The Sell Out - John 15:13
by Eric Aschendorf
John 15:13
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Elijah and Elisha were at Gilgal, the place of the circle. This is the place where Israel left their life in the Wilderness of Sin. Here they started to be led by the SPIRIT of the LORD rather than by the physical presence of the LORD. This is where they entered into "The Promised Land"!
Now Elijah test Elisha. Elijah tells Elisha to stay in Gilgal while he goes to Bethel as the LORD has directed him. Elisha, with steadfast determination refuses! "As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee." (2 Kings 2:2)
As I was reading this story of Elijah and Elisha I sensed that Elijah knew that it was his time to go and be with the LORD and so did Elisha yet neither one had told the other. In verse 3 GOD confirms this to Elisha by having the prophets that were at Bethel tell him so. "Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day?" Elijah understands well his role as a servant to Elijah. He understands that his job is to handle anything that might distract Elijah from the leading of the LORD. As the other prophets tell him this he tells them that he knows and that they should say nothing.
Then again in verse 4, Elijah tells Elisha to stay in Bethel because GOD now wants him to go to Jericho. Again Elisha refuses! He is determined to complete his job as a servant to this man of GOD. Thus they continue to jericho. Here again the entire scene with the prophets of the city and Elisha is played out.
Once again Elijah tries to talk him into staying while he goes the way of the leading of the LORD but Elisha is bound and determined to stick to him like white on rice! The two of them leave Jericho to the Jordan River and fifty of the prophet’s follow and view from afar off.
In verse 8 we see a miracle repeated for the third time by the LORD.
"And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground."
When the Israelites had left Egypt, GOD parts the Red Sea and they pass over on dry ground. When Joshua brings Israel out of the Wilderness of Zin (Sin) the nation passes over on dry land. "Dry Land" is indicative of "sinlessness." It does not mean sinlessness in all cases but in these three incidents and when Noah got off the Ark it is an indication that none of the former life is stuck to them. Thus the things of this world have not stuck to Elijah and he can walk into the presence of GOD (be translated). Note that in verse 14 when Elisha parts the waters and crosses back there is no statement that he did so on "dry ground"? Why not? Because some of GOD’s presence stuck to Elisha and GOD doesn’t want you to think otherwise. Through all this GOD is showing us how Elisha "stuck" to his earthly lord; his master; his teacher through the good and the bad! He didn’t get to the end simply to concede to the inevitable and then give up. He was bound and determined to go through anything in order to reach the higher calling that he had been destined to.
He had a goal to do the works of Elijah and greater still! The drive to this goal was so great that nothing would deter him. There had been doubts in times past but not now. His belief that he was serving GOD through his service to the man of GOD Elijah had grown through all the adversities. Now Elijah could go home to be with GOD, because he had prepared Elisha to take his mantle and carry on. He had given him everything, every key he needed to do those same things he had done and even more! Elisha had become sold out on service to GOD!
In Elisha’s life he would fail to find someone suitable to carry-on after he left. He had Gehazi to serve him but Gehazi never sold himself out to serve and trust in the provision of GOD. He tried to do things out of his abilities. This is exemplified in 2 Kings 5:20-27 when Gehazi chases after Naaman to receive from him for the healing he had received from GOD through Elisha. When Gehazi is questioned about this he tries to lie to Elisha but Elisha reveals that he knows the truth. Then he pronounces the leprosy which Naaman had been healed of will rest upon Gehazi. Thus Gehazi dies in his sin.
After this we know Elisha still had men to follow him but we are not given any names since none stands the test of time. None finds the sort of favor with Elisha or GOD to carry forth the works of Elisha after his death. Then Elisha dies and is buried. The Moabites invade at sometime later while the people are burying someone else. They see the Moabites coming and in haste they simply throw the dead man into the same place where Elisha had been buried. Since Elisha had found no one to pass the anointing of GOD onto, he had taken it with him to the grave, so to speak. When they place the man upon the bones of Elisha the SPIRIT of the LORD is still so prominent that the man is "revived and stood upon his feet" (2 Kings 13:20-21). Elisha had become so sold out on GOD that even death couldn’t separate them!
