WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:13.000 The story is told of a physically challenged young boy. He had only one arm and he was often picked up by his class bullies both verbally and physically. 00:00:13.000 --> 00:00:21.000 ! And this had a negative impact on him and on his self esteem as it will have on anyone else. 00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:26.000 And he would come home crying and that troubled his mom. 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:32.000 So she thought of an interesting solution. Why not have him trained in martial arts? 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:42.000 That will enable him to at least put up a fight against his bullies at school and maybe rebuild his self esteem. 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:46.000 So the mother took the son to meet a martial arts instructor. 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:54.000 The first one she met flatly refused to enroll her son. The reason he gave was his disability. 00:00:54.000 --> 00:01:00.000 Her son would injure himself and he would not be able to practice all the needed moves. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:07.000 So not wanting to give up the mother went up to all the martial arts instructors in the town and everyone turned her down. 00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:14.000 And they all offered a variety of reasons but it could be traced back to him being physically challenged. 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:17.000 The fact that he had only one arm. 00:01:17.000 --> 00:01:22.000 Finally, the mother did succeed to find a sifu as they said in the east. 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:27.000 A martial arts teacher who was more than willing to take him under his wings. 00:01:27.000 --> 00:01:31.000 So the young boy finally finds someone to instruct him. 00:01:31.000 --> 00:01:37.000 So on the first day, being very excited, the young boy arrived early for his class. 00:01:37.000 --> 00:01:43.000 And so he stood with all the other students and bowed when the instructor walked in. 00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:50.000 The instructor looks at him and calls him over and he takes him to one end of the room and shows him one martial art move. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:55.000 It was quite complicated but it only required the boy's one arm. 00:01:55.000 --> 00:01:58.000 And he asked the boy to follow after him. 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:01.000 The instructor spent the whole evening with the boy. 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:05.000 And of course the other students had other instructors training them. 00:02:05.000 --> 00:02:07.000 And the boy went home very excited and pleased. 00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:11.000 You know, he felt special and he felt accepted. 00:02:11.000 --> 00:02:14.000 He couldn't wait for his next class. 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:19.000 So the next time he went, the instructor pointed him to the corner of the room 00:02:19.000 --> 00:02:27.000 with the same instructions to continue the practice of the one move he had been taught using his only one arm. 00:02:27.000 --> 00:02:30.000 And that happened at every class. 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:34.000 All the other students were given further instructions. 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:39.000 But this boy was told to practice that one single move. 00:02:39.000 --> 00:02:44.000 Now this went on for a whole week, a whole month and almost a whole year. 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:48.000 And this troubled the boy but he followed the instructions. 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:52.000 At the end of the year, there was a martial arts tournament. 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:57.000 And the instructor enrolled the boy for the tournament. 00:02:57.000 --> 00:03:02.000 The boy was very worried and he protested to his instructor. 00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:08.000 How could he, with only one arm and with his knowledge of one martial art move, 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:11.000 face other experienced fighters? 00:03:11.000 --> 00:03:15.000 The instructor only said these words to calm his fears. 00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:17.000 Do you trust me? 00:03:17.000 --> 00:03:20.000 So the boy goes into the tournament. 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:23.000 He wins the first round and then he wins the second round. 00:03:23.000 --> 00:03:27.000 The quarter finals, he wins the semi-finals and finally he does win the finals. 00:03:27.000 --> 00:03:29.000 You know, he was victorious. 00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:31.000 And all the fights ended very quickly. 00:03:31.000 --> 00:03:33.000 And so he was very, very confused. 00:03:33.000 --> 00:03:37.000 How could he, a physically challenged boy, a boy with only one arm, 00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:40.000 with the knowledge of only one martial art move, 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:43.000 which he has practiced less than a year, 00:03:43.000 --> 00:03:48.000 be able to be more seasoned and experienced fighters? 