God of Possibilities
a sermon based on 2 Kings 2: 1-15
by Rev. Frank Schaefer

Today, we celebrate Transfiguration Sunday; a mountain top experience recorded by Mark in which Jesus together with three of his disciples (Peter, James and John) has an encounter with the prophet Moses and Elijah.

You may remember that neither one of these prophets died, according to the Scriptures. Moses just disappeared without anybody ever finding a trace of his body. Elijah was seen to be carried into the sky in a fiery chariot.

Today’s OT bible passage recalls that experience about Elijah, and the one who witnessed it was his successor, Elisha. Elijah must have taught his student well, because he dared to ask for a double portion of his master’s anointing.  He believed in God’s possibilities.

The transfiguration story is also about possibilities; it is about the fact that with God things aren’t what they seem to us; with God we always need to expect the unexpected. When Jesus and his disciples were on that mountain top, the disciples experienced that fact too. For a moment they saw Jesus glory, shining brightly, and they had communion with two legends among the prophets.

Back to our OT lesson, the first thing we should note is that Elisha lived at a time in Israel when corruption and godlessness were rampant. He was one of only a few faithful believers that were left in all of Israel.

          He farmed his family’s land, and was successful at it.  But deep down, Elisha must have known that God had a different mission for him.  I can imagine that the corruption and the idol worship all around him bothered him, and he wanted to do something about.

Preceding our passage is the incredible calling story of Elisha. One day he was working in the field, when he saw this man approaching, and as he came closer he recognized him as the great prophet of God--Elijah.  And I imagine him getting excited, thinking “maybe this man has a message for me.” He stopped his work to greet the great prophet, and without saying so much as a word the prophet threw his mantle around him.

Elisha knew what that meant: he just received his calling into the ministry. God had called him to be Elijah’s successor.  Just like in the calling stories of Jesus’ disciples it also meant that he had to give up his job and leave his family to follow Elijah.  So he did.

          And after years of training and traveling with Elijah, there came the day in which his teacher announced that God was calling him home.  And Elisha seemed to be shocked because he just didn’t think he was ready to step into his teacher’s footsteps. 

          Isn’t that so much like us sometimes?  When it comes to taking on our ultimate calling, we feel ok with playing second or third fiddle; we’re ok as long as we can just follow someone else.

          Maybe Elisha had questions like “what if those miracles don’t work for me?”  “What if I say something wrong?”  And to make matters worse, the prophets in training at the theological school at Bethel were watching him.  They say to him: do you know that God is going to take your master away from you today?”  Elisha responds: "Yes, I know, but do not speak of it."... which really is a polite translation of “just be quiet!”

          So when Elijah and Elisha came to Jericho, word had already reached the local prophet school there and fifty of the students came out to the Jordan river to witness the end of the Elijah era.  And again they mocked Elisha, “You know that God is taking your teacher away?”

What is it with the students?  Why do they keep stating the obvious? Maybe they thought that this was the end for Elisha’s ministry.

It’s a sad fact that often times it’s our own peers that do not believe in the possibilities for us. Our own peers who should encourage us to reach for the stars are often the ones that discourage us.

          It gets even worse for Elisha, for after they reached the river, his teacher asks him to stay back and go home, “ministry’s over.”  This great man of God, the great visionary Elijah doesn’t have enough vision for his associate Elisha to continue it?  Did he just merely think of him as an assistant? Did he not believe in his student?

And what does Elisha do?  Well, he may have been scared, he may have been intimidated by the thought that his teacher is being taken away from him, but he was adamant about one thing: God had called him, and he was not going to give up on that calling.  And so he tells his teacher: “Sorry, teacher, but I’m not staying back! I’m coming along with you.  Even when his own peers and his own master did not have faith in him and his calling, he believed in God’s possibilities for him .

          And so Elijah rolls up his mantle, strikes the water and the river Jordan dries up.  And after they cross the river, it says in Verse 9, the teacher asks his student: “What is it?”  “What do you want?”  “What do you expect?”  “Do you really think you can carry my torch?”  Sometimes even the greatest leaders cannot clearly see the potential and the calling of others.

          All the more astonishing that Elisha holds on to his calling, he is really the character in the story who demonstrates the most faith; because he knew that with God all things are possible he answers with conviction: “I want to inherit a double portion of your Spirit!”  “I want twice as much of the power of God to continue the work!”

          And Elijah responds: “what?” Boy, you have no idea what your asking.  I tell you what, though, if you see me being taken up into the sky, God will give you what you asked for.

Elijah is taken up in what appears to be a chariot of fire.  And suddenly Elisha is all alone.  And, first hesitantly, but then gaining belief, he picks up the mantle that had fallen from Elijah’s shoulders and he walks up to the river bed, rolls up the mantle like Elijah had done earlier, and with all the faith he can muster up he strikes the water and shouts on the top of his lungs: “where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?”  And for a moment nothing happens, but then a mighty, swooshing wind comes down from heaven and parts the water in front him.  And that is when Elisha not only believes, but now he knows God’s possibilities for him.

Question is, had Elisha not asked about the double portion would he have received it?  Probably not. As the apostle Paul once said: “Ye have not because ye asked not.”

          Suddenly the grins and the smugness on the faces of the prophet students had disappeared and they come to serve him, realizing that the power of God rested on this man as it had on his teacher. 

Interesting that in accordance with Elisha’s request, God worked twice as many miracles through Elisha than through Elijah if you count the miracles recorded in II Kings.

What about the dream God gave you? What about your vision? Your calling? Are you reaching for the stars? Do you believe?  Believe in yourself? In God? Do you believe in God’s possibilities for you?

Do you really believe it? Even when things look dismal? Even when people tell you, you’re dreams are too tall? Do you believe that God is bigger than your problems? Do you believe you can be victorious? That you can overcome? Do you believe that God can give you strength so you can rise up like on wings of eagles?

          Jesus once said; if you knock, the door will be opened to you, if you seek you shall find; ask and it will be given to you.  What then hinders us from becoming men and women of vision, men and women of faith?  It is up to you and me to live according to the potential that God has put in us! That’s the lesson we can take from the transfiguration event—with God there is more than meets our human eyes! It’s also the lesson to be learned from Elisha. With God the sky’s the limit; with God, all things are possible.

Amen!