Good News

Introduction:

Good morning everyone! I am so glad to be back with you this morning, so this beautiful 4th of July weekend! I missed all of you last week, as I was in Seattle for the youth mission trip… And I’ll tell you, I learned alot about myself on the mission trip this year… I used to think I was young, and hip… But I realized on this trip, that the world has passed me by!

These kids have their own language… And I thought that I would be able to understand them… But they would make jokes, and laugh hysterically, and I had no idea what they were talking about… I felt so old…

On the flip side, there were a few times that I made jokes that were the funniest jokes I’ve ever made… If I said them in this room, y’all would have lost it… But instead, they would just stare at me… It made me think I was the most unfunny person in the world…

I also learned alot about perspective on this trip… Because knowing our perspective can teach us alot about ourselves… So one night, Cyrus was leading us through a Bible Study on 1 Peter, and Paylin, a high school girl, left her Bible in the room and so she downloaded a Bible app on her phone… And as someone read the passage, her face was full of confusion… You see, the default translation on this app was King James… And all the thees thous and lows confused her…

And after the reading was done, she said, “Why is my translation so old, it’s like it was written in the 1980s…

You see church, perspective is important… Because for a high schooler, the 1980s are incredibly old… And for some of you in this room, you were old in the 1980s…. Perspective is important!

And this morning, we are going to read about Naaman the Syrian… A man whose perspective on God was completely flawed… And even at the end of the story, he still doesn’t have a complete understanding of God… But he’s well on his way… But before we talk about that, will you pray with me?

Prayer:

Father in Heaven may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight. May your word, anointed by your spirit and spoken by your servant breathe life into us today.

Setting Up the Text:

Before we come to our story, we need to understand where we are in Israel's history. In our Bible Reading plan called Abide, we’ve been in 2 Kings, since really is a discouraging book… The prophets here are mistreated, and the people continually run from God. The united kingdom under David and Solomon has long since fractured into two nations. The northern kingdom of Israel has experienced one wicked king after another, each leading the people further from the worship of the Lord and deeper into idolatry. The covenant people, who were called to be a light to the nations…. have instead begun looking more and more like the nations around them. Yet despite Israel's unfaithfulness, God has not abandoned His people. In His mercy, He continues to send prophets, not only to pronounce judgment, but to call His people back to Himself and to demonstrate that He alone is the living God.

The ministries of Elijah and Elisha stand at the center of this dark period in Israel's history. Elijah confronted kings, challenged the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, and boldly declared that there was no God besides the Lord. Now, after Elijah has been taken into heaven, Elisha now carries the torch. Throughout the opening chapters of 2 Kings, we watch God work through Elisha in remarkable ways. He parts the Jordan River, provides clean water for a city, multiplies oil for a desperate widow, raises a young boy from the dead, feeds a hundred men with only a little food, and repeatedly demonstrates that the God of Israel is active, compassionate, and sovereign. Every miracle points beyond Elisha himself to the God whose power cannot be matched by idols or earthly kings.

And now we come to 2 Kings 5. Israel is politically weak, spiritually compromised, and surrounded by powerful enemies. Syria has become one of Israel's greatest threats, winning battles and carrying off captives from the land. By every human measure, Syria appears stronger than Israel. Yet the story that follows reminds us that God's kingdom does not operate according to human strength. But let’s go to our passage and see what we find…

Scripture 1: 2 Kings 5:1-7

Exposition:

After reading these verses, one thing becomes immediately clear: this story is about someone who appears powerful but is actually powerless, and unable to save himself. Naaman, who is Syrian and not from Israel, is introduced as everything anyone could want to be. He is a successful military commander, highly respected by his king, victorious in battle, and a man of great influence.

Yet in the middle of all those accomplishments comes one devastating sentence: "But he had leprosy." In an instant, we are reminded that there are some problems money cannot solve, power cannot overcome, and reputation cannot erase. No matter how high someone climbs in this world, every person eventually comes face to face with their own limitations.

With having leprosy, although he was successful, he could not enjoy the fruit of his success.

What is equally surprising is how God begins to address Naaman's greatest need. He doesn't start with kings, generals, or political negotiations. Instead, He works through an unnamed servant girl… a young Israelite who had been captured during one of Syria's raids. She had every earthly reason to become bitter toward her captor, yet instead of seeking revenge, she points Naaman toward the prophet of God.

Notice that the king isn’t useful at all… He’s just full of suspicion and anger…

It is one of the great ironies of the passage: the one with the least status possesses the greatest understanding of where true hope is found. While kings panic, commanders strategize, and nations maneuver for power, this forgotten servant quietly bears witness to the living God.

That is how God chooses to work throughout Scripture. He delights in using the humble to confound the proud, the weak to shame the strong, and the overlooked to accomplish His purposes. The servant girl becomes the first missionary in this story, faithfully pointing a pagan commander toward the God of Israel. Before Naaman ever reaches Elisha, before a miracle ever takes place, God is already teaching us something about Himself: His power is not dependent on human importance or worldly influence.

