WEBVTT 00:00:00.180 --> 00:00:04.879 Well, good morning again, Brunsfield. It's lovely to be with you. Thank you for your invitation. 00:00:05.240 --> 00:00:09.480 It's been lovely to get to know the Shanks family. I've had a fantastic hour this morning 00:00:09.480 --> 00:00:14.620 reading with Eve and singing Hop Little Bunny, Hop, Hop, Hop. 00:00:16.399 --> 00:00:23.640 And now the greater privilege of opening God's Word together. So do keep two kings open in front of you. 00:00:24.320 --> 00:00:31.120 I've been dwelling a lot with Elijah and Elisha recently, and this passage has just been 00:00:31.120 --> 00:00:36.840 just a lot on my heart and mind. So I thought when Graham gave me a free choice of what to preach, 00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:41.340 I would bring this. Two of my favorite Old Testament characters, I'm sure they are for 00:00:41.340 --> 00:00:48.159 some of you too. Two great prophetic figures. I'm really not sure that Elijah would have been a 00:00:48.159 --> 00:00:57.839 particularly easy person to be around. It's quite an abrupt prophetic character for very 00:00:57.839 --> 00:01:05.579 difficult times. Those are very difficult times that he's living in. A loner, sometimes despairing 00:01:05.579 --> 00:01:13.379 of life, feeling that he has failed to turn Israel back to the Lord, and sometimes believing 00:01:13.379 --> 00:01:17.579 that he is the last believer left. Imagine that. Imagine thinking that you're the last Christian 00:01:17.579 --> 00:01:25.159 left. What happened? God. What was that all about then? What was the point? Was it even 00:01:25.159 --> 00:01:33.340 real, all those promises? That worship, that stuff we did in church. And now I'm for the chop 00:01:33.340 --> 00:01:41.739 too. Not a very tame individual, Elijah. Prophets usually aren't. And there's quite a lot of confrontation 00:01:41.739 --> 00:01:50.060 and calling down fire from heaven in Elijah's story. Now, what's a prophet? A prophet in the Old 00:01:50.060 --> 00:01:57.619 Testament was somebody that God sent into situations where his people were turning their backs on him. 00:01:58.539 --> 00:02:06.079 And that was sometimes through drift, oftentimes through quite deliberate, outright defined obedience, 00:02:06.079 --> 00:02:13.780 disobedience. And the prophet comes and reasserts God's truth and God's reality into that situation. 00:02:13.919 --> 00:02:23.520 He confronts unbelief, confronts idolatry, reasserts God's covenant with Israel through Moses, 00:02:23.740 --> 00:02:31.079 the plumb line of God's truth, and then reveals what God has said is going to happen if they repent and turn to him. 00:02:31.080 --> 00:02:38.160 And sometimes reveals what God has said is going to happen if they refuse to repent and turn to him. 00:02:39.060 --> 00:02:46.700 So prophets align people to truth. They recalibrate them to true north, if you like, like a compass 00:02:46.700 --> 00:02:49.040 so that the people know where to go. 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:58.500 And by the time we reach Elijah's day, the situation was really bleak. It's very bleak indeed. 00:02:58.500 --> 00:03:05.199 After a few somewhat better years under Kings David and Solomon, the building of the temple, 00:03:05.740 --> 00:03:12.439 bringing of the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, God blessing Israel with peace and with growth. 00:03:12.960 --> 00:03:15.159 After that time, the kingdom split. 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:23.400 And 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel, the sons of Jacob, had turned their back on the house and kingdom of David. 00:03:23.400 --> 00:03:30.680 They'd left Jerusalem and they had set up a new kingdom in the north with a new capital city called Samaria. 00:03:31.420 --> 00:03:36.599 Built by their first king, who was a real stinker called Omri, came to power in a military coup. 00:03:37.259 --> 00:03:41.140 So they've got this new kingdom in the north with the majority of the tribes. 00:03:41.259 --> 00:03:44.819 They call it Israel, and their capital city is in Samaria. 00:03:44.819 --> 00:03:49.099 Leaving just two tribes with the house of David around Jerusalem. 00:03:49.799 --> 00:03:51.099 And that's now called Judah. 00:03:51.340 --> 00:03:54.039 So Israel in the north and Judah in the south. 00:03:54.139 --> 00:03:56.879 And this kingdom in the north, Israel, the 10 tribes, 00:03:57.579 --> 00:04:04.560 they instituted a new national state religion with new national idol gods. 00:04:05.159 --> 00:04:08.439 They started with golden calves, just like at Exodus. 00:04:08.439 --> 00:04:15.759 But then they moved on to Baal idols and Asherah poles and other fertility idols and weather gods. 00:04:16.339 --> 00:04:21.839 And they set up counterfeit feasts to mimic the great celebrations of God in Jerusalem, 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:25.540 particularly a fake feast of tabernacles. 00:04:25.899 --> 00:04:30.399 And that had all the pomp and paraphernalia and performance of state religion 00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:33.000 to prevent people from returning to Jerusalem. 00:04:33.000 --> 00:04:41.639 Why would you want to go back to Jerusalem when we got this fantastic ceremonial yuck stuff going on up here? 00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:43.819 It was very impressive. 00:04:45.040 --> 00:04:51.279 Now, Omri was bad, but his son King Ahab was worse. 00:04:53.060 --> 00:04:58.180 And we are told that he did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than anybody before him, 00:04:58.860 --> 00:05:02.319 with the possible exception of his wife, Queen Jezebel. 00:05:02.319 --> 00:05:03.339 She was even worse. 00:05:04.060 --> 00:05:10.079 She was a vicious, murderous, pagan Amorite from a place called Sidon. 00:05:10.500 --> 00:05:15.399 And she had brought with her 400 prophets of Baal, the Sidonian storm god, 00:05:15.620 --> 00:05:19.800 and 400 prophets of the fertility goddess Asherah with her. 00:05:20.039 --> 00:05:24.879 And she had installed them right at the heart of the national life of the kingdom. 