Passing on the Mantle

•June 24, 2013 • 1 Comment

It is not always easy to let someone else have a go at something – especially if you are a control freak (who me?!?)

We worry that they may not do things just so, or maybe we worry that they may be better than us, and we won’t have a role left.

But there is a time to pass work on, to let someone else use their gifts and talents, for us to allow God to use them.

1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21

15 The Lord said, “Return to the wilderness near Damascus, then enter the city and anoint Hazael as king of Syria; 16 anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 

The Call of Elisha

19 Elijah left and found Elisha plowing with a team of oxen; there were eleven teams ahead of him, and he was plowing with the last one. Elijah took off his cloak and put it on Elisha. 20 Elisha then left his oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me kiss my father and mother good-bye, and then I will go with you.”

Elijah answered, “All right, go back. I’m not stopping you!”

21 Then Elisha went to his team of oxen, killed them, and cooked the meat, using the yoke as fuel for the fire. He gave the meat to the people, and they ate it. Then he went and followed Elijah as his helper.

Elisha is anointed to succeed Elijah as prophet.   Elijah puts his cloak on Elisha – the mantle is passed on.  With the mantle comes the authority.

I wonder how Elijah felt about this passing on.  He had been God’s prophet.  That was his role.  And now he is being asked to let go and allow someone else to take it up.

The Methodist Church has a “six year rule”.  The longest anyone should do any role is six years.  That at least gives others a chance to have a go.  No one has a stranglehold over any one position in the church.

So, what does this account of Elijah passing on the mantle to Elisha have to say to us?

Well to me it is a reminder that “I” am not the only person that can do any particular role.  There are others who are more than capable, indeed called by God, and they should be allowed, equipped and encouraged to take their turn.

It also raises the question of what we are doing to encourage others to have a go, to take their turn – and what we are doing to equip them.

Is there something I have been clinging on to, that perhaps I ought to let someone else have a go at?  Is there someone I should be helping and encouraging to take a role up?

Thank you Lord
that each of us has something to contribute,
that we all have gifts to share.
Help us to encourage
and equip one another,
to allow others to “have a go”,
even if we were quite enjoying doing that ourselves.

Lord
may I not be afraid to let go,
but enable others to us their gifts
for you

Posted in bible, faith, follow, God, Lectionary, Religion, theology
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Fighting Demons

•June 20, 2013 • Leave a Comment

Luke 8:26-39

A Man with Demons in Him

26 Jesus and his disciples sailed across Lake Galilee and came to shore near the town of Gerasa. 27 As Jesus was getting out of the boat, he was met by a man from that town. The man had demons in him. He had gone naked for a long time and no longer lived in a house, but in the graveyard.

28 The man saw Jesus and screamed. He knelt down in front of him and shouted, “Jesus, Son of God in heaven, what do you want with me? I beg you not to torture me!” 29 He said this because Jesus had already told the evil spirit to go out of him.

The man had often been attacked by the demon. And even though he had been bound with chains and leg irons and kept under guard, he smashed whatever bound him. Then the demon would force him out into lonely places.

30 Jesus asked the man, “What is your name?”

He answered, “My name is Lots.” He said this because there were ‘lots’ of demons in him. 31 They begged Jesus not to send them to the deep pit, where they would be punished.

32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. So the demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and Jesus let them go. 33 Then the demons left the man and went into the pigs. The whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

34 When the men taking care of the pigs saw this, they ran to spread the news in the town and on the farms. 35 The people went out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they also found the man. The demons had gone out of him, and he was sitting there at the feet of Jesus. He had clothes on and was in his right mind. But the people were terrified.

36 Then all who had seen the man healed told about it. 37 Everyone from around Gerasa  begged Jesus to leave, because they were so frightened.

When Jesus got into the boat to start back, 38 the man who had been healed begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him off and said, 39 “Go back home and tell everyone how much God has done for you.” The man then went all over town, telling everything that Jesus had done for him.

This man’s life is a mess.  He no longer lives in a house, but roams a graveyard naked.  His life is full of demons.  They wouldn’t leave him alone, and couldn’t be held.  It took him to lonely places.  He was even frightened of being released from all these things that held him back.

Yet when the demons had gone, he was able to sit at Jesus’ feet, perfectly calm and attentive.  Though seeing the power of Jesus terrified his neighbours…

However we might understand these demons today, we are all acutely aware of things in life that have the potential to overwhelm us.  Things that hold us back, won’t allow us any peace and take us to very lonely places.  Things that may have overwhelmed us for years.  But the time comes, when Jesus arrives and wants to lay our demons to rest.

When Jesus comes, do we beg him not to touch us, not to upset the balance of our lives – even if it is awful?  Or do we allow him to take our demons from us, to free us and bring us peace?  However uncomfortable our demons, they are our demons, and we may prefer the familiarity of them than the risk of being left without them.  But that is not the way of freedom and peace.  It may be frightening

Are we willing to stop fighting our demons, and let Jesus bring us peace.  For that is what he longs to do.  He comes not to torture us, but to free us.  Will we let him.

Lord,
I come to you,
just as I am.
With all the things that hold me down,
keep me wandering,
make me lonely.

You know
that sometimes it seems easier,
safer,
to stay as I am,
to hold on to what I know.

But what I need
is release
and in
in and through you.

So I come today,
and ask you to work in me,
that I may be
all that you mean me to be.
Do in me
all that you long to do,
that I may be free,
in and through you

Posted in bible, faith, Jesus, Lectionary, life, Religion, theology
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Living by Faith

•June 19, 2013 • 1 Comment

Law is necessary.  It tells you what is right and wrong.  We need an understanding of it for society to work cohesively, so we all know what is expected and required of us. The law makes very definite demarcations.  You are either on the right side of it, or you are not.  We are judged and put in one camp or the other.

Faith is totally different.  Faith is a leveler.  We can all believe.  And when we believe in Jesus, we can know not just his love, but freedom from the law – being able to receive his forgiveness and the freedom that his death and resurrection bring.

Galatians 3:23-29

23 The Law controlled us and kept us under its power until the time came when we would have faith. 24 In fact, the Law was our teacher. It was supposed to teach us until we had faith and were acceptable to God. 25 But once a person has learned to have faith, there is no more need to have the Law as a teacher.

26 All of you are God’s children because of your faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And when you were baptized, it was as though you had put on Christ in the same way you put on new clothes. 28 Faith in Christ Jesus is what makes each of you equal with each other, whether you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a man or a woman. 29 So if you belong to Christ, you are now part of Abraham’s family, and you will be given what God has promised.

The law is to teach is not save us – faith does that job.  Faith in Jesus Christ as the one who could do what the law could not.

The law points the way, but it can do nothing for those who can’t get it right – apart from convict them.  Faith frees us from what we can’t do, because Jesus has done it for us and hands us the prize he won.

That applies to everyone.  To no one any more or any less than any other. So faith doesn’t just save us, but is the great equalizer too.  We stand before God, each one of us, as someone who is on the wrong side of his law.  People who have failed to live up to his demands and requirements.

But we also stand equal as people for whom Jesus has died and offers forgiveness.  No one any more or less important than any other.  All welcome into God’s family.

I am very grateful for that.

Thank you Lord
that though I stand here
as someone on the wrong side of your law
guilty of getting it wrong;
that through faith
I can be forgiven
and be part of your family.

Thank you that this is not just for me,
but for every man, woman and child;
that before you we are equal
– equally loved,
equally forgiven,
equally yours

Posted in bible, faith, God, Lectionary, Religion, theology
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