EVEN GREAT PEOPLE NEED A BATH SOMETIMES
II KINGS 5:1 14
MARK 1:1 11
POWER AND GREATNESS HAVE A TASTE. MAYBE YOU KNOW THAT TASTE. FOR YOU THE TASTE MIGHT BE SWEET AND STICKY, LIKE COTTON CANDY FROM THE COUNTY FAIR, EATEN ON A WARM AUTUMN NIGHT. IT MIGHT BE THE SALTY PLASTIC TASTE OF A MOUTHPIECE, WELL WORN FROM USE BY AN ATHLETE. IT MIGHT EVEN BE THE SLIGHTLY THICK PETROLEUM TASTE OF CANDY APPLE RED LIPSTICK.
A TASTE MIGHT NOT COME TO MIND FOR YOU. BUT IF YOU HAVE EVER FELT POWER OR GREATNESS THEN YOU KNOW THAT PHYSICAL SENSATIONS GO ALONG WITH SUCH AN EXPERIENCE.
OUR BIBLICAL TEXTS THIS MORNING HAVE TWO POWERFUL PEOPLE IN THEM BUT THEIR POWER CONTRASTS EACH OTHER. OUR OLD TESTAMENT READING IS ABOUT THE CAPTAIN OF THE KING’S ARMY, NAAMAN, WHO WAS A GREAT MAN, A VALIANT WARRIOR, RESPECTED BY THE KING OF ARAM, HIS MASTER.
OUR NEW TESTAMENT READING CENTERED ON THE BAPTISM OF JESUS. WHO IS THIS JESUS? FROM READING MATTHEW’S GOSPEL WE KNOW THAT HE WAS BORN TO MARY AND JOSEPH. WE CAN REMEMBER SOMETHING ABOUT WISE MEN. OH AND WE ALSO CAN REMEMBER THAT MATTHEW STARTS HIS GOSPEL OUT WITH A VERY LONG LIST OF JESUS’ RELATIVES. THAT IS WHAT WE LEARN ABOUT JEUSUS.
WE HAVE TWO STORIES OF POWERFUL MEN WHO COME TO PROPHETS SEEKING SOMETHING FROM GOD. ONE STORY OF NAAMAN THE WARRIOR AND THE OTHER ABOUT JESUS CHRIST THE MESSIAH. IN THE STORY ABOUT NAAMAN WE LEARN THAT HE WAS A VICTORIOUS MAN IN BATTLE BECAUSE AS THE TEXT SAYS , "BY NAAMAN THE LORD HAD GIVEN VICTORY TO ARAM".
I IMAGINE NAAMAN KNEW THE TASTE OF VICTORY. AT HIS HANDS MEN HAD DIED. YES, HE KNEW THE TASTE OF VICTORY IN BATTLE. BUT FOR NAAMAN THERE WAS ANOTHER TASTE.
NAAMAN KNEW THE TASTE OF ROTTING FLESH, HIS OWN, FOR AS THE TEXT POINTS OUT HE HAD LEPROSY. BECAUSE LEPROSY IS SUCH A FEARED DISEASE NAAMAN KNEW HIS TIME IN SOCIETY WAS LIMITED, JUST AS HIS LIFE WAS LIMITED.
HE MUST HAVE KNOWN THAT AS SOON AS HIS CONDITION BECAME
KNOWN HE WOULD LOOSE ALL OF HIS POWER, AUTHORITY, AND GREATNESS, LEAVING HIM WITH NOTHING BUT A BITTER TASTE IN HIS MOUTH.
THERE IS NOTHING IN OUR GOSPEL TEXT THIS MORNING THAT TELLS US THAT JESUS KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THE TASTE OF VICTORY, POWER OR GREATNESS. JESUS APPEARS ON THE SCENE WITH ONLY MARK’S INTRODUCTION AND JOHN’S WORDS. YET WE ALL KNOW THAT JESUS, LIKE NAAMAN KNOWS THE TASTE OF POWER, AUTHORITY, AND GREATNESS. YET UNLIKE NAMAAN JESUS DOES NOT HAVE LEPROSY.
LEPROSY WAS NAAMAN’S GREATEST ENEMY IN LIFE. ALL THE OTHER FOES HE COULD VANQUISH AND CONQUER, BUT NOT LEPROSY. THEN ONE DAY HE LEARNS OF A GREAT PROPHET WHO CAN HEAL LEPROSY FROM HIS JEWISH SLAVE.
