Insider or Outsider?

Today it is my honour to have my very first sermon with you, and hopefully it will not be the worst 20 mins for you today. So have mercy on me when you fill out your little sheet. Haha... I am just kidding. I believe that the Holy Spirit will work among us and speak to us. And may God be with you all. (With my hand open)

I have chosen this considerably long passage of 2 Kings Chapter 5, and would like to meditate it together with you. I'll be quoting the passage throughout my sermon, but just to remind you, this is the story of the miraculous healing of the Syrian General Namaan by Elisha. You may already familiar with the story and start to wonder: "What on earth that this Syrian General Naaman has to do with the topic: Insider and Outsider? Well, we will find it out.

However, before our journey starts, how do we define as "insider" and "outsider"? According to Oxford Dictionary, "Insider" means a person within a group or organization, And "Outsider" means a person who does not belong to a particular organization or profession or a person who is not accepted by or who isolates themselves from something. In other words, there is an unseen boundary or line or wall around that particular group. So if we draw a circle here, you are either in or out and it will decide your status. However, is this true? How should the Church decide whether a person is in or out? Is it by their social status? Is it by how many holy activities he/she participates in? Or is it by what positions that he/she serves in church?

Now, let's fasten our seat belts and start our journey.

Imagine we have travelled way back in a time machine. The time is around 850-843 BC, and Jehoram is the King of Isarel. Unfortunately, Isarel is very weak at this time and is surrounded by strong neighbours. A mighty worrior, the Commander-in-chief of the army of Aram-Damascus, Naaman, had great fame on the battlefield and was trusted by his king. According to the Bible, "because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria." Yet, he is a leper.

In verse 2, "Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman’s wife." We do not know the name of this little girl. However, a female who is called "a little girl" at this time would probably be around at the age of 9 or 10. This little girl had been captured as slave and is under the service of Naaman's wife. Probably she would never see her parents again, or even worse, her parents may have already been killed in the raid. (打草谷) But listen to what she said in verse 3, "Oh, if only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy." We do not know what form of leprosy that Naaman is afflicted with, we do not know how servere it is, but it is clear that it is a skin disease and it resulted in a whiteness, and possibly dryness of the skin tissues. "If only my master..." This little girl knows how much her master is in pain because of this skin decease. In fact, in verse 4, we can see how desperate Naaman is. He takes the word from a servant girl, a slave, a "nothing" in the social status, and goes straight to speak to the King. He is so desperate that he will take any chance to cure it. "If only my master..." Although the life of the little girl has been messed up or destroyed by the capture, she does not repay her master with hatred, but with care and love. She knows the heart of his master and what he cares for.

Now, let's see how Jehoram responses on that. Verse 5-7 in ESV, And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” ‎So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.” His first reaction is not trying to help but to tear his clothes. An annointed king of a chosen nation, who is supposed to be very close to God, or at least should know his God well and seek His face. But no! His first thought is about himself - his own political interest. "Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me." The Syrian king was with good intention when he send out Naaman. Nevertheless, Jehoram misinterpret it as "seeking a quarrel". The king of the chosen nation has found no peace in his mind. Sadly, he does not even know there is a prophet, a man of God in his kingdom. But a captured little girl in the land of Syria knows it.

Who is the insider? Is it Jehoram or is it the little girl? At this time, woman and children are only consider as posessions. She is not even in the land of Israel. This little girl in every aspect of the worldview is an outsider. But you and I all know, she is an insider in the Kingdom of God. Jehoram, the annointed king of a chosen nation that has every rights historically, politically, and religiously to claim to be the insider of God's kingdom is in fact an outsider.

Let's travel back to 2012 and unplug our seat belts for a moment. Brothers and sisters, we are Christians; we are the chosen people; we are the annointed priests in the kingdom of God. Yet, how many of us can be like the little girl - repay mistreatment with love? When bad things happen, how many of us first think of our own interest, not the kingdom of God? How many churches are middle class dominant? How many of us has ever cared about the hungry and thirsty spirits of the "wealthy"? How many souls of the "wealthy"and celebrites have lost in drug overdose and suicide? Society keeps changing but the need of the poor has not. How many of us have feed their need? While many poor need to work on Sunday, how many churches have weekday service that allow them to rest before God at least once a week?

Brothers and sisters, being counted as the insider of the Church does not depend on the social status. As our Lord Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."‎

The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), .

Let's fasten our seat belts again and continues our journey. Now we see that Elisha, the man of God has send a messenger to Jehoram when he heards that the King of Israel has torn his clothes. He said to the King, "Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel." ‎So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.” Oh, Naaman the Outsider is outraged and said, "‎I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?" When he said "...he would surely come out to me..." He may be thinking: Even I am not a King, but I am at least the Commander-in-chief, the prophet should at least come to see me. Oh ya! Naaman has high social status. He is also a successful man in his profession. He helps Syria to win many battles. He is proud of it, and as an outsider, he has every right to feel proud because he does not realize that it is the LORD who gives him the victories. However, Elisha only send him a messenger and tell him to wash in Jordan river. He feels that he has been slapped on his face, he feels that he has been dishonoured, his pride has been stepped on,and his identitity has been denied. Just imagine that you are Stephen Harper, and one day the Queen (well, you know the Queen theorically is the head of Canada) has sent you to the front door of some guy named Elisha. You are standing there and ringing the bell. (ting-a-ling!) But instead of getting royal welcome ("Hello Mr. Prime Minister, what a honour!"), instead, Elisha's dog comes out of the house with an envelope in its mouth which says "Here is a $5 bill, go to the Starbucks on the corner and have a coffee. And then you can go back to where you come from." What would you feel? To be frank, if I were Harper and is being treated like that, I probably will send a special teams to create a mysterious "disappearing" incident for Elisha.

