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Feb. 11, 2018 | Transfiguration of the Lord

Passing the Mantle
2 Kings 2:1–15

I T’S A SAYING from the King James Version that has made its way into common vocabulary. Passing the mantle. Let’s get confusion out of the way. Mantel is not mantle. One is a wooden frame for a fireplace, the other is a cloak.

In the Harry Potter books, the Cloak of Invisibility is passed from generation to generation. The cloak has a long history. Over time it ends up in the hands of Henry Potter, who passes it to his son Fleamont. Fleamont passes it to James, Harry Potter’s father. Dumbledore borrows the cloak from James to study it. James is killed and the cloak is left in Dumbledore’s possession. Ten years later, Harry Potter receives the Cloak of Invisibility from Dumbledore as a Christmas present. Harry resolves to pass it on to his children one day, just as his ancestors had done.

When one passes the mantle, they pass leadership. Or pass power to another. Or a secret code. Or their faith. Passing the mantle is to pass along something of great value to another person — be it the Cloak of Invisibility, the cloak of Elijah, or your cloak of Christian faith.

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ELISHA ASKED ELIJAH for one request. He wanted to inherit a double portion of God’s spirit. What does that mean? Elisha wants a blessing of double Elijah’s holiness. Elijah has been Elisha’s mentor, teacher, adviser, spiritual director.

That raises the question who was your mentor? Or maybe still is a mentor to you? Maybe you think in terms of positive influence. Someone who leads you, teaches you. Someone you turn to for guidance. An experienced or trusted adviser. Perhaps it’s a parent. Maybe a teacher. Someone at work who took you under her wing and taught you all the ins and outs of the business. A youth leader or a pastor or the parent of a friend.

Mentors are all over. People who influence us in intentional ways.

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I’VE HAD DIFFERENT MENTORS in my life at different times. Someone who has passed along to me knowledge or their experiences. Mike Brewer is one. Mike is not much older than I but he went to seminary straight from college. I took a five-year detour. Mike was my first field education adviser while in seminary. He was doing ministry and mentored me for a year. It was an invaluable time that really set my course in how to preach and lead and do the stuff of the church. We’re still friends after over 30 years and I still respect his integrity and ministry style.

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SO, WHO IS YOUR ELIJAH? Who has passed to you the mantle of wisdom, power and the Holy Spirit?

Passing the mantle. Handing down something of value to someone else. We might call that a legacy. We all leave a legacy. Each one of us. It might be a good legacy. It might be bad. It might be helpful, beneficial or harmful, damaging. But the thing is, we make a difference — one way or the other.

Author James Cabell (rabble) wrote, “While it is well enough to leave footprints on the sands of time, it is even more important to make sure they point in a commendable direction.”

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SO, MY NEXT QUESTION to you is this: What are you leaving for others (which direction do your footprints lead?) It might be good. It might be not so good.

For example: You might be passing a legacy of racial divide. Perhaps of disrespect for women. Maybe financial mismanagement. Disrespect for others or the law. Abuse. Neglect. The truth is this: You will pass on something to your children and grandchildren and people who look up to you … the question is, what?

Regarding faith, you are passing the mantle. It might be a mantle of indifference. It might be a mantle of righteousness — of double portion. The mantle of faith you pass to others, importantly your family, makes a difference. Now, supposing you want to pass the mantle of passionate follower of Jesus, here what you can do now:

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DEMONSTRATE YOUR FAITH. Some ways to do this:

✓ Be an example of loyalty to God. You simply cannot pass on a faith that you do not have. You are role models for faith and loyalty to God. Remember, your actions will speak louder than your words!

✓ Pray regularly with your kids and others. Pray at dinner. Pray at bedtime. Prayer is a way to acknowledge God’s presence in your life. I’ve said this before. Instead of saying to someone at work, “I’ll pray for you.” Actually pray with them right then, in their presence whether in person or text or Facebook. Pass along the faith that you rely upon God and need His presence in your lives.

✓ Remind yourself and others of God’s importance. There are many ways and opportunities to do this. The goal is that faith becomes a natural part of your lives instead of faith is what you do on Sunday. Don’t isolate spiritual discussions from the daily ebb and flow of your lives.

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THOSE ARE A FEW WAYS in which we can begin to pass the mantle of faith to others. I’ll leave you with this quote from Billy Graham:

“The greatest legacy one can pass on is not money or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.”

— Keith Cardwell

2 Kings 2:1–15
Holy Bible, New International Version

Elijah Taken Up to Heaven
2 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. ²Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.”

But Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

³The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”

⁴Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho.”

And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.

⁵The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.”

⁶Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.”

And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.

⁷Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. ⁸Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

⁹When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”

“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

¹⁰“You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours — otherwise, it will not.”

¹¹As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. ¹²Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.

¹³Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. ¹⁴He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

¹⁵The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.

— This is the Word of the LORD.