HE GOES TO HIS KING AND ASKS HIM TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE KING OF ISRAEL ENTREATING HIM TO HEAL NAAMAN. IMAGINE THE REACTION OF THE KING OF ISRAEL WHEN NAAMAN SHOWED UP AT THE PALACE SEEKING THE PROPHET’S HELP. I IMAGINE THAT HE TASTED FEAR, FOR ARAM AND ISRAEL WERE ENEMIES. HE RENDS OR TEARS HIS CLOTHING AT HEARING THE LETTER READ.
NOW IN THESE DAYS THERE WE NO FAX MACHINES, NO WORLD WIDE WEB TO BROWSE, NO TELEPHONES, OR RADIOS. EVEN SO, THE PROPHET ELISHA HEARS ABOUT THE KING’S PREDICAMENT AND SENDS WORD FOR THE KING NOT TO FEAR OR GRIEVE BECAUSE HE, ELISHA, WILL SEE TO NAAMAN.
NAAMAN MUST HAVE TASTED THE EXPECTANCY IN HIS MOUTH, A TASTE LIKE THE ONE A CHILD GETS AT 3:00 A.M. ON CHRISTMAS MORNING OR THE ONE THAT A PARENT ACQUIRES WAITING FOR THE BIRTH OF A CHILD AFTER 30 HOURS OF LABOR.
NAAMAN GOES TO THE PROPHET ELISHA EXPECTING HIM TO GENUFLECT, ANOINT HIM WITH OIL, SPEAK IN A FUNNY LANGUAGE, PASS HIS HAND OVER THE LEPROSY, AND ACT LIKE A HOLY MAN. HE GENERALLY WANTS TO BE TREATED LIKE THE POWERFUL AND GREAT WARRIOR THAT HE IS.
WHEN ELISHA SENDS HIS SERVANT TO INFORM NAAMAN TO GO WASH IN THE JORDAN RIVER, NAAMAN MUST HAVE HAD, AS THE KIDS SAY NOWADAYS, A REALLY BIG COW. WHICH WE COULD IMAGINE MIGHT HAVE LEFT A BITTER AND ANGRY TASTE IN HIS MOUTH.
IF YOU LISTEN CLOSELY AND USE YOUR IMAGINATION YOU MIGHT EVEN BE ABLE TO HEAR NAAMAN’S HOSTILITY, INDIGNATION, AND CONTEMPT FOR THE WORD OF GOD’S PROPHET. YOU MIGHT EVEN BE ABLE TO HEAR HIM REPEATEDLY SPIT, LIKE A PERSON WHO EATS A BAD OYSTER MIGHT SPIT, TRYING TO RID HERSELF OF THE BAD TASTE.
NAAMAN COMES TO THE PROPHET ELISHA TO BE CLEANSED. HE IS SENT TO THE JORDAN RIVER TO WASH HIMSELF. THE SAME RIVER THAT JOHN THE BAPTIST USES TO BAPTIZE PEOPLE.
ACCORDING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT TEXT john the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. PEOPLE COME TO BE CLEANSED.
THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN JERUSALEM AND THE WHOLE JUDEAN COUNTRYSIDE COME TO JOHN THE BAPTIST TO BE BAPTIZED AS THEY CONFESS THEIR SINS. ISN’T THAT AMAZING.
TWO STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE COMING TO THE JORDAN RIVER TO BE WASHED IN IT. THEY SEEK TO BE HEALED, CLEANSED, AND MADE WHOLE. IT’S FORTUNATE THAT JOHN THE BAPTIST CAME TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR JESUS CHRIST. BUT BACK TO NAAMAN.
NAAMAN DOESN’T WANT TO WASH IN THE JORDAN RIVER. IT’S NOT GRAND ENOUGH FOR HIM. THE ABANA AND THE PHARPAR RIVERS ARE MUCH GRANDER THAN THE JORDAN RIVER NAAMAN SAYS. FORTUNATELY FOR NAAMAN, HE HAD SERVANTS WITH HIM WHO CONVINCE HIM TO DO THE SIMPLE TASK OF WASHING HIMSELF SEVEN TIMES IN THE MUDDY RIVER JORDAN.
