Killing Cows and Burning Plows

SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE

November 8th, 2015

Call to Worship;

Welcome/Announcements;

Tonight immediately following the Service tonight, Jeff & Angie Knight will be meeting with those who have planned to go on the Missions trip to Bolivia in 2016. Deposit for the trip is due at this meeting.

Coming up on November 23 will be our second annual community thanksgiving dinner from 3-6pm. We will need workers so we ask for you to consider assisting us.

Announce info about Senior Adults Event on Saturday, December 12th they will be attending the InCharacter Christmas presentation at the District Campgrounds. The cost for this event is covered, but before, they will be eating at The Oaks. You’ll be responsible to cover this cost. However, if you plan to attend, please sign up in the foyer.

On Sunday afternoon December 13th the Senior Adults will be attending the “Walk Through Bethlehem” in Dothan. If you plan to attend this event, please sign up in the foyer too. We’re needing at least 30 to attend.

Offering; Jack Howell

Special Singing: Dennis and Peggy Cobb

PRAYER REQUEST!!!

Bernice Burch

Joy Hermann (Ted/Charlotte Tyus Granddaughter; will be having tubes put in her ears and adenoids and tonsils removed this coming Friday.)

Johnny Earl McDaniel (hernia surgery on Monday)

Ralph McDaniel (Bypass and Valve replacement this week)

Pastor Robert Simmons (injured his thumb in a hunting accident; if they can’t put a pin in to repair the cut to his thumb they may have to amputate his thumb)

******Turn your attention to the Screens; you will see a number of individuals we’d like to remind you to be upholding in prayer; these stand in need of physical healing and also, those undergoing treatment for cancer out of our congregation, stand in need of strength and healing!

Worship;

Preaching;

Altar Service;

19 So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth.

Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him.

20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.”

And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”

21 So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen’s equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate.

Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant.

Couple things about Elisha I want us to take note of:

1: He was what was known as a plow boy; he worked in the fields holding onto a plow that was pulled by oxen.

His job was to break up the hard ground in the heat of the day.

Not really anything special about Elisha.

2: He was minding his own business, wasn’t bothering anyone.

He was the son of Shaphat and he was believed to be the Supervisor of all the workers,

but nevertheless the bible tells us that he was working;

He was plowing,

He was minding his own business;

Then one day; unannounced, the prophet, the man of God, the preacher came by and the bible tells us that the prophet throws his mantle upon Elisha.

That may not mean a whole lot to some in here; but I like this

A young man minding his own business.

Being faithful at the task he was assigned and the prophet Elijah comes by him, and throws his mantle over his shoulders

And from that moment on, his life was forever changed.

You say;

why was his life changed just because the prophets threw a mantle over him.

Why was it so significant that it changed the entire course of this young mans life.

21 So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen’s equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate.

What was it that caused this young man to kill the animals by which he made his living and set a fire with the equipment he used to do so and boil the yoke of oxen and feed it to the people.

look with me in vs 19

Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him.

not much detail in this scripture at first glance

But I want us to notice that word “mantle”

A mantle was typically made of animal hair and it was generally worn by Kings and Prophets.

Mantles were “symbolic” of the owners position, authority, and of “his calling”.

Elisha “the plow boy” knew instantly that his life would be forever changed,

He knew what the Mantle represented in his life.

He knew his life was never going to be the same

And today; there is a mantle that has been placed upon each of us.

and that mantle represents our specific calling,

How many of you would agree that we are all called of God

But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk.

We are all called of God!!!!!!

Elisha knew what that mantle represented;

He knew his life would never be the same.

I want to take a few minutes tonight to preach on the subject:

Killing Cows and Burning Plows

1: God’s Sovereign Call.

Elisha was simply going about his normal daily business of plowing the fields, when God came through his prophet Elijah and sought him out.

Now God could have chosen any other man.

More than likely there were those that were far more qualified that Elisha

Elisha didn’t come from royality.

He was a plow boy,

In Jackson county terms: he was a country boy;

Are there any country boys in the house.

I want us to fast forward in time and lets look at the what the New Testament says in .

“the son of man came to seek and to save that which is lost”.

Jesus said, ‘You did not choose me, but I have chosen you.’

Can I explain God’s sovereign choice and man’s free will completely? No.

Do I understand it completely? No.

But have I experienced it? Yes.

No doubt about it.

There is a sovereign call of God on our lives.

There is a mantle

you may not be a plow boy in a field

and you may not have the prophet of God come by you and through the mantle on you.

But the Holy Spirit of God can speak to you heart, and place a mantle on your life.

