The Big Idea

January 3, 2016

The Big Idea                            NOTES NOT EDITED

2Kings 6:1-7

SIS—Ordinary people can change eternity with “The Big Idea.”

We seldom think about how the big ideas of others have impacted our lives. I don’t know where to start in searching for the “biggest idea” or discovery in history. I think of fire for example. Of course nobody invented it, but somebody discovered how to manipulate it in such a way to offer meat selections other than “rare.” The discovery of fire led to subsequent discoveries of manipulating energy for human benefit. The big idea of “fire” is the great grandparent of atomic energy.

The invention of the “wheel” has to rank high on the list of “big ideas.” Wheels (and the working counterpart of a gear) “make the world go ‘round” so to speak. The world has been on a “roll” of innovation (pardon the pun) since Fred Flintstone first added logs to his prehistoric wagon.

History is filled with men who have had great ideas—Newton, Henry Ford, Edison, Einstein, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckenberg have all impacted our lives in immeasurable ways with their big ideas. And, this list is only the tip of the iceberg in regard to “big idea people.” Henry Ford, especially, contributed perhaps more than any other to the “consumer revolution” of the modern era. His “big idea” of the “moving assembly line” made it possible to offer the “horseless carriage” to the masses. His “big idea” allowed Ford Motor Company to reduce the time it took to build a Model T from 12 hours to just under two hours. The automotive age—the consumer revolution was born. In many ways, Henry Ford is the great grandfather of our “technology age.”  One hundred years ago, who could have dreamed even people in Third World countries would have “smart phones?”

“Big Ideas” impact our lives in ways we cannot imagine. Without “big ideas” we’d still be travelling by horseback and reading by candlelight. We would never have stepped on the moon, transplanted a human heart, or brought wholesale health to the masses through better sanitation and innovations in medicine. Sure, not all “big ideas” have been a boon or blessing. I think of Einstein’s theory of relativity that transformed the way scientists looked at the world. The same “big idea” that gave us atomic energy and nuclear medicine also gave us the atom bomb. “Big Ideas” always impact our lives in significant ways—but not always for the best.

Not all “big ideas” deal with technology and industry to provide for our creaturely comforts and physical needs. There have been great strides made by “big ideas” in psychology that help us to better deal with people who have mental health issues. We still need some “big ideas” in this area but we have come a long way since the barbaric practices of lobotomies and electro-shock therapy. More progress is needed in the area of mental health but we have moved beyond the days of Frankenstein to the era or Einstein in treating emotional and mental issues.

Yet, if I had to pick just one idea as the “Biggest Idea of All,” it would not be in the field of technology, philosophy, or psychology. The “Biggest Idea of All” would be God’s idea of or “redemption.” That truly is an “eternity-sized” idea. The idea that God would come to earth to be born in a manger, die on a cross, rise from the grave, ascend into heaven and will one day come back to collect those whom He has redeemed (paid the penalty of sin for) is truly the “Biggest Idea of All.” That one idea changes all eternity for those who put their trust in the “Idea.”

As we break open a new bottle of days for 2016, I want us to think of the impact of having a “Big Idea” for our individual lives, for our families, and most of all for our churches. Big Ideas have “big impact.” Big “Spiritual” Ideas have eternal impact. Big Ideas lead to “big miracles.” It is a simple matter of cause and effect: the bigger the cause, or idea, the bigger the effect, or resulting miracle.

Great things happen with common folk have “Big Ideas.” Let’s read about a small group with a “Big Idea.”  2Kings 6:1-7.

There are three matters I’d like for us to consider as we crack open a New Year with a “Big Idea.”

1.  The Matter of “More.” (v. 1)

The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Please notice that the place where we live under your supervision is too small for us.

The preaching of Elisha, protégé of the great prophet Elijah, was so effective that the number of disciples wanting to learn from him had expanded greatly.  So much so that the place they held classes had become cramped.  This restricted their learning and hindered their mission as “sons of the prophets.”  Notice that these disciples, students, prophets-in-training did not want to stop reaching people but wanted to make more room for more disciples.

Oh, how I wish more Christian churches had such a dissatisfaction with their number. We have somewhat of a different problem in most churches today:  we have too few disciples and more than enough room instead of too many disciples and not enough room!

Spiritual satisfaction will always lead to spiritual stagnation.  Did you get that?  You might want to write it down to reflect more deeply upon it.  Why is there not “more” happening in our personal lives in regard to spiritual matters?  Why have over 8 out of 10 churches in America reached a state of spiritual stagnation and declining growth?  The answer is simple:  satisfaction.  We are satisfied with where we are and we lack any motivation to do “more.”

The Hebrew word “small” is one of many synonyms describing the size of something. This particular word can also mean, “cramped, or restrictive.”  They were motivated to do “more” because they were “cramped” and their lifestyle was restrictive.  They had become “uncomfortable” physicaly, and perhaps by inference, uncomfortable spiritually.  They were dissatisfied with the present arrangement and wanted “more.”

This matter of “more” can be seen in various ways throughout the holy story, beginning with the first humans (Gen. 1:28):

God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth.

Fruitfulness and fullness are knit into the fabric of humanity.  Along with that is the innate drive for innovation that constantly drives us to find better, or more fruitful, ways to do things.  God created man with an insatiable appetite for adventure and innovation. More is good, if what we seek more of is good.  The idea of “more” however, can get us into trouble when we allow greed to creep into our lives.

Right before this story that recounts Elisha performing the miracle of causing the ax head to float, Elisha performed another miracle.  Elisha had healed the Syrian leader, Naaman of leprosy.  Naaman wanted to repay the prophet of God for the healing.  God’s healing is a matter of grace and no amount of money can repay God for His favor.  Chapter 5, verse 16 records Elisha’s response to Naaman’s offer:

“As the Lord lives,  I stand before Him. I will not accept it.” Naaman urged him to accept it, but he refused.

God’s favor is not for sale at any price.  Elisha, however, had a servant by the name of Gehazi who was not as honorable.  He saw an opportunity to put more in his own pockets (20-24):

After Naaman had traveled a short distance from Elisha, ²⁰ Gehazi,  the attendant of Elisha the man of God, thought: My master has let this Aramean Naaman off lightly by not accepting from him what he brought. As the Lord lives,  I will run after him and get something from him.  ²¹ So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?” ²² Gehazi said, “It’s all right.  My master has sent me to say, ‘I have just now discovered that two young men from the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them 75 pounds  of silver and two changes of clothes.’ ” ²³ But Naaman insisted, “Please, accept 150 pounds.”  He urged Gehazi and then packed 150 pounds  of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes. Naaman gave them to two of his young men who carried them ahead of Gehazi. ²⁴ When Gehazi came to the hill,  ^t he took the gifts from them and stored them in the house. Then he dismissed the men, and they left.

Wanting more, is not in and of itself an evil thing as I have stated.  It becomes evil when we seek more of the wrong things or seek good things for the wrong reasons.  When our desire is to ingratiate ourselves instead of increase the Kingdom work of God as “sons of the prophets” that we bring a curse upon ourselves.  Look at what getting “more” got Gehazi:

²⁵ Gehazi came and stood by his master. “Where did you go, Gehazi?” Elisha asked him. “Your servant didn’t go anywhere,” he replied. ²⁶ But Elisha questioned him, “Wasn’t my spirit  there  when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to accept money and clothes, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves? ²⁷ Therefore, Naaman’s skin disease will cling to you and your descendants forever.” So Gehazi went out from his presence diseased—white as snow.

This matter of “more” is one that we need to understand correctly.  The “sons of the prophets” wanted “more” space so they could continue to grow in the work of God.  They sought more not merely for their pleasure, but because of their passion to serve God.  You better be extremely careful when God allows you to have “more,” or it may become a curse and not a blessing, as in the case of Gehazi. 

2.  The Matter of “Men”

Throughout this lesson, or story, we see the kind of man (or woman) that God uses in His Kingdom’s work.  Big ideas come from men and women with “big character,” or a God-sized heart.  Virtue is the surest weapon for victory in this battle we call life. 

Notice first of all that the best ideas come not from the “biggest men” in the eyes of the world, but by humble men and women of God.  They were not seeking to build some grand cathedral as a testament to themselves, but a simple, log dwelling that would suffice for their necessities. Too often our ideas are not “big”—in the spiritual, godly sense—but merely grandiose.  These were humble men who wanted nothing more than to have adequate space to sit at the feet of a great prophet of God, and learn. 

They were also “poor” men.  Now, being poor is not necessarily a virtue.  Many men are poor because they are lazy.  Some men take a “vow of poverty” as a show of religious devotion.  The Bible condemns the former and never asks for the latter.  Neither the abundance of riches nor the lack thereof necessarily makes a man more righteous.  We do have an abundance of warning in the Bible with respect to the “danger of having an abundance of riches.”  King Solomon the Wise declared:  ^{Eccl. 5:10} The one who loves money is never satisfied with money, and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with income. This too is futile.

Our Lord also cautioned, ^25 “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich  person to enter the kingdom of God.”

These men were not constrained by a great weight of worldly treasures.  We know this because they did not have the resources to put the building out for hire.  They had to do the work themselves.  They didn’t even have money for tools.  They had to borrow an ax, which becomes the hub around which this story turns.  So many people have the idea that “more resources will yield more work in the Kingdom.”  God has accomplished more with common folk than ever with those of great means.

Notice these were also industrious men.  They were “blue-collar” men to borrow a phrase from our day.  They were not afraid to get their hands dirty and calloused.  They were not mere thinkers, but they were doers.  They weren’t watchers, they were workers.  I would remind us all that “we can’t ride a pew to heaven.”  God needs industrious men and women who are participators not spectators.

They were honest men.  When the man lost the expensive head of the ax, he did not seek to conceal the matter, or blame the owner for lending him a faulty tool, or make any other excuse.  He owned his mistake and sought to make it right.

These men were also deeply spiritual men.  They saw great value in the word of God as it was delivered to them by the Prophet.  Notice when Elisha gave them leave to complete their project one man spoke for the group: ³“Please come with your servants.”