00:05:24.879 --> 00:05:34.639 The real shock is that the people of God had gone from the high point under King David 00:05:34.639 --> 00:05:42.759 to Elijah thinking he might be the last believer left on earth in just under 100 years. 00:05:42.759 --> 00:05:49.480 They had gone from the dedication of the temple under King Solomon with just the high point, 00:05:49.560 --> 00:05:51.519 everyone thinking Yahweh is so wonderful, 00:05:51.519 --> 00:05:59.599 to prophets hiding in caves and the religion of Yahweh being declared illegal in 58 years. 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:01.600 That is the blink of an eye. 00:06:01.600 --> 00:06:04.080 That is the absolute blink of an eye. 00:06:05.120 --> 00:06:05.860 58 years. 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:06.480 What is that? 00:06:07.100 --> 00:06:08.080 A generation and a half. 00:06:08.920 --> 00:06:09.760 Quite astonishing. 00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:13.480 Those priests in the temple who had seen the power of God, 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:17.340 this was their worst nightmare and it happened so fast. 00:06:18.340 --> 00:06:20.240 How on earth did that happen that quick? 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:26.420 Tells you just how quickly things can go wrong when leaders and churches 00:06:26.420 --> 00:06:30.199 don't remain steadfastly faithful to the truths of God. 00:06:30.259 --> 00:06:33.639 It is lovely to come somewhere this morning where the Bible is taken seriously. 00:06:36.600 --> 00:06:41.079 And into the middle of all that, God sent Elijah and Elisha. 00:06:42.920 --> 00:06:47.819 Elijah's name means, my God is Yahweh. 00:06:47.819 --> 00:06:51.099 My God is Yahweh. 00:06:51.399 --> 00:06:55.159 And some of you will remember how he burst onto the scene in 1 Kings 17 00:06:55.159 --> 00:06:58.480 and confronted King Ahab with the words, 00:06:59.259 --> 00:07:02.659 I stand before the God of Israel who lives. 00:07:03.279 --> 00:07:05.959 Therefore, it's not going to rain in the land except of my word. 00:07:06.659 --> 00:07:11.159 I stand before the God of Israel who lives. 00:07:11.719 --> 00:07:12.120 Therefore. 00:07:12.120 --> 00:07:17.879 And I know that many of us will be familiar with lots of the events 00:07:17.879 --> 00:07:21.420 that my God is Yahweh was involved in. 00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:25.480 Mighty confrontations with the powers that be in Israel, 00:07:26.040 --> 00:07:27.699 with its false religion. 00:07:28.699 --> 00:07:32.360 So seemingly inconsequential, just one little guy 00:07:32.360 --> 00:07:35.220 against hundreds of fervent idol priests 00:07:35.220 --> 00:07:38.340 and all the power of the state behind them. 00:07:39.640 --> 00:07:43.280 But my God is Yahweh. 00:07:43.860 --> 00:07:50.180 Despite all appearances, you are always secure when my God is Yahweh. 00:07:50.760 --> 00:07:52.220 I don't know what you're facing this week, 00:07:52.440 --> 00:07:56.860 but if your God is Yahweh, then you are safe. 00:07:56.860 --> 00:08:01.160 And Elisha. 00:08:02.420 --> 00:08:06.780 Elisha was Elijah's apprentice and his eventual successor. 00:08:07.379 --> 00:08:10.220 And his name means, my God saves. 00:08:11.819 --> 00:08:12.819 My God saves. 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:17.139 Elijah's ministry was mainly on the national stage. 00:08:17.620 --> 00:08:21.240 There were a few more individual stories like Naboth and his vineyard. 00:08:21.240 --> 00:08:28.040 But even that's basically the tale of God versus Omri, Ahab and the Baals. 00:08:29.000 --> 00:08:30.220 That battle going on. 00:08:30.900 --> 00:08:35.419 And with Elisha, we get a lot more stories of redemption and rescue at a personal level. 00:08:36.120 --> 00:08:40.820 But they both form this sort of unit at the center of the books of 1 and 2 Kings, 00:08:41.299 --> 00:08:44.580 bringing the word of the Lord to the northern kingdom. 00:08:45.200 --> 00:08:48.919 This apostate ten tribes with their new state religion. 00:08:48.919 --> 00:08:49.919 And that is amazing. 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:54.099 Because the northern kingdom had comprehensively rejected God. 00:08:54.979 --> 00:08:56.000 Utterly turned their back. 00:08:56.240 --> 00:08:58.159 They turned to idols enthusiastically. 00:08:59.719 --> 00:09:03.799 And you might have thought that the Lord would just wash his hands on them. 00:09:03.860 --> 00:09:04.360 Wipe them out. 00:09:06.219 --> 00:09:07.559 Rather than send prophets. 00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:12.219 These two books, 1 and 2 Kings, they were actually written much later. 00:09:13.000 --> 00:09:16.819 After God had actually allowed the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel. 00:09:16.819 --> 00:09:18.299 And the exile of the southern kingdom. 00:09:18.299 --> 00:09:22.699 The writer had seen both of those things already happen. 00:09:23.339 --> 00:09:26.139 The writer knew what the trajectory was when he wrote this. 00:09:26.839 --> 00:09:30.519 And yet is still very keen to point out that God was still very active in the north. 00:09:31.919 --> 00:09:33.479 He did mighty miracles there. 00:09:34.179 --> 00:09:35.740 There were schools of prophets there. 00:09:35.740 --> 00:09:39.419 Even though the writer knew that the people hated God. 00:09:39.419 --> 00:09:41.820 He knew what the trajectory was when he wrote it. 00:09:43.259 --> 00:09:44.320 God was at work. 00:09:45.159 --> 00:09:46.440 Just amazing grace. 00:09:47.019 --> 00:09:49.759 People might be faithless, but the Lord never ever is. 00:09:50.919 --> 00:09:56.759 Were we to turn on a few chapters to chapter 13, we get a little hint of why the Lord was gracious to them. 00:09:56.759 --> 00:09:58.439 Even in their apostasy. 00:09:58.439 --> 00:10:10.360 Where we read in chapter 13, the Lord was gracious to them and showed concern for them because of his covenant hundreds of years earlier with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 00:10:10.720 --> 00:10:14.639 To this day, he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence. 00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:21.080 Now that covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was a set of amazing promises that God made. 00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:24.559 That I am going to bless you just because I am the God who blesses. 