“Return of the Jedi”, the sixth and final episode of the Star Wars series, is a movie of happy endings and new beginnings. Darth Vader finally dies, not as a villain, but as a hero because he returns to his Jedi roots and destroys the evil emperor in the final act of his life. The end of the evil empire signals a new beginning for the Jedi knights under the leadership of Luke Skywalker.
Likewise, the sixth and final episode of our sermon series, Seer Wars, is one of happy endings and new beginnings. Elijah’s life on earth comes to an end and begins in heaven - an occasion for celebrating, not weeping. That’s what’s in store for every believer in Jesus. We’ll also learn how God sends the Holy Spirit to help believers make a new beginning here after a loved one has been taken to heaven.
Although there was a lot of fighting in the movie version of “Return of the Jedi”, the sermon series version is quite placid. Wicked King Ahab has long since met his end, as has the son who succeeded him as king. And although Jezebel remained alive and another one of her sons held the throne, God’s people were making a comeback in Israel. God’s prophets not only worked openly, they actively trained future prophets in at least three seminaries located in Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho. Together with his apprentice Elisha, Elijah visited these schools to encourage the students and their teachers. This would be Elijah’s last visit, for God had made it known to him that his time on earth was coming to an end.
If you knew that your time on earth was soon coming to an end, how would you spend it? Would you spend the time on yourself doing the things you had always wanted to do like traveling to all the places you had wanted to see? Elijah demonstrates for us that even the final days of our life belong to God, not to us, and are to be used in service to others. That doesn’t mean you can’t take that trip you had always wanted to take, but even when you do, look for ways to glorify God by serving and encouraging others – especially fellow believers.
Although Elijah knew that his life on earth would soon come to and end he didn’t know exactly when. That’s true for all of us isn’t it? Even though we may be young and healthy and think that we have our whole life ahead of us, or may be sick and think that the end is right around the corner, we can’t know for sure. Therefore instead of ensuring that we get a good education because we think we have our whole life ahead of us, or making sure that our will gets updated because we think our life will soon end, it’s more important that we get ready to meet Jesus.
Are you ready to meet Jesus? Elijah was ready. No, not because he had served God his whole life and therefore was deserving of heaven. We’ve seen in our sermon series how Elijah sometimes failed the Lord – like the time he doubted God would keep him safe from Jezebel and ended up running 500 km from his preaching post. In the same way even though we may have strived to serve God our whole life, we’ve failed too. Think of those times when we came to church because we “had to” not because we wanted to. Or think of how we’re good at wearing a smile for a couple hours at church on Sunday but sport a frown the rest of the week grumbling against the people we live with.
So what made Elijah ready to meet Jesus? What makes us ready to meet Jesus? Jesus makes us ready to meet Jesus. He worked 33 sin-free years in this sin-filled world to provide clothes for us to wear in heaven - clothes that are free from the stain of sin. Jesus also shed his blood on the cross to scotch-guard those garments of salvation. That’s why even though we don’t live sin-free lives, Jesus’ blood whisks away our sins so that the garment of salvation he earned for us remains sparkling clean. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection guarantees our readiness for heaven.
If we ever doubt our readiness for heaven, we’re probably doing what Luke Skywalker urged his father, Darth Vader, to do at the end of Episode VI. As Luke was about to be killed by the emperor, he sought his father’s help. Luke kept saying to Darth Vader: “You’re not evil. I know there is good in you. Look inside yourself and help me!” If we were to do the same, look inside ourselves for goodness, we’re only going to find reasons why we don’t deserve heaven. That’s because by nature there is no goodness in us (Genesis 8:21). Only Jesus makes us acceptable to God and ready for heaven. So focus on him, not yourself and you won’t doubt your readiness for heaven.
Once he was done touring the seminaries, Elijah headed across the Jordan River. He did this by slapping the water with his cloak and the water parted so that he and Elisha could cross on dry ground. Even at this late hour, God was with Elijah. Then suddenly chariots and horses of fire (representation of angels cf. 2 Kings 6:15; Psalm 68:17; 104:4) appeared separating the two men. A windstorm (not the chariots of fire) then swept Elijah up into the waiting arms of God. God called Elijah home without putting him through death - a happy ending and a new beginning indeed for a prophet who had endured much on earth.
I wonder what it felt like to be whisked up to heaven? The Bible tells us that if we are still alive when Christ returns, we will be whisked up to meet Jesus in the clouds and as we go our bodies will be changed from one full of sin and disease to one that is glorious like Jesus’ body. Even if we don’t last that long, Jesus promises that all those who die with faith in him will come back with him on Judgment Day and their souls will be reunited with their glorified bodies.
But will we really live forever as the Bible says? Yes we will and Elijah is proof. Do you remember how 800 years after his ascension into heaven Elijah appeared with Moses and met with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration? That’s when Jesus shone like the sun before the disciples Peter, James, and John. Elijah and Moses had come down from heaven to talk with Jesus about his upcoming crucifixion. Friends, that’s what we have to look forward to in heaven – receiving a glorified body that will live forever and the chance to speak with Jesus face to face.
Elijah’s entrance into heaven was certainly a happy ending and a new beginning for him, but what about Elisha? As Elisha watched Elijah go he tore his clothes and called after him: “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel” (2 Kings 2:12a). Elisha was sad to see Elijah go and wondered what would now become of Israel that her “chariots and horsemen”, her spiritual leader and strength was gone? We often feel that way don’t we when someone close to us, or someone we’ve depended on is taken to heaven? When that happens it’s easy to fall into despair and to wonder, “Now what? How will I cope? How will I survive?” But after Elisha cried out, he got on with life. He picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen and when back to the Jordan River. There, at its banks he said: “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” (2 Kings 2:14). God answered when Elisha struck the water with the cloak and the river parted, just as it had done for Elijah. Elijah’s departure meant a new beginning for Elisha. God would now speak and work through him to encourage the faithful in Israel. What a wonderful reminder to us too that even when God calls home those we’ve relied on in life, he never leaves us alone. He promises us that their departure is a new beginning for us and sends the Holy Spirit to comfort and empower us to do what needs to be done.
That brings us to the end of our sermon series on the prophet Elijah. Wasn’t it wonderful to see how Elijah’s life is a lot like ours? It was filled with challenges and peppered with failures. But God never left Elijah and will never leave us. He keeps encouraging and empowering us through the Word, promising to bring our life to a happy end and a new beginning through faith in Jesus our Savior. That promise is not make-believe like Luke Skywalker and company. It’s for real. And it’s for all. Amen.
