(I opened the sermon by leading the congregation in an old hymn called "If Jesus Goes With Me I'll Go Anywhere". And then ended the sermon by singing the first verse and chorus with them again).
In 1936, a 17 year old Bob Feller became a pitcher for the Cleveland Indians, and he was so good that he played 18 seasons for them (only missing 4 yrs because he joined the Navy to fight in WWII). He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1965 and is considered by many to be the greatest right-handed pitcher in baseball history. His fastball was so intimidating that they called him “Bullet Bob”, and in his career he struck out 2581 of batters who faced him.
When Bob was 9 years old, his teacher asked him to write an essay about an oak tree, and here’s what he wrote: “An oak tree can be cut down and sawed into boards. You can make baseball bats out of them. You can also make home plates out of the boards. And you can make bleachers out of the boards so people can watch baseball games.” Do you think (maybe) Bob Feller wanted to play baseball? It’s little wonder that he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, because this man was committed to being a great baseball player.
This morning we’re looking at the life of a man who was committed being a great prophet for God. His name was Elisha. About 3 years before, God had selected Elisha to be the great Elijah’s replacement. Now we’re not told anything of what happened during that 3 years (or so) - all we’re told is that now Elijah is leaving! He’s about to be taken up in a fiery chariot and everybody seems to know it.
According to the text, Elijah began his journey in Gilgal, and went to Bethel, then to Jericho, and finally to the Jordan River… to be caught up to be with God. As the story unfolds (and as Elijah is leaving Gilgal) he turns to Elisha and says “Please Stay Here!” But Elisha refuses and says “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will NOT leave you.” And this happens over and over again. At each community Elijah turns to Elisha and says “Stay Here”, and each time Elisha says “I’m not leaving you.” Finally, Elijah just gives up and lets Elisha go all the way to his destination.
Elisha was willing to go as far as he NEEDED to go to be in the presence of God.
Now, there was something that caught my attention was that each of the areas they visited seemed to have a Bible college of sorts for the Prophets - called the “Sons of the Prophets.” And it would appear that Elijah may be paying one last visit to the men he’s been training to be prophets. But what’s really curious to me is this: none of these prophets wants to tag along. None of them seemed interested in seeing a fiery chariot up close. In fact, II Kings 2:7 tells us “Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood AT SOME DISTANCE from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan.” They want to see what’s going on, but they don’t want to get… too close. What’s the deal?
Well, it comes down to this: they didn’t want to go THAT FAR, and they didn’t want to get THAT CLOSE.
And when it comes to following God, that’s what happens to some folks. They don’t want to go too far or get too close. A man name T.F. Tenney “Jesus fed 5000… but only 500 followed Him after lunch. He had 12 disciples… but only 3 went further into the Garden. And only 1 stood with Him at the cross. The closer you get to the cross, the smaller the crowd becomes.”
You see some people are afraid to get TOO CLOSE. It’s like they’re afraid that IF they get too close, God might want more from them than they’re ready to give. And so they stand back at a distance because they’re afraid.
ILLUS: I once had the opportunity to watch some 6th graders who participated in a high jump at a track meet. At that age, they’re just learning the technique of that competition. Some of them were REALLY good some – not so much. But there was one young lady who puzzled me. She’d run real hard to the mat… and then she’d run right past it. Every time! Never once did she even try to jump. Even in practice, when they took the bar away, she still wouldn’t jump. I spoke to the coach about this and he nodded - “It happens all the time. Until they get over their fear of failure, many won’t even try to jump.”
But now, by contrast, Elisha wasn’t afraid. And he was committed to jumping as high as he could for God. He wasn’t afraid of the possibility of failure. He repeatedly told Elijah – “I’m going with you! I will NOT leave you! Wherever you go… I’m going!” That’s why God repeatedly tells us– “We say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid…’” Hebrews 13:6
And that’s the most satisfying way to follow God. Someone once prayed this prayer: “Dear God. Your will. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else. Amen” (Bobby Richardson, former New York Yankee second baseman; At a meeting of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes; Reader’s Digest July 1971)
That’s the kind of prayer we need to learn to pray in all situations.