Point 1: God chooses to work through humble means, not human power.

Application:

This is still true today… God uses the humble, and lowly… God uses people who do not find themselves important… Many years ago, there was an ordinary Sunday school teacher who had a burden for one of the young men in his class. He wasn't a pastor. He wasn't a famous speaker. He wasn't particularly gifted or well known. He was simply a faithful believer named Edward Kimball. One day, he decided he could no longer ignore the conviction that God had placed on his heart. So, despite his fear and uncertainty, he walked to the shoe store where this young man worked. Later, Kimball admitted that he almost lost his nerve. He wondered if he should turn around and go home. He didn't know exactly what he was going to say, and he feared he might only make things awkward.

But he walked into the store anyway. He found the young man stocking shelves in the back room and quietly began talking with him about Jesus. There was no large audience watching. There was no stirring music, no emotional invitation, and no dramatic miracle… There was only a sensitivity and obedience to the Holy Spirit… It was simply one ordinary Christian sharing the good news with one ordinary young man. Before that conversation ended, the young man placed his faith in Christ. Kimball likely left that store believing he had simply been faithful to one person. He had no way of knowing what God was about to do.

That young shoe salesman was named Dwight L. Moody. God would raise him up to become one of the greatest evangelists of the nineteenth century, preaching the gospel to millions and influencing generations of Christian leaders around the world. Yet the story really begins, not with Moody, but with a humble Sunday school teacher who was willing to point one person to Jesus. Isn't that exactly what we see here in 2 Kings 5? The servant girl never performs the miracle. She never receives recognition. We don't even know her name. But she faithfully points Naaman to the God of Israel, and through her quiet obedience, God changes this man’s direction, forever. God has always delighted in working through humble people who are simply willing to point others to Him.

Now, lets see what Naaman does… Let’s go back to our passage and read verses 8-14

Scripture 2: 2 Kings 5:8-14

Exposition:

Can you imagine what Naaman must have been thinking in that moment? He has traveled all this way. The king was no help, and now he’s come to a lowly prophet… He has brought enough silver and gold to buy a kingdom. He arrives with horses, chariots, and all the symbols of his power. Surely the prophet is going to come outside and be overwhelmed by Naaman’s might… Surely there will be some dramatic prayer, some grand ceremony, some unforgettable miracle. But instead... the door never even opens. A servant walks out and says, "Go wash in the Jordan seven times." That's it. No fanfare. No spectacle. Just a simple command. And Naaman is furious.

But listen carefully to why he's angry. He says, "Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel?" Did you catch what he's doing? He's arguing about rivers. He's comparing water. He's convinced that if the Jordan isn't as impressive as the rivers back home, then surely it can't accomplish anything. But Naaman has completely missed the point. The power was never in the Jordan River! There wasn't anything special about that muddy stream. If the Jordan had power in itself, then everyone who stepped into it would have been healed. The river wasn't the source of the miracle. God was. The Jordan was simply where God had chosen to meet Naaman's faith and obedience.

And I wonder if we're not guilty of doing the very same thing. We become so focused on the method that we forget the God behind the method. We think, "If only the music were different... if only the preacher were better... if only the church were bigger... if only God would answer this prayer in the way I expect..." We start looking for power in the circumstances instead of in the Savior. Church, the power has never been in the river. The power has always been in the God who gives the command. And the moment Naaman stopped arguing with God and simply trusted Him, everything changed. When he simply listened, he was healed, and his skin was made like new…

Point 2: God’s power is found in Him alone. No method without the Spirit will be fruitful.

Application:

A few weeks ago, our household bought a brand new Blackstone Griddle for the backyard, and I was very very excited about it! I’ve wanted a Blackstone for a long time, and I finally was able to get one! So of course, I am not a handy man, so I ordered it where Lowes dropped it off at my house and assembled it for me… So the Lowes people come and drop off the grill, and even as they were taking if off the truck…. it looked beautiful!

It was the perfect size… Everything fit together perfectly… Which is never the case when I build it…

So that first night, I attached the propane, and I was ready to season the grill… I go to start it up, and nothing…. It won’t light….

I flip through the manual, zero help… By everything on the outside, it should have worked! Finally, after about 30 minutes of trying to figure it out, I see a small little note, on the very back page… (Make sure to put a AA battery in the ignition…

Sure enough, if you unscrew the ignition switch, there’s a little place for a battery… And poof! It works!

Church, it doesn’t matter how pretty the grill is, without the ignition battery working, the grill will not light…

And the same is true for the church… It doesn’t matter what method we use, without our source being the Holy Spirit, nothing that we do matters… We could have the best preacher, and the best music, the best experience, and the best greeters… But if we don’t rely on the Holy Spirit we have nothing… And I’ve heard it from many different people:

If we just had more young families, our church would explode with growth…

If we brought back Training Union, everything would be fixed…

If we just did this, and restructured that… If we just played more hymns, or less hymns…

Church, we need to stop playing the “if we” game, and we need to start praying that the Holy Spirit with move in our midst… We need to not focus on the method, and focus on the Source… The power in this story was not in the Jordan River, but in God Himself…

But we’re not quite done, lets go back to our story and finish our passage.

