THE MIRACULOUS OF HEAVEN: The Axe Head Floats
2 Kings 6:1-7 (ESV) Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there.” And he answered, “Go.” 3 Then one of them said, “Be pleased to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I will go.” 4 So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. 5 But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, “Alas, my master! It was borrowed.” 6 Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float. 7 And he said, Take it up.” So he reached out his hand and took it.
1) Work - towards what God’s calling you to
God’s Purpose and his promises in this present world Verses 1-3
Message Version: “You can see that this place where we’re living under your leadership is getting cramped—we have no elbow room. Give us permission to go down to the Jordan where each of us will get a log. We’ll build a roomier place.”
The prophets first Demonstrated Initiative – in this example it’s initiated tied to “ministry growth / expansion”; but what do we know about Ministry?! As followers of Christ it happens all around us.
Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV) Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Ministry in….
In our relationships
In our workplace
In our schools
Serving our students / serving our clients
Our lives are to reflect Christ and Christ’s ministry
As a parent, moments of challenge are moments of ministry – investing God’s
God’s word says, “I know the plans I have for you…” “I will give you the desires of your heart”.
Those PLANS those DESIRES are not our selfish wish lists, they are ordained by God and revealed to us by His spirit – our free will accepts them, embraces them
Work is ministry - as a follower of Christ
Signing your employees checks
Approving your teams time cards
Managing your department budget
Developing a strategic plan to balance sustainability and growth
For our plans, for our job, for our family - they take work – they take initiative - and since they are from God, only God can truly do what he has called to be done.
There is going to have to be a miracle because things are not always going to go as planned.
2) Speak Out - the Need for the Miracle
Verse 5 But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, “Alas, my master! It was borrowed.”
I cannot imagine this was quiet – the need for a miracle had to be declared
Can you hear it?! - “Oh, no, no, no, no, no!”
The “son (figuratively) of the prophet” had to make his need for a miracle known to the prophet – a leader in his community
When we need a miracle, speak it out.
To God - His heart is for relationship with us. That we can come to Him with our every need, failure, and fault.
Psalms 142:1-2 (ESV) With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for
mercy to the Lord. I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.
To fellow believers - Humans are made for relationship and community.
Paul recognizes this in the book of Galatians.
He writes, encouraging believers to “call each other up” from sin AND to “Help each other out” - be there, share in the need, the vulnerability, and then when the miracle happens the rejoicing and celebration of what God has done.
Galatians 6:2 (NIV) Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of
Christ.
3) Testimony After The Miracle
1 and 2 Kings, is about, yes, you guessed it, THE KINGS - and it is about the people of Israel going down-hill due to their decisions. But Kings is also a narrative about THE PROPHETS and their calling God’s people back to Him.
There are miracles of God leading into this story,
… and then the Miracles continue to happen after the story. In this chapter alone.
Listen to this list!
The army under siege, so God provides a miraculous victory through an abundance of horses and chariots of fire that caused blindness in the enemy - remember that ax head that floated?
Famine that caused inflation (I’m telling you, this is what happens when you ask the econ major to speak, I get going on inflation) that turned into canabalism out of desperation - but remember, the ax head floated
That same famine then turned into a bounty on Elisha's head, But God brought a radical end to the famine - and remember, that ax head floated.
It seems insignificant - the ax head - in the context of miracles that preceded and followed. But it’s a marker in time. A testimony of what God did. And what God has done, he will continue to do.
Our take away from this miracle is the confidence to know that if we can identify one of our ax head moments, we can approach our next situation knowing - and looking forward to - and claiming in advance - the Miracle that only God and do!
I look at my life, I see the miracles God has done - in relationship, in provision○ In this room, my friends, same thing. Just last week the lobby team praying for another miracle for a friend taking the next step into where God is calling his family - But I see so clearly all the miracles God has already done in their world, the impact of those answered prayers on so many others, and it only builds my faith to know that God is going to show up big again.
Best miracle of all – God calling us into radical life changing relationship with him
Ephesians 2: 1-7 (NLT) Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.[a] He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
The ax head wasn’t just a miracle for a book and a flanelgraph story – it was a miracle in a line/chronology of miracles – testament to God’s sovereign grace and provision.
The ultimate miracle in our story as a Christian is that of Salvation – For He (GOD) Raised US from the dead along with Christ! That is the miracle that puts other miracles in my life into motion.