Be Willing Series

Be Willing

2 Kings 5:1-15

Introduction

In our series on Signposts for the Journey we have looked at some major Bible characters to learn that to follow God we must be Obedient, Courageous, Penitent, Wise - and today we conclude this series with a truth that brings them all together. Be Willing.

“When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change.” - Paulo Coelho

Naaman is about to face an unexpected challenge to test his willingness to hear and do what God said.

2 Kings 5:1-4; 9-15, NLT

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.[a]

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,[b] 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,[c] 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!

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...."

Naaman was faced with some challenges that test his willingness - and we will identify with those as we look at them. Whether you are …

Someone who has yet to become a Christian

Someone who is living the Christian life

Someone who is trying to reclaim your Christian life

What does it mean to be willing?

1. BE WILLING TO LISTEN.

Naaman is a powerful man - leads an army, man of great reputation, highly thought of by the King, a valiant solider, the Lord gave him great victories (vs 1). He has access to people of wisdom and insight. He also was offended by Elisha. Elisha did not come out to meet him - sent a servant. Elisha gives him a weird instruction - feels disrespectful. He feels he could come up with a better plan! But whatever could have offended him, the Bible says, “he had leprosy” - and that condition trumped everything else for him. He had to be willing to listen.

Are we willing to listen to God’s Word? Four Reactions: