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May I speak in the name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. 

First of all, let me thank Nicholas for the invitation to preach this evening. And also the college and chapel community for the warm welcome and support I have enjoyed while helping out these last two terms. 

In all the years I have been preaching, I have never been asked to preach on Ecclesiasticus. I assume that is because, in many church circles, it is regarded with some suspicion. It is one of those shady, possibly slightly dodgy books banished to the hinterland of the apocrypha. Sandwiched as they are in no-mans-land between the Old Testament and the New, many versions of the Bible simply omit them. Cranmer declared at the Reformation that such texts were not to be used to establish doctrine but were nevertheless useful for “example of life and instruction of manners.” Around the same time, the word “apocryphal” which literally means “hidden away” came to mean something of dubious authenticity, and their disgrace was complete. 

But, here we are today in Ecclesiasticus. So, come with me to The Twilight Zone, the dark and shady space between the testaments. 

Today’s passage is part of a seven chapter section towards the end of Ecclesiasticus which begins “Now let us praise famous men.” What follows is an extended hagiography to famous men, and I’m afraid they are all men, from Jewish history. From Enoch, Abraham and Moses on. And today, we have Elijah. 

It is not an exaggeration to say that Elijah is the greatest of the prophets in the Old Testament story. Along with Moses, he towers over Israel’s history. The potted history, or CV, of Elijah which we have heard read this evening is just the highlights of his life. I found myself wondering what he might have written if LinkedIn had existed: 

“Elijah - a seasoned and experienced prophet of the most High God. Has completed several high-profile project turn-rounds, including one resurrection. Extensive experience of flammable processes and substances, weather control systems, and disruptive intervention in food supply chains. A person of great integrity, not afraid to speak truth to power. Involved in strategic management change at the highest level. Now retired from public life but open to further opportunities when the time is right.” 

No other prophet bar Moses demonstrated the power of God so dramatically, spoke harsh and unwelcome truth to power so fearlessly, fought against the forces of paganism and apostasy so resolutely. Several times he had to flee for his life and go into hiding. It is no exaggeration to say that he transformed the history of Israel. 

Yet, that isn’t the most important part. For, right at the end of the Old Testament. Literally in the last verse of the last chapter of the last book, in Malachi chapter 4 verse 5, we read “Lo, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.” It is surely no accident that this verse appears where it does. History is not yet complete, Elijah’s involvement in it is not yet done. For we are told to watch for Elijah to return. And when he does he will signal the coming of the Messiah to redeem the world. 

Then, a few short chapters into Matthew, the first book of the New Testament, we come to the story of The Transfiguration. It appears immediately before the passage we heard this evening. And there Jesus appears with Moses and, yes you guessed it, Elijah. The significance of this cannot be overstated. As the disciples watch, they hear a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him.” The echoes are so loud, they ring in our ears. We have heard that before, in chapter 3 when Jesus is baptised by John the Baptist. 

And here in chapter 17 is Jesus saying “You missed it! You weren’t listening were you!” Elijah’s message of repentance returned in John the Baptist. And Elijah himself has returned today. What more do I have to do to convince you that I am who I say I am? That I am the Messiah. What more do you need to see? or hear? 

Elijah is the great rubber stamp, the god-sent endorsement of Jesus, of his identity, of his ministry, of his significance for the world. And when you recognise Jesus for who he really is, things happen! 

The sick are healed, the lame walk, the demons are banished, the blind see. Indeed, in Matthew’s account, the moment Jesus is recognised as the Messiah, he performs a miraculous healing. One which his disciples could not. 

But, you may be asking, where does this leave us? How does it change our outlook on life. We live some 2500 years after Elijah, 2200 years after Ecclesiasticus was written, 2000 years after Christ walked this earth. What possible implications does all this have for us today? 

We are called to be faithful in adversity as Elijah was faithful. When the cards were stacked against him, when the rulers and priests of the day sought to kill him, when he was forced to flee for his life, Elijah remained faithful. He remained obedient to what God was telling him. Time and time again, his faithfulness was rewarded. So shall our faithfulness be rewarded. 

We are called to be troublesome, as Elijah was a troublemaker. Elijah never shied away from speaking upsetting truth to power, from calling out injustice, from stirring up the hornet’s nest. So must we never flinch from calling out wrong, from speaking out about injustice, oppression and exploitation, from sticking up for what we know to be right. To us are given the words of life. We must speak them. 

Finally, recall that prophecy in Malachi. That Elijah will return to herald the end of the age and the coming of the Messiah. In most Jewish traditions today, an extra cup of wine is poured at the Passover meal. This is Elijah’s cup. Then the door is opened to see if Elijah will come and drink it. 

Jesus says that Elijah has indeed come. His call to repentance has been heard in John the Baptist, his message has been fulfilled in the coming of Jesus, the Messiah. In our Matthew reading, Jesus voices his frustration with the people who have heard what he taught and seen what he did. “How much longer?” he says. “What more do you need to hear? What more do you need to see before you recognise who I am? Before you have faith in me.” 

“Believe in God, believe also in me,” he says at The Last Supper. “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 

But don’t just take my word for it. Be like Elijah! Listen to Jesus! Amen.