Sermon Tone Analysis

WELCOME

CALL TO WORSHIP

The time is now, the Lord is here!

He calls us in this moment.

Rejoice in the fullness of his love.

Hymn

437: Guide me, O thou great Jehovah

PRAYERS

Let our hearts be glad and our tongues rejoice.

When we walk in companionship with the Lord

we are filled with joy in his presence.

Let us praise the Lord.

Amen.

Following you, Jesus, does not guarantee an easy life.

There are challenges and obstacles as the sinful life constantly fights with our Spirit-filled life.

We are sorry when our human condition takes over and we fight using our own efforts.

We’re sorry for the times we retaliate when others are hurtful to us.

We’re sorry for relying on our own ideas and neglecting the wisdom of the Spirit’s guidance.

We’re sorry for all the excuses we offer to get out of things you ask us to do.

We’re sorry for letting you down, for our complacency.

We know some things can’t wait.

And that you call for action.

Forgive us, Lord.

Help us to centre our life on you,

heeding the urgency of your call.

Amen.

Jesus took action when it was needed.

He suffered on the cross where our sins were nailed with him.

We are forgiven.

He paid the price for all our wrongdoing and set us free from the power of sin.

Let us live in that freedom.

Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Hymn

515: The Church’s one foundation

Offering

READINGS

2 Kings 2: 1-2, 6-14

Hymn

685: O love that wilt not let me go.

SERMON

I don’t know about yourselves, but my wife doesn’t drive, which under normal circumstances is not an issue, but sometimes she will tell me turn here it’s a short cut, and I have to say sorry but that’s a one-way street!

Or we will be driving along a country road and she will say “O look at that” and I reply, “Sorry I’m driving I need to keep my eyes on the road.”

I learned this when I was riding motorbikes the first rule is where you look is where you will go.

This lesson learned after one or two near misses.

To me and for us today the readings are about this idea of keeping your eyes focused on God’s plan for each of us.

2 Kings 2: 1-2, 6-14

Both our readings this morning show how we need to be persistent, to know where you are going, and more importantly who we are following.

our reading from 2 Kings, we find it is all about Elisha’s determination not to let Elijah out of his sight, as he fixes his eyes on him.

In the reading we are told that Elijah is about to be taken up by God after a lifetime of service.

As Elijah approached the river Jordon he has fifty followers with him, He tells all of them to wait on that side of the river which included Elisha, but Elisha will have none of it he in determined to follow his leader, his teacher.

He wants to figuratively and as we read physically to pick up Elijah’s mantel, to carry on the tradition of his masters teaching and to begin his own ministry in earnest.

Elisha asked for a blessing.

What is he told?

“If he sees Elijah taken up, then he will receive the blessing he asked for”

In other words, kept your eyes on the prize.

We see a physical sign of this when he like Elijah struck the waters of the Jordon as he returned, and they parted for him as they had done for Elijah.

But what would have been the outcome if he had not followed Elijah?

If he had not insisted on continuing with Elijah even though several times, he was told not to follow, what if he had stayed behind and said his goodbyes with the others?

But he didn’t, though his determination he received a blessing his persistence paid off.

The question is are we persistent in pursuing Christ in our live?

Luke 9: 51-62

What about the reading from Luke how difficult is this reading, our vision of the forgiving that Jesus preached seems to be a little off?

There seems to be two sections to the passage for today.

In the first section we find Jesus once again traveling through Samaria this time to go back to Jerusalem.

He sent ahead to arrange lodgings for the night, but the town refused his request.

The disciples wanted to call down fire on the town for simply not wanting Jesus a Jew to not stay there.

A bit of an overreaction.

We know from the Gospel of John 4: 39-42 Jesus had travelled through Samaria if you recall he met a woman by Jacob’s well, so why this reaction from the village, why the refusal to allow Jesus to stay in their village.

It may have been because they heard he was going to Jerusalem.

that angered them because of the animosity between themselves and the Jews as to which is the holiest place on earth for them it was Mount Gerizim, and the Jews believe the Temple mount in Jerusalem.

This resentment ran very deep filled with distrust on both sides.

The Disciples response may well have been this animosity Between Jew and Samaritan that led to this, attitude.

Or could it be because it was not that long ago that three of the disciples saw Jesus in his glory on the mount of transfiguration when they saw Jesus standing with Moses, Elijah, and are angered by the reaction to their master in this town.

Jesus prevents the disciples from taking any action against the town, in fact soon after he uses a Samaritan as an example of love, in his parable of the Good Samaritan.

The second section of this reading we find a situation where Jesus deals with three people in what appears to be a harsh way.

It would appear that these three were already following Jesus as by this time Jesus has attracted a great number of followers.

Firstly, let me remind you Jesus tells us that the grace of God is free, so that OK, isn’t it?

If you use a search the web about excuses.

Many of the suggestions will be familiar: ‘I don’t have time’; ‘I am not qualified’; ‘I don’t have the right equipment’.

In some way the answer to the first man echoed the pervious verses in his response.

About the town forbidding Jesus shelter.

But if we want to be serious followers of Christ there will be cost.

So, let’s explore these three situations and as we do so, think if all or if any apply to you.

The first person comes to Jesus and states I will follow you anywhere, Jesus doesn’t answer with

“O that’s great come on then follow me”

No, he points out the stark reality of what following him really means.

Jesus points out that if you want to follow him, you will face rejection by many, humiliation, and be refused hospitality, you also may face abuse.

Can you recall someone else who made the claim I will follow you anywhere “Peter” at the lowest point, when Jesus was most isolated, Peter denied him three times.

Sometimes words can be Oh so easy.

Our actions are often more important than words.

If we think of the parable about the two sons in Matt 21: 28-32

A father asks his two sons to work in the field, the first says no but then goes out to work in the field.

The other says yes, I will go and work for you but then slopes off.

Jesus asks who did the fathers will.

As the saying goes actions speak louder than words.

The second follower Jesus must have known he actually, asks the man to follow him.

Wow a personal invite from Jesus.

But what does he say?

“let me bury my father first,”