??Intro：What do you want to be when you grow up？Maybe some of you girls said, "I want to be a teacher." Or maybe you said, "a doctor." And boys, I'm sure some of you said, "an engineer" or "astronaut."
??Do you think God cares what you want to do when you grow up？Oh yes! God cares because He already has a wonderful and wise plan for your life, the very best plan. If you know the Lord Jesus already, you can be sure God wants you to serve Him. Perhaps some of you will serve the Lord as you are a teacher or engineer or doctor. But some of you God will call to serve Him in full time ministry, just like He did Elijah.
??Elijah had no other job than to be a prophet of God, and for many years Elijah had faithfully done his job. But now he is old. Do you remember the name of the helper God had sent to Elijah？Their names are very much alike! Elisha had been a farmer working with his father before God called him to follow Elijah.
??Main Truth：It must've been a very big decision for Elisha to decide to give up his job and family and the home he'd always known to serve the Lord full-time. Do you know, God still calls people today to leave their jobs and homeland to go and serve Him full-time as pastors and missionaries？Others, like secretaries, policemen, school teachers, engineers, serve God while they do other kinds of jobs. If you are God's child, would you be willing to one day say goodbye as Elisha did to his family, and go and serve the Lord fulltime？Even now as a child, you can begin to serve the Lord. How can a child serve the Lord？By obeying your parents, and telling others about Jesus. Also, when you are reading and memorizing God's Word and spending time in prayer you are not only serving God now, but making the best preparation to serve Him when you grow up! God wants you even as a child to serve Him.
??It must've been a very big decision for Elisha, but he chose to serve God by becoming a helper for Elijah. The younger man Elisha learned so many things about trusting God from old Elijah. Perhaps Elisha even helped Elijah train the young men in the schools of the prophets that were in different cities.
??But the years have gone by now, and Elijah is old. II Kings chapter 2 begins this way："And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven？" Yes, the day had come when Elijah was going to heaven. Do you think he was afraid to leave this life and go on to Heaven？No, Elijah was not afraid, he was ready!
??Gospel：Are you ready to go to Heaven？No one is born ready to go to Heaven. In fact we are born with a sin nature that cannot be in Heaven, since Heaven is a perfect place, free from sin. Pouting, not honoring our parents, being lazy and selfish are some of the ways we sin. But sin is something we can't just wish away, or even wash away. God's Word says the only thing that can take away our sin and make us ready to go to Heaven is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, Who paid for our sin with His precious life and blood. In Luke 24：46-47 Jesus Himself said, ？" it is written？(for) Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day：And that？remission (or taking away) of sins should be preached in his name among all nations？" Jesus knew it was necessary for Him to suffer great pain, shame, even wicked men spitting on Him, so that He could take the punishment we deserved for sin. After Jesus died, He rose on the third day and later went to Heaven. God our Creator loves the world, and He wants all to be with Him in His beautiful home in Heaven. God provided one name and one way, the Lord Jesus Christ, so that we can be ready to go to Heaven. Have you believed on Him so you can be ready to go to Heaven？??Elijah believed God and he was ready to go to Heaven! As Elijah traveled with Elisha to Gilgal, Elijah said, "Elisha, wait here please, for the Lord is sending me to Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you." Boys and girls, do you think Elisha knew God was going to take Elijah home to Heaven？Yes, he knew, and he did not plan to leave Elijah until God did take him home.
??When the two prophets reached Bethel, they were met by the sons of the prophets. No doubt these were some of the men that Elijah and Elisha had trained. The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, "Do you not know that the Lord will take away your master today？" Elisha quickly answered, "Yes, I know it, don't say anything else about it." Perhaps he quietly shushed them so Elijah did not hear their talking. Elijah then came to Elisha and said, "Elisha, wait here please, for the Lord is sending me to Jericho." What do you think Elisha said？You're right if you guessed that Elisha said he would not leave Elijah. So they both went to Jericho. Again, the sons of the prophets in the city of Jericho came to meet Elisha. "Do you not know that the Lord will take away your master today？" Again Elisha shushed the prophets by saying, "Yes, I know it, don't say anything else about it."