IMAGINE THE TASTE IN NAAMAN’S MOUTH NOW AS HE STANDS AT THE BANKS OF THE JORDAN, TAKING OFF HIS SHOES, BURKENSTOCKS OF COURSE, REMOVING HIS ROBE, TAKING HIS GOLD SIGNET RING OFF, ABOUT TO GET INTO THE WATER.
IMAGINE THAT HIS MOUTH IS AS DRY AS THE SAHARA DESERT, EVEN WITH ALL THE WATER AROUND HIM. HE MIGHT EVEN REALIZE THAT THIS IS HIS LAST, BEST, AND ONLY HOPE FOR BEING CLEANSED, RENEWED, AND RESTORED.
ENTERING THE WATER, HE FINDS IT COLD AND MUDDY. HE BEGINS TO DIP HIMSELF IN THE COLD, UNINSPIRING WATER . ONE, TWO, THREE TIMES NAAMAN DIPS INTO THE WATER. THE WATER, COVERING HIS BODY, BEGINS TO GET INTO HIS EYES, IT PENETRATES HIS MOUTH. FOUR, FIVE, SIX TIMES HE DIPS. HE IS SOAKING WET, HIS EYES CLOSED TIGHT AS A CLAM TO THE WATER, HIS MOUTH GRITTY FROM THE PARTICLES OF MUD. HE SPITS, TRYING TO CLEAR HIS MOUTH.
FINALLY, HE DIPS FOR THE SEVENTH TIME AND COMES UP. HE LOOKS AT HIS SKIN, AFRAID OF WHAT HE WILL FIND, BUT TOO OVERWHELMED WITH EXCITEMENT TO NOT LOOK. TO HIS AMAZEMENT AND DELIGHT HE HAS BEEN MADE WHOLE, CLEANSED IN THE JORDAN RIVER BY GOD. HIS FLESH IS RESTORED TO THAT OF A LITTLE CHILD’S.
WHAT’S THE TASTE IN NAAMAN’S MOUTH NOW? **DIRTY RIVER WATER. BUT THERE IS MORE OF A TASTE TO IT THAN THAT. HE TASTES THE DIRTY WATER OF CHAOS, BEFORE GOD’S SPIRIT MOVES OVER IT BRINGING ORDER. NAAMAN TASTES THE WATERS OF THE GREAT FLOOD DESTROYING EVIL, AND GIVING RIGHTEOUSNESS A NEW BEGINNING. HE TASTES THE SALTY WATER OF THE RED SEA AS THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL FLEE SLAVERY AND CAPTIVITY, JUST AS HE TASTES THE JORDAN RIVER AS THE ISRAELITES ENTER THE PROMISED LAND. HE CAN EVEN TASTE THE WATER OF JESUS’ BAPTISM.
YES FOR NAAMAN HE TASTES ALL THIS IN THE WATER AS HE EMERGES FROM THE JORDAN. IN THE JORDAN NAAMAN IS CLEANSED OF HIS LEPROSY.
WHAT MIGHT JESUS HAVE TASTED WHEN HE WAS BAPTIZED IN THE JORDAN RIVER BY JOHN? JESUS MIGHT HAVE TASTED THE SANDS OF THE WILDERNESS DURING HIS COMING TEMPTATION. THE SWETT REFRESHING WATERS OF THE SEA OF GALILEE WHERE HE WILL CALL BROTHERS, SIMON PETER, AND ANDREW, AS WELL AS ANOTHER SET OF BROTHERS, JAMES AND JOHN THE SONS OF ZEBEDEEE WAS ANOTHER TASTE.
HE TASTES THE FISH AND BREAD THAT WILL FEED THE MULTITUDES. HE TASTES THE DIRT AND FITH FROM THE MAN POSSESSED BY A MULTITUDE OF DEMONS. HE TASTES THE DIRT KICKED UP FROM THE SWINE RUNNING INTO THE SEA TO THEIR DEATHS.
HE TASTES THE ROTTING FLESH OF LEPPERS COMING TO BE HEALED. HE TASTES THE CORNCOPIA OF SMELLS OF JERUSALEM AT PASSOVER TIME. HE TASTES THE EARTHY COLT=S COAT WHICH HE WILL RIDE INTO JERUSALEM. HE TASTES THE COMFORTING PASSOVER FOODS THAT HE WILL SHARE WITH HIS DISCIPLES.
