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2 Kings 5:1-14
Naaman was a great man. He was the general of the armies of Aram. He had won great victories and the king felt highly of him. Here was a man who was used to doing things big. He would lead thousands of warriors on campaigns into battle. He commanded his troops with authority. He was accustomed to giving orders and them being followed. He was used to people saluting him and calling him "Sir," and hanging on his every word. He was used to tackling big obstacles in big ways with big results.
But he was a leper. Of course leprosy could have been any number of skin diseases. If could have been Hanson's disease or an infection or severe acne or eczema. But whatever it was, it had humbled him. The constant discomfort and the unsightliness, disabled him in his service to his king. It was hindering his ability to command.
But there was a Hebrew servant in his house. She had been captured during one of his campaigns and she served his wife. This servant girl said to the great Naaman, "There is a prophet in Israel who can cure leprosy." Naaman told the king and the king sent him to Israel to be healed with bags of gold and silver as gifts.
After going to the King of Israel and scaring him, Naaman finally ended up at Elisha's house. Picture if you will the scene. Naaman the great and his entourage of servants and guards arrive at this little farm house. The collection of horses and men were probably bigger than the house. Then Elisha sends his servant out to talk to Naaman! "Hey, I am Naaman the Great, Naaman the terrible; I have waged campaigns of war across the known world. You don't send your servant out to me like I was your shepherd boy."
If that was not enough then the next thing had to be. The servant said "Go wash in the Jordan river 7 times." "What? I come all these miles with precious gifts and you tell me to take a bath." Keep in mind that in many places the Jordan River was just a muddy brook. It was not the Mississippi. It was more like the Congaree.
That was the last straw! If this prophet from this two bit country could not even face him and give a decent incantation and put on a good show, Naaman the Great and his posse were going back home. But his servants spoke to him and said, "If the prophet had told you to do something great you would have. Then why not do this simple things and see if it works." So Naaman the Great got down off his high horse and washed in the Jordan 7 times and was healed. As great as he was, it took humbling himself to be freed from the disease that imprisoned him.
Today is the 4th of July. 234 years ago the 13 British colonies in North America declared themselves free and independent. Since then The United States has grown. It has become a great economic power. It has become a great military power. It has created technological innovations that have transformed our world. It has even tried to be a great moral influence for human rights.
234 years later America is great! But what can we accomplish through greatness? Certainly we can try to yield our economic and military power to provide for the needy of the world and advance the cause of human rights. But power has its limits.
Notice that the heroes in the story of Naaman were not the powerful. It was a slave girl who told Naaman of the prophet who could heal him. It was the servants who advised him to take Elisha's advice and go wash in the Jordan. It was only when Naaman humbled himself that he was set free.
If we want to set others free we need to humble ourselves. It will not be our military or economic might or technological prowess that makes the biggest change in the world. It will be our willingness to serve. Jesus said the greatest in the kingdom of God will be the one who is willing to stoop the lowest to serve.
It we really want to set people free, we must humble ourselves. Just as Jesus did. Jesus practiced what he preached. He humbled himself to wash his disciple's feet. He their Lord, the one who had command of 10,000 angels, humbly allowed himself to be tried on trumped up charges and crucified unjustly.
Is America the Great willing to humble itself? We say we are one nation under God. If we are, then we must take God seriously. Naaman the Great humbled himself and was set free. We need to get off our high horse and approach the world as a servant, not as the master. We must humble ourselves in order free ourselves and others.
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
Many of us have heard the stories of the people that failed to follow Jesus. One was rich man who would not leave his riches to follow Jesus. Another came to Jesus and said, I will go anywhere with you. Jesus told him "Even the animals have dens and nests but I don't even have a pillow. And he did not follow. Jesus told another to follow but he said, "Let me go bury my father." Jesus said, "If you want to stay with the dead them do that. But my followers look for life." To another Jesus said, "Follow me," but the man said, "First let me say bye to my family." Jesus said, "You are looking back, but my followers look forward to the Kingdom." So you would think that Jesus didn't get very many followers.
Yet in our passage today Jesus has a bunch of disciples. If fact he sends out 70 disciples two by two. He sends them out ahead of him. They are to prepare the way for him in the villages he plans to visit.
But before he sent them out, he gave them a pep talk. He said, "The people are ready. They are lookin' for something and the Kingdom of God is what they need. There are so many people who need the Kingdom, so pray that the Spirit of God, that has prepared their hearts to hear, will send more laborers to spread the word. But be careful. There are real dangers out there.
He also gave them some directions. Don't take any extra baggage; only what you need. Don't dawdle on the way. If people welcome you accept their hospitality. If they don't welcome you then don't carry that resentment with you. Be steady; don't jump around from place to place; minister where you are. But no matter what, tell everyone that the Kingdom of God is near.
Jesus sent out his disciples two by two. So today I will be sending you out two by two. So everybody pair up. Just kidding! I will be sending out but not yet.
When we read this passage that is what it calls to mind. Churches sending people out into neighborhoods door to door. And we have done that here before and this as the passage that inspired us. But there is more here that just the model for a door to door campaign. This passage has a much broader scope.
