St Peter’s Church Bredhurst
Home Group, Summer Term 2003
A Series of Home Group
Studies on Ministry
The series will look at the following topics:
Week 1, Called from daily
life – or “how to upset your parents”
Week 2, The life of the
Spirit – not by might, not by power
Week 3, Spreading the word –
sharing the ministry
Week 4, Constant care – the
woman and her son
Week 5, Hard choices, -
the unfinished business of prophecy and politics
Week 6, Wilderness years - has God gone to sleep?
Regulars might want to read the whole story in
advance. The Elijah/Elisha story starts
in 1Kings chapter 17.
Elisha
Elisha was chosen to continue the work of the burnt-out
Elijah. There are some interesting
contrasts. Both perform miracles, but
Elisha’s are more numerous and more personal.
Elijah’s are: a long drought, Multiplies widow’s flour and oil,
resurrects widow’s son, calls down fire from heaven, sends a rainstorm ,
outruns a chariot, predicts Ahaziah’s death, Ahaziah’s men killed by fire from
heaven, parts the Jordan River.
Elisha’s are: Parts the Jordan River, makes Jericho spring drinkable,
sends bears to punish irreverent youths, floods ditches to confuse Moabites,
multiplies widow’s oil, Shunammite woman bears a son, resurrects Shunammite’s
son, purifies poisoned stew, heals Naaman’s leprosy, Gehazi struck with
leprosy, Floats lost axhead, gives special sight to the king’s messenger,
blinds the Aramean army, his bones resurrect a dead man.
Elisha came from a wealthy family, a contrast with his
master, Elijah. His period of ministry lasted much longer than Elijah’s. He
began in Jehoram’s early years, continued through the reigns of Jehu and
Jehoahaz, and died sometime while Jehoash ruled, a period of about fifty years
(c. 850-800). Though having the same objectives in his ministry as Elijah, his
manner in reaching them was somewhat different. In keeping with his contrasting
background, Elisha was more at home in cities and even at the palace and was
often in the company of kings. Also, Elijah had been more a man of moods,
either strongly courageous or despairing to the point of death; but Elisha was
self-controlled and even-tempered, found neither in dramatic staged contests
nor sulking in a desert. It may be, too, that Elisha was more interested in the
needs of people; for many of his miracles, again in contrast to Elijah, were to
aid, heal, and give relief to persons he encountered.
They are preaching (as always it seems in the Old
Testament) at a time of national apostasy, with the kings (and even more so,
their queens) leading the people to merge the worship of Yaweh with the local
fertility cults. There is however a
theme running through Elisha’s life of Resurrection, healing and wholeness –
rather like the gospels – which contrasts with Elijah’s gloomy judgement. Some thus see Elijah as a forerunner of John
the Baptist and Elisha as Jesus.
Background to 2Kings
The Elisha story begins at the end of 1 Kings and continues
through 2 Kings. In the Hebrew
Scriptures the books of Samuel and Kings were originally one book each. The
Greek Old Testament combined and then split the books as the “4 kingdoms."
The English has adopted the fourfold division of the Greek but with the Hebrew
names of 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings.
The books cover Israel's period as a nation under: Saul
(1Samuel), David (2Samuel), Solomon and the divided kingdom (1Kings). 2Kings then takes us through to the fall of
Israel and Judah.
The Hebrew theologians classed these books as “former
prophets” suggesting that they saw these books as primarily theological in
nature.
The author is anonymous but some attribute it to Jeremiah
in the sixth century B.C. Others link
it to the reforms of Josiah (640-608 B.C.) with some later additions. The most probable origin of the work as we
now have it is an anonymous editor during the Babylonian captivity (the period
of compilation of much of the Jewish scriptures).