00:10:24.980 --> 00:10:26.259 You are going to be a blessing. 00:10:27.019 --> 00:10:30.139 There is going to be blessing to the whole earth through you. 00:10:30.639 --> 00:10:34.779 And particularly to an eventual successor to this promise, the Lord Jesus. 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:36.259 It is going to happen. 00:10:36.679 --> 00:10:37.600 I am going to do it. 00:10:37.919 --> 00:10:39.139 I am going to keep my promise. 00:10:39.360 --> 00:10:43.200 And I'm going to keep it over generations and centuries and millennia. 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:44.900 I don't know about you. 00:10:44.980 --> 00:10:47.420 I find it hard to remember what I agreed to three weeks ago. 00:10:50.520 --> 00:10:56.540 He is astonishingly faithful to promises made centuries before to Abraham. 00:10:57.320 --> 00:10:59.480 Regardless of all the people's unfaithfulness. 00:11:00.259 --> 00:11:09.220 And the prophetic ministry of Elijah and Elisha is the Lord showing grace and concern for people who are turning their backs and being destroyed by the very idols they're embracing. 00:11:11.320 --> 00:11:12.680 And he did keep a remnant. 00:11:13.200 --> 00:11:19.580 When Elijah thought he was the only one left, God said, actually I've reserved 7,000 who haven't bowed the knee to Baal. 00:11:20.220 --> 00:11:32.540 And even when the northern kingdom is finally obliterated, he still keeps his promise because 700 years later, those of you who know the story about the baby Jesus will know that when the infant Jesus was presented in the temple, 00:11:32.539 --> 00:11:36.120 we meet a lady called Anna. 00:11:36.120 --> 00:11:40.819 I'm told she's a very old prophetess looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. 00:11:41.559 --> 00:11:46.980 And she was descended from the tribe of Asher in the northern kingdom that was destroyed 700 years before. 00:11:48.519 --> 00:11:49.199 I don't know. 00:11:49.240 --> 00:11:53.699 Maybe she traced her ancestry back to the companies of prophets we hear about here. 00:11:53.700 --> 00:11:54.160 But we don't know. 00:11:54.580 --> 00:11:55.700 What we do know is this. 00:11:56.120 --> 00:11:58.920 The Lord is so faithful to us. 00:12:00.060 --> 00:12:01.180 Over generations. 00:12:01.980 --> 00:12:07.980 Our little personal stories are part of his great story of faithfulness. 00:12:08.860 --> 00:12:10.100 He is sovereign. 00:12:11.000 --> 00:12:12.580 And that means that you are safe. 00:12:12.580 --> 00:12:16.820 He's never going to break his promise. 00:12:17.700 --> 00:12:19.360 Regardless of all the sins of people. 00:12:20.440 --> 00:12:26.520 The world and worldly rulers, the Omris, Ahabs and Jezebels of our age can rage all they like. 00:12:26.840 --> 00:12:28.020 He is unstoppable. 00:12:28.400 --> 00:12:28.580 Amen? 00:12:29.780 --> 00:12:30.160 Amen. 00:12:31.340 --> 00:12:34.800 He is going to have a people for his own possession through the Lord Jesus. 00:12:37.960 --> 00:12:40.440 Anyway, that's a bit of a long-winded introduction. 00:12:40.440 --> 00:12:45.900 This passage is about the transition between Elijah and Elisha. 00:12:46.760 --> 00:12:50.380 Elijah's job in God's purposes is coming to an end with two things. 00:12:50.900 --> 00:12:53.780 Firstly, the death of Ahab's evil son, Joram. 00:12:54.840 --> 00:12:57.840 Ironically, his name means Yahweh is exalted. 00:12:58.100 --> 00:13:00.860 But the mantra of his life was, there is no God. 00:13:03.200 --> 00:13:03.680 Hubris. 00:13:04.620 --> 00:13:07.800 And the second thing is that Elisha is now prepared and ready. 00:13:07.800 --> 00:13:10.360 The handover moment has come. 00:13:11.020 --> 00:13:14.660 Start of 1 Kings was the handover between David and Solomon. 00:13:14.800 --> 00:13:15.780 The handover of kingship. 00:13:15.900 --> 00:13:18.000 This is the transition of prophets. 00:13:18.220 --> 00:13:20.620 Generation passing to generation. 00:13:23.040 --> 00:13:25.120 You teenagers, listen to this stuff. 00:13:25.560 --> 00:13:27.200 Generation passing to generation. 00:13:27.980 --> 00:13:32.300 When we first met Elisha, 1 Kings 19. 00:13:32.960 --> 00:13:34.560 Elijah hit a low point. 00:13:34.680 --> 00:13:36.620 God said, as part of the replenishment for you, 00:13:36.620 --> 00:13:37.580 I'm going to give you an apprentice. 00:13:37.700 --> 00:13:38.920 I'm going to give you a companion. 00:13:38.919 --> 00:13:41.599 You need somebody with you in the work, Elijah. 00:13:42.679 --> 00:13:44.819 Sometimes he just needed to be alone. 00:13:45.620 --> 00:13:50.620 But now God says you need, post Mount Carmel, you need to not be isolated. 00:13:50.759 --> 00:13:51.860 You need somebody with you. 00:13:51.860 --> 00:13:58.860 And we're told that when they first met, Elisha was plowing a field with 12 yoke of oxen. 00:13:59.379 --> 00:14:01.620 There had been a drought in the land. 00:14:03.220 --> 00:14:05.580 It's very interesting that here he is. 00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:08.580 The rains have come after Mount Carmel. 00:14:08.580 --> 00:14:16.220 He's plowing with 12 yoke of oxen, probably from a wealthy family, probably found it very difficult to keep the oxen alive over that period. 00:14:17.139 --> 00:14:18.040 You'd have thought, oh, no. 00:14:18.300 --> 00:14:22.160 The critical thing is that I stay just plowing my field. 00:14:22.300 --> 00:14:23.040 I keep going. 00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:24.060 I keep the family alive. 00:14:24.120 --> 00:14:25.600 I keep the crops coming. 00:14:25.600 --> 00:14:35.040 But Elijah goes and meets him and signifies that God is calling Elisha to prophetic ministry now by throwing his cloak around him. 00:14:35.700 --> 00:14:39.360 Just hold that detail in your mind as we go on, the throwing of the cloak around him. 00:14:39.399 --> 00:14:40.360 We'll come back to that in a minute. 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:44.980 And we're told that Elisha burnt his farm equipment, burning his bridges. 00:14:45.040 --> 00:14:46.240 I'm sure his family liked that. 