??There in Jericho, Elijah said to Elisha, "Elisha, wait here please, for the Lord is sending me to the Jordan River." But as before Elisha said, "As the Lord lives, and as you live, Elijah, I will not leave you." As they came to the Jordan River, the Bible says that fifty sons of the prophets followed from a distance to see what would happen. Elijah took his mantle, wrapped it together, hit the water and suddenly the waters were divided, and the two prophets walked through the Jordan River on dry ground! What a miracle! That probably had not happened since the time God caused the waters of the Jordan to part for Joshua and the people of Israel! This was just one of the great miracles God did through Elijah. I'm sure the sons of the prophets saw this happen from where they were watching, and then they saw the two men walk across. Elijah and Elisha were walking along on the other side of the river when Elijah turned to Elisha and asked, "What do you want me to do for you before I am taken from you？" Elisha was ready with his request! "Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me." Elisha knew if he were going to take Elijah's place, he would need God's power and strength in his life!
??Main Truth：If you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior from sin, God is calling you to serve Him, but you cannot serve Him in your own power and strength. Be sure to spend time in God's Word and pray for His Holy Spirit to give you wisdom, power and strength to serve Him! Jesus said, " ..for without me ye can do nothing." Never think you are smart enough or strong enough to do God's work with your own plans and power! Elisha knew he needed that same Holy Spirit that had worked through Elijah, so he asked for a double portion of it!
??Elijah answered, "You have asked a hard thing：however, if you see me when I am taken from you, you shall have your request; but if you do not see me, then you will not receive it."
??The two men went on walking and talking when suddenly there appeared a chariot & horses of fire that ran between the two prophets, parting them. Then immediately Elijah was whisked away in a whirlwind, up into Heaven. Although it all happened so fast, Elisha did see it, and cried excitedly, "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen!" Elisha was so struck by this unbelievable sight, that he took hold of his clothes and ripped them in two pieces. In Bible times people sometimes did that to show their extreme emotion about something that had happened, and surely this would be a shocking experience for anyone!
??Elisha probably stood for a while staring up into the heavens after Elijah had disappeared. When he looked down, there on the ground he saw the mantle of Elijah that had fallen as Elijah was taken up. Elisha picked up the mantle and walked to the edge of the Jordan River. Had God granted Elisha's request for a double portion of Elijah's spirit？Look what happened next and I think you will know the answer! Elisha took the mantle as Elijah had done, and hit the waters of the river. "Where is the Lord God of Elijah？" asked Elisha. Immediately the waters parted, just as they had for Elijah. Elisha walked through the river on dry ground! Yes, God had given Elisha his request!
??II Kings 2：15 says, "And when the sons of the prophets (which were watching from a distance) saw him, they said, 'The spirit of Elijah does rest on Elisha.' And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him." Yes, Elisha would go on serving the Lord, with the power and strength of the Lord!
??If you know the Lord Jesus, are you willing to tell God that you want to serve Him in any way God chooses？Perhaps He will call you to serve Him full-time some day as a pastor or missionary, but even if God wants you to do another work, you can still serve Him while you do your job. You can serve Him even as child by reading and obeying His Word, by spending time in prayer; by obeying your parents and telling others about Jesus. If you are God's child, will you begin this week to serve Him？Think of all the Lord Jesus has done for you, and it should fill your heart with a great desire to serve Him!
??If you have never believed on the Lord Jesus, you cannot serve Him because you don't even know Him. But Jesus knows YOU and He loves you. Today Jesus wants to save you from the everlasting punishment of sin and make you His child. Will you let Him？??Find out how by going now to "How to Be a Child of God."