In Matthew 4:1-11, we see where JESUS is led by the HOLY SPIRIT into the desert to be tempted of the devil. Then when HE comes out as HE is walking HE starts to pick HIS disciples.
HE chooses four who know what it means to work! Four who know how to finish a job even when the going gets extremely touch! Four who have seen defeat and yet the next day they get up and go after it again! HE chooses four, Simon (Peter), Andrew, John and James who have fought against the worst that the world has to offer them, been knocked down and simply got up, dusted themselves off and attacked it again and again and again. Four who have sold themselves out to survive, to overcome and to succeed.
Next there was Philip of whom we really know little. We know he was from Bethsaida and we know that others found him to be approachable. A person that others felt safe asking questions of and being asked questions from. A person that others felt comfortable believing when he spoke.
Then there was Nathanael who may also have been named Bartholomew. If this is true then he is the one from Cana whom Philip introduced to the LORD. One who JESUS referred to as, having found no guile in him! One whose name means "Given of GOD".
Next there was Thomas, the twin, who history has renamed "Doubting Thomas". So named because after the resurrection of CHRIST, he refuses to believe the testimony of the others and states the he requires to see and touch JESUS for himself. I submit to you that he earned his nickname unjustly, for he demanded nothing but what the other disciples had not already experienced (Matt. 28:17, Mark 16:9-14, Luke 24:36-53, John 20:19-23).
Then there was Matthew, also known as Levi the publican; a tax collector! The Jews generally hated those holding this position, because it was a job appointed by the Romans. It is possible that he is related to James since both are listed as the "son of Alphaeus". Tradition holds that he wrote the Gospel of Matthew in both Hebrew and Greek even though the Greek version has never been found. Given the fact that when, known as Levi he was a tax collector, it is very likely that he was able to speak both languages. This is a man to whom adversity was common. His Gospel is one written directly to those with whom he was in conflict, to the Jews!
James, virtually nothing is known of him. He may be "James the lesser"! If he is we must speculate as to why? Was it his size? Was it his age verses that of James the brother of John? Was it because he was simply an obscure individual who didn’t want to be known? Part of the speculation concerning him concludes that he may have been a cousin to JESUS!
Judas, not Isacariot, was also known as Labbaeus or Thaddaeus and that is all we know of him.
Like many people in the church, these last two, James and Judas are not well known. They are not prominent in the leadership of the church. Nor were they that prominent in society prior to becoming disciples of JESUS. Yet they are important and should not be overlooked! Remember they were part of the original "Twelve" and later part of the "Seventy" and yet later part of the early church leadership which later set the world upside down and spread the news of JESUS worldwide! They were your neighbor, your coworker or schoolmate and because of the life they lived, they were able to establish and build "the church"! They were the kind that today would be in church every time the doors were open!
Simon the Cananite! Also called, "the Zealot"! Possibly a kinsman of JESUS and brother of James and Jude! Simon would be the one who would be stopped at nothing to spread the Gospel. He is the type that even while he is being crucified would still be preaching the Gospel to you! He was the type to gladly jump into any debate in order to defend his beliefs!
Judas Iscariot; his motive appears to have been that of a mercenary! One where he expected to gain a worldly advantage through the establishment of HIS kingdom! He had managed to get himself appointed as the one who took care of the ministry finances, yet John declared he was a thief! Motivated to gain this so-called, "advantage", he later bargains with the chief priest to betray JESUS. He obviously didn’t understand the true value of what the ministry of JESUS was all about, for the deal he struck amounted to only $20 or 30 pieces of silver. This was the standard payment for the purchase of a slave! Our LORD HIMSELF portrayed him as a traitor during the Last Supper. The morning following his betrayal of JESUS in the Garden of Gethsemane, he was overwhelmed by the serious enormity of what he had done the night before. He returned to the chief priest to confess his sins and return the money. He then asked GOD to forgive him but was unable to forgive himself and hung himself.
Twelve men of various types and backgrounds! Twelve men called to give up all that they had trained for and called to in order to follow JESUS and learn from HIM all that they would need to transform the world! These men were asked to sell themselves out in order to make a difference!
