Sermon Snippet – One of the Few – Part II
INTRODUCTION – As we saw last week from the life of the governmental official Obadiah, Elijah the prophet was wrong in assuming that he was all alone in his faith (I Kings 18:1-16, 19:14, 18). However, both men belonged to a tiny minority of 7,000 believers. We find ourselves in a similar situation today (although the numbers might not be quite as dire). Let us consider another one of the few, a man named Elisha.
1. GOD ANOINTS HIS PEOPLE
Following the command of I Kings 19:16, Elijah anointed Elisha to be his replacement (verses 19-21). This immediate response by Elijah says much about him, for all of us have at least some pride and struggle with the reality of being replaceable. In such situations, it is wise to focus on God rather than ourselves; for it is His work, and it must go on. Really, it is comforting to know not that we are replaceable but that we are part of a continuing harvest of souls. The “mantle” of Elijah likely weighed heavily upon Elisha (more about that thought later). However, the anointing by the Lord is necessary for us to be effective. I John 2:20 says, “But ye [all Christians] have an unction [anointing] from the Holy One, and ye know all things [can discern between truth and falsehood].” Verse 27a adds, “The anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you.” Like both Elijah and Elisha, we need to be patient with the results. We can be confident, though, that we are part of Christ’s continuing labor.
2. GOD WANTS US TO KEEP PLOWING ALONG
Elisha “was plowing” when Elijah anointed him. How can a plowman become a prophet? We have a glimpse of Elisha’s upbringing here, for his name means “My God is salvation.” His parents must have been part of the minuscule minority. We also see that God sees what we cannot; He perceives our potential. Perhaps no one else expected this plowman to become a powerful preacher of God’s righteousness, but God, of course, was right. We should not misunderstand Elisha’s brief delay (verses 20-21)He was not dallying; rather, he was acknowledging his sinfulness and his need for forgiveness by offering this substantial sacrifice. Also, there is a sort of symbolism here: his past plowing would be replaced by a turning up of spiritual soil. I have often said that the greatest spiritual ability is availability (really, reliability). Elisha was ready to carry this trait from the physical labor of farming to the spiritual work of being a prophet. In a sense, then, he was just going to keep plowing along.
3. GOD HAS NO SECOND FIDDLES IN HIS ORCHESTRA
II Kings 2:8-12a takes place some years later. Elisha’s apprenticeship was ending, and self-doubts were nagging him. His request of a “double portion? (verse 9) was not a desire to be twice as popular or powerful as his mentor Elijah. Rather, Elisha felt that he was only half the man that Elijah had been. He needed spiritual strength, especially since he believed that his own natural capabilities were quite deficient. God graciously granted him this request. Philippians 4:13 has long been a verse that I rely on: “I can do all things through Christ [Who] strengtheneth me.” If our Savior God has something for us to do, it must matter. It is important to Him, and He will provide the portion of strength – even the double portion at times – that we need.
CONCLUSION – We are important to Jesus. He knew each of the 7,000 believers in Elijah’s day, and He knows each Christian right now. He is also continuing His outreach to unbelievers today. Much of that work of salvation is being done by people just like us. Let us keep plowing along.