02-24-2019 - Dirty Water Cleansing

2 Kings 5:1–14 NLT

1 The king of Aram had great admiration for Naaman, the commander of his army, because through him the Lord had given Aram great victories. But though Naaman was a mighty warrior, he suffered from leprosy. 2 At this time Aramean raiders had invaded the land of Israel, and among their captives was a young girl who had been given to Naaman’s wife as a maid. 3 One day the girl said to her mistress, “I wish my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria. He would heal him of his leprosy.” 4 So Naaman told the king what the young girl from Israel had said. 5 “Go and visit the prophet,” the king of Aram told him. “I will send a letter of introduction for you to take to the king of Israel.” So Naaman started out, carrying as gifts 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing. 6 The letter to the king of Israel said: “With this letter I present my servant Naaman. I want you to heal him of his leprosy.” 7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in dismay and said, “Am I God, that I can give life and take it away? Why is this man asking me to heal someone with leprosy? I can see that he’s just trying to pick a fight with me.” 8 But when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes in dismay, he sent this message to him: “Why are you so upset? Send Naaman to me, and he will learn that there is a true prophet here in Israel.” 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and waited at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.” 11 But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me! 12 Aren’t the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than any of the rivers of Israel? Why shouldn’t I wash in them and be healed?” So Naaman turned and went away in a rage. 13 But his officers tried to reason with him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn’t you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he says simply, ‘Go and wash and be cured!’ ” 14 So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child, and he was healed!

Greatness is often Blunted by Conditions Beyond our Control (2 Kings 5:1)

here is a man who overcame his condition and ascended to greatness… BUT, that personal and national victory was directed and orchestrated… Namaan was not a self-made man, The Bible declares: “because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria...”

Gayle King, Harold Ebersole…

God May allow Difficult Circumstances for Believers to Further His Purpose (2 Kings 5:2-6)

Our Suffering may Lead to another’s Salvation!

In this world we are often told that “being used” is the worst possible outcome… and when the forces of evil are the ones in control that is true…

However, when we allow ourselves to be used, that is controlled by the Holy Spirit, our place and even circumstances are secondary. Seeing our situation through God’s Perspective makes a huge difference. This slave girl is not busy trying to escape, but instead is serving her Spiritual Master by serving her earthly master… (v. about serving masters)

Matt Redman is a leading writer of songs for worship. In the wake of September 11, 2001 he penned Blessed Be Your Name as a worship response to the tragedy we had all experienced. He and his wife, Beth, were on sabbatical in the United States from their homeland of Britain when the terrorist attacks occurred. They co-wrote this piece as both an anthem of praise and a response to the reality of human suffering. This is one of his most popular songs and it states, "When the darkness closes in, Lord still I will say, Blessed be Your Name." He said, "It struck me how little vocabulary we have in church worship music to respond appropriately in dark times of life. We all face seasons of pain and unease. And in those times we need to find our voice before God. The Church, and indeed the world, needs songs of lamentation." Regardless of our circumstances, Redman has wisely noted, "worshipping God is a choice, and the best choice we'll ever make." Today's Christian, May/June 2007, p.17

For this little girl, who was a simple slave, the darkness and despair of being taken captive by the hand of the enemies of God must have been difficult beyond comprehension.

BUT, for her, the witness to God’s greatness allowed a new outlook - that there was hope that her earthly master would join the greater Kingdom of God, and wittingly or unwittingly they would both be have equal standing as CHILDREN OF GOD...

The Scripture States:

Romans 8:15–18 NLT

15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. 18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.

Belief Often Requires Unusual Demonstrations: Faith/Trust always WORKS ITS WAY OUT (2 Kings 5:9-14)

2 Kings 5:15–20 NLT

15 Then Naaman and his entire party went back to find the man of God. They stood before him, and Naaman 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 But Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept any gifts.” And though Naaman urged him to take the gift, Elisha refused. 17 Then Naaman said, “All right, but please allow me to load two of my mules with earth from this place, and I will take it back home with me. From now on I will never again offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to any other god except the Lord. 18 However, may the Lord pardon me in this one thing: When my master the king goes into the temple of the god Rimmon to worship there and leans on my arm, may the Lord pardon me when I bow, too.” 19 “Go in peace,” Elisha said. So Naaman started home again. 20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, the man of God, said to himself, “My master should not have let this Aramean get away without accepting any of his gifts. As surely as the Lord lives, I will chase after him and get something from him.”

True Conversion Carries Over into Every Day Life (2 Kings 5:17-19)