Richvale Community Church
Sunday, October 4, 2026
- Good morning.I grew up having to learn how to drive stick shift.There really wasn’t much of a choice.We didn't have many automatic cars in Africa..After a while, you didn't even think about it.It became second nature..Well, the other day I was driving my son’s car, and I discovered something:Apparently, I’ve been spoiled by driving automatics.Because…I was struggling to shift through the gears smoothly.Especially..from first to second …it was rough..I was just glad I didn't have any passengers to make any comments!But it reminded me of something:Transitions aren't always easy.Sometimes there’s a little grinding.a little jerking.And sometimes you wonder if you're ever going to get into the next gear.And life can be that way too.Sometimes change is exciting.Sometimes we choose it. But at other times change chooses us.And moving from one season of life into another can feel a lot like trying to shift gears.Today, we are continuing our series, Hearing God Through the Noise,and.. in our text..We come to a major transition in the life of Elijah…When Elijah is taken up in a whirlwind…There is a change coming— from the ministry of Elijah to the ministry of Elisha..What is interesting about this text is there is this knowledgeof Elijah’s departure…Not only do Elijah and Elisha know… but there school of the prophets..that seem have this same revelation.….there is change coming..it’s anticipated..There is one thing that is certain in life and that is Change..Life is always changing….its always in flux..One Seasons changes to the next.Circumstances change.Our families are Change as they grow up..that raises a question for all of us:How we handle change?And this morning, we're going to learn how to walk with God through a new season.—T/S first we..1. Keep Moving- Trust God With the TransitionMost of us have been on a hike or a trip where the end is in sight…You’re tired, but you keep on walking.You see people walking the opposite direction…and you can tell they’re tired and perspiring— andSometimes they will say,“You’re close… just a little further.”There’s something encouraging about knowing you’re almost at you destination .younare near the top… you close to that water fall..Elijah is near the summit of his life…It hasn’t been an easy road by any means — but God has been faithful all along.lets read our text..
2 Kings 2:1–6 ESV 1 Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take away your master from over you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 6 Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.God is leading Elijah to the Jordan River… We know that God is in this departure..In vers 1 …we read.. Now when the LORD…was going to take up Elijah…in a whirlwind ..We learn that..A. God is IN the transition.The same LORD who called Elijah is now the LORD who is going to take Elijah homeAnd this is important because back in 1 Kings 19, after Elijah's failed ..in running from Jezebel..Elijah FINDS HIMSELF SLONE TIRED SND DEPRESSES ED.asking God to take his life…— He thought he was done…But..GOD WAS NOT FINISHED with him yet!..God restored him, sent him back into ministry,and for roughly another 18 years Elijah continued HIS MISSION..We learn something profound.“God's timing methods are different from ours…”And now, years later, Elijah is going to leave this world.But he's not leaving in despair.He's leaving in completion.He leaving in fulfillment at the right timehere is the thing..Elijah wanted God to end his story one way. but..God had a different ending in mind.WHAT we learn that God can be trusted with transitions ..…we can lean into him..in change.Because God is always there..he is omniscience..He was present when Elijah's ministry began.And He was present when Elijah's ministry came to an end.B. God Is not only present he is Directing the TransitionSometimes change seems to come out of nowhere.“How did that happen?”“Where did this come from?”..why now..But God loves to work behind the scenes.And that's what we see with the arrival of Elisha.As we come into 2 Kings 2, Elisha seems to come out of nowhere..We don't have a lot of information about him.Here is the thing…Elisha didn't suddenly become part of God's plan ..If you go back…you see God had been preparing him long before Elijah's departure.For past 18 years, Elisha had served alongside Elijah.He watched. He listened. He learned. He followed.And now…Elijah and Elisha are traveling together on what will be their final journey.They move from Gilgal to Bethel, from Bethel to Jericho, and finally to the Jordan.What looks sudden to us is not sudden to God. We learn thatC. When God Is in Something, Hang OnYou may rememberWhen Elijah was running from Jezebel — Elijah.. told his servant to stay in Beersheba—and his servant stayed behind…while he walked into wilderness.. in despair..depression..But there is something different about Elisha.Elisha holds on..There is something tenacious about his spirit…character...Three different times Elijah tells Elisha to stay behind.The first time, he says,vres 2 “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Bethel.”And Elisha says,“As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”So they go to Bethel.Then Elijah says,vers 4 “Stay here, please, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.”And again Elisha says,“As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”So they go to Jericho.Finally, Elijah tells him that the LORD is sending him to the Jordan.And Elisha still won't let go.There is something powerful about this kind of Resolve …Elisha doesn't know exactly what is going to happen.He doesn't know what is on the other side of the Jordan.But he does know he doesn't want to miss out what God is doing.When God is in something, hang on.We hold on in..Gilgal. Bethel. Jericho. The