2 Kings 5:15-27
Kingdom, Come • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
Scripture Reading: Luke 4:23-30
Scripture Reading: Luke 4:23-30
Introduction
Introduction
Last Week, We Looked at the 1st Half…
Of One of the Most Popular Stories in the Book of Kings:
The Story of Naaman
Here’s a Quick Recap:
Naaman was the Captain of the Aramean Army
He was a Highly Respected Man…
Through Whom God had Given Victory to Aram
But He had Leprosy
His Israelite Slave-Girl Told Him that a Prophet in Israel could Heal Him
So He Goes to See Elisha in Israel…
And Elisha Tells Him to Dip in the Jordan River to Be Cleansed & Restored
At 1st, He’s Offended & Angry at this
But His Servants Convince Him to Humble Himself…
And Trust the Instructions of God
So He Does, and He’s Healed
That Brings Us to Our Starting Place for the Rest of the Story
2 Kings 5:15-27
2 Kings 5:15-27
Last Week, the Grace of God Saved Naaman…
Because He Humbled Himself, Trusted God’s Instructions, and Obeyed
This Mirrors Salvation Under the New Covenant
God’s Grace has Been Made Available to All People
Those Who Humble Themselves, Trust God’s Instruction, & Obey…
Enter into the Grace of God & are Saved from Sin & Death
Now, We’re Going to See that the Rest of Naaman’s Story…
Mirrors the Life of a Saved Believer Under the New Covenant
2 Kings 5:15–16 (NIV)
15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.” 16 The prophet answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.
Naaman was Restored, Not Only Physically, But Spiritually
He Now Believes that Yahweh is the Only God that Exists
Notice What He Just Did There:
He Confessed His Allegiance in the One True God
Not Only Does He Confess His Allegiance to God…
But He Also Wants to Show His Gratitude for His Salvation…
By Giving a Gift to Elisha
He’s Been Blessed & He Wants to Bless in Return
This is Where Faithful Obedience as a Child of God Comes from:
From a Thankful/Grateful Heart
We Live Obediently to God…
Not to Be Saved…
But Because We are Saved
Obedience is the Only Proper Response…
To the Salvation that is Given By the Grace of God
Elisha Refuses to Accept the Gift
He isn’t in it to Receive Gifts, Blessings, Money
He’s a Prophet Because He Wants God to Be Glorified in Israel
Now, God is Going to Be Glorified in Aram
2 Kings 5:17 (NIV)
17 “If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the Lord.
Naaman Also Wants to Take a Bunch of Dirt from Israel to Aram
Why?
Because He Wants to Build an Altar to the One True God…
On Ground that Came from God’s Promised Land
He’s Making Plans for How He’s Going to Worship God…
Whenever He Gets Back Home
And He Makes a Vow that He will Never Again…
Make an Offering to Any Other God…
Except Yahweh
In Response to His Gracious Salvation…
He’s Making Plans to Only Worship the One True God from Here on Out
2 Kings 5:18–19 (NIV)
18 But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I have to bow there also—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this.” 19 “Go in peace,” Elisha said. After Naaman had traveled some distance,
Naaman Does have One Concern, Though
When He Goes Back Home…
He’ll Still Be the Right-Hand Servant to the King of Aram
And Part of His Duty…
Is to Enter the Temple of the False God, Rimmon…
And Bow Down
He Wants to Know that He’ll have God’s Forgiveness/Pardon…
Whenever He has to Bow Down in the Pagan Temple
In Essence, He’s Saying:
“This will No Longer Be Worship to Me”
“From Now on it’s Just a Job”
We’re Probably Tempted to Say:
“No, Naaman! God Won’t Forgive/Pardon You for that!”
But that’s Not What Elisha Said:
“Go in Peace”
Elisha Seems to Be Saying:
“Yes, Naaman. God will Forgive/Pardon You for that”
That Seems Odd to Us…
But There’s a Lot of Context to Consider:
1.) Naaman is Already Doing Much More Than Most Israelites
Israel is Immersed in Paganism & Idolatry
Naaman is a Man Who is Choosing to Only Serve the God of Israel
And He Wants to Take God with Him to His Pagan Homeland
He’s Miles Ahead of Most Israelites
2.) The Exiled Jews Who would’ve Been Reading this…
Would Likely Find Great Comfort in Knowing…
That it’s Possible to Be Faithful to God…
Even When Surrounded By & Immersed in Idol Worship
Naaman’s Situation isn’t Ideal
He Knows that!
That’s Why He’s Asking for God’s Forgiveness, After All
But Elisha, Apparently, Doesn’t See this as a Deal-Breaker
Maybe We Need to Loosen Up & Be a Little More Merciful
This is a Time for Celebration, Not Judgement
The Commander & One of the Most Respected Men in Aram…
Who is the Right-Hand Man of the King of Aram…
Is Bringing Whole-Hearted Faith & Worship of the One True God…
To a Fully Pagan/Idolatrous Nation
We Need to Let Go of the “Holier Than Thou” Attitude…
Lest We Forget the Modern-Day Idolatry…
That We’re Tempted to (& Many Times Do) Participate in Everyday in America
(Money, Sex, Self)
This is a Time to Celebrate!
This is One of the Great Gentile Conversion Stories, Like:
Rahab
Ruth
The Sailors & Ninevites in the Story of Jonah
But Here’s Where the Story Takes a Turn for the Worse
2 Kings 5:20 (NIV)
20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, “My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”
Elisha’s Servant Gehazi Believes Elisha Let Naaman Off Too Easy
“He Ought to Pay for the Blessing He Received!”
Not Only was Gehazi Seeing Dollar Signs…
There was Probably Some Prejudice & Discrimination…
Going on as Well
So He Runs After Naaman…
And Pretends that Elisha Suddenly Needs:
1 Talent of Silver & 2 Changes of Clothes
Naaman Generously Gives 2 Talents & 2 Changes of Clothes
But Gehazi then Stores it All in His Own House
But When He Gets Back to Elisha…
Elisha Already Knows What Gehazi Did
2 Kings 5:26 (NIV)
26 But Elisha said to him, “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves?
“This wasn’t an Occasion to Be Greedy & Think Only of Yourself!”
2 Kings 5:27 (NIV)
27 Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.
Application
Application
There are 2 Main Characters in the 2nd Half of this Story:
Naaman, of Course…
And Gehazi
So, Let’s Take a Quick Lesson from Each:
Gehazi Shows Us Greed & Selfishness
Gehazi Reminds Me of:
The Prophet Jonah & the Brother of the Prodigal Son
Jonah wasn’t Happy When God Showed Mercy to the Wicked Ninevites
The Older Brother wasn’t Happy When the Father…
Mercifully Welcomed the Younger Brother Back Home
Instead of Gehazi Celebrating God’s Mercy to Naaman…
He Only Thought of Himself
And Because of that, God Gave Him Naaman’s Leprosy
Naaman Shows Us the Life of a Christian
After His Salvation, He Begins:
Unashamedly Confesses His Allegiance in God
Showing His Gratitude By Doing Good Works & Being Generous
Making Plans to Take God Home with Him…
And Worship Him & Him Alone for the Rest of His Life
Seeking to Live a Life that Pleases God
The Story of Naaman is an Incredible & Unique Story…
Because of How Clearly it Mirrors…
The Birth & Life of a Disciple of Jesus