THE STORY OF A LITTLE SPOT
A BIG FEAR AND A GIANT STEP
INTO A CHANGED LIFE.
II Kings 5:1-14 (Living New Testament)
February 8, 2004
Introduction
1. Have you heard of Naaman (II Kings 5, Lu 4:27)
2. When we first meet Naaman he’s living a wonderful life
a. A friend of the king.
b. Selected by king to be his chief general
c. Military success, medals, battle honors
d. We don’t know ... maybe he was taking a bath; perhaps he was shaving. But he saw disaster beginning
(1) A little spot - bad as positive test to Aids
(2) A white spot - bad as a Cat Scan indicating a terminal illness.
e. He saw the illness which was the cancer of ancient world.
3. Suddenly, his whole life changed from acceptance and success to rejection and terror.
I. Naaman had strengths worthy for us to duplicate.
A. He had the courage to Take a Step in time of hurt
1. Went to king - revealed his problem. Remember, this could have resulted in total rejection.
2. Moved past fear.
a. Hudson Taylor, a missionary to China I the 1800s, wrote: "Unless we feel an element of risk in our exploits, there is no need for faith."
b. The early church, constantly lived in fear. However, they moved through their fear to power.
3. I know folk, who because of fear of what they may hear, refuse to see a doctor when they recognize what might be a physical problem.
B. Naaman refused to allow his EGO to stop him from changing.
1. Listened to suggestion of child - that’s hard sometimes to do. Even more, the child was a slave.
2. He went to king of Israel - who chances are, Naathan had defeated in battle raids.
3. He went to the home of a country "preacher" and knocked on his door. Now, Naathan was a general. Generals don’t to ask help. They send other officers to bring the individual to the general.
4. Naathan admitted his mistake in his reaction to the prophet’s instructions, and corrected it.
II. However, Naaman may have had weaknesses to overcome. If so, they were common to weaknesses we need to overcome.
Describe the scene: Naaman has left Elisah’s home after facing his anger. He moves to river bank. Chances are it was muddy, rocky, filed with driftwood and snagging, tripping roots. He may well have reached the water with muddy feet -- and maybe a muddy rear. The Jordan River flooded during part of the year. The rest of the time, it tended to be shallow enough to wade across. So, Naathan didn’t stand in water up to his neck, as he might in a backyard swimming pool. It probably was more like standing in a wading pool. To wash himslef, picture Naaman down on his knees, rear end in the air, dipping his head in a puddle.
We only can guess at Naaman’s need or his experienced prayer in each dip.
A. Perhaps the first weakness to solve was the worry of how his action might LOOK to others.
The first step is the hardest to take. Naaman may have seen smile on the face of one in the crowd. He may have sensed a snide comment among the watchers. Whatever he may have felt, he had to deal with the same problem we face: Pride. The need to overcome the fear of how our faithful Christian life may look to others. But Naaman overcame, lowered himself in the Jordan, and Vanity was defeated.
B. As Naaman raised his head from the waters, there may have been a second temptation that bared it’s teeth: the temptation to DO IT LATER. Put it off till better time. Procrastinate -- just as we are tempted when God calls us to faithfulness, not to say "no;" just to say "later." It is so easy to delay, isn’t it? So, Naaman lowered himself and Procastination faded.
C. A third feeeling could have surfaced as Naaman lifted himself from that second dip. The feeling of DOUBT that something this simple could help. Common sense says that his problem needs a more complicated, dignified solution. Naaman already had felt this, and gave in to the argument of his officer. But my problem is more serious. Perhaps so is yours. It seems too simple to cleanse a lifetime of sin by a simple confession and acceptance. There’s got to be more...... Then Naaman lowered his head beneath the water for the third time, and his Doubt died.
D. Naaman’s needs weren’t ended. Perhaps, when he rose from the water, yet another problem settled in: a feeling of RESENTMENT that he had this to face. Already he had experienced anger at the prophet. Elisha didn’t even come out when Naaman knocked on his door. He just called to go and dip in the river. Resentment and anger can be such a limiting force in our lives, can’t they? One "offends" us. Someone says or does something that hurts. And we let that hurt fester into anger, then resentment, then reaction. Like Naaman, we may need another dip in the river. So once again Naaman lowered himself, and found Resentment released
E. What more might Naaman have faced? Perhaps as he raised from the river with water dripping down his face, he felt IMPATIENCE at God’s timing and method. Isn’t it true - we so often expect immediate results to our prayers and efforts? Remember Peter: How many times to forgive? Seven? Impatience can grow into arrogance. It can become an issue of just who is in control. I want God to do it my way in my timing. Sometimes we want to do that we want to do when we want to do it, which may not be at all the task or time that God would choose. So, back at the river Jordan, Naaman takes another dip and Impatience is overcome
F. One would think he would be done by now. But don’t be impatient. For there may be more that Naaman needs to overcome. As I think of him, I think maybe about now Naaman may have started to experience a nagging FEAR of failure and unworthyness. What if it doesn’t work? What if I’ve done so much and it fails. Does that have a familiar ring in your life? Fear can just eat us up. Can you feel what Naaman might have felt? And then he dipped his head and his Fear finished
III. It was Naaman’s staying steadfast and working through his weaknesses that led to the 7th acceptance, the 7th dip, and God’s healing.. God’s perfect comes to us as we cleanse our lives and move into God’s purpose.
IV. The example for our lives that Naaman offers.
A. Life and the steps we take haven’t CHANGED since Naaman. We must decide just who is in control.
B. God’s love remains whatever steps we are willing to take. But to refuse to take the step results in our own loss. Each of us has some step we need to make in God’s desire.
C. William Barclay has written, "There are two great days in a person’s life. The day we are born and the day we discover why."
Is there some Jordan River right now you face in your walk? Thank God for it, and dip yourself in his cleansing love.