Jordan.These aren't just places on a map.They are places filled with Israel's history.Gilgal - (rolling Stones) It is where Israel put out those 12 memorial Stones to remind generations later of God’s faithfulness..in bringing His people into the Promised Land.HANG ON TO FAITHFULNESS..Bethel - (House of God) This is where Jacob had vision of the stair case with angels ascending and decending into heaven—Bethel is the Place where heaven touches earth. A place of his presence…HANG ON TO THE PRESENCE..Jericho reminds us of God's power to give His people victory…HOLD ON TO THE VICTORY.why do we hold on ?Because there are always going to be voices that bring discouragement……it is amazing how one voice can discourage us…- Each one of these city centers was also the center of training — sons of the prophets…the school of the prophets…And the “prophets” weren’t very encouraging..They say..“Do you know that today is the day your masters going to be taken away.”.It is almost like they are saying - are you ready… for what is coming…are you really Elijah’s successor…Questioning authority..Elisha says … I know be quite..—- Sometimes in change …we are going to be tested..Our character— our abilities…our motivation..Sometimes we got speak to those voices…. In Faith …be quite.. Jesus said if you have Faith the size of a mustard seed you can say to this mountain be removed and cast. into the sea…and it will be done..T/S How do we walk through a new season1. Keep Moving- Trust God With the Transition2. Stay Close — Don't Let Change Distance You From GodDistance is an interesting word.Distance speaks of the A -B..space between points..In Richvale we understand distance..We don’t just run to the grocery store… you go to the store…It’s an outing..Distance can tell you how far you've gone — But..Sometimes distance provides protection.We live 93 Million miles away from the Sun — it would take 20 years on plane to get there!!What is amazing about creation… is that we just the perfect distance from the sun.… we have this Goldilocks affect… where we just happen to be in this perfect spot in the universe..Distance also provides protection… It was same in the OT with the holiness of God..When God Gave Moses the Law — Israel was to keep their distance the mt of God.When the Israel Marched arround Jericho they were commanded to keep their distance from Ark of the Covenant,That distance was for their own good because of the holiness of God.But distance also matters when it comes to relationships.In fact, distance can be an indicator that something has changed.Think about the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve enjoyed fellowship with God.They walked with God daily in the garden of Eden..They were close to God.But then they disobeyed God's command.And sin put a wedge into that relationship.Sin had consequences. They had to distance from God..When distance begins to grow, it can be an indicator that something has changed.But distance doesn't always mean the relationship is over.Sometimes it simply means we've stopped pursuing closeness.And that's true in our relationship with God.Elijah and Elisha are not alone on this journey.There are groups of prophets who have been watching what is happening.They know something is about to happen. They curious..And when they arrive at the Jordan, both groups are present—the prophets on one side,and Elijah and Elisha together.The are together watching this moment unfold — but there is fundemental difference.lets read our text..2 Kings 2:7–10 ESV 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.”We read the — The prophets are present but they are watching from a distance.They are close enough to see what is happening — but not close enough to participate…There is a big difference between watching something happen and being willing to walk through it.They watch Elijah take his cloak.They watch him strike the water.They watch the Jordan divide.They watch Elijah and Elisha walk across on dry ground.they spectators…Christianity was never meant to be a spectator sport…WE ARE COMMUNION OF THE SAINTS..WE PARTICIPATE IN CHRIST.While the prophets are WATCHINGElisha is right there with Elijah.He has been with him at Gilgal.He followed him to Bethel.He followed him to Jericho.And now he follows him all the way to the Jordan.The Jordan is significant.. this is where Israel crossed to enter the promised land..Elijah’s journey traces Israel’s JOURNEY in reverse. and also Ends up at the edge of the Jordan…Both Occasions speak of stepping into something New… one is an entrance the other a departure..—-The Jordan represents our desire to have more of God Presence in our lives..…Elijah asks Elisha — what can I do for you…He basically gives a blank check …spiritually speaking ..He doesn’t ask for anything material.He doesn’t ask for anything selfish.He asks for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit.Now, what does he mean by that?The language of “double portion” comes from the Old Testament inheritance law.The firstborn son received a double portion of the inheritance.So Elisha is essentially saying,“When Elijah is gone, I want to be his spiritual heir. I want to carry on the prophetic ministry God has given him.”And think about what Elisha is asking.For eighteen years, he has watched Elijah.He has seen God use him to confront kings.He has seen him stand against Baal worship.He has seen God answer prayer in extraordinary ways.Elisha knows what he's stepping into.And I believe Elisha has come to understand something:Gods calling is bigger than the strength HE HAS to fulfill it. he asks for what he will need.He's asking,“God, give me what I need to be faithful to the calling You've placed before me.”And that was a big ask.Elijah looks at him and says,“You have asked a hard thing.”Why?Because Elijah couldn't