SERIES: “Summer Blockbusters” SERMON: “Now You See Me” A blockbuster asks one question: Can the Avengers save the world? 2 Kings 6 Asks: “Is Elisha a goner?” 2 Kings 6:8-23 “Now the king of Syria was making war against Israel; and he consulted with his servants, saying, ‘My camp will be in such and such a place.’ And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, ‘Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there.’ Then the king of Israel sent someone to the place of which the man of God had told him. Thus he warned him, and he was watchful there, not just once or twice. Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, ‘Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?’ And one of his servants said, ‘None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.’ So he said, ‘Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.' And it was told him, saying, ‘Surely he is in Dothan.’ Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?’ So he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ The servant's problem wasn't poor eyesight—it was incomplete sight. He saw accurately...he just didn't see fully. Serving without spiritual senses! Engine Light / Lawyers Letter / Past Due Notice. / Gas Prices Your body reacts preparing for survival: Your heart races. Your breathing shortens. Your muscles tighten Your hearing changes Your stomach shuts down. Your thinking narrows. Your sleep disappears Mark 8:17-18 “Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember?” Luke 8:23-25 “But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!” It’s time for you to grow up! It’s time to exercise your spiritual senses! God’s solutions are not on the way, they are right in front of you. To win spiritual battles you must have spiritual senses. God’s power at work in you is greater than the problems surrounding you. Ephesians 1:15-22 “…may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” 1 John 4:4 “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Romans 8:31 ”What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Acts 20:24 “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”And Elisha prayed, and said, ‘Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.' Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, and said, ‘Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.’ And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. Now Elisha said to them, 'This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.’ But he led them to Samaria. So it was, when they had come to Samaria, that Elisha said, ‘Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.’ And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and there they were, inside Samaria! Now when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, ‘My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?’ But he answered, ‘You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.’ Then he prepared a great feast for them; and after they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel.” Hebrews 5:11 “… we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.” Living independently of God. Genesis 3:22 “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever” Fallen self-reliant knowing. Discerning right and wrong independent from God. Hebrews 5:14 “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Redeemed discernment in the Spirit. Become so acquainted with the goodness, beauty, and character of Christ that everything inconsistent with him becomes immediately recognisable. We don't train our senses by staring into darkness; we train them by continually beholding the Light.