Studies have shown that one of the most effective ways to invite people to church is by inviting the people you know. Presumably the same can be said for inviting people to turn to Jesus. Some people call it lifestyle evangelism or friend evangelism. It simply means that we Christians witness to our friends, relatives, associates, and neighbors. When a stranger comes up to me telling me I need to do something I think they are just trying to sell me something. But if it is someone I know, I can tell if they are sincere and I am more apt to listen. The same is true for telling people about Jesus. The people who know you and see your faith lived out are more likely to listen to you.
So here is some practical advice on witnessing. First, it is important that we remember that we are Jesus' advance people. We are simply preparing the way for Jesus. A lot of people think that to witness you have to be pushy. But Jesus told his disciples not to be pushy. He said if they welcome you then fine, but if they don't then just move on.
If we remember that we are just preparing the way for Jesus then we won't feel the impulse to be pushy. We don't have to close the deal. Too often Christians feel that they have to make sure a person they are witnessing to gets saved. We are just sent to plow the field or plant the seed. Sometimes we are there for the harvest, but even then it is God's doing not ours.
When I was in seminary I have a job in the library at Duke. One of my coworker's father was a preacher. We were joking around and she said "Well, I am going to have to call my daddy here to save you." I said, "Too late, Jesus already done it!" I never saved anyone. Billy Graham never saved anyone. Only Jesus can save. If we remember that then we won't feel the need to be pushy.
Another important thing to remember is that the harvest is plentiful. I know we look at the world today and there seems to be no hunger for God. But there is! Sure people are throwing themselves into materialism and hedonism. They try to fulfill themselves through the accumulation of wealth or through thrill seeking. It is all because they realize there is something missing.
Why do people lose themselves in drugs and alcohol and shallow relationships? Because deep down inside they are hungry. They are yearning for meaning and purpose. They are hungry for God.
It has been said that each of us was created with a God shaped hole in our hearts. We try to fill that hole with family and friends and things and they just don't fit. Some of those things may fill part of the hole but not the whole thing. Only God can fill the emptiness. The fact that people are so frantic to find something shows the depth of their hunger.
But there are so many. Just stop and consider how many Christians there are and how many people we need to reach. We can't do it! So pray that God will send more laborers.
Another importing thing that we should remember is the message. "The kingdom of God has come near to you." (Luke 10:9) This is what Jesus told them to tell people. Sure he gave them authority to cast our demons and heal. But he told them to tell everyone that the kingdom was near. They were even to tell the people that rejected them that the kingdom was near.
This is important! Too often the message is lost. And the kingdom is near. I don't just mean that Jesus will come again soon, that is true. No one knows when Jesus will come again for all of us or for each of us. But the kingdom is near because God is with us in our midst.
Remember that hunger. The people are hungry for God. God is in our mist through his Holy Spirit. The kingdom is near! God is right here with us!
Now that I have given you some practical advice on witnessing, I can send you out. But I am not sending out to canvas the neighborhood and knock on doors - at least not today. I am sending you to your neighborhoods and to the stores you go to and to the schools you attend and your workplaces. I am sending you to the gyms and golf courses and ball fields and swimming pools you go to. I am sending you to your own living rooms and kitchens and bedrooms. I am even sending you to the places where you are going on vacation or to camp this summer.
As you go, remember these things. You are Jesus' advance person. You are preparing the way for him. Remember that the harvest is plentiful - there are many who are hungering for God. Also remember the message: "The Kingdom of God is at hand."
Naaman, the main character of our Bible lesson today, was a big man. He was the commander of the army of the King of Aram, or Syria. He wasn't just some measly one star general he was a five star general in charge of it all. Naaman wasn't the commander of some small third-rate army either. Syria was one of the superpowers of its day. Naaman was a military strategist, a warrior, and a leader.
Naaman was also a war hero. He had won great victories for the King. Of course the inspired author of Kings recognized that God's hand was behind these victories. As a result Naaman was probably famous. We know that he was highly valued by the king.
Naaman was a big man, a leader and a hero, but he was also a leper. Back in that day lepers were cast out of society. For the purpose of the public health they were not allowed to socialize with normal people. Normally a big man like Naaman would be given a comfortable place in the palace and would be invited to banquets to tell of his great victories. But instead Naaman's hands were tied by an incurable disease.
Naaman was a big man and he was used to doing things in a big way. One day Naaman heard from his wife that there was a prophet in Israel that could cure him. His wife had heard it from a slave girl who had been captured during one of his campaigns. Naaman probably sneered at the prospect of going to a prophet of Israel. By that time Israel had become just a stop on the way to bigger and better things. But Naaman was a desperate man, so he decided to go to Israel as the slave girl suggested.
When Naaman decided to do something, he did it in a big way. First he went to the King of Syria and asked for a letter of introduction. Then he took enough gold and silver to ransom a king. And Naaman went straight to the palace of the King of Israel. At first the King of Israel didn't know what to do, but then Elisha the prophet sent him word that he could heal Naaman.
