From our Pastor
Go Boldly Where God Leads
1 Kings 19:9b-21, Luke 9:51-62, Galatians 5:1, 13-25 June 30/July 1, 2007
If you want an example of boldness, take Elijah. This was one bold man. This was the man who was bold enough in the midst of a famine to go to a woman who had only enough ingredients to fix one meal for herself and her son before they died. Elijah asked her to fix some for himself first. He promised that God would see to it that they never ran out. They never did. Elijah was also bold enough some time later when her son had died to ask God to bring the boy back to life. It happened.
Perhaps most boldly of all, Elijah confronted 850 false prophets in front of all the people. Can you imagine how many thousands of people could have been there? But even without an audience, it’s 850 to 1! The false prophets are clearly against Elijah. But Elijah is bold. In the face of opposition, he stands firmly, steadily, unwaveringly against all the rest. He’s there to prove to them that there is one true God. To stand against a crowd like that would surely take a lot of courage. Elijah believed in God. He trusted in God. He was not afraid. Elijah’s boldness was not misplaced. God used Elijah as his means to bring judgment on the 850 false prophets. Elijah is completely vindicated. God shows his power. His enemies flee in fear.
With one exception. Queen Jezebel does not flee. She vows to have Elijah killed. Now this is the surprising part. Since Elijah had stood up to 850 false prophets, you’d think it would be no great difficulty to stand up to one mad queen. Of course she has armies at her disposal. She is powerful. But God is more powerful. That’s why we’re confused. Elijah knew God’s power. Why didn’t he continue to be bold and trust God? Sadly, Elijah turns tail and runs away as fast as he can.
That’s where today’s Old Testament lesson picks up. Elijah is hiding in a cave. God comes to him and says what are you doing here? Elijah says, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” (1 K. 19:14) God demonstrates how much more powerful he is than tornadoes and hurricanes, how much more powerful he is than earthquakes which can rip open the earth, how much more powerful than fire. Every fire fighter knows how powerful fire can be. Then God comes in a still small whisper. What are you doing here, Elijah? Elijah says the same thing he said, before: Elijah says, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” (1 K. 19:14) What Elijah says is mostly true. He has been zealous for the Lord. Many had rejected God. Many prophets had been put to death. They were trying to kill Elijah. But he was certainly not the only one left. Even if there were nobody else, God was still with him. I almost expect God to say what am I? Chopped liver? Elijah has basically said, he’s all alone. Elijah should have been more bold. He should have been confident to trust in God. God says, go back, do this, this and this, and oh by the way, there are 7,000 who have not bowed the knee to Baal. You’re not all alone Elijah. Don’t you think God can hold on to his own? Now go anoint Elisha to succeed you.
Don’t you love the boldness of Elisha? When he’s called to serve God, Elisha burns his bridges. He slaughters the oxen with which he was farming. He burns the plowing equipment to cook the meat. There’s no going back to farming for Elisha. He boldly follows the call of his Lord.
The best example of boldness is our Lord Jesus Christ. Do you remember these words? “Space: The final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship, Enterprise. Its 5 year mission: to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before.” That’s the way Star Trek began each episode. Now consider how Jesus really boldly went where no man has gone before. Luke 9:51 says “as the time approached for Jesus to be taken up.” Our translation here says taken up to heaven. But I think it means taken up on the cross. “When the time approached for Jesus to be taken up, he set his face to go into Jerusalem.” This is boldness to go where no man has gone before. Jesus sets his face to go to Jerusalem, fully aware of the pain and suffering that awaits him there. Fully aware of the rejection and taunts that will be aimed at him. He sets his face to go to Jerusalem, aware of the great agony and death that await him on the cross. He goes boldly, confident that as he dies, our lives will be saved. He sets his face to go to his death, bold, confident, that though he dies, he will rise again, confident that he will be able to set us free from sin and death and raise us to everlasting life.
Galatians 5 says “for freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened by a yoke a slavery.” (1) Be bold! Stand firm! Be like Elijah was when he was bold. Be bold because of what Jesus has done for you. Be bold because of the confidence that you have been set free from sin and death. Don’t let Satan cow you. Don’t let sin scare you. Don’t believe the lies that you cannot do anything good. Stand firm. For freedom Christ has set you free.
And don’t misuse the freedom Jesus won for you at so great a cost. “Don’t use your freedom to indulge your sinful nature.” (13) Can you see the deception? Fall for sin and it sends you right back to slavery. Weakness, giving in seems the easier way. Give in, and you’re trapped again. Yes, God is willing to forgive, he’s willing to set you free again. But why put yourself through that misery? Stand firm. Be bold, confident of God’s power to uphold you. Don’t be afraid. Be bold. Live the way God has called you to live. He’s called you to serve each other in love. That’s the bold way to live. It also happens to be the wise way to live. It’s turns out, that though it may seem hard, that in the long way - for us - the bold way to live (Christ’s way to live) is also the easiest way to live, and certainly the most joyful way to live. Be bold!
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MOUNT OLIVE LUTHERAN CHURCH
2001 N. Alpine Rd. Rockford, IL 61107
815-399-3171
Pastor Ken Krause: kkrause@mtolivelutheran.com