Several older sources are referred to in the books of
kings:
1. The "Book of Acts of Solomon"
2. The "Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of
Israel"
3. The "Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of
Judah"
Others are not named but are thought to be:
1. The Court Memoirs of David
2. An Elijah-Elisha story
3. A source linked to the writer of Isaiah
4. Two concluding "Historical Abstracts"
5. There are also
some passages with no obvious links,
The last event recorded in 2 Kings is the release of
Jehoichin from prison during the thirty-seventh year of his imprisonment
(597B.C. minus 37 years of captivity = 560 B.C.). This marks the earliest date that Kings could have been
completed. Since there is no mention of
a return to Jerusalem after the captivity, it is probable that the book was
written before that event in 538/539 B.C.
For the most part
1--2 Kings is in chronological order from the rise of Solomon to the fall of Jerusalem
but parts, including some Elijah and Elisha stories are thematic and not
necessarily in the right time.
The books follow a formulaic structure, which gives an
introduction to each king by name, father’s name, a link to the king in the
other kingdom, the king's age at accession, the length of his reign, the name
of the queen mother, (for Judean kings), and an evaluation of the king's moral
character (judged by the Mosaic law) and spiritual leadership. The King’s reign is closed with identification
of sources, a death and burial statement and an announcement of the king's
successor.
The records of “non-writing” prophets such as Elisha tend
to be preserved in story form, including accounts of their miraculous signs
confirming divine authority in their message. The ministry of the non-writing
prophets was essentially to the royal family, and their message was one of
judgment and national destruction for covenant violation. (By contrast, the message of the classical
(or writing) prophets such as Amos was generally preserved in oracle form and
was often underscored with symbolic behaviour, rather than a miraculous event.)
The
Chronology of the Kings of Israel and Judah
(Approximate)
It is not easy to reconcile all the dates in 1&2Kings,
suggesting that the writer was not over worried about the actual number of
years of a reign. He may also have left
out Regencies and minor kings.
The Kings of Israel (Northern Kingdom):
Jeroboam 927-907, Nadab,
907-906, Baasha 906-883, Elah 883-882, Zimri
7 days 882, Omri 882-873, Ahab 873-853, Ahaziah 853-852, Jehoram
852-841, Jehu 841-814, Jehoahaz 814-798, Jehoash 798-786, Jeroboam II 786-753,
Zechariah 6 months 753, Shallum 1 month
752, Menahem 752-737,
Pekahiah 737-736, Pekah 736-732, Hoshea 730-722
The Kings of Judah (Southern Kingdom)
Rehoboam 926-911, Abijah 911-908, Asa 908-870, Jehoshaphat
870-852, Jehoram 852-843, Ahaziah 843-842, Athaliah 842-837, Joash 837-800,
Amaziah 800-783, Uzziah 783-750, Jotham
750-743, Ahaz 743-727, Hezekiah 727-698, Manasseh 698-642, Amon 642-640, Josiah
640-609,
Jehoahaz 3 months 609, Jehoiakim 609-598, Jehoiachin 3 months 598,- Zedekiah 598-586
Elisha Week 1, how to upset your parents……
The time has come
to hand over power – which Elijah appears to do reluctantly, (he never
completes the first two parts of his commission even though his ministry has
some years to run, and his ordination of Elisha is perfunctory to say the
least). There are many occasions in
life when we have to give up a role and allow another to do it, with all their
mistakes; how do we cope with this?
Elijah seems to have managed this, somewhat inadequately, alone. How can
we, using the resources of the church, help others to cope?
Reading
and discussion 3: Reading: 2Kings
2:1-6, Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 22:31-34, 54-62, John 21:15-19
What is Elijah playing
at? Elisha is his chosen successor and
he gives him every opportunity to run away from his mission. Why does God test us? Does God test us (that’s us, not
others)? Has anyone had the experience
of God restoring something we got wrong in equal measure to our failing?
Reading
and discussion 1: Reading: 2Kings
2:7-15
Remember that cloak.
Obviously Elisha gave it back.
You might want to think about that one for a bit (it’s obscure to me as
well!).
Do we have the courage to say, “Where now is the God of Elijah?” What does that mean for us at St
Peter’s? What is our Jordan?