??小朋友们, 你长大以后想作什么工作呢？很多女孩子喜欢老师, 或者医生。男孩子呢？肯定有人会说：我要当工程师, 我要当宇航员。
??你觉得神会不会关心你长大以后做什么呢？当然！神其实已经为你的一生制定了一个最好的计划。如果你已经相信主耶稣, 你可以肯定神要让你来事奉他。也许, 神会让你在你的工作岗位上来服侍他, 比如做一个老师或工程师, 或医生。但是对于有的人, 神也许会呼召他来全时间服侍神, 就像神呼召以利亚一样。以利亚唯一的工作就是做神的先知。他忠心地在这个职位上做了许多年。你记得神差派谁去帮助以利亚吗？他们的名字非常相像, 那就是以利沙。以利沙在神呼召他以前和他的父亲一起在种地。
??对于以利沙来说, 放弃他的工作, 离开他的家庭, 去服侍主一定是一个很大的决定。
??你知道吗？神在今天仍然呼召人来放下他们的工作, 离开他们的家乡, 去全时间作一个牧师或传道人来服侍神。其他的基督徒, 比如说做秘书的, 做警察的, 做老师的, 做工程师的, 都可以在他们的工作岗位上来服侍神。如果你是神的孩子, 你会不会愿意有一天像以利沙一样跟他的家人说再见, 去全时间的服侍神呢？甚至现在, 也许你只是一个7, 8岁, 10几岁的孩子, 你也可以开始来服侍神。一个孩子怎么来服侍神呢？那就是顺服你的父母, 并把主耶稣传讲给别人。并且, 当你在读和背诵神的话, 在祷告的时候, 你也是在服侍神。同时, 你也在为将来长大以后服侍神作最好的准备。即使你只是一个小孩子, 神也希望你能来服侍他。
??对以利沙来说, 这一定是一个很大的决定。他决定来服侍神。他成为了以利亚的仆人。年轻的以利沙从以利亚那里学到了很多关于信靠神的事情。或许以利沙还帮助以利亚训练了在各处先知学校里的年轻人。
??许多年过去了, 以利亚也老了。列王记下第二章开始这么讲到, 耶和华要用旋风接以利亚升天。 是的, 以利亚要去天堂的时候到了。你认为他会害怕离开这个世界去天堂吗？不！以利亚不害怕, 他已经准备好了。
??你准备好去天堂了吗？没有人生下来就准备好去天堂。事实上, 因为天堂是一个完美的地方, 完全没有罪, 而我们却天生有罪性, 是不能去天堂的。我们本应尊敬父母, 但我们却不听他们的话, 常常懒惰, 自私, 这些都是我们的罪。我们自己不能把我们的罪除去。神的话说：唯一能使我们的罪除去的就是相信主耶稣。他为了我们的罪流出宝血, 付出了他宝贵的生命。路加24：4647说, 照经上所写的, 基督必受害, 第三日从死里复活, 并且人要奉他的名传悔改赦罪的道, 从耶路撒冷起直传到万邦。主耶稣知道他必须受苦, 受羞辱, 被人吐唾沫, 这是为我们的罪受到的惩罚。主耶稣死后, 他在第三天复活。后来又去了天堂。神爱这个世界, 他创造了我们, 他希望我们都可以去那美好的天堂。神给了我们一个办法, 一条道路, 就是主耶稣基督。我们可以籍著他准备好上天堂。你有没有相信他, 并籍著他预备好去天堂呢？??以利亚相信神, 他也准备好去天堂了！当以利亚和以利沙在吉甲的时候, 以利亚说："耶和华差我往伯特利去, 你等在这里就行了。" 以利沙说："我指著永生的耶和华又敢在你面前起誓, 我必不离开你。" 小朋友们, 你认为以利沙知道神要接以利亚去天堂吗？是的, 他知道！他也下决心一直跟踪在以利亚的身边, 直到神把他接回天家。
??当他们来到伯特利, 住在伯特利的先知门徒出来迎接他们。我们相信这些人一定受过以利亚和以利沙的训练。他们对以利沙说："耶和华今日要接你的师傅离开你, 你知道不知道。" 以利沙马上回答说："我知道, 你们不要作声。" 也许因为他们马上停止谈论这件事, 所以以利亚没有听见他们的对话。以利亚又对以利沙说："耶和华差遣我往耶利哥去, 你可以等在这里。" 你猜猜以利沙会说什么？如果你猜以利沙说他不会离开以利亚, 那么你对了。所以他们两个人都到了耶利哥。同样的, 住耶利哥的先知门徒对以利沙说："耶和华今日要接你的师傅离开你, 你知道不知道。" 他说："我知道, 你们不要作声。"
