Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Discipleship: Calling for Christ Experience
2 Kings 2:1-5
Being a disciple is forgetting something and going after another virtue
Being a disciple is forgetting something and going after another virtue
Our story takes place in Israel during the reign of Ahab around 900 BC. Elijah was asked to anoint and appoint Elisha as his successor. Elisha had developed biblical values, priorities and eternal perspectives that had captured his heart which then controlled what he did with his life. As a result, he acted on his faith by following God’s call. He was willing to be uprooted from his quiet, peaceful, and rural life with its financial security to follow the Lord. Obviously, he knew what his nation needed was the Lord.
Let us think of three aspects of discipleship.
1. There is a Calling: “Then the LORD told Elijah, "Go back the way you came and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. Then anoint Jehu son of Nimshi to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah to replace you as my prophet. So Elijah went and found Elisha son of Shaphat plowing a field with a team of oxen. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak across his shoulders and walked away again. Elisha left the oxen standing there, ran after Elijah, and said to him, "First let me go and kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I will go with you!" Elijah replied, "Go on back! But consider what I have done to you." Elisha then returned to his oxen, killed them, and used the wood from the plow to build a fire to roast their flesh. He passed around the meat to the other plowmen, and they all ate. Then he went with Elijah as his assistant.” Elisha was a prosperous farmer and a hard worker. Elisha didn’t choose Elijah, Elijah chose him. In the same way, Jesus is the one who calls us to follow Him: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit.”(John 15:16). Elisha said: “I will go with you.” He killed his oxen and burned his plow. Elisha burned the bridge to his past. He wished to forget what is behind but was urged to follow what is ahead. When Jesus calls us to follow Him, He says, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me (Mark 8:34-35.) When God chose us, called us, and adopted us into His family, do we forget our priorities?
2. There is an Anointing: When Elijah threw his cloak over his shoulders, this was a symbol of authority. Elisha was anointed with the spirit of Elijah to go and do God’s will. When Jesus calls us, he anoints us with His power and Spirit. We are not alone in the ministry. He strengthens the disciples with his presence. We have been sent with the authority of Jesus.
3. There is a mission: Elisha took over Elijah’s mission of standing against the religious and moral decline in Israel at that time, especially against the cult of Baals. As a result of the evil kings’ disobedience to God, many problems occurred in the kingdom that impacted the lives of the people like famine, a war between nations, poverty, sickness, abuse, and injustice. In response to these problems, Elisha became an agent of change, someone who took stock of the problem and, in response, effected some changes that improved the lives of individuals and communities.
Just as Elisha saw and met the needs of people in his time, we the called out disciples of Jesus, have the responsibility to confront the general spiritual and moral decline in society and aid suffering people. Just as Elisha was called, anointed, and sent, so too we as disciples of Jesus are called, anointed, and sent to do whatever it takes to fulfill the mission of Jesus.
Let us think of three aspects of discipleship.
1. There is a Calling: “Then the LORD told Elijah, "Go back the way you came and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. Then anoint Jehu son of Nimshi to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah to replace you as my prophet. So Elijah went and found Elisha son of Shaphat plowing a field with a team of oxen. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak across his shoulders and walked away again. Elisha left the oxen standing there, ran after Elijah, and said to him, "First let me go and kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I will go with you!" Elijah replied, "Go on back! But consider what I have done to you." Elisha then returned to his oxen, killed them, and used the wood from the plow to build a fire to roast their flesh. He passed around the meat to the other plowmen, and they all ate. Then he went with Elijah as his assistant.” Elisha was a prosperous farmer and a hard worker. Elisha didn’t choose Elijah, Elijah chose him. In the same way, Jesus is the one who calls us to follow Him: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit.”(John 15:16). Elisha said: “I will go with you.” He killed his oxen and burned his plow. Elisha burned the bridge to his past. He wished to forget what is behind but was urged to follow what is ahead. When Jesus calls us to follow Him, He says, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me (Mark 8:34-35.) When God chose us, called us, and adopted us into His family, do we forget our priorities?
2. There is an Anointing: When Elijah threw his cloak over his shoulders, this was a symbol of authority. Elisha was anointed with the spirit of Elijah to go and do God’s will. When Jesus calls us, he anoints us with His power and Spirit. We are not alone in the ministry. He strengthens the disciples with his presence. We have been sent with the authority of Jesus.
3. There is a mission: Elisha took over Elijah’s mission of standing against the religious and moral decline in Israel at that time, especially against the cult of Baals. As a result of the evil kings’ disobedience to God, many problems occurred in the kingdom that impacted the lives of the people like famine, a war between nations, poverty, sickness, abuse, and injustice. In response to these problems, Elisha became an agent of change, someone who took stock of the problem and, in response, effected some changes that improved the lives of individuals and communities.
Just as Elisha saw and met the needs of people in his time, we the called out disciples of Jesus, have the responsibility to confront the general spiritual and moral decline in society and aid suffering people. Just as Elisha was called, anointed, and sent, so too we as disciples of Jesus are called, anointed, and sent to do whatever it takes to fulfill the mission of Jesus.
Prayer
Lord, help us to forget the past when you call us and to follow you to transform us and the world around us with your Spirit. Amen
Adiya Mary Koshy