give Elisha what he was asking for.Elijah could pass on the mantle.But he couldn't manufacture…Gods calling..That belonged to God.And Elijah says,“If you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.”In other words,“Elisha, this isn't mine to give.”The ministry is God's.The calling is God's.The strength is God's.And the power to fulfill it is God's.GOD OFTEN GIVES US STRENGTH FOR WHAT HE CALLING US TOO..Sometimes we pray,“God, take this responsibility away.”And God may be saying,“I'm going to give you grace to get throughout it.”Elisha understood that.He wasn't trusting in Elijah's mantle.He was trusting in Elijah's God.You don't need to know everything that's ahead.You don't need to have everything figured out.We need to know the God who will be there when tomorrow comes…SIMPLY GO TO HIM.Paul said in Philippians 4:6–7Philippians 4:6–7 ESV 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.We learn from Elijah and Elisha how to walk with God through a new season.—T/S first we..1. Keep Moving- Trust God With the Transition2. Stay Close — Don't Let Change Distance You From God3. Step Forward — Trust God for What Comes NextOne of the first Christian movies I ever watched was Chariots of Fire.It tells the story of Eric Liddell, a Scottish runner who competed in the 1924 Olympics.He was one of the favorites in the 100 meters, but when he discovered the race was scheduled for a Sunday, he refused to run.For Liddell, Sunday wasn't just another day on the calendar… it was the Lord’s day…His faith shaped the way he lived—and sometimes faith meant saying no, even when it cost him something.He eventually ran the 400 meters and won the gold medal.But the movie isn't really about running.It’s about calling…It’s about living for something greater than personal achievement.OUR LIVES ARE Driven by something…Sometimes its personal success…It’s recognition..Sometimes it is getting through the week..But the Story of Elijah is about LIVING FROM sense of Calling…Steppinginto ones calling…In 2 Kings 2.Elijah has been running his race.He has stood before kings.He has confronted idolatry.He has called Israel back to the Lord.And now, his earthly race is coming to an end..Verse 11 WE HAVE THIS SUPERNATURAL DEPARTURE. WHILE THEY WERE still TALKING GOD SHOWED UP.says:2 Kings 2:11 ESV 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.GODS TIMING IS PERFECT.. HE IS NEVER LATE OR EARLY..Elijah's ministry is not ending because he failed.It is ending because God is finished with this part of his calling.This is a transition.One generation of ministry is coming to an end, and another is beginning.And notice what happens next.2 Kings 2:12–13 ESV 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.FIRST GOD SEPERATES THEM ..AND HE IS LEFT ALONE.. DEPARTURES CAN BE HARD…I HAVE HAD MANY…EVERY TIME WE VIST FAMILY WE KNOW THERE IS A DEPARTURE COMING.Elisha grieves.He tears his clothes.He feels the loss of his mentor, his friend, his spiritual father.THERE IS NOTHING WRONG IN GRIEVING LOSS…BUT YOU CANT STAY IN GRIEF FOREVER.… YOU GOT TO GET UP..But then Elisha does something important.Afterwards…He picks up Elijah's mantle.The mantle that had belonged to Elijah is now in Elisha's hands.The calling continues.The ministry continues.The God who worked through Elijah is not finished.And that's the picture of stepping into a new season.Something has ended—but something new is beginning.Elijah is gone.But God is still present.And Elisha has a decision to make.He can stand there mourning what he lost,or he can pick up what God has placed in his handsand step forward.And sometimes that's what faith looks like.It’s important thatWe honor what God did in the previous season ..Before STEP INTO THE NEW.thank God for what was— and trust Him for what comes next.Because we don't always know what the next season will hold.But we know who holds it.Faith doesn't require us to see the whole road.It simply asks us to take the next step. Elisha picks up the mantle.And he steps forward.Step into your calling!CONCLUSION.Charles Spurgeon once said,“Conversion is turning into the right road, the next thing is to walk in it.”And that really is the Christian life..Getting on the right road and walking.There are no shortcuts in Christendom.There will be seasons when the road is clear,and seasons when we can barely see the next step.There will be arrivals and there will be departures.There will be things God brings into our lives—and things God takes away.And sometimes the hardest part isn't knowing that the season is changing.It's trusting God when we don't know what comes next.That's where Elisha found himself.Maybe you're standing at a Jordan.Something has changed.And you're wondering,“God, what are You doing?”How is it going Pan out?But here's what you do know:The God who led you here has not left you here.The God who was faithful in the last season will be faithful in the next one.Don't let fear of the unknown keep you from following God.we need .. Keep walking.Stay close.Step forward.The writer of Hebrews says,“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus.”Notice where our eyes are to be fixed.Jesus.Not the road.Not the circumstances.Not the uncertainty.Jesus.Because ultimately, our confidence is in Christ..We have communion today.. we are reminded..There is One whocame into this world,lived the perfect life,went to the cross,conquered the grave,and now sits at the right hand of the Father.Jesus has already gone before us..He has proved be trusted worthy..We can trust Him with whatever comes next.Let’s prep are our hearts to receive..We come communion..maybe this is your Jordan… leave the old pick up the new.. 2 Kings 2:1–6ESV
2 Kings 2:7–10ESV
Philippians 4:6–7ESV
2 Kings 2:11ESV
2 Kings 2:12–13ESV
Richvale Community Church
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