Sermon Tone Analysis

Welcome/Prayer

You ever wondered if the Spirit of God is in you?

Or how you can know?

Have you ever wanted to experience the power of God in your life?

Well, our text 2 Kings 2-3, is going to show us a man who did a few things to show not only himself, but the kingdom of Israel, that the Spirit of God was with him...

As we look to the things he does for evidence of the Spirit’s presence, we’ll look at how the Spirit’s indwelling in us today is manifested in similar but greater ways....

(Go ahead and turn there)

Our text brings us to the end of Elijah’s ministry as recorded in Kings… which started back in 1 Kings 17...

And today we’ll read of Elijah’s ascension and Elisha’s succession… one that was prophesied back in 1 Kings 19:16 on Mt Horeb...

I have the text broken into 5 segments to help us understand more clearly…

The first segment, 1-12, record for us Elijah’s ascension and Elisha’s request… which sets the stage for the remaining four segments....

Each of which record for us a sign or miracle that Elisha did in part to show that he is Elijah’s successor and the Spirit of God is upon him....

Likewise, we who believe we are disciples of Christ ought to be able to do some things that only the Spirit of God can do…

And we’re not talking about feeding the poor or clothing the homeless… we’re talking life changing miracles...

Of course, the signs mentioned today are not an exhaustive list… but certainly a foundation to help us begin to evaluate whether or not the presence of the Spirit is in us...

Now, whereas the Spirit that works through Elisha is the same that indwells us… there is a difference...

In fact, we are living in an age where the power of God is manifested among His people in a greater way...

For His Spirit indwells all of us who call upon His Name and we are living in the following the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ.

We have the fullness of God’s revelation for this side of eternity...

We know things Elijah, Elisha, and even Moses did not know… hence why Jesus says in Mt 11:11

And He goes on in Mt 13:16-17 with these words...

And Peter further explains it in 1 Peter 1:10-12...

So, as we look at each work of Elisha, let us consider what work we ought to see that acts as evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit within us...

Let’s begin by reading the first 12 verses of chapter 2, looking at Elijah’s ascension...

2 Kings 2:1–12

1 Now when Yahweh was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for Yahweh has sent me as far as Bethel.”

But Elisha said, “As Yahweh lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”

So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today Yahweh will take away your master from over you?”

And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for Yahweh has sent me to Jericho.”

But he said, “As Yahweh lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”

So they came to Jericho. 5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today Yahweh will take away your master from over you?”

And he answered, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.”

6 Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for Yahweh has sent me to the Jordan.”

But he said, “As Yahweh lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”

So the two of them went on.

7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan.

8 Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground.

9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.”

And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.”

11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them.

And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father!

The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!”

And he saw him no more.

Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

The faithfulness of Elisha (1-12)

A man who was chosen by Elijah (1 Kings 19) and left his whole life behind faithfully sticks by Elijah to the end...

Not wanting him to go, but knows it must happen for it was Yahweh’s will...

Think of the disciples of Jesus…

Not wanting Jesus to go… but yet, Jesus had to go… John 16:7...

Then in Acts 1… at the ascension of Jesus… after Jesus says His final words to the disciples… v. 9… Acts 1:9

And it took two angels to get them to stop looking up and carry on with life and await the Spirit that Jesus promised to send.

And when the Spirit of the Messiah finally does arrive and indwells the disciples.... they devote themselves to the ministry of the Word… yes, they performed signs and miracles, but that was not their focus...

There is a greater power in the ministry of the Word… a saving power...

Miracles and signs do not save… salvation is not found in them… Miracles and signs do not transform… but the ministry of the Word, in the power of the Spirit, saves and transforms… with or without the presence of signs/miracles

Rom 1:16, 1 Cor 1:18, 22-23

So, Elisha here in 2 Kings 2, desires the spirit of Elijah to be on him…

We, like the disciples, desire Jesus, and Jesus has said by His going away He will send the Holy Spirit to be in us…

Therefore, let us continue and see how Elisha shows himself and others that Elijah’s spirit, Elijah’s power is upon him…

And consider how the Spirit of Christ is evidenced in us...

Let’s look at the first sign… v. 13-18 2 Kings 2:13-18

2 Kings 2:13–18 (ESV)

13 And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.

14 Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah?”

And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.

15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.”

And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.

16 And they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men.

Please let them go and seek your master.

It may be that the Spirit of Yahweh has caught him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.”

And he said, “You shall not send.”

17 But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, “Send.”

They sent therefore fifty men.

And for three days they sought him but did not find him.

18 And they came back to him while he was staying at Jericho, and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

Elisha parts the Jordan (as Elijah did)…

Elisha is able to make a way across the Jordan…

He does so with the other prophets serving as witnesses

There is a power to be found in parting water.... but there is a greater power, one that from the Spirit of God that allows for the parting of spiritual matters...

What is righteous from the unrighteous… what is holy and unholy...

We have been given a sword to cut and divide the matters of eternity...

You must utilize the Spirit via the Word of God to discern the will of God… to discern you’re own intentions.

It is one thing to cross the Jordan by parting the waters then walk confidently across...

But to discern between evil and good and then walk in it is another...

Again that is a power given and provided only by God Himself....

Let us continue on and look at the second work of Elisha… verses 19-22 2 Kings 2:19-22

2 Kings 2:19–22 (ESV)

19 Now the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.”

20 He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.”

So they brought it to him.

21 Then he went to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, “Thus says Yahweh I have healed this water; from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.”

22 So the water has been healed to this day, according to the word that Elisha spoke.

Here Elisha transforms water that kills to a living water… a water that brings life...

He uses salt in the process… but it’s not the salt itself that heals the water… but by Yahweh’s Word as spoken by Elisha…

An act that shows that as Yahweh was with Elijah so He is with Elisha...

So, what act of healing do all who believe in Christ have that they can bless others with?

Is it a physical healing?

No… a greater healing… a spiritual healing...

Hear the words of the psalmist in Psalm 107.20...

By what are the people healed?