Tag! You're It!

Introduction

Growing up, I was a rather active child. I’m not that old but I came up under a mother and grandmother who would tell us to go outside and play. They made us go outside, they would tell us, “get out of grown folks mouth, and go outside.” While outside we would play a variety of games. One of the games I recall is a game by the name of tag. The objective of this game was not to be “it.” Of course, I didn’t care for this game much because I wasn’t the most athletic, but it taught me something, here now years since I’ve played it. The person who was “it” would chase the other players and touch or tag one of those who was trying their hardest not to be “it” and who ever was tagged was then “it.” Then they would play and chase the other individuals and to tag the it person. Well, today I come as a messenger from God to tell someone under the sound of my weak voice, that the Lord has tagged you, and now you’re it.

Background

Our text today is found in the 2nd book of Kings. The book of Kings are historical narratives of the Divided Kingdom of Israel and Judah. Within these books, we meet the prominent figures of text, Elijah and Elisha. Elijah is being prepared to go to heaven and he is taking his final moments going different places. These two figures have been together since 1st Kings 19, when Elijah places his mantle on Elisha and he becomes he prophetic servant who was destined to be Israel’s future prophet after Elijah. So now we are here Elijah is preparing himself to transition, and begins by telling Elisha, I have to go to beth-el, you stay here. I have to go to Jericho, you stay here, I have to go to Jordan, you stay here. Elijah keeps telling Elisha to stay back and every time he tells Elisha to stay back, Elisha responds, As the Lord Lives, and you live, I will not leave you. Elisha was stuck to Elijah like glue. He wouldn’t allow Elijah to go anywhere without him. Can I submit right here that God wants us to be connected with people who can take us to the next level? Whether it be spiritual, financially, academically, socially, or mentally, God wants us to be connected to people who wants to help us grow. Brothers and Sisters, young and old, the fact is you can’t connect with everybody. Why would I spend my time and my energy chasing someone who can’t help me but rather hinders me? Why should you beautiful young ladies bat your eyes in the direction of that no good negro with his only intentions is to take you to bed? When all that young lady wants from you is kids so she can call child support and she don’t have to go to work? Why should I spend my time and energy on people that all they want to do is drag me down? They don’t call you and say let’s study for the test, they call to see if you want to smoke, drink, and do nothing productive but you have to connect yourself with people who first, love the Lord and want to please God, and then folk who want to succeed themselves. See when you are “it,” a lot of people will gravitate to you, surround you, try to befriend you, but you ought to tell them, access denied, I can’t allow everybody in my circle, because God has tagged me. Tell someone, you’re it.

As they are walking around, at every stop there was some people, who would come to Elisha and tell him, you do know that God is going to be taking Elijah from you today? At every stop, in Gilgal, Beth-el, and Jericho, they kept saying to Elisha, “you know that Elijah is going to be taken from you today?” He says to them, “Yea, I know now be quiet.” He tells them to hush. He didn’t allow what they were saying to even grasp hold of him. Of course, I do not believe they meant ill towards Elisha, but how many of us had been in situations where someone hurt us unintentionally. How many of us has dealt with unintentional backstabbing? Children of God, you have to be ever so careful who is in your ear. Everybody can’t talk to me. I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude, I am not trying to be disrespectful, but I can’t give time for everybody to talk to me. The Bible says in Proverbs 20:12 “The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, The Lord hath made even both of them.” Which means that my ears and eyes, belong to God and since my ears belong to God, I can’t allow people to deposit trash in them.

Elijah and Elisha makes their way to Jordan and when they get their Elijah, parts the river with his mantle. He parts the river and he and Elisha continues to the other side. Once there Elijah asks the question to Elisha, What can I do for you? This question is very important because it peers into the heart and intentions of Elisha

Body

Move #1

Sure enough Elisha could’ve asked for anything, he could have asked for money, houses, and fame. But if he had asked for this it would’ve shown us that his focus was on himself. The fact of the matter is that it is a shame that most of u