So Elisha wasn’t afraid to follow Elijah, because he knew Elijah would lead him into the presence of God. Elisha was willing to go as far as he needed to go to be in God’s presence.
And part of the reason Elisha did what he did was because he wasn’t satisfied with just getting by.
Now, bear in mind - the OTHER prophets were doing God’s WORK. But I think the reason they stood far off was because they were content with that; they were satisfied with the way things were; they didn’t really want to DO anything extra.
ILLUS: A lot of people learn to do that as children. A lot of kids – when they’re given a job to do - do just enough to get by. Kind of like the little boy who was told to get his toys off the floor so he threw them in the closet (they’re off the floor). He obeyed the letter of the law, but not the spirit.
Jesus warned us not to be like that in our Christianity. “… when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’” (Luke 17:10) In other words, don’t be satisfied with just getting by in your faith. Strive to do more
Paul wrote about this in I Corinthians 3:10-15 “According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw — each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.”
Now notice what Paul’s saying: you can GET BY in your faith if that’s ALL you want to do. I mean, you can use 2nd rate material like wood, hay and straw, and in the day of judgment you can STILL get in the door (you’ll still be saved). But all the stuff you just “got by” with will burn up and be worthless because you didn’t give God your best. But notice - if you give God your best you “will receive a reward” I Corinthians 3:14
And that’s what Elisha was shooting for… he wanted a reward! And he wasn’t afraid to ask for it. “When they had crossed (the Jordan River on dry ground), Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.’ And he said, ‘You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.’” II King 2:9-10
(PAUSE) A “Double Portion” of Elijah’s spirit? What’s that all about? Well, essentially, Elisha was asking for the right of the firstborn! Deuteronomy 21:17 tells us that - for a father to give the right of the firstborn was for him in the giving of “a double portion of all that (the father) has...” Elisha was boldly asking to be treated like a 1st born son of Elijah. He was asking for the same Spirit, that empowered the ministry of Elijah, be given to him as well.
Elisha didn’t want to be a 2nd rate follower of God. He wanted to be the best follower of God he can be. And that meant he wanted to be JUST LIKE Elijah. And he did! Elisha DID get to be just like Elijah. Just for starters, he wa able to copy what Elijah did at the Jordan (parting the river by striking it with the cloak). In II Kings 2:13-15 we’re told “(Elisha) took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, ‘Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?’ And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, ‘The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.’”
But the blessing didn’t stop at the Jordan. In Scripture, Elijah is recorded doing around 14 miracles. But in contrast - Elisha did 28 miracles (see footnote). However, Elisha couldn’t have done all that if he hadn’t boldly sought God’s best. He wouldn’t have gotten that blessing if he hadn’t desired it with all his heart.
This is the kind of mindset Jesus talked about when He said “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6
Hunger and thirst for righteousness!! That means that you have decided to want God so involved in your life that you’ll do whatever you have to do, to attain that!
ILLUS: It’s kind of like the story of the missionaries who were handing out soup to the residents in an impoverished area by means of a “soup kitchen.” All of the people were instructed to bring a vessel that would hold about 2 quarts. One of the missionaries remembered one 11-year-old boy - all ragged and dirty – but with flashing eyes and a winsome smile, lugging in a container that could hold at least 3 gallons. “We would have been ashamed to have put only 2 quarts into that bucket,” he said. “And we knew this youngster came from a large and very poor family. We felt bound to give him at least a gallon, and so we did.” The missionary continued: “The Heavenly Father says to us as His children, ‘Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it.’ (Psalm 81:10). We need to be more like that young boy who carried away twice as much as the others because of his large asking!”
That’s the kind of expectation that following Jesus should create in us. We should not be satisfied by just “getting by” in our faith the whole world opens up for us. And our faith becomes obvious.
One last thought – Elisha realized that the only way he’d get the double portion was if God gave it to him. Even Elijah, realized it wasn’t his to give. “If you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.”