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:48.560 I am following the call of God now. 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:50.279 I am not going back. 00:14:52.740 --> 00:15:00.639 And so we heard read, thank you, Cater, for reading so beautifully, that when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, 00:15:01.060 --> 00:15:04.720 the two of them were on their way from a place called Gilgal. 00:15:05.700 --> 00:15:09.000 And Elijah said to Elisha, stay here. 00:15:09.700 --> 00:15:10.399 Stay here. 00:15:10.460 --> 00:15:12.379 The Lord sent me to Bethel. 00:15:12.379 --> 00:15:19.879 Maybe there's a sense that this handover, this parting is going to be painful for Elisha. 00:15:20.580 --> 00:15:24.860 They have been together for years like a son with his father in the ministry of Yahweh. 00:15:25.700 --> 00:15:27.360 And Elijah is the great leader. 00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:31.620 It's very intimidating when great leaders depart, isn't it? 00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:34.600 Oh, but we've relied on you. 00:15:35.179 --> 00:15:37.399 Is the blessing going to depart with you? 00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:40.679 Is Elisha going to get the authority of Elijah? 00:15:40.679 --> 00:15:46.319 Or is the ministry all going to grind to a halt with the transition between generations? 00:15:47.259 --> 00:15:50.559 You know, was God's plan for salvation just centered on that one person? 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:54.139 Do I have to carry on doing it like Elijah did? 00:15:54.919 --> 00:15:57.139 It's very difficult when you get handovers. 00:15:57.259 --> 00:15:58.519 Praise God, that is never true. 00:15:59.059 --> 00:16:00.379 It wasn't with Elijah. 00:16:00.519 --> 00:16:01.839 It is not true now. 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:04.899 It's not true at Brunsfield. 00:16:07.480 --> 00:16:11.800 All Elijah was called to do was be faithful for his part in his day. 00:16:12.200 --> 00:16:17.120 But the Lord's purpose and the Lord's story are far bigger than even a great prophet like him. 00:16:17.639 --> 00:16:19.040 It is not dependent on Elijah. 00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:22.220 It's not dependent upon any of us or any person except the Lord Jesus. 00:16:22.220 --> 00:16:25.120 So here they are. 00:16:25.180 --> 00:16:25.680 They're going along. 00:16:26.360 --> 00:16:30.660 And Elijah says, I'm giving you, Elisha, permission to not be there when this happens. 00:16:32.100 --> 00:16:33.639 And Elisha says, I'm not having any of that. 00:16:34.500 --> 00:16:35.840 I am with you. 00:16:36.279 --> 00:16:38.700 It's just real closeness we heard read. 00:16:39.040 --> 00:16:42.460 He wants to be with him and he wants to be close to what the Lord is doing. 00:16:43.620 --> 00:16:45.779 And Elijah repeats it another two times. 00:16:45.820 --> 00:16:46.320 Do you want to go? 00:16:47.040 --> 00:16:48.060 No, no, I'm not going. 00:16:48.540 --> 00:16:49.379 I'm not going to leave you. 00:16:49.379 --> 00:16:53.340 And they're met by two companies of prophets. 00:16:54.559 --> 00:16:56.340 One at Bethel and one at Jericho. 00:16:56.480 --> 00:16:57.559 And they emphasize it too. 00:16:57.620 --> 00:16:59.919 Elisha, do you know that your master is going to be taken from you today? 00:16:59.939 --> 00:17:00.519 Yes, I know. 00:17:01.159 --> 00:17:01.559 I know. 00:17:04.079 --> 00:17:09.099 Now, when you're doing Bible studies, always look up the postcode. 00:17:09.619 --> 00:17:10.559 Always look up the location. 00:17:12.279 --> 00:17:17.140 Bethel was the big northern center of calf idol worship. 00:17:17.140 --> 00:17:20.920 And Jericho was a city that had been cursed by God. 00:17:22.440 --> 00:17:24.700 Dark, dark places. 00:17:26.420 --> 00:17:30.160 And here, God has companies of prophets in both of them. 00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:31.900 Astonishing. 00:17:31.900 --> 00:17:39.660 Just because somewhere feels extremely dark, spiritually oppressive, far from the Lord, 00:17:40.060 --> 00:17:44.000 never imagine he cannot raise up people of the word there or here. 00:17:45.259 --> 00:17:47.259 UK can feel very dark at the moment. 00:17:47.360 --> 00:17:49.000 Do not think the Lord is not at work. 00:17:49.000 --> 00:17:53.880 Maybe there's a little hint about what Elijah and Elisha have been doing together. 00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:56.039 Maybe they have been raising up these schools of prophets. 00:17:58.259 --> 00:18:03.099 Maybe God is sending Elijah there for a final chance to just see his friends and his protégés 00:18:03.099 --> 00:18:05.279 hand on the baton to the next generation. 00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:06.339 We don't know. 00:18:06.339 --> 00:18:11.240 But it is clear that God sends him to where the schools of the prophets were, 00:18:11.500 --> 00:18:16.220 certainly so the prophets can witness and testify that Elisha has succeeded him. 00:18:18.139 --> 00:18:22.699 But maybe too, so that Elijah can see some of what God was doing all the time, 00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:24.299 even when he thought it was so hopeless. 00:18:24.299 --> 00:18:29.940 A lovely thing a few weeks ago, I'm sure that many of you have experienced as well. 00:18:30.500 --> 00:18:33.059 Someone told me about something that God did in their life 00:18:33.059 --> 00:18:36.940 through something that I prayed about with them 18 years ago. 00:18:38.299 --> 00:18:39.960 I never knew about it at the time. 00:18:40.899 --> 00:18:44.859 Just 18 years later, God came at exactly the point I needed some encouragement. 00:18:45.639 --> 00:18:48.319 I know that many of you, there'll be many stories like that in this room. 00:18:49.659 --> 00:18:53.659 Many of us have found out years later we inadvertently encourage somebody in their faith 00:18:53.660 --> 00:18:55.700 by something that we said or did. 00:18:55.920 --> 00:19:01.500 And God graciously gives us glimpses, just so we know that he's at work all the time. 00:19:01.880 --> 00:19:03.420 Maybe something like that is going on here. 00:19:05.340 --> 00:19:11.460 These prophets seem very tender for Elisha, very concerned, very caring at this time of departure. 