JESUS TASTES THE RICH WINE AND UNLEAVEN BREAD OF HIS LAST SUPPER. HE TASTES THE DECEIT AND BETRAYAL OF JUDAS AND SIMON PETER. HE TASTES THE CONFINING DANK AIR OF PRISION. JESUS TASTES THE SWEAT AND BLOOD OF GOLGATHA WITH ITS TORTURE AND DEATH.
HE TASTES THE OIL AND THE SPICES THAT THE TWO MARYS BRING TO ANNOINT HIS DEAD BODY. HE TASTES THE SWEET THE FRESH AIR OF RESURRECTION AFTER HE WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD BY GOD. HE TASTES ALL OF THIS IN ONE INSTANCE. FOR AT HIS BAPTISM JESUS BEGINS HIS MINISTRY TO HUIMANITY AND THE ROAD TO HIS CRUCIFIXION
AND RESURRECTION.
NAAMAN GOES TO THE PROPHET OF GOD FOR HEALING. JESUS GOES TO THE PROPHET OF GOD TO BEGIN HIS MINISTRY. THE JORDAN RIVER IS THE SETTING FOR BOTH OF OUR STORIES.
CLEANSING IN WATER IS CENTRAL TO OUR TEXTS THIS MORNING. JESUS IS BAPTIZED JUST AS WE TOO HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED. JUST AS NAAMAN IS CLEANSED BY THE WATER AND HEALED OF HIS LEPROSY THROUGH WASHING WE TOO ARE HEALED WHEN WE ARE WASHED IN BAPTISM.
JUST AS JESUS’ MINISTRY BEGINS AT HIS BAPTISM SO TOO DOES OUR MINISTRY BEGIN AT OUR BAPTISM. GRANTED A THREE MONTH OLD INFANT DOESN’T SEEM TO HAVE MANY OPPORTUNITES FOR MINISTRY. BUT AS SHE MATURES SHE TOO IS PREPARING FOR THE MINSTRY THAT GOD HAS CHOSEN HER FOR.
SINCE THIS IS A PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AND OUR TRADITION IS NOT TO SUBMURGE THOSE WHOM WE BAPTIZE, THE WATER OF BAPTISM DO NOT FLOOD OVER OUR BODY LIKE NAAMAN’S. OUR HAIR MAY NOT EVEN GET GOOD AND WET. BUT JUST AS NAAMAN IS HEALED OF HIS LEPROSY WE ARE HEALED OF OUR LEPROSY. IT IS A LEPROSY THAT ALIENATES AND ESTRANGES US FROM GOD. IT FESTERS LIKE A SORE, EATING AT OUR VERY FLESH. IT DOES THAT UNTIL WE ARE CLEANED, JUST LIKE NAAMAN, BY THE SIMPLE ACT OF WASHING.
THERE IS ONE MORE TASTE IN NAAMAN’S MOUTH. THIS TASTE IS UNEXPECTED AND CONFUSES HIM. THIS TIME HE TASTES THE SWEETNESS OF WINE AND BREAD. WHY, HE MIGHT HAVE WONDERED, DO I TASTE WINE AND BREAD, IF HE HAD THOUGHT TO DO SO. HE MIGHT NOT KNOW WHY HE TASTES BREAD AND WINE, BUT WE DO.
FOR WE TOO TASTE BREAD AND WINE AS PEOPLE RENEWED AND CLEANSED WHEN WE ARE REDEEMED AND CLAIMED BY GOD THROUGH BAPTISM. FOR IN THE BREAD AND WINE OF THE EUCHARIST WE RECEIVE GOD’S GRACE AND HEALING ANEW JUST AS WE FIRST DID AT OUR BAPTISM.
MAY WE REMEMBER THIS MORNING OUR OWN BAPTISMS. LET US REMEMBER THE VOWS THAT WE TAKE ON BEHALF OF OUR INFANT CHILDREN AT BAPTISM.
REMEMBER THAT WE HAVE TURNED FROM THE WAYS OF SIN. WE HAVE RENOUNCED EVIL AND ITS POWER OVER THE WORLD. WE HAVE TURNED TO JESUS CHRIST AND ACCEPTED HIM AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR. WE PROMISE TO BE CHRIST’S FAITHFUL DISCIPLES AND TO OBEY HIS WORD.
MAY WE REMBER THAT WE ARE CHRIST AND CHRIST IS OURS. TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD.
TO THE GLORY OF GOD, NOW AND FOREVER MORE!
AMEN
