Sermon by Rev Sydney Maitland for Sunday June 29 2025.
• First Reading: 2 Kings 2: 1-2, 6-14 (Elijah taken up to heaven)
• Second Reading: Galatians 5: 1, 13-25 (Freedom in Christ; life by the Spirit)
• Gospel: Luke 9: 51-62 (Samaritan opposition; the price of following Jesus)
It has been said – maybe by me – that going into a church does not turn you into a Christian any more than going into a garage turns you into a mechanic.
Something more is required: something personal, a moving presence and a conviction that this is more than just a performance. It is about personal faith and commitment. An overall direction of life.
Yet the call of Elisha began when Elijah called him to be his servant, and Elisha went. And yes, he went with Elijah, observed all he said and did, the manner of his life and the things that were important to his sense of being.
And then the time came for Elijah to be taken from him and despite all instructions to return to his old life, Elisha was determined to follow Elijah to the end.
Eventually, there was the question: what can I do for you?
What do you want? Only a double portion of the spirit that has been in you, said Elisha.
Fine, so long as you stay with me to the very end. And so it was. The mantle of Elijah did indeed fall upon Elisha and he had a wonderful and distinguished ministry.
But, it was not the same ministry as Elijah. No confrontations, no great dramatics. More a simple but long term ministry to the people, drawing them closer to God as he did so.
There were plenty of miracles – twice the number of those attributed to Elijah, but Elisha was there to reaffirm, to secure, to encourage and stimulate the faith of Israel. He was not there to condemn for the great apostasies were now in the past.
The gross idolatry and apostacy of Ahab and Jezebel were over, and now a ministry of encouragement and reaffirmation was wanted.
What was needed was a gentler but still firm ministry to the people of God, even within the northern kingdom of Israel.
Looking at Jesus’ teaching on discipleship, the stress is on long term commitment, even sacrifice. It is about a quality of faith that stays fixed on Him, no matter what.
In the face of outright rejection: move on. Do not let it get to you.
In the face of comfort and luxury, it might mean letting go. The Son of Man does not even have the comfort of a fox’s den or a bird’s nest. He might have to sleep under the stars. OK in summer but in winter?
It might mean making a decision to follow here and now – not waiting for a more convenient moment or when family circumstances allow: and providing there are no other issues.
It could mean turning away from family, home, community, career especially when these are all demanding great commitments of time, energy or resources.
For it is one thing to decide to follow Jesus – and there is no salvation until we do – but it is another thing to stay with Him through rejection, disappointment, confusion, sadness or any other kind of trial or personal challenge.
When the church life is engaging, the worship uplifting and the preaching inspiring – this is fine. But when it becomes formal, distant, predictable and boring: will we continue to follow Him then?
Paul gives us a different view of the same question, by looking at the life of the Spirit compared with the life of the flesh.
We are regenerated into the life of Jesus Christ when we determine to follow Him. This is the point of personal salvation. For some it is a dramatic, ‘Born again’ moment and for others it is more gradual but even here there is that ‘YES’ moment.
But then there is also that process of growing into His likeness and producing in our lives those moral qualities that were in His.
It means distilling the fruits of the Spirit from those of the flesh and God will indeed move within us to help the process along.
But there are also those personal issues and struggles, those attitudes and habits, those relationships and loyalties which come under God’s gaze.
Paul also names these: sexual and spiritual sins, engaging with practices not sanctioned by scripture. Forms of disloyalty within the spiritual and sexual sphere. But then there are also personal traits of hatred, discord, jealousy, rage, selfish ambition, envy, arguments, drunkenness, orgies and the rest.
Whatever was there in the past can and will be forgiven, but it means being willing to name them before God, and to continue doing so while they are still an issue in our lives.
Yet we are not alone. The Lord wants us to win and not to lose – unlike some of our more sensational media.
If we fail, we start again. If we fall, we get up again. If we hesitate, He will restore our confidence.
All of this is in the path of discipleship. It is personal and even deep-seated, but the Lord came so that by putting our faith in Him, we may win, overcome and find that it is in those most impossible parts of our lives that His resurrection and victory can take root.
In John’s gospel, we are told ‘I am the vine, you are the branches and My Father is the vinedresser.’ He really does have His secateurs.