00:19:12.420 --> 00:19:15.420 But they have been summoned by God to be witnesses as well. 00:19:15.900 --> 00:19:19.900 Not only does Elijah know that he's departing, but so does Elisha, 00:19:20.120 --> 00:19:21.480 and so do the companies of prophets. 00:19:21.480 --> 00:19:26.660 So God seems to have been setting it up, preparing them all beforehand for this event. 00:19:28.900 --> 00:19:33.599 So they are walking along and they come to the Jordan River. 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:40.799 Elijah takes his cloak and he strikes the water with it and it parts. 00:19:41.140 --> 00:19:45.500 He's moving out of the picture, but he's doing it in the power of God, 00:19:45.500 --> 00:19:51.140 very much like the manner of Moses parting the Red Sea at the Exodus. 00:19:52.519 --> 00:19:56.420 Or probably more so, Moses' successor Joshua. 00:19:57.299 --> 00:20:00.900 When God first led the people into the Promised Land, 00:20:01.299 --> 00:20:02.180 he told Joshua, 00:20:02.420 --> 00:20:05.640 I am going to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel today, 00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:08.019 and the people will know that I'm with you, 00:20:08.359 --> 00:20:10.000 like I was with Moses, 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:13.279 by the parting of the Jordan River. 00:20:14.779 --> 00:20:21.099 I wonder if you can just guess where Joshua parted the Jordan River at the power of God, 00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:25.119 and you would be right if you guessed right here at Gilgal. 00:20:27.059 --> 00:20:29.599 That's exactly what's going on in exactly the same place. 00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:33.980 Always look up the location. 00:20:34.159 --> 00:20:35.439 Find out if anything happened there. 00:20:36.059 --> 00:20:39.159 We've got wicked Bethel, wicked Jericho, and Gilgal, 00:20:39.319 --> 00:20:44.500 where Joshua had led the Israelites across the Jordan into the Promised Land 00:20:44.500 --> 00:20:46.599 at the end of Exodus. 00:20:47.500 --> 00:20:51.619 God has a previous history of parting the Jordan River at Gilgal. 00:20:53.639 --> 00:20:58.740 By doing so, he demonstrated Joshua was the leader in the strength and power of God. 00:20:58.740 --> 00:21:03.400 By doing so, he's now demonstrating that Elisha is going to be the leader 00:21:03.400 --> 00:21:05.200 in the strength and power of God. 00:21:06.779 --> 00:21:09.640 And once again, Israel, in the form of the company of the prophets, 00:21:09.819 --> 00:21:10.660 is watching closely. 00:21:10.859 --> 00:21:11.720 Is that going to happen? 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:14.279 Is Elisha going to be Elijah's successor from God, 00:21:14.440 --> 00:21:16.720 in the same way that Joshua was Moses' successor? 00:21:19.539 --> 00:21:20.579 Well, we won't see. 00:21:22.120 --> 00:21:25.160 Tragically, none of these three places ended well, 00:21:25.440 --> 00:21:28.299 even though God was doing things in power then. 00:21:29.059 --> 00:21:32.279 So anyway, Elijah parts the water and they cross over. 00:21:33.579 --> 00:21:34.799 And Elijah says to Elisha, 00:21:34.859 --> 00:21:35.880 what do you want me to do for you? 00:21:36.839 --> 00:21:38.140 And Elisha replies, 00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:40.620 I want a double portion of your spirit. 00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:43.460 That doesn't mean I want 00:21:43.460 --> 00:21:45.900 twice the prophetic anointing, 00:21:46.019 --> 00:21:46.980 twice the power. 00:21:46.980 --> 00:21:51.360 It means I would like the double portion that was given to the heir. 00:21:51.599 --> 00:21:54.319 He's asking to be Elijah's legitimate successor. 00:21:55.360 --> 00:21:56.900 I want the mantle. 00:21:58.640 --> 00:21:59.779 And Elijah replied and said, 00:21:59.839 --> 00:22:01.120 well, that's a difficult thing. 00:22:01.940 --> 00:22:05.039 And it depends on you seeing me when I'm taken from you. 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:08.099 Perhaps the implication is, 00:22:08.359 --> 00:22:10.339 this isn't my gift to give you, Elisha. 00:22:10.879 --> 00:22:12.359 Even after all our time together, 00:22:12.359 --> 00:22:13.440 I can't do it. 00:22:13.480 --> 00:22:14.839 I can't promise you that. 00:22:15.059 --> 00:22:16.700 That needs to come from God. 00:22:16.700 --> 00:22:20.539 And the way that Elisha will know 00:22:20.539 --> 00:22:23.920 is if God chooses to show him 00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:25.900 what is supernaturally happening. 00:22:26.620 --> 00:22:29.720 Is he going to have eyes to see what's going on? 00:22:32.180 --> 00:22:34.220 And they carry on walking and talking. 00:22:34.420 --> 00:22:36.040 And in the middle of their talk, 00:22:36.120 --> 00:22:38.240 the supernatural parting happens. 00:22:38.940 --> 00:22:42.400 They were separated by a chariot and horses of fire. 00:22:43.060 --> 00:22:44.300 And Elijah ascended, 00:22:44.800 --> 00:22:46.060 not you notice in the chariot, 00:22:46.120 --> 00:22:46.880 but in a whirlwind. 00:22:47.860 --> 00:22:49.000 And Elisha saw it. 00:22:49.240 --> 00:22:49.940 He did see it. 00:22:50.940 --> 00:22:52.100 And he cried out, 00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:53.580 my father, my father, 00:22:53.759 --> 00:22:55.880 the chariots and horsemen of Israel. 00:22:55.900 --> 00:22:59.060 And then Elisha saw him no more. 00:23:00.600 --> 00:23:02.060 Now that's a very interesting phrase, 00:23:02.380 --> 00:23:03.900 the chariots and horsemen of Israel. 00:23:04.820 --> 00:23:08.000 Elsewhere, it refers to the armies of heaven 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:09.860 protecting God's people. 00:23:09.980 --> 00:23:12.440 Very real, but not usually seen. 00:23:13.240 --> 00:23:16.480 Think about the supernatural, 00:23:16.740 --> 00:23:18.120 angelic protection of churches, 00:23:18.320 --> 00:23:19.460 the angels of the churches 00:23:19.460 --> 00:23:21.300 in the book of Revelation, for example. 00:23:21.960 --> 00:23:23.900 I enjoyed hearing Revelation earlier. 