Leader’s Notes, Week 1
What you will have discovered if you read the whole story is that Elijah never did what he was told, except that he appointed Elisha as prophet. Elijah had, it appears, just given up. Elijah’s ministry was short – the second half of Ahab’s 22 year reign and he probably disappeared during Ahaziah’s 2 year reign. Elisha was to be around for nearly 50 years but is strangely absent from later Hebrew and Christian theology. Elijah was at the end of his tether and God gives him a curate – punishment or relief? The continuing commission is to rid the people of Israel of the worship of the fertility god, Baal, a religion that seems to have involved child sacrifice, male and female prostitution within the temple, and other detestable practices. The reference to Elisha “putting to death” is add as he shows no sign of participating in violence himself – the commentators read this as “eliminating the leaders of the Baal religion from Israel”.
In a few short words the writer will tell us this: Elisha is rich (24 oxen is serious wealth) but hardworking (why is such a rich boy ploughing?). He is from Abel Meholah, a village 5 miles NE of Elijah’s home in Tishbe (so Elijah at least knew of him. He seems to have understood what Elijah was doing when the wild man of the woods comes and throws his tatty old cloak over him. He was not so caught up in religious fervour as to forget to think about his parents but that doesn’t last long and he sets light to Dad’s best Massey Ferguson and blows a year’s farm income on throwing a party for the peasants before disappearing to a dubious theological college.
Evening Prayer
The response to each line is: we will not fear.
L: God is our refuge and strength, a very present
help in trouble: Therefore…
L: Though the earth should change, though the mountains shake. . .
L: Though its waters roar, though its mountains tremble………
L: There is a river whose streams make glad the
city of God: Therefore…
L: God is in the midst of the city, it shall not be moved: Therefore…
L: The
nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
God utters his voice: ……
L: The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge: Therefore…
L: God makes
wars cease to the end of the earth, breaks the bow
and shatters the spear: Therefore…
L: Be still, and know that I am God! Lord, we know you and …
Pray for each
other, especially for those who have talked of their experiences. Pray for us as a church that we would have
the courage to ask, “Where now is the God of Elijah?”
Lord’s prayer.
All:
Lord, may we inherit a portion of your
Spirit.
May we have the faith to see your armies protecting us.
May we have the courage to pick up the mantle of Elijah,
to pray and fight against the evils
of the world.
May we have the hope to call out:
“WHERE
NOW IS THE GOD OF ELIJAH?!”
Amen.
Elisha Week 2, not by might, not by power
Reading
and discussion 1: All the gospels and most of 2 Kings!
Skim through 2 Kings and make a list of all the miracles
Elisha performs. (Suggest you divide
this up – the story runs, off and on, from chapter 2 to chapter 13). Now, which of these have parallels in Jesus’
ministry?
Reading
and discussion 2: 2Kings 2:19-22
OK, let’s have a review of Colin’s sermon a month ago.
Those who haven’t re-read it, please quickly skim through.
Which bit did you most remember and why?
What questions does the sermon raise for you?
Can we answer them?
Should we do more of this (discussing sermons in Home Group)?
Why didn’t Elisha
simply organise the digging of new wells?
Surely that would have been a better solution?
Reading
and discussion 3: 2Kings 6:8-23
A remarkably peaceful episode from this section of the
bible. It contrasts strangely with the
treatment meted out to King Ahab when he treated a previous army of Aram
(Syria) leniently a few years before (1Kings 20). You could have a very political debate about the dangers or
benefits of appeasement here for Elisha’s generosity was not rewarded – the
bandits were back in the next verse (vs 24) even if there had been peace for a
while. Israel was at this time a weak
nation. Syria and its more distant
neighbours were growing more and more powerful so this is analogous to Saddam
capturing a battalion of American troops and sending them home in peace, rather
than the other way round.
When the politics has finished, what does this teach us about God and how we
should respond to threats to ourselves or our community?
