Sermon Tone Analysis

“Health in Humility and Grief in Greed”

/Raising the Cross in a Crumbling Culture/

West Side Baptist Church v November 14, 2004

Pastor Scott Thielen

 

Text: 2 Kings 5:1-27

Idea: God is looking for people who are longing for an extreme makeover of the heart

!

Introduction

!!! Hook—Fables with morals

When you were a child, you probably learned some well-known children’s stories.

These fables have been told to children for generations because parents understand that the most important thing we can give our children is a sense of morality.

Right and wrong.

Children without moral foundations can be downright ugly to each other.

And we all know people who became adults without ever growing up morally.

For instance, here are some moral lessons and the stories that go with them:

* /The Boy who Cried Wolf/… taught us that honesty is always the best policy

* /The Lion and the Mouse/… taught us that compassion can turn enemies into friends

* /The Three Little Kittens/… taught us that responsibility leads to reward and greater responsibility

* /The Three Little Pigs/… taught us to work smart; you need the right tools and the right materials to do a job right

* /The Tortoise and the Hare/… taught us that perseverance makes up for all sorts of disadvantages

* /The Little Steam Engine/…taught us how important it is to have resolve to overcome obstacles

* /Humpty Dumpty/… not really sure what this was about.

Don’t fall off of a wall!

And when it comes to learning about beauty, perhaps there is no better known children’s story than /The Ugly Duckling/ by Hans Christian Anderson.

The moral of that story is that everyone can be beautiful on the inside.

And that’s what we’re going to explore this morning: the importance of what you’re like on the inside.

In our generation we are witnessing a reality TV revolution.

And it’s all about the makeover.

Americans are obsessed with makeovers.

* A makeover is simply making something over again, starting over, re-doing something.

There are all kinds of makeovers featured on TV…

* Home makeovers—there are now more than 30 television series dedicated to real-life makeovers in and outside of the home.

We’re in the age of DIY… “do it yourself.”

People are also flocking to “people makeover” shows.

* Fashion makeovers like /“What Not to Wear”/ and /“The Fashion Police”/

* Health makeovers like /“The Biggest Loser” /and

* Beauty makeovers like /“The Swan.”/

The show was so popular that a second season was planned.

For "Swan 2," over 300,000 women applied, hoping to fulfill "a dream to radically change their lives for the better."

Clearly, TV's slice-and-dice makeover shows are making plastic surgery very popular.

And, of course, Hollywood encourages us to be healthy and beautiful by giving us shows like /Dallas/ /Reunion//: The Return to Southfork, Desperate Housewives, /and/ The O.C./

These are the kinds of shows that are supposed to show us what normal people are like.

It’s no wonder everyone wants a makeover!

But the show that started it all was “Extreme Makeover.”

(Here are some examples)

Each new episode features participants in their "before" phase, then as they undergo their various procedures and, finally, when the end results are revealed to their families and friends.

The transformations are accomplished through the skills of an "Extreme Team," consisting of plastic surgeons, dermatologists, eye surgeons and cosmetic dentists, along with a talented team of hair and makeup artists, stylists and personal trainers.

!!! Need~/Common Ground

Why are these makeover shows so popular?

Because everybody has things they’d like to change about their life.

This is like the ultimate experience: to be able to fix what’s wrong in your life.

* You may want to change your /appearance/

* You may want to change your /home/

* You may want to change your /job/

* You may want to change your /relationships/

!!! Transition

God is looking for people who want a makeover, too.

But He is more interested in changing what’s on the inside first.

God is looking for people who are longing for an extreme makeover of the heart.

This morning we’re going to look at the stories of two men who wanted to radically change their lives.

One wanted a physical makeover, and the other a financial makeover.

In the end, they got more than they bargained for.

! *Lessons from Two “Extreme Makeovers” of the Heart*

!! Extreme Makeover #1: Naaman

2 Kings 5:1-19a

The first story is about a powerful man who faced an impossible situation.

There are five key people in this story: Naaman (the military leader of Aram or what we would call Syria), a young slave girl, the King of Syria, the King of Israel, and Elisha the prophet.

But the lessons are for everyone.

!!!! Verse 1

/Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram.

He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram.

He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.

/

*/Several observations about Naaman:/*

* He was a great warrior

* He was a prestigious military leader

* He was held in honor by the king and the nation

* He was undoubtedly quite wealthy

* He had enjoyed victory over Israel (with God’s help, unknowingly)

In spite of his greatness, Naaman learned an important lesson that all of us must learn:

!!! LESSON 1.        Everyone—regardless of age, wealth or status—will face impossible challenges in life (5:1)

“Now Naaman was… a great man… but he had leprosy”

Naaman faced a challenge he couldn’t conquer.

* He had leprosy.

explain leprosy

 

!!!! Application

If you wish you could change something about your life, don’t worry, you’re not alone.

This is something we all share in common.

What’s important is that you don’t feel sorry for yourself.

We all face challenges.

They are hard to overcome.

And some of them are impossible.

That’s exactly what Naaman came to realize.

What Naaman came to understand was that all the power and wealth available to man still cannot solve all your problems.

* Take Christopher Reeve, for example.

In spite of his great wealth and resolve to overcome his spinal injury, in the end he was helpless against an infection caused by a bed sore.

Something that small has greater power than the will to live.

All of us are vulnerable to forces beyond our control.

And sometimes God gives us pop quizzes in life to test our faith.

When faced with challenges in life, will I trust in God or in something else?

!!!! Transition

Well, Naaman was in a tough spot.