00:23:23.900 --> 00:23:24.500 Earlier. 00:23:25.060 --> 00:23:26.840 Very real, not usually seen. 00:23:27.400 --> 00:23:29.120 But here it doesn't mean that. 00:23:29.280 --> 00:23:30.420 Here, the phrase, 00:23:30.560 --> 00:23:31.960 the chariots and horsemen of Israel 00:23:31.960 --> 00:23:33.700 means Elijah. 00:23:34.980 --> 00:23:37.880 Elijah is the chariots and horsemen of Israel. 00:23:38.380 --> 00:23:40.540 That is Israel's defense and shield. 00:23:40.900 --> 00:23:42.600 And we know it because later on, 00:23:42.660 --> 00:23:43.780 when Elisha dies, 00:23:44.180 --> 00:23:46.300 he is mourned with the same words. 00:23:47.040 --> 00:23:48.000 My father, my father, 00:23:48.080 --> 00:23:49.440 the chariots and horsemen of Israel. 00:23:49.440 --> 00:23:51.539 And there's no supernatural vision 00:23:51.539 --> 00:23:53.180 of chariots and horsemen at that point. 00:23:55.940 --> 00:23:57.340 I think what it's doing 00:23:57.340 --> 00:24:00.580 is connecting the very real, 00:24:01.080 --> 00:24:03.039 supernatural, angelic protection 00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:03.980 of God's people 00:24:03.980 --> 00:24:06.860 with the ministry of the word of God 00:24:06.860 --> 00:24:07.539 through the prophets. 00:24:07.720 --> 00:24:09.900 They're two edges of the same sword, 00:24:10.140 --> 00:24:11.799 two sides of the same coin, if you like. 00:24:12.019 --> 00:24:13.840 There is a battle for faithfulness 00:24:13.840 --> 00:24:14.779 going on on the earth. 00:24:14.779 --> 00:24:16.599 Are we going to be faithful 00:24:16.599 --> 00:24:17.839 to the word of the Lord 00:24:17.839 --> 00:24:20.200 and secure protection 00:24:20.200 --> 00:24:21.359 for the faithful 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:22.079 that is going on 00:24:22.079 --> 00:24:22.940 in the heavenly places? 00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:24.019 They're going on at the same time, 00:24:24.920 --> 00:24:26.039 like the angels of the churches 00:24:26.039 --> 00:24:26.680 in Revelation. 00:24:27.139 --> 00:24:28.039 We, dear friends, 00:24:28.099 --> 00:24:29.500 are in a spiritual battle, 00:24:29.879 --> 00:24:31.299 not against flesh and blood, 00:24:31.700 --> 00:24:33.160 but against principalities 00:24:33.160 --> 00:24:35.119 and powers in the heavenly realms. 00:24:36.160 --> 00:24:38.059 The situations you go into this week 00:24:38.059 --> 00:24:38.639 as a Christian, 00:24:39.079 --> 00:24:40.079 God is for you. 00:24:41.139 --> 00:24:42.619 God is protecting you. 00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:44.660 God is hedging you around. 00:24:44.779 --> 00:24:44.879 God is for you around. 00:24:45.879 --> 00:24:46.720 And he who is in us 00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:48.220 is greater than he who is in the world. 00:24:49.539 --> 00:24:50.639 He's for us. 00:24:52.440 --> 00:24:53.660 And that's what Elisha 00:24:53.660 --> 00:24:55.819 is now given spiritual eyes to see. 00:24:56.879 --> 00:24:59.399 The writer is telling us about it 00:24:59.399 --> 00:25:02.539 to give us the eyes of faith to see. 00:25:03.539 --> 00:25:06.160 And you notice that he picked up the cloak. 00:25:07.180 --> 00:25:08.119 It's his now. 00:25:08.779 --> 00:25:10.759 He did get the prophetic mantle 00:25:10.759 --> 00:25:12.720 because he sees. 00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:16.640 And we, Christians, 00:25:17.299 --> 00:25:18.380 we, churches, 00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:19.940 we, Brunsfield, 00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:22.039 get the prophetic mantle 00:25:22.039 --> 00:25:24.980 because we see with the eyes of faith. 00:25:25.460 --> 00:25:26.299 Jesus said, 00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:29.100 those who haven't physically seen me 00:25:29.100 --> 00:25:30.740 are nevertheless blessed 00:25:30.740 --> 00:25:31.620 because they believe. 00:25:32.620 --> 00:25:36.160 So we see by believing with faith. 00:25:36.160 --> 00:25:38.540 The Bible says you have two sets of eyes. 00:25:38.820 --> 00:25:40.000 The eyes of your head 00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:41.000 and you see physically. 00:25:41.259 --> 00:25:43.500 And you have eyes in your heart 00:25:43.500 --> 00:25:45.800 that enable you to see spiritually 00:25:45.800 --> 00:25:47.080 by hearing the word of God 00:25:47.080 --> 00:25:49.240 with faith. 00:25:49.880 --> 00:25:50.320 Trusting. 00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:50.960 Jesus said, 00:25:51.480 --> 00:25:52.980 it's not just hearing my words. 00:25:53.399 --> 00:25:53.659 Remember, 00:25:53.720 --> 00:25:54.679 he's talked about the guy 00:25:54.679 --> 00:25:56.019 with the two people 00:25:56.019 --> 00:25:57.259 building a house on the sand 00:25:57.259 --> 00:25:57.919 or on the rock. 00:25:58.639 --> 00:25:59.599 The difference is 00:25:59.599 --> 00:26:01.379 that they both hear, 00:26:01.960 --> 00:26:02.919 but one does. 00:26:03.960 --> 00:26:05.119 The one who hears my words 00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:06.079 and puts them into practice 00:26:06.079 --> 00:26:07.220 is the one who is believing 00:26:07.220 --> 00:26:08.059 with faith, 00:26:08.460 --> 00:26:09.000 says Jesus. 00:26:09.859 --> 00:26:11.279 And we're living after the resurrection, 00:26:11.500 --> 00:26:12.079 the ascension, 00:26:12.639 --> 00:26:13.740 coming of the Holy Spirit. 00:26:13.839 --> 00:26:15.079 We know where God's plans 00:26:15.079 --> 00:26:16.159 for salvation are heading. 00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:17.880 We know and we see 00:26:17.880 --> 00:26:20.100 far more than Elijah and Elisha did. 00:26:20.540 --> 00:26:20.980 It's amazing. 00:26:23.920 --> 00:26:25.820 And he picks up the cloak 00:26:25.820 --> 00:26:28.400 that Elijah has dropped. 00:26:29.279 --> 00:26:30.259 It is his. 00:26:32.279 --> 00:26:34.740 Israel has not lost its shield 00:26:34.740 --> 00:26:36.720 with Elijah's departure 00:26:36.720 --> 00:26:38.960 because Elijah's God 00:26:38.960 --> 00:26:40.620 is with Elisha. 00:26:41.620 --> 00:26:43.720 The critical thing was never Elijah. 