I want to close with this story: Two boys were talking about their Sunday School lesson about Elijah’s ascent in the chariot of fire. One boy asked the other: “Wouldn’t you be afraid to ride in such a chariot?” “Well,” said the other, “It all depends on who’s driving the chariot.”
If God is driving the chariot… it’s all good! I’ll be safe! Anywhere He leads me I can safely go.
And that’s what the song we sang earlier was saying – “IF Jesus GOES WITH ME I’ll go anywhere, and I’ll do anything because HE IS THERE.
Sing the song again with me: “It may be in the valley, where countless dangers hide; It may be in the sunshine that I, in peace, abide; But this one thing I know—if it be dark or fair, If Jesus goes with me, I’ll go anywhere!
(CHORUS) If Jesus goes with me, I’ll go anywhere! ’Tis heaven to me, where’er I may be, if He is there! I count it a privilege here, His cross to bear, If Jesus goes with me, I’ll go anywhere!”
INVITATION
Footnote: (number of miracles by Elijah and Elisha - http://www.bcbsr.com/survey/eli.html)
ELIJAH: 1) Causing the rain the cease for 3 1/2 years (1Ki 17:1); 2) Being fed by the ravens (1Ki 17:4); 3) Miracle of the barrel of meal and cruse of oil (1Ki 17:14); 4) Resurrection of the widow's son (1Ki 17:22); 5) Calling of fire from heaven on the altar (1Ki 18:38); 6) Causing it to rain (1Ki 18:45); 7) Prophecy that Ahab's sons would all be destroyed (1Ki 21:22); 8) Prophecy that Jezebel would be eaten by dogs (1Ki 21:23); 9) Prophecy that Ahaziah would die of his illness (2Ki 1:4); 10) Calling fire from heaven upon the first 50 soldiers (2Ki 1:10); 11) Calling fire from heaven upon the second 50 soldiers (2Ki 1:12); 12) Parting of the Jordan (2Ki 2:8); 13) Prophecy that Elisha should have a double portion of his spirit (2Ki 2:10); 14) Being caught up to heaven in a whirlwind (2Ki 2:11)
ELISHA: 1) Parting of the Jordan (2Ki 2:14); 2) Healing of the waters (2Ki 2:21); 3) Curse of the she bears (2Ki 2:24); 4) Filling of the valley with water (2Ki 3:17); 5) Deception of the Moabites with the valley of blood (2Ki 3:22); 6) Miracle of the vessels of oil (2Ki 4:4); 7) Prophecy that the Shunammite woman would have a son (2Ki 4:16);
8) Resurrection of the Shunammite's son (2Ki 4:34); 9) Healing of the gourds (2Ki 4:41); 10) Miracle of the bread (2Ki 4:43); 11) Healing of Naaman (2Ki 5:14); 12) Perception of Gehazi's transgression (2Ki 5:26); 13) Cursing Gehazi with leprosy (2Ki 5:27); 14) Floating of the axe head (2Ki 6:6); 15) Prophecy of the Syrian battle plans (2Ki 6:9); 16) Vision of the chariots (2Ki 6:17); 17) Smiting the Syrian army with blindness (2Ki 6:18); 18) Restoring the sight of the Syrian army (2Ki 6:20); 19) Prophecy of the end of the great famine (2Ki 7:1); 20) Prophecy that the scoffing nobleman would see, but not partake of, the abundance (2Ki 7:2); 21) Deception of the Syrians with the sound of chariots (2Ki 7:6); 22) Prophecy of the seven-year famine (2Ki 8:1); 23) Prophecy of Benhadad's untimely death (2Ki 8:10); 24) Prophecy of Hazael's cruelty to Israel (2Ki 8:12); 25) Prophecy that Jehu would smite the house of Ahab (2Ki 9:7); 26) Prophecy that Joash would smite the Syrians at Aphek (2Ki 13:17); 27) Prophecy that Joash would smite Syria thrice but not consume it (2Ki 13:19); 28) Resurrection of the man touched by his bones (2Ki 13:21)
