Sermon Central
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Friends In Low Places Series
Contributed by Scott Maze on Apr 13, 2024 (message contributor)
Summary: Naaman lived because he reluctantly listened to people who were “beneath” him. He left Syria because of a captured slave who kindly told him where to find healing. He wanted to speak to Israel's king, but it was a prophet’s assistant who told him where to go for healing.
2.5 Naaman Is Healed
I’d love to see ol’ Naaman pull up that chariot there, and off comes that magnificent uniform. All those metals are stripped from his chest. I want you to notice he did all this publicly. At this point, he didn’t care who was there to see. He went down into the muddy Jordan - one time, two times, three times, four times, five times, six times, seven times he went under (Leviticus 14:7–9). In the end, it wasn’t anything about his worth or his lack of it that saved him. In the end, it was faith in God. He did exactly what God told him to do, and his life was transformed by grace.
You may have a ton of good deeds or a ton of money – either way, your good life won’t save you. Conversely, your actions may be so terrible that you feel the roof of the church is going to fall in just because you are here. It doesn’t work that way.
When your sin adds up, God multiples His grace (Romans 5:20). Our God shows grace to people who don’t deserve it. Just like Naaman and just like me.
2.6 Invitation Time
Would you bow your head as we pray? You need to ask for the Lord’s grace. You need to experience salvation from God.
Endnotes
1 https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/israel-readies-for-all-out-war-in-gaza-ef1899c3; accessed October 10, 2023.
2 https://www.wsj.com/articles/tribe-of-nova-music-festival-massacre-israel-gaza-hamas-war-e21e95ea?mod=hp_opin_pos_5#cxrecs_s; accessed October 10, 2023.
3 https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/cynthia-ann-parker-is-kidnapped; accessed October 10, 2023.
4 I owe this language to Adrian Rogers.
5 Tang Yue, “Story of Inspiration from a Group of Once Shunned,” China Daily, January 30, 2013.
6 Philip Graham Ryken, 2 Kings, eds. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Iain M. Duguid, Reformed Expository Commentary. (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2019), 96.
7 Russell Dilday and Lloyd J. Ogilvie, 1, 2 Kings, The Preacher’s Commentary Series. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1987), 288.
8 Timothy J. Keller, “The Lepers Are Cleansed,” The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive (New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013).
9 https://news.yahoo.com/mary-lou-retton-daughter-says-103732646.html; accessed October 17, 2023.
