He ends these instructions with a positive; there will be people who will welcome them and welcome the message of Jesus.  And Jesus is trying to communicate what a beautiful thing that is.  He explains that welcoming the apostles is the same as welcoming Jesus and welcoming Jesus is welcoming God.  People who receive the messenger and the message receive God into their lives and that will become the greatest source of greatest blessing.  

                Jesus teaches that “whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward.”   It begs the question, “what is a prophet’s reward?”  The short answer is that it’s hard to pin down exactly what the prophet’s reward is.  Jesus doesn’t expound here or anywhere else that we know of.  However, there are some important things to notice about what Jesus does say.  Some scholars believe Jesus is alluding here to a story in 2 Kings 4 where the prophet Elisha encounters a Shunammite woman who shows him great hospitality.  The woman is childless and her hospitality to the prophet is rewarded with a her giving birth to a son.  The son dies suddenly at a young age, but is brought back to life by Elisha after the boy’s mother goes to get the prophet.  Two amazing miracles are experienced by this Shunammite because of her hospitality to God’s messenger.        

                Does this mean that whoever exhibits such hospitality will personally experience miracles.  From my experience, the answer is “not always.”  However, what I can say from experience is that, to the extent that you are open and welcoming of God into your life, you will be able to see God so miraculous things.  Every prophet in the Old Testament had a front row seat to see God’s activity – serving people on behalf of God puts one in proximity to God serving people through the one who serves.  In my two-plus decades of serving God’s people, I have seen dozens of miraculous things happen that I can only describe as God’s activity.  It is truly humbling when it happens and the blessing that I have experienced for just being present and open when it happens defies words. Being open to God and God’s message is a way of opening yourself to the wonders that God does among us. 

                I encourage you to notice one other thing about Jesus’s words about the “reward.”  The prophet, the one who receives the prophet, the righteous person, the one who receives the righteous person, the disciple (“these little ones”), and the one who so much as gives that disciple a cup of cold water ALL receive a blessing/reward for their openness.  I don’t think it’s as necessary to pin down exactly what that blessing/reward is as it is to recognize Who is offering it.  Whether you are a prophet, a righteous person, disciple, or just someone who is hospitable to a disciple, you will be rewarded/blessed for your openness to God and God’s message. 

 

Question:  Miraculous things happen all around us all the time.  Are we open enough to God’s message and activity to see them?

 

Prayer:  Open my eyes that I may see glimpses of truth thou hast for me.  Open my ears that I may hear

voices of truth thou sendest clear. Open my mouth and let me bear gladly the warm truth everywhere.  Open my heart and let me prepare love with thy children thus to share. Amen. (prayer from the lyrics to “Open My Eyes That I May See)

 

 

Prayer Focus:  Spend some time reflecting on and thanking God for the miraculous things you have been  blessed to experience over your lifetime.

 

Song:  Open My Eyes – Jesse Manibusan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI3tQLnD8yM  

Daily Devo w/ Pastor Eric October 12, 2021

What is the Prophet’s Reward?

 

Matthew 10:40-42, NIV - Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.  Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.  And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”

 

                There’s a lot to unpack in these three verses, so let’s dive right in.  First, remember that this passage is part of Jesus’s instruction to the twelve as He sends them out on their first mission. Jesus has just told them pretty forcefully that they will encounter stiff resistance as they seek to represent Him to others.  But He ends these instructions with a positive; there will be people who will welcome them and welcome the message of Jesus.  And Jesus is trying to communicate what a beautiful thing that is.  He explains that welcoming the apostles is the same as welcoming Jesus and welcoming Jesus is welcoming God.  People who receive the messenger and the message receive God into their lives and that will become the greatest source of greatest blessing.  

                Jesus teaches that “whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward.”   It begs the question, “what is a prophet’s reward?”  The short answer is that it’s hard to pin down exactly what the prophet’s reward is.  Jesus doesn’t expound here or anywhere else that we know of.  However, there are some important things to notice about what Jesus does say.  Some scholars believe Jesus is alluding here to a story in 2 Kings 4 where the prophet Elisha encounters a Shunammite woman who shows him great hospitality.  The woman is childless and her hospitality to the prophet is rewarded with a her giving birth to a son.  The son dies suddenly at a young age, but is brought back to life by Elisha after the boy’s mother goes to get the prophet.  Two amazing miracles are experienced by this Shunammite because of her hospitality to God’s messenger.        

                Does this mean that whoever exhibits such hospitality will personally experience miracles.  From my experience, the answer is “not always.”  However, what I can say from experience is that, to the extent that you are open and welcoming of God into your life, you will be able to see God so miraculous things.  Every prophet in the Old Testament had a front row seat to see God’s activity – serving people on behalf of God puts one in proximity to God serving people through the one who serves.  In my two-plus decades of serving God’s people, I have seen dozens of miraculous things happen that I can only describe as God’s activity.  It is truly humbling when it happens and the blessing that I have experienced for just being present and open when it happens defies words. Being open to God and God’s message is a way of opening yourself to the wonders that God does among us. 

                I encourage you to notice one other thing about Jesus’s words about the “reward.”  The prophet, the one who receives the prophet, the righteous person, the one who receives the righteous person, the disciple (“these little ones”), and the one who so much as gives that disciple a cup of cold water ALL receive a blessing/reward for their openness.  I don’t think it’s as necessary to pin down exactly what that blessing/reward is as it is to recognize Who is offering it.  Whether you are a prophet, a righteous person, disciple, or just someone who is hospitable to a disciple, you will be rewarded/blessed for your openness to God and God’s message. 

 

Question:  Miraculous things happen all around us all the time.  Are we open enough to God’s message and activity to see them?

 

Prayer:  Open my eyes that I may see glimpses of truth thou hast for me.  Open my ears that I may hear

voices of truth thou sendest clear. Open my mouth and let me bear gladly the warm truth everywhere.  Open my heart and let me prepare love with thy children thus to share. Amen. (prayer from the lyrics to “Open My Eyes That I May See)

 

 

Prayer Focus:  Spend some time reflecting on and thanking God for the miraculous things you have been  blessed to experience over your lifetime.

 

Song:  Open My Eyes – Jesse Manibusan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI3tQLnD8yM