2016/06/26 Christ Church,
Mountain Top
Mountain Top
Call to Worship, Psalm 77
Children, 1
Kings 19.19-21
Kings 19.19-21
Message, 2 Kings 2.1-15
1999, ordained elder
Retirement
service, passing of the “mantle”
service, passing of the “mantle”
Stole,
“Yoked to Christ, now and for eternity”
“Yoked to Christ, now and for eternity”
Rev.
Merle Saxman, wife Ruth, buried in 1997 (Merle) and 1996
Merle Saxman, wife Ruth, buried in 1997 (Merle) and 1996
Had
been pastor of that congregation
been pastor of that congregation
“Stacked
children like cord wood”
children like cord wood”
Marbles
on the sanctuary floor
on the sanctuary floor
Laid
brick
brick
Drove
school bus
school bus
Conflict:
“What we need here is a just a few good funerals”
“What we need here is a just a few good funerals”
“They
just don’t make ‘em like they used to.”
just don’t make ‘em like they used to.”
Our
visits, pray for each other
visits, pray for each other
Merle,
if I can have a double portion of your spirit …
if I can have a double portion of your spirit …
Ordination themes in the passage
The special call of ordination is
tied to the general call of all disciples expressed in baptism – passing
through the Jordan
tied to the general call of all disciples expressed in baptism – passing
through the Jordan
Prophetic
succession, apostolic succession
succession, apostolic succession
Elijah’s
mantle
mantle
“The
Spirit of Elijah is upon Elisha”
Spirit of Elijah is upon Elisha”
UMC
“bishops” – Asbury, Wesley
“bishops” – Asbury, Wesley
Canterbury:
Thomas Cranmer, Anselm
Thomas Cranmer, Anselm
Irenaeus
of Lyon
of Lyon
Onesimus
and Timothy of Ephesus
and Timothy of Ephesus
The
role of the community (“sons of the prophets”)
role of the community (“sons of the prophets”)
The
source of pastoral authority (including succession)
source of pastoral authority (including succession)
Not
in being a unique human being
in being a unique human being
Elijah
just like us (James 5)
just like us (James 5)
Elisha
invisible in the 2 Elijah stories between these portions
invisible in the 2 Elijah stories between these portions
In
the power and presence of the Spirit
the power and presence of the Spirit
Spirit often mediated through persons
Got
close enough to receive the gift of the Spirit
close enough to receive the gift of the Spirit
Likewise
close enough to see the full humanity (serve)
close enough to see the full humanity (serve)
Under whose yoke will we labor?
The
yoke of Christ?
yoke of Christ?
Matthew 11:29-30 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for
I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my
burden is light.”
I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my
burden is light.”
The
yoke of our past lives?
yoke of our past lives?
Elisha
butchers the oxen and burns the yoke
butchers the oxen and burns the yoke
God’s
call is to a radical departure
call is to a radical departure
A
yoke of service, as Elisha’s? (never glamorous)
yoke of service, as Elisha’s? (never glamorous)
Child
with special needs
with special needs
Youth
or adults with legal issues
or adults with legal issues
Immigrants
struggling to learn the language
struggling to learn the language
Elder
losing control of their body or mind
losing control of their body or mind
An
opportunity to deny ourselves and receive the Spirit
opportunity to deny ourselves and receive the Spirit
Teresa of Avila, “On the Way to Heaven”
In The Collected Works, vol 3, translated by Kavanaugh & Rodriguez,
p 387
p 387
Elijah,
our Father, leads,
our Father, leads,
In
our self-denying we follow him
our self-denying we follow him
Strongly
and zealously,
and zealously,
Nuns of Carmel.
Renouncing
our will,
our will,
We
long to attain
long to attain
Elijah’s
double spirit,
double spirit,
Nuns of Carmel.
Under whose yoke? Whom do we
serve?
serve?
“Living like Weasels” by Annie Dillard
In Teaching a Stone to Talk
Story
of naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton
of naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton
Eagle shot, found dried weasel skull
attached at the neck
attached at the neck
Will we endure to the end?
Three
times, Elijah tells Elisha to stay behind.
times, Elijah tells Elisha to stay behind.
Twice,
the “sons of the prophets” tell him that Elijah is leaving.
the “sons of the prophets” tell him that Elijah is leaving.
Mark
13:13 But the one who endures to the
end will be saved.
13:13 But the one who endures to the
end will be saved.
Luke 9:62 “No one who puts a hand to the plow and
looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
There are pleasures to our
calling
calling
Deep
connections with people
connections with people
Solitude
for study and prayer
for study and prayer
Partnerships
with leaders who care and serve with me
with leaders who care and serve with me
Opportunities
for play
for play
And there is pain
Misdirected
anger and grief (credit too, of course)
anger and grief (credit too, of course)
Turf
trumping mission
trumping mission
Miscarriage
on the ordination day
on the ordination day
There is going to be pain anyway
– embrace it, latch on
– embrace it, latch on
“Apostolic succession is the succession of the passion of Christ” (Moltmann, The Church in the Power of the Spirit, 361).
Apostolic
– sent forth on mission
– sent forth on mission
Message
of the cross
of the cross
Mission
is always disputed
is always disputed
“Apostolate
in suffering”
in suffering”
Will we endure to the end?
“Holding on for dearer life”
(Dillard, 69)
(Dillard, 69)
“The thing is to stalk your
calling in a certain skilled and supple way, to locate the most tender and live
spot and plug into that pulse…. I think it would be well, and proper, and
obedient, and pure, to grasp your one necessity and not let it go, to dangle
from it limp wherever it takes you” (70)
calling in a certain skilled and supple way, to locate the most tender and live
spot and plug into that pulse…. I think it would be well, and proper, and
obedient, and pure, to grasp your one necessity and not let it go, to dangle
from it limp wherever it takes you” (70)
