Summary of Finding healing through simple faith
2 Kings 5:1-7
Naaman was a powerful man but he had leprosy. Naaman is not an Israelite. He is an enemy to the nation of Israel. Naaman obviously has tried every known cure at his disposal. He is so desperate that he is willing to go to his enemy and ask for the cure.
Leprosy
A illness that eats away at the skin that leads to infections and death. People with this are outcast by society. Naaman would lose everything: his power and status and his life.
King of Israel’s reaction
Upon receiving a request from Naaman the King doesn’t think about God or even a known prophet. Instead the king thinks about himself and how this might be all about his own abilities.
The servant girl vs. king of Israel
Note how a servant girl in an enemy nation knew how to rely on God and also know who to turn to (the prophet), whereas the king of Israel didn’t know any of this. The king had pride! Pride stops us from from being close with God
2 kings 5:8-12
Upon hearing the cure that the prophet Elisha Gabe to Naaman his pride gets in the way. He becomes angry and does not accept the way Elisha treated him. Naaman was a prideful man and this prevented him from understanding God’s plan for him.
Pride leads to anger
Pride will always lead to anger. Naaman felt like Elisha was being rude. But Naaman didn’t understand Israel’s old testament culture and Elisha was following God’s rules regarding “unclean” situations. Naaman couldn’t see outside his own situation. He didn’t bother to understand. His pride had led him to make too many assumptions. His pride had made him closed to listening and understanding.
Mind blowing
God was with Naaman and this is how he was successful (ref: vs 1). Naaman success was from battling with God’s own people, yet God was the one who gave the success to Naaman. Not only that but God created the situation where a girl had become a slave so that she would point him towards Elisha (God’s messenger / profit). Not only that, but Jesus reminded us (Luke 4) that Elisha hadn’t healed anyone of leprosy prior to Naaman. Not only that Jesus reminds us that there were lots of people in Israel with leprosy and God only healed Naaman, a enemy. #mindblowing
Healing starts with humility
Naaman finally gave up on his pride and did what God (through Elisha) had asked him to do (wash 7 times in the polluted river of Jordan.)
The servant girl
Here are some amazing things about the girl:
- She isn’t anyone powerful or significant – yet God uses her to deliver this message
- Her life has become entirely focuses on serving.
- She is in a dead end job with no option to get out of it.
- She continues to serve the very people who have enslaved her.
Perhaps this servant girl understood that the people who God has placed in her life were the very people she must show God’s love to and to deliver a message to.
Conclusion
Are we like the servant girl? Are we serving the people God has put in our lives, or are we asking God to get out of our situation?
About this Message Series
Our summer message series this year is “Stories BC”! And no we won’t be listening to Pastor Brent Chapman tell personal stories all summer long, it is even better than that. We are sharing stories of people who lived before Jesus Christ, learning from their lessons of faith, generosity, courage and trust in God. Join us each week for a new story!
About the Speaker
Brent is the lead pastor here at SouthRidge. He and his wife Pam were part of the original church plant.