I'm Not Doing That

I’m Not Doing That! 2 Kings 5: 1 – 14 / Galatians 6: 1 - 16

Intro: In my high school geometry class we were assigned a difficult problem for homework. I worked the problem and the next day was asked to put on my answer on the board. – The teacher bellowed, “that’s not right – you’re answer is too simple.” – Three days later, I was stunned when the teacher put my answer on the board as the solution.

I. Verse 1 – “mighty man” – “great man” – a man with a problem. – To how many people in the world’s history do these words apply? – “They were mighty in intellect, mighty in capacity, but they were not whole.”

A. Naaman is a great man with an even bigger problem . – Hansen’s Disease – Leprosy – incurable, social stigma. Could in beginning stages cover or hide it.

B. Naaman has another problem that is not so evident, a problem with which we can all identify – he has great pride.

C. Jerry didn’t want to join church because he had never been baptized and he was embarrassed. – “I’M NOT DOING THAT!”

II. What would you be willing to do to bring peace and prosperity to our world --- provide security for your friends and loved-ones?

A. Look at many shows on TV – “Fear Factor” – “The Apprentice” – “Survivor” – Why do people do that? $

B. Naaman makes this pilgrimage to find a cure. – Willing to go out of the way because HE WANTED IT so badly.

C. Today there may be found proud forceful people who ride high, achieve wealth and position, and yet are lepers.

III. VERSE 11 – Naaman is indignant to the point that we was willing to walk away and remain a leper. Why?

A. The prophet himself did not come out, there was not public spectacle. --- he was told to do something simple that was “beneath him.”

B. What is it that keeps us from bringing people into a saving relationship with Christ Jesus is the same thing that nearly kept Naaman from being cured – PRIDE!

C. Naaman’s simple task – and we think it is just too easy! – to solve all the ills of our world we need only invite those around us to find a saving relationship with Christ Jesus.

Conclu: Pride, and only pride, keeps many a modern Naaman from receiving the blessing which came to the ancient Syrian. – If each week we bathe our spirits in a real Sabbath and worship in the sanctuary, if each day we dip into the Bible and know real moments of consecrating prayer, then a miracle will be wrought for us a truly as it was for Naaman. --- I challenge you to “take a dip.”