The Lutheran Hour
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"Overextended and Under-Befriended"
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Text: 1 Kings 19:4
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May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our strength and risen Redeemer. Amen. Before one knows it, one can easily become overextended and under-befriended. It seems every week, every day, every month, every one has more than a full plate on an overloaded docket.
If you are a parent, it’s apparent you need almost a full-time taxi service to run the kids to ever more events. So tight is the schedule that some children end up practicing sports during a school week at eleven at night. Nothing against balanced sports activities, but too much running, huffing, and puffing is a formula for fatigue, a design for depression, a blueprint for breakdown.
The old evil foe who means deadly woe, likes to get us on the go, go, go; for if the devil gets us dancing to this tune, he can cause much ruin – to our health, our family, our faith. And all the while we are wearing out, we don’t see that we’re living out a version of salvation by works. For a life of commotion has little time for devotion. It has little time to be fed and led by the Spirit through the good news of Jesus.
Joanna Weaver has written a thoughtful book for this modern day malady. Her book has the arresting title, “Having A Mary Heart in a Martha World.” The book beckons us to strive to give up the good for the better, and the better for the best. And the thing that is best is proper rest for the soul as well as the body. That is why the invitation of the almighty, all-loving Son of God needs our ASAP to His RSVP: “Come unto me all you who are weary, overextended and under-befriended, and I will give you rest, refreshment, and renewal!” (Matthew 11:28)
This “overextended and under-befriended” syn-drome is not merely a modern day malady; but it is part of an ancient activism agenda, aimed at causing people to take their eyes off of Jesus. For when we take our eyes off of Jesus, we take our eyes off of God’s Divine dynamic dramatic display of love.
About 2800 years ago, one of Israel’s greatest prophets took his eyes off the coming Savior. Elijah, the tough-bodied, tenderhearted, Tishbite teacher of God’s Word, found himself suffering a severe bout of the blues. Today we would call it depression. Trauma, trouble, and trial over a long stretch of time had him physically exhausted, emotionally spent, personally isolated, and spiritually drawing from an empty well. In short, he was overextended and under- befriended.
The straw that broke the prophet’s back came by way of an attack from the most wicked woman of the Bible. Does the name Jezebel ring a bell? Well, she was certainly ringing Elijah’s bell and making his life a living hell.
Twenty-nine centuries ago Jezebel was the queen of the Northern tribes of Israel, and the king of terror in that part of the world. With heavy-duty help from the Lord God of Israel, Elijah wiped out 450 of Jezebel’s prostitute promoting prophets. With fire coming down from heaven, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Three-in-One God, revealed his glory. On Mount Carmel, Jezebel’s fertility god had proved infertile. Despite all the Baal prophet’s ranting, raving, and rolling around, for hours – nothing. Despite cutting themselves up in a bloody mess – nothing. Despite all the prayers by all these prophets, not even a flicker of fire came from heaven to burn up the sacrifice.
Elijah told the witnesses there that day, “enough of this aerobic incense and salvation by works nonsense!” Taking twelve stones, one for each of the twelve tribes, and the twelve apostles to come, he built an altar to the God of all grace. He then laid the firewood on the altar, cut up the ox, and put the ox on the wood. After this, he had twelve buckets of water poured over the ox in three installments.
To the Three-in-One God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Elijah prayed. He prayed that not only would this God, the God who raises the dead, hear his prayer but that the people of Israel would turn to the living God. Immediately, the fire of the Lord fell. The whole offering – the wood, the stones, the ox, the dirt, even the water in the trench – was burned up. The people present fell on their faces worshipping the Creator-Redeemer God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Elijah was so pumped by this victory and the vanquishing of the 450 Baal prophets that he literally runs 20 miles back to Jezreel. Empowered by God with super human strength he runs, inhaling the glorious fumes of triumph eager to see a repentance reformation throughout the land.
Instead, when Elijah gets back to Jezreel, the euphoric exhausted prophet is met with a steel fist. Jezebel, seething over the loss of her porno profit-making prophets puts a contract on Elijah’s head. She wants his head on a silver platter. Sending one of her couriers to Elijah, the message is grim, not glorious. This feminine Pharaoh with a hardened heart, tells Elijah in 24 hours he will be dead.
Elijah, who had just come from the Mt. Carmel experience of transfiguration, is not ready to face this cross. This is too much; his tired knees buckle. There is no priest present to hold up this prophet’s hands. Going from the sweet taste of glory to the bitter taste of death, is a cup he is not prepared to drink. Overextended and under-befriended he wishes life to be ended, but not at the hands of Jezebel. That would be too shameful of a cross to bear.
It was Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers who said, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” Certainly flat out fatigue contributed to Elijah’s faith failure. But also at work was a soul that had taken its eyes off Jesus, as well as had separated himself from the company of God’s royal remnant. So isolated had Elijah been from the fellowship of believers, that he thought that he was the only true believer on the face of the earth. Later, he would learn that there were 7000 souls who had not bowed a knee to the god Baal.