Now Naaman came to Elisha expecting big things. He came with his horses and chariots probably expecting to find a palace or temple or something. Instead he found a humble dwelling. It was probably a comical sight. Naaman "The Great" with his private guards and his gold and silver assembled before the small farmhouse. Naaman expected the prophet to come out and perform some kind of elaborate ritual. Maybe this prophet would come out and lay hands on him and call on God to heal him. Maybe he would anoint him with oil and herbs or something. Perhaps he would make sacrifices and chant incantations and use potions. But Naaman was disappointed. First of all Elisha didn't even come out of his house. He sent his servant out to relay his message. And all he said to Naaman was "Go wash in the Jordan seven times." Now the Jordan was just a muddy little stream compared to the great rivers of Syria.
Naaman was used to doing things in a big way, so this seemed ridiculous to him. The task given him by Elisha was so small it was beneath him. If Elisha had told him to conquer a kingdom for God, he would have. If Elisha had told him to slay a dragon, he would have. If Elisha had asked him to pay twice what he had brought with him, he would have. But take a bath in a muddy brook? Why bother? He didn't come to Israel to take a bath. He could have done that back home. So that is where he headed; back home.
In anger Naaman started back to Syria. But one of his aids talked to him. "If the prophet had asked you to do something great you would have right?" "Without hesitation," Naaman replied. "Well then, why won't you do this little thing that the prophet asks?"
Naaman decided that it was worth a chance to try it. So he went to the Jordan and bathed seven times as Elisha had told him. And when he finished he was healed and his skin was a healthy as a newborn babe's. And Naaman The Great learned a lesson. He learned how great the God of Israel really is. This God doesn't need trumpets and fanfare and elaborate ceremonies to be the Almighty. This God can use even the muddy backwaters of the Jordan and a humble prophet to do a great work.
Like Naaman we like to do things in a big way too. So when we can't do it in a big way we apologize for the little thing that we can do. We say, "It's all I could do," or "It's the least I could do." When a friend is ill we drop by or send them a get well card. And they say, "Thank you very much." And we apologize: "It wasn't much, it was all I could do." An acquaintance dies so we take a dish to the family or send flowers. They say, "Oh thank you very much." And you say, "It's the least I could do." What you really mean is: "I am sorry I couldn't do more. If I had the power I would bring him back to life. If I could I would take your grief away. I am so sorry that I can't heal your illness and make you healthy again."
You know today many people are like Naaman. They are spiritual lepers separated from God by their own sin. And many people are seeking some kind of spiritual meaning and center to life. The problem is they aren't looking to Christ. They are looking to new and exotic religions and cults or self help gurus. Occasionally they come to a Christian and we tell them, "Believe in Jesus and you will be saved." But they want to do it in a big way. They want to slay some spiritual, emotional or interpersonal dragon to find peace. They think they have to make a pilgrimage of the soul to access some cosmic channel. "No," we say, "just believe in Jesus and be saved," and they walk away like Naaman. What can you do? Love them? Pray for them? Is that all? There must be more I can do?
Like Naaman we would like to do things in a big way. We would like to buy them a new life or health. Sometimes we would even take their suffering on ourselves. So we apologize for only being able to do the small things. Sometimes we even neglect the small things because they seem like a mere drop in the bucket.
Jesus taught his disciples what to do. He said "Ask and you shall receive; search and you shall find; knock and it will be opened to you." Is this idle talk or is it a promise from God? It is a promise that God will hear and answer our prayers. A friend would get out of bed to answer your call. Even evil people give good gifts to their children. How much more will our Heavenly Father hear and bless us.
"The least I can do is pray!?" Sisters and Brothers in Christ think about what you are saying! Imagine that you had a friend in jail. And you believed that they should be released. So you went to the President of the United States and arranged an audience. And then you sat in the oval office and told the president why your friend should be pardoned. Would you then go back to your friend and say, "I am sorry, all I could do was go to the President and request a pardon?" Of course not, you would be satisfied that you had done all that you could. Why then do you apologize for going straight to the Almighty? If you have a friend that is enslaved by some sin, or who is ill, or who is imprisoned by some circumstance, the most you could do is go straight to the one who has power over all situations; the one who can conquer all sin. They don't call God "Almighty" for nothing. Of course once we ask God for help we have to make ourselves available to be part of that help.
"Ask and it will be given to you; search and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened to you." So don't apologize for "only" praying. Instead pray with persistence as Jesus taught. God will answer your prayers. Sometimes the answer is "yes" sometimes it is "no." And sometimes it is, "Not now." Whatever the answer is, it is what is best.
What do you need? What does your neighbor need: healing of body or soul? freedom from a situation? freedom from their own sin? salvation, assurance, hope, peace? Ask God to meet that need. I know it seems like a small thing to do, but God promised us to take that small thing and give us a great gift for it. All Naaman had to do was take a bath. It was such a small task that he almost didn't do it. Don't make that mistake. Ask. It's the biggest little thing you will ever do.