Their society was one governed by religious laws! It was a society where religious do’s and don’ts were more important and controlling than those of the government were! Where religious rules shaped governmental policy!
When JESUS died, these men felt they had been betrayed! That they had lost most everything! Starting over would not be easy. Some like Peter had taken care not to sell all of their possessions until they were sure. It’s possible that the boat they used when crossing the Sea of Galilee might have been one of his. What these men didn’t lose they had let with others to use and care for. Now they were faced with having to return and start over (John 21:5). They would have to face an endless stream of "why’s"! Why did you do this? Why did you do that? Everything was going back to the way it had been for centuries! The same people in charge, with the same laws and traditions. Nothing had changed but that a man with miraculous authority had lived and died. They would consider themselves privileged to have lived with, walked with and having been taught by one of the great prophets of Israel but nothing had changed!
Then on third day since HIS death Mary burst upon their gathering to excitedly share with them that HE has risen as HE had promised! In excitement, in wonder and disbelief they run to the tomb to check it out! Then late that day, two of their group which had run to the tomb came in from Emmaus where they had traveled to in their disbelief, with news that HE was alive and that they had walked and talked with HIM! Still uncertain, but there was hope! Two testimonies from different people and from different places! While the news was attempting to become resident within them, HE appears! So suddenly does HE appear that they are terrified! Added to this terror is the fact that they had witnessed HIS death and burial. Now they would speak with HIM! They would touch HIM! They would even eat with HIM!
Then in Luke 24:44 HE states,
These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
Shortly thereafter HE tells them to wait in Jerusalem until they are "endued with power from on high"(vs 49). HE blesses them and is "carried up into heaven"(vs 50-51).
Then as stated in verses 52-53,
52)...they worshipped HIM, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
53) And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing GOD...
They were understandably excited! HE had done as HE said after all! Now HE would establish HIS kingdom forever! There would no longer be the oppressive laws of Moses! There would no longer be the need to sacrifice animals! There would no longer be the prohibition of certain foods! There would no longer be the requirement to tithe!
No, they didn’t yet understand all of this but they did know that things had changed. That they were now free!
Acts 2:42-47 then explains,
42) And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43) And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the Apostles.
44) And all that believed were together, and had ALL things common;
45) And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46) And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47) Praising GOD, and having favour with ALL the people. And the LORD added to the church daily such as should be saved. Now look with me again at verses 44-45!
The Apostles and the others were now convinced! Now it was settled within their spirits! Now they were sold out! Now they took every safety net they had and committed it to the work of the LORD! There was no longer any doubt! They knew HE was alive! That HE was who He had said HE was! That HE had done all that HE had been called to do and that HE now lived within them. They knew that because HE lived within them, that HE would always be with them and that HE would never forsake them. Now they knew, without a doubt that if HE lived within them then nothing could stop them from accomplishing the works that HE had called them and us to.
Do you know that HE is alive? Do you know that HE is alive within you? Do you know what HE has called you to do? HE has called you to the same ministry that HE called those first disciples to!
JESUS CHRIST the same yesterday, and to day and for ever. (Heb.13:8)
HIS last words to the Apostles and all HIS disciples that were with them and HIS last words to you and me because HE changes not, are
15) ...Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.
16) He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17) And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18) They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick; and they shall recover. (Mark 16:15-18)
Romans 11:29, For the gifts and calling of GOD are without repentance.
Note that the word "Calling" is singular! GOD left us all with this calling! If HE lives within you then HE can do nothing other than what HE has always done. That which we read in Mark 16:15-18 is, in a nutshell, what HE did when HE walked the earth as a man. If you are "sold out" to the LORD, then you are dead to CHRIST. You are dead! You have crucified your flesh every morning so that you decrease and HE then will increase. All men will then be drawn unto HIM as you lift HIM up. If you are "sold out" it is not your will being done but that of our HEAVENLY FATHER. If you are "sold out" you will do the "calling" of Mark 16 and as in Acts 2:47, ...the LORD added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Sell out to GOD and HE will take responsibility to do the work! Are you sold out or do you still own your boat?
Always HIS servant,
Pastor Eric Aschendorf