00:26:44.560 --> 00:26:45.860 It wasn't his gifts. 00:26:45.859 --> 00:26:47.159 It wasn't his personality. 00:26:47.339 --> 00:26:48.399 It wasn't his competence 00:26:48.399 --> 00:26:49.199 as a leader. 00:26:50.199 --> 00:26:52.099 It was the presence of his God. 00:26:54.219 --> 00:26:55.339 And Elisha's not going to be doing 00:26:55.339 --> 00:26:56.659 all the things that Elijah did. 00:26:57.079 --> 00:26:57.799 In some ways, 00:26:57.859 --> 00:26:58.819 as a very fresh start, 00:26:58.899 --> 00:27:00.279 the ministry was quite different. 00:27:01.299 --> 00:27:02.199 What he needs 00:27:02.199 --> 00:27:04.279 is God's spirit resting on him. 00:27:05.979 --> 00:27:07.839 He had the calling years before 00:27:07.839 --> 00:27:08.459 with the cloak. 00:27:08.839 --> 00:27:09.959 Now he has the cloak. 00:27:11.079 --> 00:27:11.479 But, 00:27:11.799 --> 00:27:13.639 does he have the empowering? 00:27:13.640 --> 00:27:17.460 Perhaps he doubted it at first 00:27:17.460 --> 00:27:19.140 because he took the cloak 00:27:19.140 --> 00:27:20.680 and just like Elijah, 00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:22.700 Elijah had whooshed it at the water. 00:27:22.800 --> 00:27:24.580 So now he sort of whooshes it 00:27:24.580 --> 00:27:25.080 at the water 00:27:25.080 --> 00:27:26.380 just like Elijah had done 00:27:26.380 --> 00:27:26.960 and asks, 00:27:27.180 --> 00:27:28.360 where now is the Lord, 00:27:28.620 --> 00:27:29.900 the God of Elijah? 00:27:31.060 --> 00:27:32.460 Is he with me? 00:27:34.980 --> 00:27:36.340 And the waters parted. 00:27:36.339 --> 00:27:39.759 And the Jericho of the prophets, 00:27:40.159 --> 00:27:41.000 a company of prophets, 00:27:41.119 --> 00:27:41.639 saw it. 00:27:42.279 --> 00:27:43.199 And they testified, 00:27:43.419 --> 00:27:43.759 yes, 00:27:43.899 --> 00:27:45.339 the spirit of Elijah 00:27:45.339 --> 00:27:48.220 is resting on Elisha. 00:27:48.879 --> 00:27:49.319 Phew. 00:27:50.059 --> 00:27:51.259 It's all going to be all right. 00:27:52.079 --> 00:27:53.799 God has not left the building. 00:27:55.079 --> 00:27:55.919 And they don't yet have 00:27:55.919 --> 00:27:56.919 a fully worked out 00:27:56.919 --> 00:27:58.159 doctrinal understanding 00:27:58.159 --> 00:27:59.159 of the Holy Spirit, 00:27:59.519 --> 00:28:00.480 but that's what they mean, 00:28:00.519 --> 00:28:02.119 the Holy Spirit of God. 00:28:02.119 --> 00:28:04.439 But Elisha went on 00:28:04.439 --> 00:28:06.179 in the spirit of the Lord. 00:28:09.139 --> 00:28:10.459 We just finish with 00:28:10.459 --> 00:28:11.319 two thoughts 00:28:11.319 --> 00:28:12.139 from the New Testament. 00:28:13.979 --> 00:28:16.039 So Elijah's departure here 00:28:16.039 --> 00:28:17.779 is not the last we hear of him. 00:28:19.419 --> 00:28:21.759 But when Jesus asks his disciples, 00:28:22.099 --> 00:28:24.099 who do people say that I am? 00:28:24.899 --> 00:28:25.899 They reply, 00:28:27.039 --> 00:28:27.239 well, 00:28:27.239 --> 00:28:28.759 some people think you're Elijah. 00:28:28.759 --> 00:28:28.839 Elijah, 00:28:29.559 --> 00:28:31.539 calling Israel back to God. 00:28:31.579 --> 00:28:32.799 That's the most supernatural person 00:28:32.799 --> 00:28:33.559 they can think of. 00:28:35.759 --> 00:28:37.579 When Jesus mentions Elijah 00:28:37.579 --> 00:28:38.619 in Luke 4, 00:28:38.720 --> 00:28:39.379 it's very interesting 00:28:39.379 --> 00:28:40.319 what happens in Luke 4. 00:28:40.680 --> 00:28:42.160 He uses Elijah to point out 00:28:42.160 --> 00:28:43.619 that God saves Gentiles 00:28:43.619 --> 00:28:44.480 as well as Jews. 00:28:44.619 --> 00:28:45.000 He says, 00:28:45.460 --> 00:28:46.460 Elijah wasn't sent 00:28:46.460 --> 00:28:47.480 to any of the widows 00:28:47.480 --> 00:28:49.019 in Israel in his time, 00:28:49.099 --> 00:28:51.039 but to a pagan widow 00:28:51.039 --> 00:28:51.859 in Zarephath, 00:28:51.980 --> 00:28:52.460 in Sidon, 00:28:52.539 --> 00:28:53.559 in Jezebel's backyard, 00:28:53.559 --> 00:28:54.700 in the darkest places 00:28:54.700 --> 00:28:57.660 of satanic demon worship. 00:28:58.759 --> 00:29:00.339 You think God can't work 00:29:00.339 --> 00:29:00.960 in Sidon? 00:29:01.299 --> 00:29:01.839 Think again. 00:29:02.420 --> 00:29:03.420 You think he can't work 00:29:03.420 --> 00:29:04.079 in Edinburgh? 00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:04.900 You think again. 00:29:05.460 --> 00:29:06.400 You think he can't work 00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:06.980 through you? 00:29:07.619 --> 00:29:08.359 Think again. 00:29:10.640 --> 00:29:12.819 And while the very last experience 00:29:12.819 --> 00:29:14.720 of Elijah's earthly life 00:29:14.720 --> 00:29:16.539 was the heavenly horses 00:29:16.539 --> 00:29:18.180 and chariot and whirlwind, 00:29:18.680 --> 00:29:20.099 it wasn't his last, 00:29:20.160 --> 00:29:20.559 or in fact, 00:29:20.599 --> 00:29:22.359 his greatest supernatural experience. 00:29:22.359 --> 00:29:25.079 Because he topped that 00:29:25.079 --> 00:29:26.779 of the transfiguration 00:29:26.779 --> 00:29:29.459 in the presence of Jesus, 00:29:29.459 --> 00:29:30.959 the Lord of the angels. 00:29:31.359 --> 00:29:33.459 When he came to talk with Moses, 00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:35.759 we are told about the exodus 00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:37.599 that Jesus was about to accomplish 00:29:37.599 --> 00:29:38.479 in Jerusalem. 00:29:39.699 --> 00:29:40.879 When through the cross, 00:29:41.259 --> 00:29:42.079 forgiveness is going 00:29:42.079 --> 00:29:43.079 to be made available. 00:29:43.399 --> 00:29:44.779 When through the resurrection, 00:29:45.019 --> 00:29:45.879 Jesus is declared 00:29:45.879 --> 00:29:46.979 to be the Son of God 00:29:46.979 --> 00:29:47.819 with power. 