The Prophet Hotel

Sunday, February 22, 2009
Transfiguration of Our Lord
Preacher: Pastor Gary Johnson

Readings:
2 Kings 2:1-12
2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Mark 9:2-9


Audio sermon file: http://fileresource.sitepro.com/filemanager/74/filecollections/742/17619852-4B77-5210-E9EB-255332CFA86A.mp3

Today Pastor Johnson shares the story of Elijah The Prophet and mentor and Elisha, the acolyte and protégé. Elisha is scared to death at the prospect of Elijah “movin’ on” and Elisha having to take over the mantle of his mentor.

You’ve been there. After the loss of a job or a mentor, a parent, a loved one. We can’t imagine ourselves without our parents, our jobs. A part of our self-definition is so intimately intertwined with these elements we hold so close to ourselves.

We are tired of dealing with our parents … until the moment their health is threatened or they’re taken from us.

We’ll complain about our jobs … until we think we might not have one.

We’ll make light of our health … until it’s truly threatened.

We’re sick of high school … until “the day after”.

It’s that awful “in-between” place where we’re scared to death. You can hear the voice, Pastor Johnson does it better … “Na Na A Boo Boo!” Welcome to ‘The Clock Starts Tickin’. SHUT UP! The world of Total Denial. We all can relate to wanting to hold on to high school, childhood, singlehood and a lack of responsibility and commitment, a place where we don’t have to grow up.

We can all relate to those in the Gospel who climb to the mountaintop and want to check in to the Prophet Hotel and not ‘come back down’. Who wouldn’t want to hang onto what you’ve got up there.

But … you need, we need to come down from the mountaintop and walk the crooked roads. As Pastor Johnson said the last time he preached on this text:

We have to come down “and face Monday morning”.

We’ve got work to do and it needs doing in the real world.

When Pastor Johnson’s pastor and mentor announced he was leaving their Church, he admits he was petrified, a 14 year old boy holding back the tears a 14 year old dare not show. He ran from the Church sobbing, another Elisha dreading the loss of his beloved Elijah. And when Elisha is asked what Elijah may do for him before he is taken, he asks "for a double share of Elijah’s spirit.”

Elijah replies that what Elisha asks is “a hard thing”, but it will be granted if Elisha “sees Elijahas he is taken from him”, i.e. if he “looks up”! This condition forces Elisha to LOOK UP … in order to have him see where the real power comes from. Jesus knows REAL power is hanging on the cross. Real power is in service and forgiveness. Dubbed “weakness” by this world, these are the real strength, the real power of a disciple.

Whoever you are, something in your life is changing this very morning … your relationships, your work, something. But we are not powerless in the face of change because we are not bound by this world. We do not belong to this world, but to God.

The thing that makes you want to cling to today, to not come down from the mountaintop and face Monday morning will make its way full circle. On October 7, 1973, Pastor Johnson’s old pastor flew from Boston to attend his ordination. In a powerful testimony Pastor Johnson shared that:

"It wasn't about my pastor. It was about my pastor leading me down the path I needed to travel".

You have to let go.

And, IF you let go … you and I, we get the same guarantee Elisha got …

… it’s going to be OK.

God is there to lift you up … on eagle’s wings … and carry you down the path you need to travel.