Take Me to the River 2 Kings 5:1-14
1. Water in the summer time is simply fun isn’t it?
• Kayaking, boating, fishing, diving, snorkeling, parasailing
• Water is also necessary for survival water carries nutrients and oxygen to cells, regulates body temperature, aids digestion, and helps remove waste products. Essentially, it's crucial for maintaining overall health and proper organ function
• Kids during VBS the water brought the kids fun
2. Naaman the character we will talk about today
• Is not interested in boating, fishing, parasailing, swimming, or the beach he needs a cure
3. Naaman has a sickness that only the river can cure His sickness leprosy
• Leprosy was contagious disease, a disease that separated you from people, considered unclean, meaning they were excluded from the Israelite community and religious ceremonies
• It was assumed the mark of Gods judgement
• Naaman needs a river , He needs a miracle
• Naaman needed a cure—but more importantly, he needed cleansing.
4. Naaman needs the river but he doesn’t know the least likely messenger is a slave girl who knows the cure.
• His wife’s slave girl who was taken captive by the Syrians is the Least likely messenger Syrians and was a servant to Naaman's wife.
• The slave girl courageously told her mistress that Elisha could heal Naaman of his leprosy.
• Then Naaman sought healing from the prophet Elisha
5. Not just any river will bring healing
• Elisha prescribes the Jordan River, Naaman’s preferrd waters is the rivers of Damascus
• Elisha instructed Naaman, the Syrian army commander to dip himself seven times in the Jordan River.
• Naaman was initially angry and insulted because he expected a more elaborate ritual from the prophet. He is insulted because of the simplicity of Gods demands.
• Healing isn’t about what looks better but about obedient faith.
6. Naaman finally decided and he said take me to the river
• When he went to the river 2 kings says, “So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.”
• Have we a sickness only the river can cure? Our spiritual condition—sin—isolates, corrupts, and destroys.
• Like Naaman, we are invited to a river—not the Jordan, but the living water of Christ.
• A Savior greater than Elisha stands ready to heal us.“Come to me, all who are weary… and I will give you rest.”
• Heaven is trying to reveal to us the cure like the slave girl was trying to tell Naama
• There was only one river capable of healing Naaman there is only one able to cure us of sin
• Jesus take me to the river and you will find what Naaman found Naaman declared, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel” (v. 15)
• Have we said, to Jesus Take me to the River?