It’s not made of animal skins, but it’s the real deal

You may be young or you may be old

But God speaks through his word

God Speaks through his Holy Spirit

God speak through circumstances.

there is a sovereign call of God…………

Oh yeah I believe there’s a call of God; but that’s for other people

That’s for those that have been raised in a Christian home

That’s for those that have gone to bible college;

That’s for those that can stand in front of a group of people and speak fancy words.

Elisha was just a young man that guided a yoke of oxen all day the fields.

He didn’t come from royalty;

His father; Shaphat was a farmer; he was a simple man

the Highlight of his life was when the prophet Elijah came to visit his son.

God is not looking for the qualified

He is looking for the available,

Its the sovereign call of God;\\

Make no mistake about it;

God is looking for those who are willing to answer the call;

He is not interested in your past- Good or bad,

He is interested in the right here and the right now.

Who will make themselves available.

and thats exactly what Elisha did;

He made himself available the sovereign call of God

2: Counting the cost.

We see also the seriousness of Elisha’s response.

How seriously did Elisha take this call from Elijah?

I’d say he took it very seriously!!!!

Look with in vs 21 

So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen’s equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate.

There was “No” going back for this boy!

He took that old plow and broke into pieces and made a fire;

He slaughtered some of them old oxen and boiled them.

This how we know he wasn’t a cajun.

A cajun wouldn’t have boiled beef,

We might boil crawfish and shrimp but not beef

In doing this; we see a great example of someone leaving behind the old life when the call of God comes.

He knew this was a new beginning for him and there is no compromise with his past life. 

Jesus said it best

“No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

There is no looking back here!

How about you tonight?

Are you pressing on to the higher calling of God

or are you looking back at what was

Elisha had a decision to make.

The sovereign call of God had been placed on his life.

The mantle was laid on him.

He had been called by God through the Prophet.

This is where many of you are at tonight,

The Lord has placed a Mantle on your life and your facing the decision.

Elisha was a plow boy,

He was the supervisor,

He had twelve yolk of oxen and Twelves plows

Things were good.

He was making a good living

He was a good citizen.

But that day in that field when the prophet of the Lord came by,

Which is a type and a foreshadow of the Holy Spirit.

Did you get that

Some of you in here;

The Holy Spirit stopped by and he placed the mantle in you life and know its decision time.

What do you do.

You know its real, but you don’t know how to handle, it.

That yoke of oxen and that plow looks mighty secure to you.

You know the outcome of that

Pretty straight forward life;

Yoke up those oxen and plow that field and get a paycheck.

not a lot of risk involved.

hard work yes

day in and day out; yoke up those oxen and plow that field.

let me help some of you out tonight;

Not everyone is called into full time ministry

You can stop sweating!!!!!!!!!

but we are all called to leave the old lifestyle behind and follow after the Lord.

3: Overcoming the excuses

We all have excuses

Moses had Excuses

Jeremiah had Excuses

We have have excuses.

If you don’t have an excuse don’t worry about someone will provide you with one.

and It will usually be family members.

or someone that has walked with the Lord for a long time and because their life has been miserable they think that yours will be to.

Now please don’t misunderstand me tonight

I’m not saying that living out the call of God in your life will be without it’s challenges.

No I’m telling you Just the opposite;

Get ready because you are going to face challenges ,

Every where I read in the bible; those that where living out the call of God in their lives; were facing challenges.

It’s not an easy task

It’s not a bed of roses.

This is the reason that 1500 preacher a month are walking away.

this is the reason that 80 % of pastors leave the ministry within 5 years;

The call of God is tough

But hear me tonight: For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

God is not sorry for the call upon your life.

Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him.

Not only did the mantle signify a persons position, his authority, and his calling

But It was also symbolic of the anointing of the Lord.

Jesus before Jesus left this earth;

He was talking with His disciples and He told them That they needed to go and wait in Jerusalem until the promise from the Father was giving unto them.

Now take in mind: they had just watch Jesus die on a cross and they saw as they placed Him the grave and now here they are talking with Him

and All of a sudden they watched as He ascended up into Heaven.

I am almost certain they were ready to go and tell everybody what they had just witnessed.

But Jesus told them to go and wait in Jerusalem.

Why did He tell them the go and wait.

Why wouldn’t He just let them go and begin the ministry that Jesus started on this earth,

They were pumped up and ready to go.

But Jesus knew that which lied ahead of them.

He knew the difficulty they would face

He knew that they would fold under the pressure.

the task that was before them was bigger than what they could handle.

can I tell you tonight: the task that is before us is bigger than what you and I can handle on our own ability.

Yes can kill the cows and burn the cows but you better have the mantle drapped over your shoulders.

The mantle represents the Anointing of the Holy Spirit………………………

21 Elisha returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat.

Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him …………..