Bad News, Good News

MELVIN M. NEWLAND, MINISTER

RIDGE CHAPEL, KANSAS, OK

TEXT: 2 Kings 5:1- 27: Philippians 4:8

ILL. Now that Federal Agencies have proclaimed the Covid pandemic is over, there have been several polls taken about changes in church attendance.

One poll of 5,872 adults published just 2 weeks ago, found that in 2019 (just before Covid) 55% of them attended church services, but 3 years later, (after Covid) the figure was down to 43%, a drop of 12%.

Of those regularly attending church services now, an overwhelming 82% say they are optimistic about the future of their congregation. And a whopping 89% say they are proud to be associated with their church.

By the way, while the poll reported a 12% drop in attendance after Covid was over, Ridge Chapel has had a 9% increase. The pollsters also found that 24% of those polled now belong to a religious group other than the one they grew up in. (By Public Religion Research Institute, Melissa Deckman, CEO, 5-16-2023)

A. But in the midst of that “bad news/good news” concerning the church in the United States, our nation seems to be spiraling downward in its morals & actions.

I have a hard time forgetting scenes on television of a student coming up behind a substitute teacher in a high school hallway, knocking her down, then bending over & hitting her again & again.

And how about the scenes of someone on the street suddenly knocking down an elderly person; or pushing someone onto the subway tracks?

ILL. A newspaper article told about a man arrested for child molestation. It reported that when authorities went to his house they found stacks of pornographic magazines & pictures.

In response to that news item, the newspaper received this anonymous letter, "I, too, read Penthouse magazine & watch the Playboy Channel. I am also proud to say that I am a devout Christian."

But I wonder? How can he call himself a "devout Christian" when the Bible clearly says, "Brothers...whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure...let your mind dwell on these things" (Philippians 4:8).

ILL. A few years ago another poll announced that 45% of those who regularly attend church said that they didn't let their religion affect the way they lived their lives.

Yet Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven." It’s not just what we say, but what we do, too.

PROP. With that in mind, there is a story in the 5th chapter of 2 Kings about a Syrian general, a Jewish prophet, & his assistant. It is about a pagan who finds God, & a Jew who finds that he hasn't fooled God.

I. THE STORY UNFOLDS

A. As we look at the 5th chapter of 2 Kings, we find the Syrians have been sending raiding parties into Israel. One captive they bring back to Syria is a young Jewish girl who becomes a servant in the house of Naaman, commander of the Syrian armies.

Now Naaman had a serious problem, & only a few people knew it. He had leprosy, a disease that attacks the nervous system. Naaman was losing all sense of feeling in his body. His men thought that he was courageous in battle because when an arrow hit his leg he did not react. They interpreted that as toughness but Naaman knew the sickening truth that he could not even feel the arrow as it ripped into his leg.

B. Naaman had tried everything but there was no known cure for leprosy. But one day, this servant girl told Naaman's wife that there was a prophet in Israel who could heal Naaman of his leprosy.

When Naaman heard this he went to his king & told him about it. Immediately the King of Syria prepared a letter to the King of Israel. Then he sent Naaman on his way with a host of horsemen & chariots, & with presents of silver & gold & rich garments.

But when Naaman arrived in Israel, the king of Israel became very frightened. Listen to what it says in 2 Kings 5:7.

"As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes & said, ‘Am I God? Can I kill & bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!'"

C. But Elisha, the prophet of God, heard of Naaman's visit & sent word to the king to have Naaman come to his house.

So Naaman came in all his splendor, with horses & chariots & rich gifts to the house of Elisha. But Elisha didn't come out to speak to Naaman. Instead, Elisha sent his assistant, Gehazi, with a message that Naaman should go & dip himself in the Jordan River 7 times.