The Importance of Passing on the Mantle

June 30, 2019 The Importance of passing on the mantle 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 3rd Sunday after Pentecost Year C Mentors By Lois Parker Edstrom This is the story of two great men. Moses was the man who led his people out of Egypt where they had been held as slaves. The Bible teaches us that Moses was a strong, powerful man. Joshua was a younger man, and the Bible tells us the he was “full of the spirit of wisdom” (34:9). I like to think that Joshua may have become wise by watching Moses work and listening to his advice. After Moses brought the people out of Egypt they came to a beautiful land where the people could work and find a better life. Moses had completed his work. Now he turned over the job of leading them into the new land, to Joshua. Think of people you admire who can help you “gain wisdom” as Moses did with Joshua. I like to write poetry and I especially admire the poetry of one woman whose poems are lovely and wise. I have a book of her poetry on my table and read her poems often. I study the words she uses and how she puts certain words together. I want to learn all I can from her. (Personalize this part of the lesson by relating a story about a mentor who has been helpful to you.) What is it you want to do? What is it you like to do? There are wonderful men and women all around you who can teach you many things. It may be your mother, father, an older brother or sister, a friend or teacher… Look to someone you admire and learn all you can from that person. Try to become “filled with the spirit of wisdom” just as Joshua did. Scripture quotations from the World English Bible Copyright 2012, Richard Niell Donovan 2 Kings 2:1-2 Common English Bible (CEB) Elijah goes to heaven 2 Now the LORD was going to take Elijah up to heaven in a windstorm, and Elijah and Elisha were leaving Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, because the LORD has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives and as you live, I won’t leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 2 Kings 2:6-14 Common English Bible (CEB) 6 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, because the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives and as you live, I won’t leave you.” So both of them went on together. 7 Fifty members from the group of prophets also went along, but they stood at a distance. Both Elijah and Elisha stood beside the Jordan River. 8 Elijah then took his coat, rolled it up, and hit the water. Then the water was divided in two! Both of them crossed over on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “What do you want me to do for you before I’m taken away from you?” Elisha said, “Let me have twice your spirit.” 10 Elijah said, “You’ve made a difficult request. If you can see me when I’m taken from you, then it will be yours. If you don’t see me, it won’t happen.” 11 They were walking along, talking, when suddenly a fiery chariot and fiery horses appeared and separated the two of them. Then Elijah went to heaven in a windstorm. 12 Elisha was watching, and he cried out, “Oh, my father, my father! Israel’s chariots and its riders!” When he could no longer see him, Elisha took hold of his clothes and ripped them in two. Elisha succeeds Elijah 13 Then Elisha picked up the coat that had fallen from Elijah. He went back and stood beside the banks of the Jordan River. 14 He took the coat that had fallen from Elijah and hit the water. He said, “Where is the LORD, Elijah’s God?” And when he hit the water, it divided in two! Then Elisha crossed over. Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible Question for you. Who are the people in your life who are responsible for who you are today? Who was it that mentored you? Who looked after you, who was willing to show you the ropes, especially as you started out in your life. I remember when I was about 3 or 4, my grandmother would have this well mannered well dressed lady come and pick me up every Sunday and take me to church. I remember one morning my grandmother told my mother that this lady was teaching me how to be a lady. For the life of me, I have no idea of who that lady was. Everyone who would know is gone now. And truth be told, I am not sure my mom was all that crazy about me taking etiquette lessons. I learned a lot from all of the female relatives in my life, and I have always thought of all of them as very special giants in the world. When I think about who I am as a pastor – I am greatful for the day that I met Jack – a campus minister at Northwestern who welcomed me and introduced me to the United Methodist Church. And Dr. Edmund Perry who was also a United Methodist Pastor and chairperson of the religion department at Northwestern. After much a few years, when I was ordained as a deacon in the United Methodist Church - I told the cabinet that I wanted to be pastor of a large church. So after serving for two years as a local pastor – they paired me with Fred. My District Superintendent told me that the only way to learn how to run a large church, was to run a large church. So they made me an associate with Fred with the stipulation that I would have equal preaching time. Fred was a really good sport about letting me preach every other Sunday. Fred has passed, but I treasure his support of me as a pastor. I am grateful to Gates and to Steve – my other Senior pastors. They didn’t let me preach every other Sunday, but they were supportive and I learned a lot from them both. Steve is Jaime Geiger’s best friend. Today as the world is changing, so is ministry and so is the role of the pastor. All of my ministry mentors have either passed away or retired. While I still have 2o years left. This scripture about the relationship between Elijah and Elisha was always resonated with me. Even today, whenever I have my yearly evaluation with my District Superintendent, when they ask what my ministry goal is – it is the same as it was 23 years ago – to be Senior pastor of a large, white, suburban church. They respond that is a little arrogant of me – that is okay – that is all I know. I have always been clear with all of my mentors – that I want to know everything about what you do, so that I can be prepared for that day. Of course today – the world that I pastor in is different from the one they pastored in – there are fewer and fewer large white suburban churches to pastor. So I can relate to Elisha’s request of Elijah – that I want twice as much of God’s spiritual gifts than you have. Not I want what you have – I need even more of God’s presence in a changing more challenging world. Elijah and Elisha were two very different people with two very different ministries. Elijah was a loner who preferred the desert, Elisha was a community person who preferred to stay in the city. Elijah was a big personality, Elisha was an even bigger personality. One day a group of teenagers made fun of Elisha for being bald, Elisha sent a ball of fire to destroy them. Elijah was one of two men who didn’t die, they were taken up to heaven. Elisha lived a