Scripture 3: 2 Kings 5:15-19

Exposition:

Everything changes when Naaman comes up out of the Jordan. He doesn't simply receive clean skin… he receives a new understanding of God. Notice the difference between the man who arrived in verse 9 and the man who stands before Elisha in verse 15. Before, Naaman was angry, demanding, and convinced he knew how God ought to work. Now he comes back humbled. He stands before the prophet and declares, "Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel." This is far more than gratitude for a miracle. It is a confession of faith. Naaman has come to recognize that the God of Israel is not merely a regional deity or one god among many. He is the one true and living God.

That confession is immediately followed by action. Naaman urges Elisha to accept a gift, but Elisha refuses every ounce of it. Why? Because God will not allow Naaman to leave thinking His grace can be purchased. The silver didn't heal him. The gold didn't heal him. The expensive clothing didn't heal him. God healed him. Salvation has always been a gift of grace, never something that can be earned or bought. Then Naaman asks for two mule-loads of Israelite soil to take home because he desires to worship the Lord in his own land. His understanding is still growing, but his heart has clearly changed. He no longer wants to worship the gods of Syria. He wants his life to belong to the God who has rescued him.

But then the story takes an interesting turn. Naaman asks about accompanying his king into the temple of Rimmon, where his duties will require him to bow alongside the king. Now, scholars have debated the meaning of this for centuries, but whether Naaman is asking for forgiveness in advance, wrestling with a difficult ethical situation, or revealing that he still has more to learn, one thing is certain: following the one true God would require more than a moment of belief. It would require a lifetime of allegiance. And isn't that where this story meets us? It is one thing to acknowledge God's greatness on Sunday morning. It is another thing to remain devoted to Him when Monday arrives, when work, relationships, culture, and expectations begin pulling our hearts in different directions. God is not looking for admiration from a distance or occasional acts of obedience.

Point 3: God deserves our wholehearted devotion, not divided allegiance.

Application:

Now here we see the tough part… Naaman's greatest test wasn't standing in the Jordan River. In many ways, that was the easy part. The harder test would begin when he returned home. What would happen when he walked back into the palace? What would happen when the king expected him to enter the temple of Rimmon? What would happen when everyone around him continued living exactly as they always had? You see, it's one thing to confess that the Lord is God when you're standing in front of Elisha. It's another thing to live like He is Lord when you return to everyday life.

And isn't that where our faith is really tested? It's not difficult to sing, "Jesus is Lord," surrounded by other believers on Sunday morning. It's not difficult to open our Bibles in this room or pray together in this place. But what about tomorrow morning? What happens when you walk into the office? What happens when you're sitting in the classroom, talking with your neighbors, making decisions about your finances, scrolling through your phone, or responding to someone who has hurt you? That's where our allegiance is revealed. Our faith isn't measured only by what we say in this room… it is revealed by how we live when we leave it. Now don’t mishear me, I am not saying that we have a works-based faith… But we have a faith of grace that leads us to act…

Church, the question isn't simply, "Did you worship Jesus today?" The question is, "Will you worship Him tomorrow?" Will He still be Lord when following Him costs you something? Will He still be Lord when culture pulls you one direction and Christ calls you another? Will He still be Lord when obedience is inconvenient or unpopular? Naaman's story reminds us that God is not looking for Sunday admiration. He is looking for Monday obedience. He is worthy of more than a moment of confession… He deserves a lifetime of wholehearted devotion.

Take Home:

As we get ready to conclude Naaman's story, we discover that this passage has never really been about leprosy or Naaman’s condition… It's about the God who meets people with grace they could never earn, displays power they could never manufacture, and calls them into a relationship of wholehearted devotion. Naaman came looking for healing, but God gave him something far greater… a new understanding of who He is. The same invitation stands before us today. God is not asking us to trust in methods, religious routines, or our own abilities. He is asking us to trust Him. And when we truly see Him for who He is, our response cannot be casual or divided. It must be one of surrender. And that leads to our Take Home this morning:

Take Home: God is not looking for impressed spectators, but fully devoted followers.

Conclusion:

Church, the question this story leaves us with is a simple one: What kind of follower will we be? Will we be content to admire what God can do while keeping Him at a comfortable distance, or will we entrust every part of our lives to Him? The good news of the gospel is that the God who healed Naaman has done something even greater for us. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, He has healed the deeper disease of our sin, reconciled us to Himself, and given us the hope of eternal life. Such amazing grace deserves more than our applause… it deserves our devotion. So don't leave here today merely impressed by God's power. Leave here ready to follow Christ with wholehearted faith, joyful obedience, and unwavering devotion, because God is not looking for impressed spectators, but fully devoted followers.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Bow with me.