Elijah had hoped the Mt. Carmel meltdown of the Baal prophets would bring about a kingdom of glory here on earth. He had forgotten that the kingdom of the Messiah is foremost here on earth, a kingdom of the cross. Taking his eyes off the coming Messiah and the coming cross on which the Messiah would be suspended, Elijah became upended.
From Israel south to Judah and south to Beersheba he runs like a deer for dear life. Twenty miles, forty miles, eighty miles, one hundred miles he hightails it toward the land of the Dead Sea. In that hot desolate land he finds a solitary tree and collapses under its shade.
Distracted, disappointed, discouraged, and depressed, this great man of God had lost his equilibrium. This prophet had seen the miraculous hand of the Lord at work in keeping a jar of flour filled and a jug of oil overflowing. He had been God’s instrument in raising from the dead the only son of the widow of Zarephath. He had stood so tall at Carmel against the Baal prophets. Now he finds himself wanting to bail out of life. The good that he would, he cannot do. Like St. Paul in Romans 7 he displays the upside-down character of a sinner-saint. He gives witness to Luther’s observation that all of life is one of peaks and valleys.
“Enough of this wretched life, O Lord! Take my life – I am ready to join my departed ancestors.” Too exhausted to say anything else, Elijah falls asleep under the lonely broom tree.
All at once an angel touched Elijah, waking him up. This angel, my friends, was no ordinary extraordinary angel, but rather was the angel of the Lord. This expression, “the angel of the Lord” is often used in the Old Testament for the Second Person of the Triune God. In other words, before Jesus came to this earth in human form at Bethlehem, he made special guest appearances in the Old Testament as the Angel of the Lord. He did this to further the story of salvation, fan the flames of faith, and protect the royal remnant of Israel.
Remember when Moses meets God at Mount Sinai? It is the angel of the Lord who appeared to him in flames of fire. (Exodus 3:2) It is the angel of the Lord who says, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” (Exodus 3:6) This same angel of the Lord appeared to Hagar as a man; (Genesis 16:7) to Abraham as one of the three visitors, (Genesis 18:2) to Joshua as a commander of God’s army. (Joshua 5:14) When this angel speaks, he speaks as God, acts as God, and does the saving works of God.
To Elijah, this angel of the Lord Jesus comes. Ultimately, Elijah and Moses will one day meet with Jesus on earth. With glorified bodies on the mount of transfiguration, shortly before Jesus goes to the cross, these three meet for a super summit. (Matthew 17:3) There they meet with Peter, James, and John to bear witness that all the prophets testify, that Jesus is the Yom Kippur sacrifice to take away the sins of the world. (Acts 10:43) How unified are the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament and Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross for the sins of the world! This my friends, is the royal redemptive thread that unveils the wondrous weave of this Trinitarian tapestry.
Notice what the angel of the Lord, that is, Jesus, does for Elijah. To help Elijah with his fear, failure, and fatigue, Jesus allows him to slip into a deep sleep. Then he gives Elijah a high-energy, low-fat, and low-cholesterol heavenly meal. The Bible says in 1 Kings 19:6, Elijah looked around and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water.
Next, Jesus puts Elijah to sleep again. He slowly recharges Elijah’s batteries. Once more He feeds him. Following this, he puts Elijah on a good exercise program, sending him on a 40-day hike to Mt. Horeb. (1 Kings 19:8) After rest, good food, and an exercise program, God comes to Elijah to touch his soul. Later, he will add the finishing touch of putting Elijah back into the presence of fellow believers. (1 Kings 19:19) Rest for the body and rest for the soul!
Waiting on top of Mt. Horeb – the range where Mount Sinai sits, Elijah expected God to come to him in glory, grandeur, and great might. So he was surprised when God in mercy did not come to him through a hurricane-like wind that ripped rocks from Sinai’s side. And he was surprised when a mountain-shaking fire-producing earthquake comes, and God in grace does not come to him in that eye-popping event. Instead, God came to Elijah through the thunderous silence of a still small voice (1 Kings 19:12).
Through a quiet voice marked by forbearance, fidelity, and forgiveness, God gave Elijah the lift he needed. He told the sheepish prophet that there were 7000 sheep that still worshiped the Good Shepherd. Through a similar quiet word, God grants to the overextended and under- befriended, abundant consolation. The Bible says, “Faith comes from hearing and hearing through the quiet word about Christ.” (Romans 10:17) That quiet word is a strong word, living and active. (Hebrews 4:12) It brings to us the life, love, and salvation, Jesus merited for us from the cross, and claimed for us through His bodily resurrection. Through the full range of plagues Christ suffered for us upon the cross and Jesus’ exodus from the tomb, God spoke loudly to the world of his love, his pardon, and the gift of heaven. (Hebrews 1:1-2) The power of that history- shaking, life-changing, soul-satisfying word of the cross, God now whispers tenderly to us through the story of Jesus’ love and rescue mission of sinners.