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:52.000 His coach or his instructor finally explained it to him. 00:03:52.000 --> 00:03:55.000 And this is what he said to him. 00:03:55.000 --> 00:03:59.000 There are many moves in their form of martial arts, 00:03:59.000 --> 00:04:01.000 from the basic to the more dangerous. 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:04.000 And there are a number of ways to block each move. 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:07.000 But the move that the coach had taught him, 00:04:07.000 --> 00:04:10.000 using his only one arm, was a dangerous move. 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:14.000 And it had only one way to block it. 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:17.000 His opponent must grab his other arm. 00:04:17.000 --> 00:04:23.000 And this young boy did not have the other arm. 00:04:23.000 --> 00:04:26.000 So his opponents were powerless before him. 00:04:26.000 --> 00:04:30.000 The young boy's weakness actually became his strength. 00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:33.000 That enabled him to be victorious. 00:04:33.000 --> 00:04:37.000 It's not too different from the famous words of Apostle Paul 00:04:37.000 --> 00:04:39.000 in 2 Corinthians chapter 12. 00:04:39.000 --> 00:04:44.000 When I am weak, then I am strong. 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:49.000 Now our passage this evening is going to introduce us to another man. 00:04:49.000 --> 00:04:52.000 Who would learn the lesson the young boy learned, 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:55.000 that the Apostle Paul had learned? 00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:58.000 That every Christian are learning. 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:02.000 When we are weak, then we are strong. 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:09.000 And it allows us to appreciate these words God spoke to the Apostle Paul. 00:05:09.000 --> 00:05:12.000 The lesson of strength through weakness. 00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:14.000 My grace is sufficient for you. 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:18.000 For my power is made perfect in your weakness. 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:23.000 Naaman the Syrian will learn that in and through his weakness. 00:05:23.000 --> 00:05:27.000 He shall experience God's grace and power. 00:05:27.000 --> 00:05:30.000 Now Naaman lived about 800 years before Christ. 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:33.000 That's more than 2800 years before us. 00:05:33.000 --> 00:05:35.000 That's a long, long time ago. 00:05:35.000 --> 00:05:40.000 Yet we shall find Naaman not too different than all of us. 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:46.000 And that's because human hearts have not changed when confronted with the grace of God. 00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:51.000 We might assume we are more intelligent than the people that lived before us. 00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:54.000 Or our standards of living might be higher and better. 00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:56.000 We are more sophisticated. 00:05:56.000 --> 00:05:58.000 We are more advanced scientifically. 00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:03.000 But when it comes to our relationship with God, we all stand on equal footing. 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:07.000 We are all sinners with rebellious hearts in need of grace. 00:06:07.000 --> 00:06:10.000 We all have to repent of our proud hearts. 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:16.000 So in our passage, if you look at our passage, Naaman's entire life is summarized in only one verse. 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:18.000 The first verse. 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:19.000 It says, 00:06:19.000 --> 00:06:25.000 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor. 00:06:25.000 --> 00:06:28.000 Because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:31.000 He was a mighty man of a law, but he was a leper. 00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:33.000 Now there's a mouthful there. 00:06:33.000 --> 00:06:37.000 He was a military general and a very successful one. 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:40.000 He was looked highly upon by his king. 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:42.000 So these words could have described him. 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:43.000 He was honorable. 00:06:43.000 --> 00:06:44.000 He was victorious. 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:45.000 He was mighty. 00:06:45.000 --> 00:06:46.000 And he was valorous. 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:50.000 And the Bible tells us the cause of his military success. 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:53.000 It was the Lord himself, the guard of the Bible. 00:06:53.000 --> 00:06:58.000 Now Naaman was the military general of an enemy nation. 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:00.000 Yet God had given him success. 