normal life and died a normal death. I am pretty sure Elisha would have trained a protégé to take his place – but we don’t know his name. Elisha’s passion was for the community of prophets to carry on his work. We don’t know much about Elisha but the community remembered his name. the community continues to tell his story – and to honor his mentor Elijah as the most important mentor who ever lived. After looking at this story this year –it is a very rich story of the importance of reaching out to the younger generation. God came to earth in a chariot of fire to show Gods presence. Elijah passed the mantel on to a new generation. But the most important part of the story today – there were 50 fellow prophets who saw everything. – they were witnesses to God’s presence, they have kept this story alive even today. Instead of assigning his work to one person he assigned it to a community of witnesses. When you do the work of God, you never know who is watching, and how they are imitating you. A little boy said to his mother, “Can I go outside and help Daddy put snow chains on the car? I know all the words.” Always remember that those who come behind you are copying you. Centuries later, there was another young man who heard about Elijah, and aspired to be just like him in every way. Who aspired to do everything he could to save God’s people. Just like elijah’s protégé his name was God saves – but his name is god for a new day saves in a new way. Just like Elisha, his focus was not on one person taking his place, but forming a community of people to do his work. Very few people are expert in anything all by themselves. They need a supporting community. Do you know a good musician who was not trained, nurtured and sustained by the music community? Show me an athlete who achieves excellence all alone, apart from the athletic community. Very few wise men become so without the accumulated wisdom of the centuries as expressed in colleges and universities and libraries. Medical people are more like ensembles and symphonies than soloists. What business tycoon does it all on his own without dedicated experts in finance, engineering, personnel, and marketing? Excellence requires participation in, and support of, a community of like-minded people. Likewise in the church -- a forerunner of the new kingdom. Very few achieve Christian maturity all by themselves. Seldom is the Bible studied diligently without the aid of scholars and teachers. Rarely are people led to generosity by their own impulses. Maurice A. Fetty, The Divine Advocacy, CSS Publishing Company The word apostle means a witness, one who witnessed for themselves the presence of God. Like his namesake, Jesus put his efforts into his witnesses. It is their story that we tell today. It is the power that they say in Christ, that still fuels our ministry in an every changing world. It is said that our lives are shaped by those who love us and who we witness. So my question still stands – who is it that shaped your life? who mentored you, who formed you? But more importantly, who is it that is watching you? Who is it that you are shaping their life through love and care. Who is it that will carry on your spiritual gifts when you no longer possess them. We have to realize that there is someone out there who is watching each one of us? How is what we show them a witness to God? Are we passing the buck or are we passing the mantle? Guiding Angels Thanksgiving weekend 1994, Trey Dodson was in a car crash in Darlington, SC. – that left the most popular boy ins St. John’s High forever seventeen. Everyone was devastated by his death. Trey was the star pitcher on hi school’s baseball team. He was buried wearing his uniform. He teemmates vowed that they would dedicate the next season to Trey. When the next season came, they all wore his number on an armband. They won game after game. When it came time for the payoffs, they were finally defeated. But that only inspired them to play harder. They went on to win the state championship the week before graduation. Trey’s father was a crew chief for a race car driver, that driver won the championship. Both teams reported they had an angel in the outfield. Some teams had more muscle then they did, but they had the motivation – the motivation to do the best they could. We too have that motivation, in Jesus Christ – who encourages us to go out and save the world. Let us pray….. The inheritance story Hyrkanus was a happy man. Every morning, he awoke with joy in his heart and he said his prayers every day. He has everything, a wonderful house, lots of land, plenty of food. The greatest gift that God could give a man he had. He had lots of sons. And he was thankful that all of his sons were on the farm with him working with him. Well after they had all grown and had families of their own, they all worked on the farm with them. He was happy because they were farmers just like their dad. Hyrkanus would keep watch over is sons. One day he noticed that his youngest son Eliazer was not working. When he talked with his son, Eliezer confessed that he did not enjoy working on the land. Hyrkanus asked his son what he would do if he could do anything else, the son confessed that he wanted to study the bible and get to know more about God. He wanted to devote his whole life to studying God. The father dismissed the young man’s dream and reminded him that is place was with his family and with the land. But Eliezer could not dismiss his dream. He could not eat, drink, and he certainly couldn’t be productive tilling the land. One day Elijah came to him in a dream and asked what he desired. He told Elijah his dream. He told Eliezer that if he really wanted that more than anything that he should go to Jerusalem without delay. Eliezer left the very next day without even saying goodbye to is family. He studied under the best teacher. When the father found out that the son deserted his family, he vowed to take away his inheritance and to disown him. But in order to do that – he had to go to Jerusalem. In Jerusalem he was invited to the house of the greatest rabbi. He sat next to his son, who was a student, but he did not even recognize him. The son was invited to teach from the torah. All were amazed at is teaching, even the father. It was not until the rabbi point out that he recognized his son. He needed to confess that he came to Jerusalem to disinherit him, but instead he would disinherit his other sons for encouraging him. Eliezer said no, that the work that each did was of value. If had had desired to be a great farmer and he prayed, god would have granted him that. If he had desired riches, he could have prayed and god would have granted him that, instead he prayed to serve god with all of his heart – god granted him that – and he was indeed blessed. And we too are indeed blessed that god listens to the prayers of the faithful. This is a true story – not a fable of someone who desired to be a great follower of a great leader. When we follow – Jesus leads us- blesses us and hears the prayers of our hearts. Discipleship Occurs Only In Community