IT’S IN YOUR HAND
SETTLE IT FOR YOURSELF

Text: I Ki 19:19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.
I Ki 19:20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? (translation: I delivered the message, now, it’s in your hands!)

Theme: Personal responsibility. God’s choice has been made. God’s prophet, Elijah, had delivered the message. Now the responsibility rests solely on Elisha. Whether to obey or not is up to him.

I. Four quick insights into the text and what it tells us.
A. The dignity of man as a free moral agent is illustrated.
a. Power of choice is dangerous, without the wisdom to make the right choice and the courage to carry it out.
b. God, Himself, will not usurp your right to choose, even when wrong! And so…….

B. We see the responsibility of man to use this God-given privilege wisely.
‘I didn’t know’, --‘It seemed so logical’ --’But I thought’-- ‘ I always heard’;
None of these are valid excuses since -
II Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
II Tim 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

C. We see the righteous jealousy of God. He will NOT play second fiddle.

GOD WON’T PLAY SECOND FIDDLE

Many men believe in God,
‘Though He’s something of a riddle,
And they want Him in the orchestra
As long as He stays on second fiddle!

And He’s welcome to come on every trip,
For protection, and that’s a fact.
As long as He doesn’t cramp their style,
And quietly sits in back.

He can be on the team, as a substitute
And be there, ‘just in case’,
But they’d rather keep Him on the 'bench’
As long as THEY can stand the pace!

But a back seat is no place for Him.
The heavens are His throne;
And He’ll not be a substitute;
He MUST be number one!

He can make the music of the spheres
To swell within your heart,
But He’ll NOT play second fiddle.
He’ll be your ALL, but not a part!
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II. God MUST be first, but it is in YOUR hands.
A. No one else can decide WHEN you will be saved.
B. No one else can decide IF you will be saved.
C. Right or wrong, YOU make decisions and there is no excuse when you make the wrong ones.
John 15::22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.
15:23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
15:24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

D. Will you speak up for Jesus? It’s your decision.
Mat. 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

E. Will you leave the world behind and serve God? It’s up to you!
John 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

F. Will you build for Christ? It’s in your hand!

BUILDING FOR THE LORD

Man’s life is like a hammer,
And each day another nail;
He may decide to build a Temple,
Or, for himself, a jail!

His will is like strong mortar,
Each deed another stone.
He may build himself a prison,
Or, for Christ, a higher throne!

There’s no such thing as waiting,
The building WILL go on!
To waste a day is folly,
And the prison gains a stone!

Don’t try to blame your failures
On others; Take a stand!
Today’s a nail you HAVE to drive.
And the hammer’s in YOUR hand!

Will you build a temple on the Rock,
Or a prison on the sand?
It’s your decision; It’s up to you.
The hammer’s in your hand.
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I Cor 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
I Cor 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
I Cor 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
I Cor 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
I Cor 3:14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
I Cor 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

III In every case it is personal responsibility which counts.

Gal 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
Gal. 6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.

A. Adam tried to blame Eve, but it is still Adam through whom sin came and for whose sin the earth brought forth tares.

B. Eve tried to blame the serpent, but it is still she who put the pain in childbearing.

C. Sarah tried to place the blame for Hagar on Abraham, but it was she who made the decision.
Gen. 16:5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.
Gen.16:6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.

D. Esau tried to blame Jacob, but the birthright was still gone!
Gen 27:36 And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?
Heb 12:16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
Heb. 12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

E. Aaron tried to blame Israel for the golden calf. But it was HE WHO BORE THE RESPONSIBILITY!
Exo. 32:22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.


F. King Saul tried to place the blame on the people, but it was he, who lost his kingdom!
I Sam 15;20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
I Sam 15:21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.
I Sam 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
I Sam 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king

G. Pilate tried to wash his hands of the responsibility for Christ, but history still records him as the one who condemned him to the cross, and he will stand in judgment
Mat 27:24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

H. Blaming Mom or Dad can’t get you off the hook, and the teacher didn’t fail the test; YOU DID!

I. Society can’t make your decisions, nor is it responsible for your failures.

J. Neither the Church nor the Pastor can be held responsible for your Christian failures. God has done all He can possibly do in your behalf - now it’s up to you!

IV Elisha went on to great things in company with God. SO CAN YOU!