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:03.000 Because the guard of the Bible is a sovereign guard. 00:07:03.000 --> 00:07:06.000 He's sovereign everywhere and he's sovereign over everyone. 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:12.000 Even those over those who did not know him, do not know him or do not acknowledge him. 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:16.000 Now there's something else we are informed about Naaman, that he was a leper. 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:22.000 Now despite all his outer success, his great social standing, he suffered physically. 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:29.000 And we know what time a slave girl appeared in his household and she took pity on her master and she said to her mistress, 00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:36.000 would that were my Lord, were with the prophet who's in Samaria, he would cure him of leprosy. 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:40.000 And just on her words, Naaman sets off for Israel. 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:43.000 Naaman was both a very needy man and a man in a hurry. 00:07:43.000 --> 00:07:48.000 Naaman first goes in to consult his master, the king of Syria. 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:54.000 And the king was very agreeable to the idea of Naaman going to Israel to seek healing. 00:07:54.000 --> 00:07:57.000 And he offered to write a letter to the king of Israel. 00:07:57.000 --> 00:08:00.000 One king writing a letter to another king. 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:05.000 So a spiritual pilgrimage, if you can call it, has now become a political issue between two nations. 00:08:05.000 --> 00:08:13.000 Now Naaman knows, you know, in his mind he's going to encounter some sort, some form of divine power. 00:08:13.000 --> 00:08:21.000 You know, for him probably Israel was just another deity like the gods of Syria. 00:08:21.000 --> 00:08:27.000 And since his Syrian gods had failed to heal him, why not try the God of Israel? 00:08:27.000 --> 00:08:28.000 What's the harm? 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:35.000 So as Naaman sets out for his journey to Israel to seek healing, he makes a careful preparation. 00:08:35.000 --> 00:08:38.000 Naaman brings with him four essential things. 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:40.000 At least that's what I see. 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:45.000 You know, reading from my Eastern perspective, he brings four essential things with him. 00:08:45.000 --> 00:08:49.000 So the first thing he brings with him was the piece of paper that the king had given him. 00:08:49.000 --> 00:08:53.000 You know, Naaman takes with him the letter of his king. 00:08:53.000 --> 00:08:58.000 Now the letter states, of course, who Naaman is and with instructions to the king of Israel 00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:01.000 to arrange for the healing of Naaman, his servant. 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:06.000 You know, this perhaps is what we call a reference letter or a character letter. 00:09:06.000 --> 00:09:15.000 Last week I was asked by someone to write a reference letter because that person was applying for an indefinite leave to remain in this country 00:09:15.000 --> 00:09:23.000 on the basis he has been here for more than 20 years, which allows him to live here legally, permanently. 00:09:23.000 --> 00:09:30.000 And despite that, he needed letters to vouch for him that he has been a good person and will continue to be so. 00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:35.000 So perhaps my position as a pastor of the local church carried some weight over the home office. 00:09:35.000 --> 00:09:41.000 Now Naaman brought reference from the most important person in his country. 00:09:41.000 --> 00:09:45.000 And who would be able to ignore that reference? 00:09:45.000 --> 00:09:48.000 You know, if you got a reference from the queen, who's going to ignore it? 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:55.000 Not even the king of Israel, the neighboring country, which I believe was at that time politically and militarily inferior to Syria. 00:09:55.000 --> 00:09:57.000 And what else does he bring? 00:09:57.000 --> 00:09:59.000 He brings gifts in verse 5. 00:09:59.000 --> 00:10:05.000 Here are ten talons of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. 00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:09.000 Now the gold itself would run into millions of pounds. 00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:11.000 So he brings some of his possessions. 00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:13.000 So first a paper and then his possession. 00:10:13.000 --> 00:10:15.000 Thirdly, Naaman does not come alone. 00:10:15.000 --> 00:10:17.000 He brings his entire circus with him. 00:10:17.000 --> 00:10:19.000 His entourage. 00:10:19.000 --> 00:10:23.000 Verse 9 tells us he comes with his horses and his chariots. 00:10:23.000 --> 00:10:25.000 Now it must have been quite a scene. 00:10:25.000 --> 00:10:29.000 A visiting dignitary of a more powerful nation. 00:10:29.000 --> 00:10:32.000 And his entourage befitted his status. 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:34.000 Important people don't move around alone. 