LOOK THE CHARIOTS AND HORSEMEN OF ISRAEL (Outline)
February 3, 2008 -
TRANSFIGURATION -
2 Kings 2:1-12a
INTRO: At transfiguration we travel with Jesus to the mount of glory. Then we study Jesus’ suffering during Lent. On Easter Sunday you and I share in the joy of the resurrection of Jesus. His resurrection is our resurrection. Why are we so closely intertwined in and with the life of Jesus? Simply, we belong to him. "Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory"(ROMANS 8:17). Believers today are the children of Abraham. Believers as we shall learn from our text are the chariots and horsemen of Israel. By faith through grace we have been made part of the family of God. Our text explains what this means for us.
Our theme: LOOK THE CHARIOTS AND HORESEMEN OF ISRAEL.
I. Believers live with confidence, and;
II. Believers are taken into glory.
I. BELIEVERS LIVE WITH CONFIDENCE
A. During this time Ahab was king of Israel. Scripture describes him as the very worst of Israel’s king.
1. Jezebel was Ahab’s wife. They did not worship God. They hated God’s prophet, Elijah.
2. Both wanted to see Elijah dead. Elijah’s life was always in danger. He still lived confidently.
B. Verse 1. God had revealed to Elijah that his life was coming to an end. Elijah carries on boldly.
1. He plans to travel NW about 10 miles. Elijah asks Elisha to remain behind, verse 2a.
2. Elisha is not scared either. He vows to travel with Elijah as long as he lives.
C. Verse 3. The prophets at Bethel know of Elijah’s approaching death. God’s word is alive and well!
1. They travel to Jericho and then the Jordan, verses 5,6. The conversations are the same.
2. A crowd follows and they stop at the Jordan, verse 7. There is no bridge. There is no fear.
3. Note Elijah and Elisha’s confidence and boldness. They carry out their normal activities.
D. We are also to live our lives with confidence and great boldness. After all, we do belong to the Lord. If God is for who can ever, really stand against us? The prophets knew this truth. The apostles knew this truth. Consider the apostle Paul. God called him into his kingdom. God made him a new believer. Paul testified of this great miracle. He was constantly met with opposition. On his first missionary journey he was stoned and left for dead. Even though he was close to his hometown, Paul did not give up. Instead: "Then they returned…strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said’"(ACTS 14:22). In our nation you and do not experience such outward attacks because of our Christian faith. We can rejoice.
E. At times our spirit is attacked by this world. Boldness and confidence are not the watchwords of our society. Instead people constantly worry if they have enough. The world around us makes it seem like there is never enough money. We are trained early on to put our trust and confidence in the things we can see and feel. These things are supposed to bring us comfort. It is ours. We can see it. What more do we need? "Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight"(2 CORINTHIANS 5:6,7). Woe to those who preach that God wants us to have lots of success here on earth. The Lord wants us to focus on heaven. Remember that on earth our Lord provides. It is in heaven however that our Lord prepares a place for us, forever.
F. Fear. Fear seems to be around every corner. The media lives off of the fear it can cause. We are told of an economic downturn. Prices are going up and wages are going down. What are we to do? As believers we are to live with confidence. No matter what happens. Our gracious God, our loving Lord is – still – and – always – in control. "’Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,’ says the LORD, who has compassion on you"(ISAIAH 54:10). God’s love cannot be changed. God’s love cannot be taken away.
LOOK THE CHARIOTS AND HORESEMEN OF ISRAEL.
These are the bold, confident believers!
II. BELIEVERS ARE TAKEN INTO GLORY
A. Elijah and Elisha stand at the Jordan River. Fifty (50) prophets are nearby wondering what next.
1. Verse 8. God’s power was in Elijah’s cloak. They crossed over on DRY ground.
2. Evil King Ahab did not stop them. Jezebel did not stop them. A river did not stop them.
B. The two prophets cross and now verse 9. Elijah says Elisha to ask for whatever he wants.
1. Elisha requests a double portion of the spirit of Elijah. The firstborn son inherits double.
2. Elisha wanted Elijah to consider and favor him as the first born among the prophets.
C. Verse 10. This was a difficult request. It was not for Elijah to give. It would be up to the Lord.
1. The answer comes quickly, verse 11. The hand of God reaches down and takes Elijah home.
2. Verse 12. “My Father!” is Elisha’s cry. His double portion request makes even more sense.
3. Elisha’s testimony about Elijah = “the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” What strength goes!
a. Elisha witnesses of the strength of Elijah’s faith. b. This would also be said of Elisha, later.
D. What confidence and boldness and strength we have just seen. This is to be the boldness, confidence, and strength of every believer. This does not come from our inner strength. Our boldness and confidence comes from God and God alone. Our God is a loving God who constantly invites and encourages us to make use of his mercy. "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need"(HEBREWS 4:16). Old Testament Israel often saw God’s glory as a consuming fire (First Lesson, below). We understand God’s glory as love, mercy.
E. God’s love and mercy is what he reveals to each of us in his gospel. We truly do live by faith and not be sight. With boldness and confidence we look forward every day to that time when we are called into glory. This is God’s gracious gift for every believer. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. "This grace…has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel"(1 TIMOTHY 1:10). It is the gospel of Christ that is our confidence. It is the gospel of Christ that calls each of us into glory, forever.
F. We are reminded to focus on the glory that is yet to come. Concentrating too much on this life can cause us to lose focus. We can all too easily be weighed down with the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth. The glory of this world will pass away, not the Lord’s glory. The Lord’s glory is now our glory. God’s glory awaits each one of us. "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body"(PHIL. 3:20,21).
CONC.: Boldness, confidence, faith, and glory are God’s gifts to believers. These gifts are especially important in this day and age. All too often, all too many are simply terrified by the fears of this life. Some people are almost scared to death. All around us are frightened people who need to see a very clear display of boldness and confidence. It is my fervent prayer that others may look at you – may look at your lives and say: “There is a child of God, there is a person of faith”. If any would study today’s text they may even describe you in your living – LOOK THE CHARIOTS AND HORESEMEN OF ISRAEL. As people of faith, as followers of Christ that is exactly what we are. God’s gift of faith to each one of us makes us confident. God’s gift of faith to us finally takes us into glory. We live here in the strength of the Lord displaying that strength to others. Finally we will live in perfect strength in glory, forever. "Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage….They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion"(PSALM 84:5,7). May your lives always display the love of the Lord and the strength of our Savior. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
SERVICES: SAT – 1:00pm @ NCF Min.,
+ SUN – 12:00pm @ NCF Medium / 9:30am @ Church
Sunday radio broadcast @ 9:05am on KQNK 106.7FM or 1530AM + www.kqnk.com
TRANSFIGURATION readings:
EXODUS 24:12-18;
2 PETER 1:16-21;
MATT. 17:1-9
(PSALM 148)