??在耶利哥的时候, 以利亚对以利沙说："耶和华差遣我往约但河去, 你可以等在这里。" 以利沙还是像以前一样回答说："我指著永生的耶和华, 又敢在你面前起誓, 我必不离开你。" 然后他们就来到约但河。
??圣经说, 有50个先知门徒, 远远的跟著他们, 要看看会发生什么事。以利亚把自己的外衣卷起来, 用来打水, 水就左右分开, 二人走干地过了约旦河。这是一个何等的神绩啊！自从神为约书亚和以色列的百姓分开约旦河的河水, 这事还没有再发生过。这只是神借著以利亚所行的其中一件神绩。我相信那些先知门徒一定看到了这件事, 看到他们两个一起走过约旦河。以利亚和以利沙走在约旦河的另一边时, 以利亚问以利沙说："我未曾被接去离开你以前, 你要我为你作什么只管求我。" 以利沙早就想好了, 他说："愿感动你的灵加倍的感动我!"以利沙知道如果他要继续以利亚的服侍, 他需要神的能力使他更加刚强。
??如果你知道主耶稣把你从罪里拯救出来, 也知道神在呼召你去服侍他, 但你不能靠著自己的能力去服侍。你一定要花时间读神的话语, 求圣灵赐给你智慧和力量来服侍神。主耶稣说, 离了我你们不能做什么。绝对不要以为我们的聪明或才干足以胜任这个工作。以利沙知道他需要在以利亚身上的圣灵。所以他求同一位圣灵来加倍的感动他。
??以利亚回答说："你所求的难得, 虽然如此, 我被接去离开你的时候, 你若看见我, 就必得著, 不然, 必得不著了。" 他们正走著说话, 忽有火车火马, 将二人隔开, 以利亚就乘旋风升天去了。虽然这一切发生的很快, 但以利沙看见了！他激动地喊著说："我父阿, 我父阿, 以色列的战车马兵阿。" 以利沙被这个景像完全震撼了, 以至于他把自己的衣服撕为两片。在那个时候, 人们的这个举动常常意味著他们经历到非常奇特的事情。相信这个经历不管对于谁来说都是非常震撼。
??或许, 以利沙大概朝著以利亚消失的天空看了好一会儿。当他低下头来, 他看见以利亚的衣服掉在地上。以利沙捡起他的衣服, 回去站在约但河边。神有没有照着以利沙所求的赐给他加倍的圣灵呢？我相信你会从下面的故事找到答案。以利沙像以利亚那样, 用以利亚身上掉下来的外衣打水, 说："耶和华, 以利亚的神在哪里呢。" 打水之后, 水也左右分开, 以利沙就过来了。是的, 神已经照着以利沙所求的赐给他加倍的圣灵了！
??列王记下2：15说, 住耶利哥的先知门徒从对面看见他, 就说："感动以利亚的灵感动以利沙了。" 他们就来迎接他, 在他面前俯伏于地。是的, 以利沙可以借著神赐给他的能力和力量继续服侍神。
??如果你已经接受了耶稣做你的救主, 你是不是愿意告诉神, 不管他为你拣选什么样的方式, 你都愿意服侍他吗？或许有一天他会呼召你作一个牧师或传道人来全时间服侍他。但就算神让你作别的工作, 你也同样可以来服侍他。甚至作为一个孩子, 你也可以借著读圣经, 顺服神的话来服侍他, 借著祷告, 顺服你们的父母, 并向别人传讲主耶稣来服侍他。如果你是神的孩子, 你愿意现在就开始来服侍他吗？想想主耶稣为你做的一切, 难道这不会使你的心充满了渴慕要来服侍他？
??如果你还没有相信主耶稣, 你就不认识他, 也不能来服侍他。但耶稣认识你, 他也爱你。今天, 耶稣就想把你从罪的刑罚里拯救出来, 使你成为他的孩子。你愿意吗？请你去听"怎样成为神的孩子" , 来认识我们的主耶稣。 |