THE PRICE OF MINISTRY

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1 Kings 19:19-21:  (19)"So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with the twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. (20) And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, 'Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.' And he said to him, 'Go back again, for what have I done to you?' (21) So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled there flesh, using the oxen's equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant."
 
God is preparing leadership- someone to take Elijah's place. Some have no responsibility to the ministry. But Elisha completely changed. He made it impossible to go back to his old life- he killed the oxen and burned all the equipment. He made a clean cut from his old life. He totally embraced the call of a servant to Elijah.
 
Paul often said that he was a prisoner of the Lord Jesus Christ. He gave all control to God. Elisha left his old life and became a servant- which means yieldness and obedience. A servant must be ready at all times. It isn't about "my time"- it is about "His time"- what He wants- it's all about Him! Paul said "I die daily" (1 Corinthians 15:31).
 
Luke 9:57-62 verse 62: "But Jesus said to him, 'No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.'"  Some Christians want the best of both worlds. They want to continue their old lifestyle and the ministry at the same time. They are not willing to sacrifice their time to the ministry. They still want control of their lives and are not willing to let God have control.
That verse- 62- basically says-- if there's something more important to do BEFORE following the Lord- just forget it- once you go back to do it- you won't follow Christ.
 
Peter was one that emphatically announced that he would follow Christ but when Christ was arrested Peter denied that he knew Him. Later after Christ was crucified, Peter went back to his old life of fishing because things hadn't turned out the way he thought they would. John 21:15-19 as Christ appears to the disciples by the sea after His resurrection he asks Peter three times if he loved Him. Peter was all over that question and responded three times - You know that I love you". Christ replied: "Follow me".  He told Peter to not be concerned what happens to the other disciples, but for him to follow Christ.
 
We think we have lots of time to do "our thing" before Christ returns. But God is looking for people with a TOTALLY OPEN SCHEDULE! Those who are totally available to the Lord. If you truly love Him you will forget your "life" to follow Christ.  Remember Paul's words-"I, the prisoner of the Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 3:1; 4:1).

There is nothing more important that serving Jesus Christ.

(Taken from Pastor Keith's sermon, 3/3/2013)

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