SERMON Sunday 4th May 03, On 2Kings 2:19-25
The Old Testament reading this morning was really two
stories which, though linked, are both worthy of some attention. That of Elisha
having the local youth done away with by wild bears for calling him “baldy”,
obviously has a much greater meaning and significance than its outward
appearance of intolerance and cruelty suggest. But it is the other story I wish
to draw on, so as to leave those who are unkind to we who have rather
economical hair-do’s with the simple message: WATCH OUT FOR THE BEARS !
My understanding of, and enthusiasm for, the Old Testament have
grown considerably in the last year or so. And one of the reasons is the
symbolism contained in it. I must confess to, at one time, subconsciously
seeing such symbolism as a way of fudging biblical history when things didn’t
quite add up, or as a rather crude teaching tool. But I now appreciate it more
as a key – a way in which millions of people of all cultures and backgrounds,
over thousands of years, have all been given access to God’s truths in the
Bible. In this story of Elisha, there is some marvellous symbolism that is very
relevant to us today. Jericho was a city controlled by Israel, in which there
was a small seminary – effectively a school for prophets; this must be the
original PROPHET-MAKING ENTERPRISE.
The
city is described as pleasant and prosperous, but “barren”. It would seem that
things grew and looked fine, but would wither and die before bearing fruit; it
was unproductive, we are told. And I can see this as a symbol of our 21st
century British society. This, too, is
·
outwardly prosperous - well, in material terms,
anyway;
·
we are a feeling, spiritual people – look how we
mourn our human idols so magnificently.
·
We are obviously morally upright – see how we
despise such degenerates as paedophiles (or even suspected paedophiles).
·
And what a superbly religious society – so
tolerant, and even making up our personal religions from the bits of others we
fancy.
In
reality, in terms of productiveness, we seem totally preoccupied with our own
well being without any reference to God. We could be accused of making gods of
ourselves. But, from the outside, it can be made to look good.
The
water at Jericho was bad. Water is used in the Bible to represent God’s word or
his spirit. BAD WATER can be seen as the opposite – man’s words, views,
ideologies; home made philosophies and dabbling with the occult. Rather than
cleansing and refreshing, man’s presence brings corruptness and little
satisfaction, with self-seeking doctrines that leave God out altogether. Elisha
asks for a new jar – not just any jar – in which the salt is to be placed.
Believers are often represented by earthen vessels in the Bible; they are
temporary, humble containers for God’s treasure – his news, his message. A NEW
jar emphasises the re-birth that the spirit brings. A new jar – a new person.
And
so to the most powerful symbol used in this story – the salt. Elisha pours the
salt in to a spring and declares that God has lifted the curse, and that there
will no longer be “death and unfruitfulness” there. Salt is used throughout
God’s word as told in the Bible, to represent God in peoples’ lives. This may
be as the Holy Spirit, or as a Christian bringing the news of Christ, or as the
renewing effect that God has when entering lives. It is God’s enlivening and
enriching presence. In the Old
Testament, sacrifices were unacceptable without salt, as it represented God’s
covenant or promise of salvation; indeed covenants were ratified with salt,
whose properties can be paralleled with the benefits of God’s presence in our
lives:
·
salt preserves,
·
salt makes food more enjoyable
·
salt gives one a thirst
·
salt heals and purifies, albeit painfully at times
In
the same way,
· God
preserves us, and has given us everlasting life through Christ
· God’s
message and news brings meaning to life – gives life a whole new flavour
· knowledge
and experience of God leaves us thirsty for more
· God
heals, although sometimes this involves pain
As the salt brought cleansing and new life in this
narrative, so he brings it to us through Christ today.
So,
the Old Testament once again provides us with a story which we can apply to our
daily lives here and now. Let his refreshing springs of love put the salt of
meaningfulness in our corrupt and wayward lives, and may we be the new vessels
to carry this news in to our little bit of the world. And may this powerful
symbolism serve to keep such a message in our minds. So just remember, when
floundering or questioning – pray loudly and simply: PLEASE PASS THE SALT.
