- A reporter named Karen Jordan who recently walked along the main street of a College University and asked a most profound question of those who were passing by: "If today were your last day on earth, how would you spend it?" She reported the following answers: Tony said, "I would get drunk, do as much dope as I can, and be with two pretty women. That’s my dream." Chris responded, "I would spend it in the desert or a very peaceful place. I would just try to enjoy every moment and get connected to God and nature." Vera, an older woman, said, "I would phone my family and visit my friends." Lou Ann said, "I would ride around in my new, old convertible. I just bought a 1968 250 SL." And finally Jacqueline said, "I would spend my last day with Gene."
- Well, what about you. How would you spend your last day on earth? What would be your priority? Your main mission? I am sure if I went around the room this morning and asked each of you that question, we would get a wide range of answers. Perhaps it may seem like a dismal topic, but I think it is important for each of us from time to time to remind ourselves that we are not immortal. That the end will come for each of us, some sooner and some later.
- Now I don’t know if you are aware of a recent popular book series that is sweeping our country. But, for the first time in quite a while, there are Christian non-fiction books which have made it to top of the New York Times Bestseller list. The books are written by Tim Lahaye and one of the more popular books of the series is entitled, "Left Behind." And whether or not you agree with the theology of the books, which I do not, the one thing that can be said about them, is they are causing people to think about their life with the perspective that someday it will end.
- With this thought in mind it takes us now to our last story of Elijah found in II Kings 2. It has been quite a ride up to this point, and now it is about to come to a glorious end. Listen to the first 6 verses of chapter 2....
- Now you can imagine the thoughts that are running through Elijah’s mind as he makes his farewell tour. As he goes to each of these important cities, first to Gilgal, then to Bethel, and finally to Jericho. Each time meeting with the school of prophets in each of those cities. And each time asking Elisha to stay behind. But Elisha continues, knowing that his masters time is almost up. Can you imagine what was racing through Elijahs mind.
- Why I can imagine he was thinking back to that moment when he confronted King Ahab and told him there would be no rain or dew in the land for years. I can imagine he was remembering the Ravine where the Lord hid him, with food coming from the Raven and water coming from the brook. I’m sure he remembered that widow who housed him for several years, and her son who he brought back to life.
- And as Elijah walked from city to city, he probably went back to that day when the Lord sent fire down from heaven to consume the altar. And then a frown comes on his face as he remembers those difficult days when he ran in fear and frustration. And God came in a gentle whisper to remind Elijah that he is always at work in his people. But then, as Elijah thinks back, a smile comes to his face as he thinks about Elisha. The understudy who refuses to stay behind. And Elijah can remember that day when he went and chose Elisha to follow him, to learn from him, to raise him up as a great prophet. And now the roller coaster ride is about to come to an end. As all things do!
- As you look back on your life. What images come to your mind. What thoughts do you conjure up? How will you be remembered on that last day? What will your kids say about you, your spouse? If you knew today was going to be your last day on earth, as Elijah did, wouldn’t you take time to reminisce, to remember the good and the bad, the ups and the downs. Where you came from, how you became who you are today? And as you reminisced, as you looked back on your life, what would be the one thing that could be said about you?
- Whenever I sit down with family members and friends who have lost a loved one. As we plan out the funeral service, and as I prepare my funeral sermon, there is a question that I always ask the family... "How would he or she want to be remembered?" And so as Elijah travels from town to town, school to school, with Elisha by his side, the thoughts race through his mind. What was my legacy? What was my imprint on time?
- But, these thoughts of the past came to a close when Elijah stands before the Jordan river. The same Jordan river where Jesus would be baptized. The same Jordan River that the Israelites had crossed many generations ago as they entered the Promise Land for the first time. And now as Elijah and Elisha stand on the bank of the Jordan, the past is ignored, and the future is before them. What has happened, has happened. But now, the Lord is about to work.
- Read vss 8-15
- Talk about making a grand exit. Picture in your mind, Elijah, a battled, worn old man standing on the bank of the Jordan with his trusty sidekick and understudy Elisha beside him. Elijah takes his cloak off, a cloak which for a prophet represented the power and presence of God in his life. And when the water strikes, the dry land appears and the two men stroll across the river bottom with the waters piled up on each side of them. Surely thoughts of the parting of the Red Sea raced through the onlookers minds. That story they had read and memorized, was now partly being unfolded before them as Elijah and Elisha dryly walk across.