Moreover, Naaman also expect Elisha will act like others that "will wave hand over the spot" and heal him. What he really expecting is a performance, a magic show, like David Copperfield, waving his hand to distract you and then suddenly find out that you are healed and saved.

Interestingly, Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” Finally, Naaman gives in, and here comes its climax. So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. (ESV) Behold, here is the Outsider has turned into Insider.

Ok, let's come back to 2012 and take a rest from the trip.

I like the verse 13 and 14 very much.

In verse 13, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” Isn't it very true that we human always think that we must DO something and WORK on something to Gain our healing or salvation? But this is not how our God works. What He wants is that we humble ourselves enough to know that He is God. He wants us to submit and obey his command. He never ask us to do some great things for the healing or for the salvation. He has done all the hard part. He only tells us "Wash by my blood and Holy Spirit and be cleansed!"

In verse 14, the phrase "So he went down" does not only mean Naaman went down to Jordan river, but also demonstrated his humility. And the word "dipped", in original text, is an unusual verb. It refers to objects dipped in blood. So, it does not simply mean washing, but through "blood" that he has "reborn" of water and Holy Spirit. "His flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child"--- his soul was refreshed and reborned, and his sin has been cleansed. Naaman had never known surrender in his life, but this surrender, this defeat was different. The defeat was sweet and felt like a vicotry.

Brothers and sisters, being counted as the insider of the Church does not depend on how much we are doing or have done. The salvation and healing cannot be achieved by our doing. It is not exchangable and not gainable. You cannot earn it by how much you donate, or by how successful you are, or by how many "holy activities" you involved in the church.

For Jesus only ask us, "Take my yoke upon you, and ‎learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), .

Have we heard our Lord's call?

Now it comes to our last part of our trip and please put your seat belt back on.

Here is Naaman again!

‎He 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.”

‎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.

Elisha refused because he wants Naaman to know that he cannot "buy" salvation. It is a free gift, and it is God's grace. God only want his submition and obedience. And Naaman gets it. So he said...

‎“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. Hence, Naaman is going to use the earth from Israel to build an alter in his house for Yahweh. His action is a proclaimation like the one Joshua made in the book of Joshua Ch 24:15, "But as for me and my household, we will seve the LORD." Then Naaman goes on and says..

But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon (Rimmon is a thunder Diety) 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.”

‎“Go in peace,” Elisha said.

‎After Naaman had traveled some distance, 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.”

‎So Gehazi hurried after Naaman. When Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him. “Is everything all right?” he asked. Behold! He really has changed. As the Commander-in-chief, he has no obligation to get down. He can just send his servant to meet Gehazi. Yet he stops the chariot and get down to meet him. Do you remember how he acted in the middle part of our trip? He said "he would surely come to me..." But now he does not only get down and meet, he also greets him gently.

‎“Everything is all right,” Gehazi answered. “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.’ ”

‎“By all means, take two talents,” said Naaman. He urged Gehazi to accept them, and then tied up the two talents of silver in two bags, with two sets of clothing. He gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them ahead of Gehazi. When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the house. He sent the men away and they left.

‎When he went in and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?”

‎“Your servant didn’t go anywhere,” Gehazi answered.

‎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? Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazij went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.

Welcome back to 2012 safely. You may unfasten your seat belt but please remain in your seats while the time machine is still running.

From the last part of the trip, who is the Insider? And who is the Outsider? Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, serve Elishas closely. We don't know why he chase Naaman for the present. Maybe he think the Gentile should not be healed by his God for free, or maybe he feel unfair to his master, or maybe he is simply greedy. The main thing is that he misses the point, and he does not know his master's heart.

On the contrary, Naaman knows his position. He knows that he needs to go back to Syria. He also know how difficult situation he will be in. Yet he has the guts to do so. And he knows he cannot do it alone so he seeks help from God. In return, Elisha did not ask him to quit the job but told him "Go in peace." Elisha sent him back to his profession. Basically Elisha was saying, "God be with you because the earth for an alter to God is with you, so serve Him faithfully in your daily life. God will take care the rest so that you can go in peace."

Brothers and sisters, being counted as the insider of the Church does not decided by what position we serve in church. It is a matter of "how much do we know the heart of our master". Do we know His heart? We are called to equip the people of God like Naaman who needs to fight their battle for 45 plus hours per week in their workplace. Have we done so? Or have we just equip them to serve the Church and think that we done our job.

Insider and Outsider. How can we make sense of it? If we draw a circle, the King of Israel and Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, will definitely in the circle, and by definition, they should be the insider. Nevertheless, we all believe that they are not. Paul Hebert, a Christian writer, has suggested two ways to define a group: One is called "Boundary set" and the other called "Center Set". The boundary set is what we usually think of. It is the boundary that need to be defined in order to decide whether people are in or out. However, the Church should belong to the "Center Set". It is the center that should be defined - that is, Jesus Christ. Thus, being insider of the Church is not decided by our Social Status, or by what we have done or how frequently we go to church, or by what position we serve in the Church. It is decided by how close we are to Christ, by how much we know His heart, by how we live as His followers by being Child-like and Christ-like.

Brothers and sisters, let us not count ourselves as insiders of the church based on whether or not we are inside the boundary, but accordig to our closeness toward the Center - the Christ.

Finally, thank you for traveling with me, and hope you all enjoyed the trip.

Insider or Outsider?

Introduction

Not by Social Status

Not by the "doing" or "holy activities"

Not by what position we serve in Church

Conclusion