Evening Prayer
We say these verses
from Psalm 19. One side of the room
says the words in light type and the other side the words in bold:
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul:
the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the
heart:
the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever:
the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than
much fine gold:
sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them is thy servant warned:
and in keeping of them there is great reward.
Who can understand his own errors? Cleanse me from
secret faults.
Keep back thy servant also from wilful sins; let them not rule over me:
then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent of great transgression.
All: Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart,
be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
The Lord’s prayer is said
All: Lighten our darkness we beseech thee, O Lord;
and by thy great mercy defend us
from all perils and dangers of this night,
for the love of thy only Son,
our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Elisha Week 3, Spreading the Word, Sharing the Ministry
Readings
and discussion 1: 2Kings 3:11-12, 2 Kings 5: 19-27 (note
that this is the end of the story of Naaman).
“He used to pour water on Elijah’s hands” is presumed to
mean that Elisha was Elijah’s personal servant. What intrigues me is this: How is it that Elisha turned out to be
as great as his master whilst Gehazi is worse than useless? How can we spot a potential leader (in any
capacity) of God’s people? How can we
spot a rogue? When you get lost have a
read of 1Samuel 16:1, 6-13.
Readings
and discussion 2: 2Kings 4:38-41, Luke 9:1-6 & 37-43
Useless
disciples seem to be a curse of great biblical figures. And yet they are also seen as
necessary. That Elisha should have charge
over half a dozen monasteries is unquestioned, but the uselessness of the
people in them forms the background to a number of stories. So, why did Elisha persist with them? Why did Jesus persist with His motley
crew? And why does the God who made a
universe vast beyond our imaginings persist with us at St Peter’s
Readings
and discussion 3: 2Kings 4:42-44, 5:9-10, 8:4,
Elisha
uses his servants to speak on his behalf.
Why not do it himself? Bringing this
closer to home, there is the apocryphal story of the woman who complained that
the church never visited her, despite the fact that members of the congregation
went every day. What she wanted was a
dog collar. So, how should Graham cope
with this? (Answers on a post card please.)
Readings
and discussion 4, 2Kings 9:1-13
The un-named prophet disobeys Elisha by saying far more than
he had been instructed. Given that
other disobedience in these stories in punished severely we can only assume
that he did right. How do we know when
to follow a church leader to the letter and when to do something
different? (Apart from “does he have
frizzy hair and glasses?”)
Evening Prayer
O Lord, from whom all good things do come:
grant to us thy humble servants,
that by thy holy inspiration
we may think those things that be good
and, by thy merciful guiding may perform the same;
through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen.
O God, the strength of all them that put their trust in thee,
mercifully accept our prayers
and, because through the weakness of our mortal nature
we can do no good thing without thee, grant us the help of thy grace
that, in keeping of thy commandments
we may please thee, both in will and deed;
through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,
Amen.
O Lord, who hast taught us
that all our doings without charity are nothing worth:
send thy Holy Spirit
and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift
of charity,
the very bond of peace and of all virtues
without which whosoever liveth is counted dead
before thee;
grant this for thine only Son Jesus Christ’s
sake, Amen
All: Lighten our darkness we beseech thee, O Lord;
and by thy great mercy defend us
from all perils and dangers of this night,
for the love of thy only Son,
our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Elisha Week 4, Constant care – the woman and her son
Readings
and discussion 1: 2Kings 4:8-17.
This story throws up a lot of questions for me. How do you react to it?
Why does Elisha stay there when home is at most 25 miles
away and, as we shall see later, a return journey could be made in two thirds
of a day? Do we need a Shunem place
where we can rest? Where do you
go? Why?
Readings and discussion 2: 2Kings 4:18-27.
