Gehazi’s Greed

Gehazi’s Greed

May 21, 2017 Evening Service

Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK

Rick Boyne

Message Point: We must not become greedy for the things which are not ours.

Focus Passage: 2 Kings 5:15-27

Supplemental Passage: "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor." (Exodus 20:17 NASB)

Introduction: Give background on Gehazi from chapter 4.

I. Treasure Offered

a. Naaman offered Elisha a gift for the healing

b. (Vs 5) ten talents of silver, 6000 shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing

c. ($194,155 in silver, $2,500,000 of gold)

d. He was genuinely appreciative to get rid of the leprosy

II. Treasure Refused

a. Elisha refused the gift

b. Naaman urged him to take it, but he still refused

c. It was not an offense to refuse the gift; it was Elisha’s choice

III. Treasure Stolen

a. Elisha’s servant Gehazi couldn’t believe Elisha turned down the gift

b. He figured he try to get something out of him

c. He lied about some guests and persuaded Naaman to give him 2 talents of silver and 2 changes of clothes ($38,831)

Application/Invitation: The temptations that servants face are real. As a servant of the Most High God, what temptations do you have to take what belongs to Him? What have you taken that rightfully belongs to the Lord? “Will a man rob God?” What about glory? Do you take glory for yourself that rightfully belongs to God? We must take to heart Paul’s warning in 1 Cor. 10:12, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!”