Submitting to God
Introduction: PRIDE HAS BEEN THE DOWNFALL OF MANY GOOD MEN. GOD HATES PRIDE. IT CAUSES FAILURE AND DEFEAT. IT ALMOST COST NAAMAN HIS HEALING. HE REFUSED TO DIP DOWN IN THE MUDDY JORDAN. HE WANTED THINGS "HIS WAY".
SUBMITTING TO GOD HAS TO DO WITH PUTTING OUR WILL UNDER HIS AUTHORITY. MANY PEOPLE WILL NEVER COME TO CHRIST BECAUSE OF THEIR PRIDE. SO MANY PEOPLE WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE THE FULL BENEFITS OF THEIR SALVATION.
THE PASTOR IS GOD’S REPRESENTATIVE TO HIS PEOPLE MUCH LIKE THE PROPHET OF OLD.
5 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.
I. Naaman Leprosy represented his condition as a sinner
A. Leprosy was believed to be an incurable Disease
2 Kings 5:7
7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in dismay and said, “This man sends me a leper to heal! Am I God, that I can give life and take it away? I can see that he’s just trying to pick a fight with me.”
a. Lepers were Ceremonially unclean.
Leviticus 13:8
8 If the priest finds that the rash has spread, he must pronounce the person ceremonially unclean, for it is indeed a skin disease.
b. Lepers were Separated from intercourse with others
Numbers 5:2
2 “Command the people of Israel to remove from the camp anyone who has a skin disease or a discharge, or who has become ceremonially unclean by touching a dead person.
c. Lepers Associated together
Luke 17:12
12 As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance,
d. Lepers Dwelt in a separate house.
2 Kings 15:5
5 The Lord struck the king with leprosy, which lasted until the day he died. He lived in isolation in a separate house. The king’s son Jotham was put in charge of the royal palace, and he governed the people of the land.
e. Lepers were Cut off from God’s house
2 Chronicles 26:21
21 So King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in isolation in a separate house, for he was excluded from the Temple of the Lord. His son Jotham was put in charge of the royal palace, and he governed the people of the land.
2 Kings 5:3
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.”
II. Naamans slave showed her commitment as servant
A. She genuinely cared about her Master
Genesis 24:12
12 “O Lord, God of my master, Abraham,” he prayed. “Please give me success today, and show unfailing love to my master, Abraham.
1. Good Servants serve For conscience towards God.
1 Peter 2:19
19 For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment. .
2. Good servants serve In the fear of God.
Ephesians 6:5
Slaves and Masters
5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ.
Colossians 3:22
22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord.
3. Good Servants serve As the servants of Christ.
Ephesians 6:6
6 Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart.
4. Good Servants are Servants of Christ
Colossians 3:24
24 Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.
5. Good Servants are blessed by God
Matthew 24:6
6 And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately.
2 Kings 5:9-11
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!
III. Naamans actions represented His Seditious Attitude
A. His Seditious attitude was caused by his Pride
1. Pride Often originates in Self-righteousness.
Luke 18:11-12
11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’.
2. Pride is often caused by Inexperience.
1 Timothy 3:6
6 An elder must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall. .
3. We should not respect the Pride in others.
Psalm 40:4
4 Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, who have no confidence in the proud.
4. We should Mourn over the Pride in others.
Jeremiah 13:17
17 And if you still refuse to listen, I will weep alone because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears, because the Lord’s flock will be led away into exile.
5. We should Hate Pride in others.
Psalm 101:5
5 I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors.
I will not endure conceit and pride.
6 Pride is an hindrance to seeking God.
Psalm 10:4
4 The wicked are too proud to seek God. They seem to think that God is dead.;
Hosea 7:10
10 Their arrogance testifies against them, yet they don’t return to the Lord their God or even try to find him..
7. Pride is A hindrance to improvement.
Proverbs 26:12
12 There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise.
2 Kings 5:13-14
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’s, and he was healed!
IV. Naamas healing represents the Saviors Power
A. Elisha was God’s representativea. Great. Ps 79:11; Na 1:3.
1. Strong.
Psalm 89:13
13 Powerful is your arm! Strong is your hand!
Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength
2. Everlasting. All things possible to.
Matthew 19:26
26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”
3. Nothing too hard for.
Jeremiah 32:27
27 “I am the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me? .
2 Kings 4:1-7
· Elisha Helps a Poor Widow
4 One day the widow of a member of the group of prophets came to Elisha and cried out, “My husband who served you is dead, and you know how he feared the Lord. But now a creditor has come, threatening to take my two sons as slaves.”
2 “What can I do to help you?” Elisha asked. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?”
“Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,” she replied.
3 And Elisha said, “Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors. 4 Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.”
7 When she told the man of God what had happened, he said to her, “Now sell the olive oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on what is left over.”.
· Child restored to life.
2 Kings 4:32-35
32 When Elisha arrived, the child was indeed dead, lying there on the prophet’s bed. 33 He went in alone and shut the door behind him and prayed to the Lord. 34 Then he lay down on the child’s body, placing his mouth on the child’s mouth, his eyes on the child’s eyes, and his hands on the child’s hands. And as he stretched out on him, the child’s body began to grow warm again! 35 Elisha got up, walked back and forth across the room once, and then stretched himself out again on the child. This time the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes!.