A unique instance in the Old Testament where the death of a child is anything but tragic. Even on a donkey this is more than a half-day’s journey on mountainous dirt tracks, and all the time the child is lying dead, so why not set something else in train? Is the woman’s faith in God or Elisha? How would we rate on the scale of faith here? Can you think of a parable that Jesus told that has a connection with this story? Verse 25 is the clue. What does it suggest to you about Elsiha’s ministry?
Readings and discussion 3: 2Kings 4:28-36
It’s a wonder Social Services didn’t arrest him. Elisha’s first attempt at ministry, via Gehazi, doesn’t work. So how long should we keep praying or working with someone before we give up?
Readings and discussion 4: 2Kings 8: 1—6
Bit brave of Elisha this! He tells the woman to leave her land (which will be quickly appropriated by the local warlord) and live as a refugee with no land or resources in an enemy country for 7 years. Why not suggest she comes and lives with his community? At the end of the story you sense God finally getting involved without being invited.
Thinking of this and the rest of the story, what parallels does it have to our own experience of ministry and being ministered to?
Where in our church family / community are there people like the Shunemite who need long term ministry or care? What can we at St Peter’s do to help? What should we do?
Evening Prayer
L: Spirit of the living God All: Fall afresh on me
L: Spirit of the living God All: Fall afresh on me
L: Bend me, break me, mould me, fill me,
All: Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me
L ”Come to me, all you
that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest”. Hear
the word of Jesus spoken to you. (Silence)
L ”Come to me, all you
that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest”. Hear
the word of Jesus spoken to those you love. (Silence)
L ”Come to me, all you
that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest”. Hear
the word of Jesus spoken to our community.
(Silence)
L ”Come to me, all you
that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest”. Hear the
word of Jesus spoken to our world. (Silence)
The Lord’s prayer is said
All: Lighten our darkness we beseech thee, O Lord;
and by thy great mercy defend us
from all perils and dangers of this night,
for the love of thy only Son,
our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Elisha Week 5,Hard
choices, - the unfinished business of prophecy and politics
You may remember that this is
where we started. Elijah fails to complete
the mission. Though finishing the task,
Elisha is less than direct with Hazael and only sends a messenger to Jehu. Leave the debates about God and Regime
Change till later. Think about the most
difficult task you’ve had to do, (especially one that someone else should have
done). How did you handle it? What can you learn from these stories that
might help you in a similar situation in the future?
Before reading this: Ahab is the king of Israel, Jezebel his
wife, Joram his son (who is king by the time of the second story) and Ahaziah
is king of Judah in the 2nd story. If you have them, you might want
to scan through my introduction notes to get the context for this murder and
mayhem, which will continue to the captivity.
Oh, let’s have some fun!
This passage suggests:
a) That God approves of violent regime change
b) That God does not forget past
personal and corporate wrongs
c) That prophets (clergy?) have a duty to expose the evils
of the politicians
c) That the root cause of war and poverty is spiritual
d) That summary execution without trial is acceptable
Taking each one in turn, how do
you react to these statements?
Would you feel differently if
you were reading them in the Congo?
Why do you think that people, in
general, believe that the position of the stars influences their future more
than their personal behaviour?
Should Graham use the pulpit to
say what he feels about the current regime in our country? Justify your answer from the Elisha stories!
And
for real fun: What do you think of the government’s behaviour over the Iraqi
WMD issue? Don’t debate this part,
just listen to each other’s thoughts, but pick the most extreme opinion and ask
- what should the holder of this opinion, as a Christian, do in response to
this?
Evening Prayer
Blessed art thou, Lord
God of our fathers:
to
be praised and glorified above all for ever.
Let us bless the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost:
let us praise him and magnify him for ever.
Blessed art thou, O Lord, in the firmament of heaven:
to be praised and glorified above all for ever.
The almighty and most merciful Lord guard us and give us his blessing.
Amen.
O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us;
and grant us thy salvation.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this night without sin;
O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.
O Lord, hear our prayer;
and let our cry come unto thee.]
Let us pray.
