Once More unto the Breach! | Third Sunday after Pentecost | 1 Kings 19:9-12
June 26, 2022 | 10:45 a.m.
Third Sunday after Pentecost
READINGS
1 Kings 19:9-12
Psalm 16:1-11
Galatians 5:1, 13-26
Luke 9:51-62
+Points to ponder
- How do you relate to Elijah’s discouragement in his work for the Lord?
- What helps you deal with discouragement in your life?
- How does the Lord comfort you in the midst of disappointment?
+Sermon Transcript
Grace, mercy, and peace be unto each of you from God our Father and our Lord and King, Jesus the Christ. Amen.
Let us pray: O God, the Protector of all who trust in You, without whom nothing can be whole, and nothing can be holy: increase your mercy towards us, that, with You as our ruler and guide, we may so enjoy the good things of time, as not to lose the things of eternity, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.
We’ve just come out of the Easter season. I want you to think back a few weeks to the texts we heard during those holy days. Think of what it was like for Jesus’ disciples on what we call ‘Good Friday’ and ‘Holy Saturday.’ Think of their disappointment they felt as Jesus, seemingly helpless, is arrested, tried, and executed. Think of their disillusionment as the tomb is sealed and they feel the necessity to hide wondering if they face the same fate. They had left family and business to be ‘all in’ for and with Jesus – and now they sit in discouragement – seemingly alone – as the world and its malignant machinations goes by, apparently not missing a beat.
Many years before, the prophet Elijah faced his own disappointment, fear, and disillusionment, as we see in today’s text and the context that comes before it.
Elijah was disillusioned to the point of thinking there was nothing more he could do. He had just taken part in the amazing events on Mount Carmel as Yahweh proved that he was God and Baal was not.
With the double acclamation of the people that Yahweh was indeed God and with the slaughter of the prophets of Baal, it seemed as though things were on the right track. Even wicked King Ahab seemed ready to listen to Yahweh through his prophet Elijah.
Despite the apparent victory, Elijah had the rug pulled out from under him. Ahab told Jezebel what had happened on the mountain, and Jezebel vowed to have Elijah put to death.
Now, Elijah was no stranger to trouble. He’d been on the run before. Throughout the whole drought, he was avoiding Ahab and Jezebel. And in those circumstances, Elijah continued doing the things God gave him to do.
But this time is a bit different. Elijah was afraid. Elijah fled to the south. In the wilderness, Elijah asks to die. Elijah is done. And so, he finds a cave at Horeb in which he could sit and lament his pitiful position. But Yahweh invites Elijah to sound off with his grievance as He asks, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Elijah replies, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”
There’s no doubt that we can appreciate how Elijah felt. We may feel disillusioned to the point of believing Christian labors are hopeless.
I mean, you know the feeling – and so do I! We’ve invested time, talent, and treasure for such a good cause – ostensibly for the spread of the Gospel and oft times the response is at best tepid, irritatingly indifferent. We sometimes wonder does God really mean for me to be in this place at this time – living out the callings to be parent, grandparent, laborer, friend, neighbor, bearer and proclaimer of the Good News? Is this really the battle to which Christ calls you and me?
The English army under Henry V once knew this discouragement too. “King Henry V of England stands outside the French town of Har fleur. He and his men have crossed the channel, pursuing what Henry has been convinced is his rightful claim – the kingdom of France. They’re on their way to Paris, but Har fleur stands in their way. They’ve besieged the city and are striving to scale the walls. The English soldiers are tired and weary, disillusioned, and some may be fearful and ready to quit, but good King knows that it’s now or never. He knows he must encourage his men to keep on going, to try one more time, to take the city while the opportunity is there. He must rally his men.
As Shakespeare tells it, Henry gives a speech to stir their English blood, and in that rallying speech, he utters the now famous words ‘Once more unto the breach!’ He’s saying, ‘Get back to it and take this castle! Now is the time for action! There’s still work to do!” And now some use that as a rallying-cry for all sorts of things, important and mundane.”
Elijah was feeling that kind of discouragement as he fled from Jezebel, and we know the feeling too. But God had a rallying cry and vital tasks yet for Elijah to complete. When we feel unable to go on even one more day, the Lord reminds us that we have been redeemed by the holy blood of Jesus, and therefore He will always be with us. We have the Almighty Ally as we go once more unto the breach, in the work He has for us to do.
God still had work for Elijah to do – with the Lord’s own assurance. God had not abandoned Elijah, and Elijah was not correct in his evaluation of the situation. It was dire and seemingly desperate, to be sure, but God was still in control. God fed and nourished Elijah for the journey.
God allowed Elijah to voice his complaints, but there was still work to do. God spoke and put Elijah back on track, assuring him that he was not alone and sending him out to do the work God had given to him to do. Once more unto the breach!
As we head into this Pentecost season and ponder the work of the Church through the ages, God still has work for you and me – for us to do – with the assurance of Christ’s own victory.
Our situations can be dire, even apparently desperate, at least in our own estimation. But God has not abandoned us. God is still in control. He is victorious for us in Christ Jesus.
When I was a kid there was a ‘TV movie ‘Eric’ where we watched a young athlete, Eric, struggle with cancer. There is a scene in which he stands on the beach of the family’s summer home with his father. ‘Daddy,’ he says, ‘remember how I wanted to swim across the bay with you? We got halfway across, and I said I couldn’t make it. Remember how you reached out and helped me? Well, Daddy, I don’t think I can make it now.’ Eric’s father quickly spread his arms around him and said, ‘I’ll help you.’ [That was God’s promise to Elijah and] that’s God’s promise to us [ - to me and you].”
Even now, in the midst of whatever disillusionment and disappointment we have as God’s people, He encourages us to not flounder and wallow in despair. Jesus reminds us: “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”
“Enemies of the Gospel can persecute believers only within limits set by our heavenly Father. Because He is in charge of our lives, we need not be afraid of those who oppose us because we confess Christ.”
When we feel disillusioned like Elijah did, we take solace in the consolation of the Lord who helps us. He feeds and nourishes us in His Word and Sacraments – driving fear and disappointment away. He allows, even invites us, to lay out what is on our minds – to lay bare our hearts – in prayer before Him.
“A small girl had been promised the privilege of climbing to a nearby hilltop where her brother enjoyed playing. But when she came within sight of the steep, rough path, she drew back in dismay. ‘Why, there isn’t a smooth spot anywhere. It’s all bumpy and stony!’ she exclaimed.
‘Yes,’ said her more experienced older brother, ‘but how else would we ever climb to the top if it wasn’t? The stones and bumps are what we step on to get there.’”
And so, there is still work to do. He promises with His words that we are not alone and that His Church will go on. And He sends us out to fearlessly do the things He has given to us to do.
IN CHRIST’S VICTORY, THERE’S STILL WORK TO DO. Beloved, ‘Once more unto the breach!’ Today and every day. Amen.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”