Remember James’ passage that says Elijah was a man with a nature like ours? Elijah was developed, dynamic and depressed. Now Elijah will have his life doubled. This is a passage that we should strive for, an opportunity to have our life doubled. The story begins in 1 Kings 19:1-15

Reese Kauffman as president of Child Evangelism Fellowship said as part of his plan he recruited 13 men split into two groups. They went everywhere with him. He gave them assignments from reading to physical excercise. They were his shadows. His logic was, if ever he was unable to fulfill his duties, or it was time for him to move on, there were 13 men capable of stepping in and the ministry would not miss a beat or have to scramble for a replacement. ( I heard his tell this story in the mid 90’s when I was involved in CEF of Pennsylvania and he spoke at an event)

In chapter 1 Kings 19 Elijah runs to the hills in fear of the wrath of Jezebel who has put out a contract on his life. She blamed him for killing her prophets of her god, Baal, on Mt Carmel. She wanted revenge. In a cave in the mountain Elijah has a dramatic experience. He heard the voice of the Lord not in a dramatic way but in a gentle whisper. He was told to anoint three people- Hazael as king of Aram, Jehu as king of Israel, and Elisha as prophet to succeed him.
Eventually, it will be Elisha who will anoint Hazael and Jehu in 2 Kings 8-9, but Elijah immediately anoints Elisha. It is suggestive of Moses appointing
Joshua as his successor.

“Elisha” means “My God is, my, salvation.”

THE CALL

Elijah is ready to pass the baton. Here, even in advanced years he is in ministry. Fulfilling what would be the NT ideal that older men are to mentor younger men and older women are to mentor younger women.

In verse nineteen, Elisha, was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen when Elijah arrives. Elisha is called in the midst of his occupation, going about his daily, regular routine. This is similar to Jesus’ call of his disciples while they worked at their trade.

In verse twenty, Elijah, threw his cloak over him. Elijah was transferring his power to Elisha by this symbolic act. Elisha asks, let me kiss my father and my mother goodbye.

Elisha recognized the significance of what Elijah had done. He would accept the call., “take up the mantle,” but only after he did right by his parents, a sacred duty as well, as the keeping of the fourth commandment.

Elijah says, “What have I done to you? Or think about what this act means. This may be a roundabout way of saying, “By all means, do so.” Elisha’s request is perfectly normal and reasonable, even compassionate.

Then he left and followed Elijah as his attendant: Moses, too, had a servant, Joshua. Moses trained him. Elijah will train Elisha. In the New Testament this very language will be used of the disciples of Jesus.

Elisha was eventually known as Elijah’s servant, one who poured water on his hands. He was willing to be a servant first. (Matthew 20:26)  Elisha wa swilling to submit as a student and Elijah was willing to teach

The ‘call” is only phase one. If we miss the call everything stops right there. Elisha did not miss the call. How could he? How many people put their mantle over you?

After the call comes THE COST. There is a cost in changing one’s life direction.

It might be a call to change jobs, even to move to a new location, involving moving away from family, friends, and a familiar environment. It may be a call to totally change the way one is presently living and the values one presently holds dear. It may be a call to give up the quest for more money. Such “calls” require paying a price, what we Christians call “the cost of discipleship.” Even if we heard the call, we might feel the cost to be too high or even impossible.

Then ask, what is the cost of saying no.

On April 21st, in the year 1519, the Spanish explorer Hernando Cortez sailed into the harbor of Vera Cruz, Mexico. He brought with him only about 600 men, and yet over the next two years his vastly outnumbered forces were able to defeat Montezuma and all the warriors of the Aztec empire, making Cortez the conqueror of all Mexico. How was this incredible feat accomplished, when two prior expeditions had failed even to establish a colony on Mexican soil?

Here’s the secret. Cortez knew from the very beginning that he and his men faced incredible odds. He knew that the road before them would be dangerous and difficult. He knew that his men would be tempted to abandon their quest and return to Spain. And so, as soon as Cortez and his men had come ashore and unloaded their provisions, he ordered their entire fleet of eleven ships destroyed. His men stood on the shore and watched as their only possibility of retreat burned and sank. And from that point on, they knew beyond any doubt there was no return, no turning back.

Elijah showed his willingness to pay the cost. Elisha slaughters his oxen; he used the plowing equipment for fuel: Elisha destroyed the elements
of his now former occupation as a sign of total commitment to a new way of life, never to look back.

He gave it to his people to eat: He put the oxen and the equipment, to good and productive use. He did not destroy them for destruction sake. In fact, this may well have been a thank offering for his new calling. It seems that family and neighbors were invited to join him in this thanksgiving and farewell meal.

After the call and the cost comes THE COMMITMENT, the actual doing of it.

Elisha heard the call, was willing to pay the price and did leave family, home and occupation and committed himself to the way of life and work of Elijah.

In fact Elisha would accomplish more than Elijah did.

Through Elisha – the Sunammite widow’s only son was brought back to life in 2 Kings 4: 18-37, Naaman’s leprosy was cleansed in 2 Kings 5: 1-19, the starving widow’s oil supply was replenished in 2 Kings 4: 1-7, the grain was multiplied to feed a hundred men in 2 Kings 4: 42-44 and the widow’s land was been restored in 2 Kings 8: 1-6.

Elisha went on to complete the unfinished work of Elijah in 1 Kings 19: 15-16; 2 Kings 8: 7-15; 9: 1-190 and became constantly involved in the affairs of the nation.

With everything we will see Elisha do, it all started with Elijah. Elijah took this man under his wings, mentored him, trained him and set him loose. What Elijah did was double his own life by pouring it into another and setting him free to do greater things under the power of a Holy God.

We humans can fail to rise to the occasion(s) of the call to greatness as God defines it. Elijah heard the call, and as part of the call invited another to join him.

Elisha heard the call, paid the cost, and committed himself to what would turn out to be in his own best interest and simultaneously in the best interest of others.

Of course, there would be times when the pain that the price produces, the absence of familiar people, places and things, would cause him to pause and tempt him to renege. However, it was just a pause, just a temptation, not a cause to return to his former “path of life.”

The diligence and discipline he learned by plowing would serve him well in the next phase of his life. He would “plow through” all the tough terrains and rough roads and remain faithful to that fateful decision to “leave all and follow me.”

I was involved in a church that had a great history, specifically of one pastor who served for decades and was loved by the town. He died suddenly and I believe the church began to die right after that. I also believe the diagnosis was the church was built on one mans shoulders, and there was no one to carry on when he was gone.

Moses dies, but the work did not. Joshua carried on.
Elijah was taken, but the work carried on through Elisha.

Jesus dies, and after the resurrection the Spirit was given to the 12 men He had chosen to be with Him to carry on the work.
Each of those first apostles and early disciples died, but they taught others and the church spread around the world.

In each case the work grew and spread. Who can you pour your life into, so that your life’s work, influence and blessing can double and continue to spread?