00:29:47.819 --> 00:29:50.339 and through whom 00:29:50.339 --> 00:29:51.500 everybody who believes, 00:29:51.619 --> 00:29:52.619 Jew and Gentile alike, 00:29:52.679 --> 00:29:53.679 is going to get swept 00:29:53.679 --> 00:29:55.119 into the great rescue 00:29:55.119 --> 00:29:56.799 of God from sin and death 00:29:56.799 --> 00:29:59.339 and given a new cloak 00:29:59.339 --> 00:30:00.740 of righteousness 00:30:00.740 --> 00:30:02.679 in the place 00:30:02.679 --> 00:30:03.679 of our own righteousness, 00:30:03.919 --> 00:30:04.700 which the Bible says 00:30:04.700 --> 00:30:05.720 is like filthy rags. 00:30:06.319 --> 00:30:07.619 So delighted just to hear 00:30:07.619 --> 00:30:08.579 your leaders yesterday 00:30:08.579 --> 00:30:10.279 talking about what it means 00:30:10.279 --> 00:30:12.359 to be strong 00:30:12.359 --> 00:30:13.279 in the grace of God, 00:30:13.279 --> 00:30:14.639 which means that you are 00:30:14.639 --> 00:30:17.139 declared righteous in Jesus. 00:30:17.819 --> 00:30:20.960 I don't know if that is a message 00:30:20.960 --> 00:30:21.960 that you hear all the time, 00:30:22.019 --> 00:30:23.039 but I pray it is. 00:30:23.659 --> 00:30:25.000 The heart of the gospel 00:30:25.000 --> 00:30:26.119 is that you are adopted 00:30:26.119 --> 00:30:27.179 into God's family 00:30:27.179 --> 00:30:29.159 and declared righteous 00:30:29.159 --> 00:30:30.319 in Jesus. 00:30:31.700 --> 00:30:32.299 It's a free gift. 00:30:33.379 --> 00:30:34.159 Entirely free. 00:30:35.079 --> 00:30:35.579 By faith. 00:30:39.399 --> 00:30:40.259 Very lastly, 00:30:40.399 --> 00:30:41.599 do not think that Elijah 00:30:41.599 --> 00:30:43.659 and Elisha are unlike us. 00:30:45.019 --> 00:30:46.079 It's very, very easy 00:30:46.079 --> 00:30:47.279 to read these kinds of accounts 00:30:47.279 --> 00:30:47.579 and think, 00:30:47.660 --> 00:30:48.339 well, that was amazing, 00:30:48.480 --> 00:30:49.160 but that was then 00:30:49.160 --> 00:30:50.339 and they're not at all like me. 00:30:53.059 --> 00:30:54.200 Romans 15 says 00:30:54.200 --> 00:30:54.940 these things were written 00:30:54.940 --> 00:30:55.700 for our learning. 00:30:56.460 --> 00:30:57.639 1 Corinthians says 00:30:57.639 --> 00:30:58.740 they were written as examples 00:30:58.740 --> 00:31:00.099 and warnings for us to imitate. 00:31:00.279 --> 00:31:01.119 Yeah, we are meant to 00:31:01.119 --> 00:31:02.619 learn how to follow God 00:31:02.619 --> 00:31:04.359 from the details of Elijah 00:31:04.359 --> 00:31:05.779 and Elisha's stories. 00:31:06.980 --> 00:31:07.879 And most tellingly, 00:31:08.000 --> 00:31:10.079 James chapter 5 says, 00:31:10.460 --> 00:31:11.539 Elijah was a man 00:31:11.539 --> 00:31:13.519 just like us. 00:31:14.839 --> 00:31:16.139 He prayed and it didn't rain. 00:31:16.140 --> 00:31:18.380 And he prayed and it did 00:31:18.380 --> 00:31:20.320 because he knew God 00:31:20.320 --> 00:31:21.580 and was empowered 00:31:21.580 --> 00:31:22.600 by the Spirit of God. 00:31:24.980 --> 00:31:25.600 Elisha says, 00:31:25.700 --> 00:31:26.680 I've got to have your spirit. 00:31:27.840 --> 00:31:29.520 That's why Jesus told the disciples, 00:31:29.780 --> 00:31:30.020 wait, 00:31:30.880 --> 00:31:32.420 don't go on without receiving 00:31:32.420 --> 00:31:34.080 the gift my Father has promised, 00:31:34.180 --> 00:31:35.759 even power from on high. 00:31:37.120 --> 00:31:38.920 The very same Holy Spirit 00:31:38.920 --> 00:31:40.320 promised to them, 00:31:40.440 --> 00:31:41.040 given to them, 00:31:41.080 --> 00:31:42.580 is promised and given to us. 00:31:42.579 --> 00:31:44.980 We have far greater insight 00:31:44.980 --> 00:31:46.059 in the knowledge of God 00:31:46.059 --> 00:31:46.939 and his Christ 00:31:46.939 --> 00:31:48.079 and his plans 00:31:48.079 --> 00:31:48.839 and his purposes 00:31:48.839 --> 00:31:50.339 this side of the cross 00:31:50.339 --> 00:31:52.460 than Elijah and Elisha 00:31:52.460 --> 00:31:53.199 could have dreamed of. 00:31:55.319 --> 00:31:56.559 Some of you are sitting here 00:31:56.559 --> 00:31:56.859 thinking, 00:31:57.099 --> 00:31:58.139 I am too young. 00:31:58.960 --> 00:32:00.639 I'm just too young 00:32:00.639 --> 00:32:02.899 to be used by the Lord. 00:32:03.960 --> 00:32:04.399 Or, 00:32:04.539 --> 00:32:05.980 I'm just too old 00:32:05.980 --> 00:32:07.519 to be used by the Lord. 00:32:07.519 --> 00:32:08.519 Or, 00:32:08.599 --> 00:32:09.400 I'm not competent 00:32:09.400 --> 00:32:10.339 or I'm fearful. 00:32:11.220 --> 00:32:11.400 I just, 00:32:11.879 --> 00:32:12.440 I can't, 00:32:12.559 --> 00:32:13.599 I'm not going to see God 00:32:13.599 --> 00:32:14.379 do great things. 00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:16.339 My dear friends, 00:32:16.400 --> 00:32:17.839 that is just not true. 00:32:19.799 --> 00:32:20.779 Give him your heart 00:32:20.779 --> 00:32:21.359 this morning. 00:32:23.740 --> 00:32:25.599 I wonder if he's asking you 00:32:25.599 --> 00:32:27.279 to take a meaningful step 00:32:27.279 --> 00:32:28.220 of trusting him 00:32:28.220 --> 00:32:29.799 as a result of this. 00:32:29.819 --> 00:32:30.339 What is that? 00:32:30.680 --> 00:32:31.259 I wonder what you need 00:32:31.259 --> 00:32:31.839 to pray about 00:32:31.839 --> 00:32:32.720 with somebody afterwards. 00:32:33.960 --> 00:32:35.400 Ask him to empower you. 00:32:36.220 --> 00:32:36.759 Get the help 00:32:36.759 --> 00:32:37.860 of your Christian friends here. 00:32:38.019 --> 00:32:38.420 Pray. 00:32:39.100 --> 00:32:40.420 See what he wants to do. 00:32:42.220 --> 00:32:43.220 We go this week 00:32:43.220 --> 00:32:43.900 into a country 00:32:43.900 --> 00:32:44.540 where there are 00:32:44.540 --> 00:32:45.460 no fewer battles 00:32:45.460 --> 00:32:46.040 for idols 00:32:46.040 --> 00:32:47.140 than there were in that day. 00:32:47.980 --> 00:32:48.500 There are going to be 00:32:48.500 --> 00:32:49.620 battles for our hearts. 00:32:50.100 --> 00:32:50.600 There are going to be 00:32:50.600 --> 00:32:51.720 battles to be faithful. 00:32:52.600 --> 00:32:54.580 And Jesus is with us 00:32:54.580 --> 00:32:56.519 as we submit to him 00:32:56.519 --> 00:32:57.820 and seek him 00:32:57.820 --> 00:32:59.120 and love, 00:32:59.340 --> 00:32:59.700 obey, 00:33:00.060 --> 00:33:00.880 and worship him. 00:33:02.780 --> 00:33:03.759 So God bless you 00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:04.740 this morning at Frontsfield 00:33:04.740 --> 00:33:05.500 as you continue 00:33:05.500 --> 00:33:06.599 to walk this great walk 00:33:06.599 --> 00:33:07.380 of faith together 00:33:07.380 --> 00:33:09.220 with our mighty Saviour 00:33:09.220 --> 00:33:10.480 who loves us. 00:33:11.200 --> 00:33:11.500 Amen.