Graduation Day 2019

Graduation Day 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. • I graduated from high school in 1995… • I got saved my sophomore year… • I had the benefit of having good mentors…(Steve and 25 years) • It reminds me of another story…Elijah and Elisha… 2 Kings 2:9-13 (NASB) 9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” 10 He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11 As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven. 12 Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw Elijah no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 1 Kings 19:19-21 (NLT) 19 So Elijah went and found Elisha son of Shaphat plowing a field. There were twelve teams of oxen in the field, and Elisha was plowing with the twelfth team. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak across his shoulders and then walked away. 20 Elisha left the oxen standing there, ran after Elijah, and said to him, “First let me go and kiss my father and mother good-bye, and then I will go with you!” Elijah replied, “Go on back, but think about what I have done to you.” 21 So Elisha returned to his oxen and slaughtered them. He used the wood from the plow to build a fire to roast their flesh. He passed around the meat to the townspeople, and they all ate. Then he went with Elijah as his assistant. 1. Graduation is a process: a. There’s no more mention of Elisha from the time Elijah puts his mantle on him until Elijah is taken up into heaven…I’d like to believe that he was with Elijah as his assistant, witnessing the miracles that Elijah did and sitting under his discipleship. b. The Christian life should never be a boring life, because we never really “arrive.” There is always a higher place in Christ to achieve. c. Every day is an opportunity to trust God with how He has written the next chapter of your life. d. God’s mercies are new every day! (Lam. 3:22-23) 2. Don’t be afraid of the mantle being passed on to you. a. Mantles were a symbol of a prophet’s office. Elijah’s was passed to Elijah. i. The power was not in the mantle! The prophets who witnessed Elijah being taken up into heaven realized his spirit now rested on Elisha. ii. Before his translation, Elisha asked Elijah for a double portion of his spirit. In fact, Elisha did receive this as he had twice the recorded miracles as Elijah. b. You may hear it expressed that “the torch has been passed” to you. For those of us who follow Jesus, it is a mantle that has been passed – the authority and office to do the work of Christ in this world. 3. Jesus had a graduation day. Luke 24:50-53 (NASB) 50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising God. a. Jesus’ earthly ministry was done, but he got promoted to the right hand of the Father. b. We’ve been promoted to carrying on the work of the Kingdom and do the “greater works” He commanded us to do (John 14:12). c. Every day we get to move from “glory to glory” to look more like Him, and hopefully to be mistaken for him.