- And once on the other side, the waters collapse back together, and the two God-fearing prophets are alone. And so Elijah asks if there is anything he can give Elisha. And Elisha responds by saying, "treat me as your first born son. The spirit that empowers you, may it be given to me as well, so I can continue your work in Israel." And Elijah simply says, "That my son is not up to me, but is up to God. If you see me when I am taken, then you will know that my spirit will be yours."
- And what did Elisha see on the east side of the Jordan River. Well all of you I am sure have seen the "Wizard of Oz." And in that movie you remember the beginning. Dorothy is at her home in Kansas, and all of a sudden she sees a violent tornado come raging towards her house, and when it arrives, it lifts her and everything else including Toto into the air. And when she lands, she is in a new place, a new world.
- Well I am not sure if that is what Elisha sees. Because to be honest, there is no way, our human minds can fully comprehend what exactly Elisah did see. We know it was extremely windy, and we know that Elisha saw some sort of military like escort, chariots and fire and horsemen, and like that Elijah was lifted up from the ground and taken to a new place, a new world.
- And then Elisha takes the cloak that Elijah once wore, but would need no more. He rolls it up just like Elijah did, he strikes the water and once again the Jordan is parted... and God’s work in Israel is passed from Elijah to Elisha. But what about Elijah? Why did God take him the way he did?
- Well, we know this. The Bible predicts in the OT that Elijah would once again return. In Malachi 4, verses 5 and 6 we read....
- Now the Jews literally expected Elijah to come back, but Jesus tells us that the Elijah to come was actually John the Baptist. So it would make sense that Elijah would not die the way you and I will. Because Elijah’s ministry was not finished. His ministry of turning the hearts of the people back to him was not completed, and it would not be completed until John the Baptist comes and prepares the way for the people to eternally turn their hearts back to God.
- But I think there is another reason why God took Elijah the way he did. To help us understand why, let me appeal to all of you trivia buffs out there. Okay, Merlin, here’s your Million Dollar Question...
"Name the 3 people who have left this world or will leave this world without dying?" There’s 3 in the Bible. Give up? Well, I’ll let you use a lifeline to call me and I’ll give you the answer...
* The first was Enoch in Genesis 5:21-24...
* The second, of course, is Elijah here in our story.
* And the third, is a little more tricky, but the third is found in I Thes 4:16-18. It is those Christians who are still alive when the Lord returns.
- These three people will not experience death. They will simply move from this life as we know it, to an eternal life. And what is the common link between all three? Very simply... all 3 walked with the Lord. They walked with the Lord throughout their life, and they will walk with the Lord throughout eternal life. The reason Enoch never died is because he walked with the Lord, the reason Elijah never died is because he walked with the Lord, and the reason Christians who are alive when the Lord returns will never die, is because they will be walking with the Lord.
- What about you? Do you share a common link with these three? Are you walking with the Lord in your life? At home, at work, at school are you walking where the Lord would want you to walk? Living the way the Lord would want you to live? You see walking with him is not something we are called to do only on Sunday, but it a daily task. One that is lived out with every choice we make, with every path we follow. And the reward for walking with God in this life, well, you can ask Enoch and Elijah and they will tell you... the reward is eternal. To walk with him now is to walk with him for all of eternity. To walk with him now is to one day wake up in heaven and look around and say... "It feels good to be home!" "It feels so good to be home!"
- There once was a little girl who was born blind and the doctors said there was nothing they could do. So as the little girl grew her mom planted a flower garden and every year the little girl’s mom would describe its beautiful colors to the little girl. She just loved the smell and feel of the flowers she said she could imagine their beauty. When she turned 14 their family doctor called told them about a surgery that may help her to see… They went to the hospital the little girl had the surgery then had to wait six weeks to remove the bandages as this was experimental surgery. The big day finaly arrived and the little girl told them to remove the bandages outside in her moms flower garden she wanted that to be the first thing she would see. So they pulled off the bandages the little girl opened her eyes twisted her head left then right started crying and said to her mom, "You never said it was this beautiful mom."
- And so all who walk with the Lord as Elijah did will say upon entering the gates of heaven, "Wow! You never said it was this beautiful!"