St. Luke describes how the still small voice was at work in the early church. He writes how the early Church devoted itself to the study of the Scriptures and to regular fellowship, to the Lord’s Supper and prayer. (Acts 2:42) Through these staples, the Spirit of God knitted a family of God. Through these means, people learned who they were and the nature of the living God. Through these lifelines of love, they learned about the Lord of love who died on the cross for them and for all, Jesus Christ. Through Him they not only found a friend in God but plenty of friends of God.
That network through the knitting work of the Holy Spirit is about the finest way for one not to become overextended and under-befriended. Overextended and under-befriended? Come what may, even during this busy coming September, look to the angel of the Lord who fed and led Elijah and who, as risen Lord, feeds and leads us through His church today.
We pray – Lord God, in our overextended and under-befriended day and age, help us to be still and know Your glory is Your grace. And help us to know Your grace shines from the cross, where through Your Son, You crossed out all our sins. Through the Church help us to listen to the still small voice Jesus speaks to a hassled hurting humanity. As He strengthened Elijah two thousand, eight hundred years ago, grant us assurance of His full, unconditional, certain salvation today. Hear us for the sake of Him who is the hope of history, the head of history, and the hinge of history, Jesus Christ. Amen.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for August 31, 2003 “Christianity is a Crutch” (Part 2 of 2)
ANNOUNCER: Is Christianity a crutch for the weak? I’m Mark Eischer, here once again with Pastor Ken Klaus. Our topic was motivated by a listener’s husband who said real men don’t need Christianity. Last week we talked about tough men who eventually found themselves up against something they couldn’t conquer. And many of these “real men” ended up finding strength in Jesus Christ. I’d like to pick up our discussion today by asking, “Have people always felt that Christianity was for weaklings?”
KLAUS: Well, let me answer that question in sort of a round about way, Mark. When I’m done, I’ll ask you the same question you just asked me. Let’s talk about the disciples. According to tradition, Matthew was killed by a sword in Ethiopia; Mark – he died in Alexandria after being dragged behind a chariot through the streets. Luke was hanged on an olive tree in Greece; John, he died of old age, but only after exile and a number of narrow escapes. Peter – he was crucified in Rome with his head downward; James the Great – beheaded in Jerusalem; James the Less – thrown off the temple, and then they beat him to death. Philip was hanged on a pillar in Phrygia; Bartholomew was skinned alive. Andrew was bound to a cross from which he kept preaching about Jesus. Thomas was stabbed with a spear; Jude was shot with arrows. Matthias was stoned and then beheaded; Paul was beheaded at Rome by Nero. Now, let me ask, Mark, having listened to that litany of pain and suffering, do you think anybody ought to be able to say Christianity is for sissies?
ANNOUNCER: So where did this idea come from … that religion and Christianity is for those who are, shall we say, faint of heart?
KLAUS: Let me ask, Mark …
ANNOUNCER: You’re going to put me on the spot now?
KLAUS: Well … not too badly. Let me ask you Mark, if I were to talk about the average person, go up to them, and ask them to describe Jesus, would they say he is gentle or tough?
ANNOUNCER: I think gentle would be the most common answer.
KLAUS: Was Jesus a man of action or a pacifist?
ANNOUNCER: And again, we’re talking about the perceptions of most people here, right?
KLAUS: Right.
ANNOUNCER: They’d say a pacifist.
KLAUS: Was Jesus strong or soft?
ANNOUNCER: Soft.
KLAUS: Do you see a pattern developing here?
ANNOUNCER: Yes, I do. Jesus is almost always perceived to be Someone Who is gentle, kind, loving, and turning the other cheek.
KLAUS: Is that the way the Bible shows Jesus?
ANNOUNCER: Well yes, but there’s also more.
KLAUS: Exactly. Jesus also took a whip and chased the moneychangers and merchants out of the temple. Jesus, being the Son of God, was strong enough to fast for 40 days in the wilderness and still ward off the devil’s temptations. Jesus was tough enough to walk up and down the hills and valleys of Galilee, Samaria, and Judea. Jesus was able to outthink, outtalk, outwit every smart guy that tried to trip him up.
ANNOUNCER: So you’re saying that this common belief shows only a partial picture of Jesus?
KLAUS: Exactly! Jesus was, along with being God’s Son, a most exceptional man. He was an apprentice carpenter in the days before power tools. He is an amazing Savior, but He is also a spectacular example of a man. Strong enough to be gentle, powerful enough to be kind, confident enough to be silent in the face of criticism and accusation, committed enough to stand His ground, even though it was inconvenient for Him to do so.
ANNOUNCER: Does this really all make a difference?
KLAUS: Well, it does if you realize that Christianity is in a life and death struggle with Satan for the souls of humanity.
ANNOUNCER: And what difference should it make?
KLAUS: Christianity needs powerful, faithful, strong confident men and women to take the stands that need to be taken, to make the confessions that need to be heard, by the power of the Holy Spirit. As the world goes downhill, it’s going to be harder to be a Christian. That’s why we need a solid example that says the Prince of Peace is also the Prince of Power.
ANNOUNCER: And I hope this all makes a difference to the lady who’s sharing Christ with her husband.
KLAUS: I pray it makes a difference to her husband.
ANNOUNCER: Thank you Pastor Klaus. This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.