As we seek to grasp the “Big Idea” of ministry for this next year and beyond, let us consider the matter of the men (or women) God uses:  humble, poor, industrious, honest, and deeply spiritual men and women are the material from which God fashions His Kingdom.

3.  Finally consider the Matter of “Miracles”

the man of God cut a stick, threw it there,
and made the iron float.

Many skeptics attack this miracle as being nothing more than a “parlor trick,” or a sleight of hand magicians trick not worthy of Holy Scripture.  It does seem rather “this-worldly” or even self-serving compared to the miracle of healing a leper. Yet, God speaks as clearly in the simple as in the profound.  He communicates as surely in a picture book of a toddler as in the great tomes of a philosopher.  The issue is:  iron that usually sinks, now floated merrily (KJV even says swims) upon the surface for all to see and acknowledge the glory of God.

When we consider the matter of miracles, I have come to understand that any undertaking for God that does not require God’s miraculous intervention is not worthy to be called a “Big Idea.”  There are thousands of churches throughout our nation that show what “man can do.”  There are hundreds of cathedrals dotting the landscape of Europe as testaments of the innovation, ingenuity, and even genius of man.  But, they are now empty. They are testaments of ministry void of God’s miraculous Presence. Religion void of a relationship with God. 

Think about this matter of miracles simply: what does one have if one eradicates the “super” from supernatural?  The natural.  At best you have man and nothing more.  At worst you have nothing because nature lacks the power to create itself.  Men have tried to establish a “natural theology,” or a religion devoid of miracles and the supernatural.  These have failed and must fail.  If Christ’s birth were not “supernatural,” He was but a man and nothing more.  His death, without the miracle of the resurrection, was merely the death of a good man.  It lacks any substitutionary or vicarious benefit to anyone.  Heb. 10:4 says,

For it is impossible for the blood
of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Bulls and goats represent the natural world.  A man apart from Christ would be no different than a bull or goat sacrifice, no matter how honorable that man might be. Either Jesus, the Man, were also Jesus, the God, or his death was just one in a long litany of deaths from time in memorial. 

The whole foundation of Christianity rests on the possibility of the miraculous, and its systemic expression throughout history. 

Unfortunately, the church is full of “practical atheists.” In their speech the promote, even passionately at times, the belief in God, a profound trust in the Bible, and a ready acceptance of the miraculous so often expressed in the Bible.  That’s what the Church expresses in her philosophy; but, in our practice the matter is much different.  We live as if God does not exists, or if He does exist He lives so far beyond the human neighborhood as to have no impact on our daily lives.  Miracles by definition are not common events.  The fact that few Christians and few churches ever experience a miracle is not due to the nature of miracles, but the carnal nature of man.

An idea that does not require the miraculous intervention of God is not worthy to be designated a “Big Idea.”  It may be a “good idea,” but “Big Ideas” require the intervention of God or they will fail miserably. The prominent Founder of CBN--Christian Broadcast Network—and the long running program, The 700 Club, Pat Robertson is a person loved by some, hated by many, and ridiculed by more than a few.  Often, some of the things he has said have even caused his staunchest supporters to raise an eyebrow.  He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, as the son of a U.S. Senator.  He had an encounter with God and it took him in an entirely different direction.  One of the first books I read after becoming a Christian at the age of 18 was the autobiography of Pat Robertson titled, “Shout It From the House Tops.”  I’ve lost my original copy but I remember
writing something on the inside cover.  I believe it was a quote from the book, or a thought I had from reading the book.  That note on the inside cover said, “Attempt something so great that if God does not intervene, it will fail miserably.” Man can do great things:  split the atom, send men to the Moon, build massive structures, or invent unbelievable gadgets.  God wired man with an almost “miraculous” creativity and ingenuity. Yet, all the creativity and ingenuity of all mankind combined cannot qualify for a “Big Idea.”  A truly Big Idea requires the miraculous intervention of God by His Own Hand!  That’s the kind of “Big Idea” I’m preaching about.  Not just a “Big Idea” that changes the world, but a “Big Idea” that changes eternity!

CONCLUSION:

The history of man has been the history of “Big Ideas,” from the invention of the wheel to the innovation of the silicon microchip.  These “Big Ideas” have had an enormous impact (forgive the pun) on humanity, some for good and some for ill but most have enriched the quality of life on this planet.  Big Ideas have mitigated suffering and increased enjoyment in many areas of our lives.  But, the “Biggest of the Big Ideas” enriches not only our time on earth, but our time in eternity.

The “Biggest Idea” of all is God’s idea to “redeem mankind.”  The idea of redemption, as outlined in the story of the Bible, is the “Biggest Idea of All.”  It changes everything—including a person’s eternal destiny.

Our “Big Ideas” can never match God’s Big Idea, but should be in line with it.  The students of Elijah did not just want a “Bigger Place” to impress the world, but a “Bigger Vision” to impact the world.  We need to come up with “bigger and better ideas” in which we, as the People of God, can have an eternal impact upon our world. Every idea we have should line up with God’s Biggest Idea:  “Go into all the world and make disciples.”

Let’s all go “Big” in 2016!