Burn The Plows

[1] Title

Many of us know that God is calling us to something more, but we don’t know where to start.

Throughout this series, the challenge is to leave our lives of ‘good enough’ behind as we embrace a life that is greater.

To begin, let’s look at the calling of Elisha to understand how God has issued three invitations to all of us.

[2,3,4,5,6]

1 Kings 19:19–21 ESV

So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him. And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “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?” And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.

1 Kings 19:19 NIV

So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him.

1 Kings 19:20 NIV

Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.” “Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?”

1 Kings 19:19 ESV

So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him.

1 Kings 19:20 ESV

And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “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?”

1 Kings 19:21 NIV

So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.

1 Kings 19:21 ESV

And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.

I want to read one more verse from the New Testament. Jesus talking.

John 14:12 NIV

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

[7] Title

John 14:12 ESV

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

Prayer

3 INVITATIONS FROM GOD:

Parallels of Elisha’s life and ours.

Entire book is about Elisha from before he knew it.

Elijah - depression. Scared for his life, took off running. Tired of fighting battles with wicked people.

1. A HIGHER CALLING

1 Kings 19:19 NIV

So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him.

Entire book is about Elisha from before he knew it.

Elijah - depression. Scared for his life, took off running. Tired of fighting battles with wicked people.

“Most of us are not in danger of ruining our lives. We face a much greater danger-wasting them.”

Elisha wasn’t searching for greater when he was invited to a higher calling.

Elisha was plowing his fields when Elijah’s cloak hit him, signifying the calling God was passing on to him.

God’s greater calling happens in a moment. But it’s your response to accept this greater calling.

Requires willingness to follow a person, not a plan.

God is inviting you to escape the same scenery of defeat, negativity, o reven material possessions.

This doesn’t always mean doing something different, but perhaps living where you are with a gerater passion and purpose.

2. A DEEPER SURRENDER

1 Kings 19:20 NIV

Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.” “Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?”

When Elisha accepted God’s invitation to a greater life, he left nothing for himself to go back to.

Elisha accepted God’s invitation by literally burning everything that tied him to his previous life of ‘good enough.’

God doesn’t wait for you to be ready to accept the invitation to deeper surrender. He wants you to burn everything tethering you to the world behind you and fully trust him as you move forward.

You must make the decision to leave the world behind you, placing the Cross before you.

What are the plows God wants you to burn?

Dependencies

Ways of Thinking

Bitterness

Resentment

Excuses

3. GREATER THINGS

1 Kings 19:21 NIV

So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.

Jesus didn’t say that we would do greater things than him, but that we would do greater things through him. .

Whoever beleives in him...

He wants your open-ended obedience to say, “Yes, God, I will follow you.”

Accepting the invitation to greater things starts with a decisive break with everything tying you to a life of good enough.

If God takes something from you or removes you from a situation that you thought was good to begin with, he is inviting you to something greater.

Double Portion, No Remorse

Elisha gave up a lot to chase after Elijah, but he got back something even greater.

Years after Elisha began following Elijah, just before turning the ministry over, the student asks the mentor for a staggering blessing: a double portion.

Elijah was regarded as the most powerful prophet in the history of God’s people. His miracles were unparalleled, his stories unprecedented.

Their story together ends with chariots of fire and and horses of fire as Elijah ascends in a whirlwind.

Yet, as Elijah is ascending, God delivers: a double portion .

It would have been remarkable enough to simply share in the miracles - but God wanted to give him something greater.

Greater signs, greater wonders, greater authority, greater faith.

(we don’t have because we don’t ask)

I don’t know if Elisha had any second thoughts about going with Elijah or burning the plows or asking for a double portion - but I bet he didn’t when he was doing double the amount of miracles.

And you won’t either, at least not when you’ve taken your greater place in God and left your lesser life behind.

If you start having second thoughts about a wide-open journey with God, consider what’s at stake:

Greater authority and confidence in God than you’ve ever known.

Greater purpose as you approach everyday tasks

Greater joy in knowing that you’re in the sweet spot of God’s blessing

Greater influence over the people around you

Greater impact in the world.

Burning the plow is great. The rewards you experience on the other side of obedience are so much greater.

Discover what the greater life looks like. Burn the plows.