Living into an Inheritance

Sermon 2 Kings 2:1-12 February 15, 2015

Living into an Inheritance

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day and many took the time to share from their heart the truth of their love for the one with whom they share their life. What a gift it is to have one day a year set aside for the purpose of bearing our hearts to others. Many young loves take advantage of the day to propose in marriage in hopes that the answer will be yes, and they can carry on together for the rest of their lives.

Love changes lives. 

Love unites people. 

And love, when shared, grows and builds families and communities.

The intimate relationship between Elijah the prophet and his apprentice Elisha is a lesson of love given, love shared, loved that transforms and love passed on.

When we receive the gift of love it changes our lives and we are richer for it. The moment shared in Scripture of the transfer of leadership from Elijah to Elisha is a powerful story of friendship, of faith, of partnership and continuity of leadership.

Elijah was a prophet to the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 9^th century B.C., during the reign of Ahab and his Sidonian wife Jezebel (1 Kings 16:29-34). His journey as a prophet was like other prophets before him, a challenging one to say the least. Elijah was not alone in his calling. Along the way he called Elisha out of a field to come and follow him and be his servant. Elisha was an apprentice to the vocation of being a prophet.

A prophet’s call is to bring the message of God to the people. The message he brings is the truth of God’s unfailing love and desire for the people to turn to God and live according to God’s ways.

Elijah’s departure in a fiery chariot has been a favorite of song writers and artists. His departure without a sign of death has left many hoping for his return through the clouds in the same manner that we hope for the return of Jesus.

After Elijah makes his fiery departure, Elisha is left holding the bag, so to speak. He is left with the mantle, the cloak of his mentor. He has asked that if he is to continue in the footsteps as a prophet at least for that mission to be double of what his predecessor had.

Would or could we have the courage to live into the inheritance we’ve been given to request and to move towards a double portion?

If any of us have received an inheritance from our parents or from long lost loved ones, what have we done with it? Did we bury it, did we spend it quickly, did we give it away, did we manage it in a way it could be carried into the future?

Our inheritance is one such as Elisha has received. It is an inheritance of love and it is double what we could ever have imagined. We like Elisha are true heirs of God’s love.

What we do with it and how we live into to it is what will make the difference for future generations. Elisha and Elijah are prophets living their lives fully dependent upon God. They place themselves vulnerable before God as they fulfill their ministry given to proclaim the mercy of God to the people. Their calling and their living it out is similar to the life of Jesus. Jesus gave up his life on the cross fully trusting God’s mercy for the world.

We are recipients of this mercy, this love and we like the disciples have the inheritance richer than we could imagine to take it and live into it.

We can wonder how we do that. Perhaps it’s with the audacity that Elisha had, to ask for more. Perhaps it is to take what we have received with determination and courage to serve with greatness and honor.

But, (as so many doomsday articles have been written and continue to be written about the church) we as mainline Christians in the 21^st century sit in the pews and are afraid of what living with audacity and courage looks like. Why, we might ask are we afraid? It is because most mainline Christians today (so the articles say) are unable to express their love of God and unable to express what they believe.

Since yesterday was Valentine’s Day I wonder how many of us who love others were able to demonstrate that love? Was it through flowers, cards, food, words, hugs, kisses, or acts of kindness? Were we able to express the difference this person makes by being part of our life? Was it difficult to describe what we love about the other?

In that same vein, what are the things we love about God, about church, about living in a community of faith?

What difference does it make that God is part of our life?

For many Christians growing up in the church has been so natural that they say it is like breathing, it is just who they are. This is wonderful news. Imagine growing up in a family where love is such a strong way of life that it too is like breathing and it becomes difficult to express because it is a way of life. This is a powerful inheritance.

But, I would challenge us today to say we have this inheritance

not to sit quietly by

but to take up the mantle

and carry it into the future

for the sake of the church of Jesus Christ!

We can do this together and we can do this as families and we can do this as disciples of Christ.

‘Do not be afraid’ is the mantra of Scripture.

DO not be afraid is what gave Elisha ability to go forth in God’s name.

We will live into this inheritance by learning how to speak our faith story.

We will learn how to share our joy of knowing God’s love in the way we live and speak.

Today is a good day to write down all the things in your heart about God.

We as mainline Christians are really good at the hands of faith part.

But, can we,

are we,

able to share the heart of faith part?

Can we articulate what gets us excited about being part of a church family?

Are we able to invite others to join with us?

Are we able to dance in the wonder and rejoice in witness of others who come to know God?

Are we excited when we see the children pray and show their relationship with God?

The purpose of Lent is to intentionally spend time developing a deeper relationship with God.

This year we will walk together as we worship on Sundays.

We will engage with our brothers and sisters in Christ for midday worship.

We will come together and learn from the Bible our heritage in Jesus Christ midweek in the evenings.

We will encourage one another and become comfortable with our own story.

And we will recognize how God has transformed us and called us to live into this marvelous inheritance of grace, mercy and love.

Come as guests invited and be part of the marvelous heritage.

Come, as followers of Jesus.

Come and live into the love God has for you.

Amen.