The Power Of A Double Portion

November 16, 2008

Men’s Day

Theme: Union Men Committed to worship, to serve and to empower

Scripture: 2 Kings 2: 1 – 14

Sermon: The Power of a Double Portion

What would you ask if you only had one request you could make? After you have assessed all of your needs and wants? After viewing the possibilities life has to offer, what would your one request be? Standing before the person who could make your dreams come true, standing at the wheel of fortune of life’s untold treasures, what would you ask? If you only had one request, what would it be?

Could one be so fortunate, could one be so blessed to have the opportunity to stand before God and be granted the distinct of one request?

I ask again: if you only had one request, what would it be?

What does the biblical record tell us about people who had one request?

The prodigal son stood before his father to make his one request. He asked for half of this inheritance.

Job in the midst of his struggles in the midst of his trials only asked where he may find God.

Solomon stood in the presence of God and asked for wisdom and God gave him wisdom, fame and fortune.

What would you ask if you only had one request?

Simeon laying on his dying bed asked that before his eyes dimmed may he see the Messiah, and they brought Jesus to him.

What would you ask if you only had one request?

Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane only asked if the cup he had to drink from could be removed. Nevertheless!

What would you ask if you only had one request?

A crook at the cross looked over at Jesus and asked if he could be with him in paradise.

Jesus dying on the cross only asked that we be forgiven because we did not know what we were doing.

What would you ask for if you only had one request?

Men of Union and People of Union if you had only one request. What would you ask for, what plea would you make, what appeal would you state, what would you want?

I would implore you to ask for a double portion of the spirit of the Men, who have graced Union Baptist Church so that you would have more commitment to worship God, more diligence to serve the community, and more strength to empower God’s people.

When you stand before God ask him for a double portion of the spirit of the Men of Union so you can worship, serve and empower.

Men who have worshiped with honor, men who have served with distinction, and men who have empowered generations untold.

Let’s look at this text so we may understand what is happening.

Explain and describe Elijah.

Book of I Kings describes Elijah: series of kings who did evil in God’s sight, then enters Elijah, the Tishbite to speak the truth to power. He deals with Ahab and his wife Jezeebel. He has a contest on Mount Carmel with 150 prophets of Baal. After being threatened by Jezeebel, he fled for 40 days into the wilderness. He is fed by an angel of the Lord. While sitting in a cave, he heard the small still voice of God. Book of II Kings begins with Elijah interacting with Ahab’s son – Ahaziah, who is so bold to send three sets of 150 men to inquire of Elijah is he a man of God.

Discuss the interaction between Elijah and Elisha

Elisha travels with Elijah to three cities and talks with the sons of the prophets:

Beth-el - the house of God – represents the place of worship – where Jacob saw the angels ascending and descending.

Jericho - represents the place where serve – Jesus describes Jericho as a place where you serve in the story of the Good Samaritan.

Jordan - represents the place of empowerment – Elisha tells Naaman to wash in the Jordan seven times to clean him from his leprosy. Joshua leads the Hebrew people across the Jordan to the Promised Land. John baptized Jesus in the Jordan were God descended as a dove to say that this is my son in whom I’m well pleased.