Look down, O Lord, from
thy heavenly throne, illuminate the darkness of this night with thy celestial
brightness, and from the children of light banish the deeds of darkness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
We will
lay us down in peace and take our rest.
For it is thou, Lord, only that makest us dwell in safety.
Abide with us, O Lord,
for it is toward evening and the day is far spent.
As the watchmen look
for the morning,
so do we look for thee, O Christ.
The Lord be with
you and with thy spirit.
Let us bless the
Lord. Thanks be to God.
Elisha Week 6,
Wilderness years - has God gone to sleep?,
Intersperse each set of
readings with the prayers
Readings and discussion 1: 2Kings
9:1-3, 2Kings 13:14-20
Acts 9:19b-30, Acts 11:25-26
4 chapters might not seem a lot but start counting the years. These four chapters cover over 50 years. The story of Elisha’s death is tacked on after the story of the life of the king involved – suggesting that the origin of the story was different from the main narrative. Other sources tell us that King Jehoash did indeed defeat the Arameans 3 times so this event must be placed towards the beginning of his reign. There’s at least 42 years between the last story of Elisha’s main ministry and the one of his death. What was he doing? What was God doing? (rhetorical questions).
Luke’s two chapters cover 10 years – during which Paul is sitting at home. After the excitement of his conversion and escapes from Damascus and Jerusalem this was all rather quiet. Again, what was God doing?
Do we have such experiences – of a burst of God being very real to us, and then years of nothing? Have exciting times returned or are we waiting? Or have we never had the first experience? (You may want to try discussing this in smaller groups)
Readings and discussion 2: John 2:1-10
What’s this got to do with Elisha? Well, quite a lot actually. A quick synopsis of what I was trying to say at Sam’s wedding: we have a choice – the normality of life without God, the insipidness of religion or the wild excitement of faith. Which has been our experience? Which, honestly, do we prefer? What do we have to do to move from one to another?
Both Paul and Elisha seem to have
found the supply of good wine ran out for a decade or four. We have no idea of what went on during those
years but can only assume they had no idea of when or if God would reactivate
their ministry. Does God use us as
pawns in his games or do we control his involvement in our lives or is there
some other explanation?
Readings
and discussion 3: 2Kings 17:5-8.
In the end, did Elisha fail? Does God measure success and failure in the same way as us?
Inter-Discussion Prayer
After 1st
Reading & Discussion:
Read Psalm 42
antiphonally (=leader reads odd and rest the even verses)
After 2nd
Reading & Discussion:
Take
my life and let it be, Consecrated, Lord, to thee:
Take me moments and my days, Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands and let them move,
At the impulse of the love;
Take my feet and let them be, Swift and beautiful for thee.
Take my voice and let me sing, Always, only, for my
King;
Take my lips and let them be, Filled with messages from thee.
Take my silver and my gold, Not a mite would I
withhold;
Take my intellect and use, Every power as thou shalt choose.
Take my will and make it thine; It shall be no
longer mine:
Take my heart, it is thine own; It shall be thy royal throne.
Take my love; my Lord I pour, At thy feet its
treasure store:
Take myself and I will be, Ever, only, all for thee.
After 3rd Reading & Discussion
The Lord be with
you and also with you.
Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Evening Prayer
L: Spirit of the living God All: Fall afresh on me
L: Spirit of the living God All: Fall afresh on me
L: Bend me, break me, mould me, fill me,
All: Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me
L ”Come to me, all you
that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest”. Hear
the word of Jesus spoken to you. (Silence)
L ”Come to me, all you
that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest”. Hear
the word of Jesus spoken to those you love. (Silence)
L ”Come to me, all you
that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest”. Hear
the word of Jesus spoken to our community.
(Silence)
L ”Come to me, all you that
are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest”. Hear the
word of Jesus spoken to our world. (Silence)
The Lord’s prayer is said
All: Lighten our darkness we beseech thee, O Lord;
and by thy great mercy defend us
from all perils and dangers of this night,
for the love of thy only Son,
our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.