00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:38.000 So he comes in his prestige. 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:41.000 The first three items that he brings with him. 00:10:41.000 --> 00:10:46.000 The paper, the possession, and his prestige. 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:50.000 All points to his place and his status in his world. 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:56.000 Naaman wishes to impress upon his audience of his importance, his greatness and his power. 00:10:56.000 --> 00:10:59.000 Now the final thing he brought with him. 00:10:59.000 --> 00:11:02.000 I have all peace so I just made it up. 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:03.000 It's his point of view. 00:11:03.000 --> 00:11:05.000 His theology. 00:11:05.000 --> 00:11:07.000 And this is what he says. 00:11:07.000 --> 00:11:11.000 You know, he thinks he knows how he should be healed. 00:11:11.000 --> 00:11:13.000 Or what Elijah should have done for him. 00:11:13.000 --> 00:11:14.000 Naaman says, 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:32.000 Now I do not know where he got that idea from that Elijah should wave over him. 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:33.000 The writer does not tell us. 00:11:33.000 --> 00:11:35.000 But I could only speculate. 00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:39.000 Maybe he had been watching God channel on cable TV in Syria. 00:11:39.000 --> 00:11:42.000 But Naaman does explain his logic. 00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:43.000 He says, 00:11:43.000 --> 00:11:50.000 Are not Abana and Farfar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:53.000 Could I not wash in them and be clean? 00:11:53.000 --> 00:12:00.000 If I only had to dip myself in a river, why not the beautiful rivers in Syria where he is from? 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:04.000 Which supposedly are better than the river Jordan. 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:08.000 Now Elisha could have sent him the healing manual through the email. 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:11.000 By now Naaman is already very frustrated. 00:12:11.000 --> 00:12:16.000 You know, the writer tells us at the end of verse 12, he turned away and went away in rage. 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:22.000 Naaman must have been thinking, since he arrived to Israel, everything has been going against him. 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:26.000 His initial meeting with the king of Israel was a disaster. 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:30.000 The king of Israel thought the request was a proxy for war. 00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:34.000 The prophet he was sent to refused to come out and meet him. 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:38.000 Instead he sent his servant with the simplistic instructions. 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:40.000 Is he being mocked? 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:47.000 Now thankfully the passage tells us that his servants spoke some sense to Naaman. 00:12:47.000 --> 00:12:49.000 Instead he asked him a question. 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:54.000 Now I feel there is a lot of wisdom in that very question. 00:12:54.000 --> 00:13:00.000 In fact I believe their question opens up the whole story before us. 00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:06.000 It gives us a glimpse of Naaman's inner motivation. 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:10.000 The inner motivations of his heart and also other hearts. 00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:12.000 This is the question they asked. 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:17.000 My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you. 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:19.000 Will you not do it? 00:13:19.000 --> 00:13:22.000 Has he actually said to you, wash and be clean? 00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:27.000 Why would Naaman had obeyed if the instructions would have been something great? 00:13:27.000 --> 00:13:30.000 Or something difficult? 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:32.000 Why is that? 00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:34.000 Because it appeals to our pride. 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:38.000 We don't want anything free or anything easy. 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:40.000 So that we can boast. 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:47.000 Now the apostle Paul writing about a thousand years later to the Ephesians church. 00:13:47.000 --> 00:13:48.000 He says this. 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:51.000 For by grace you have been saved through faith. 00:13:51.000 --> 00:13:53.000 And this is not your own doing. 00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:55.000 It is the gift of God. 00:13:55.000 --> 00:13:59.000 Not the result of works so that no one may boast. 00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:04.000 Naaman is being confronted by God's grace. 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:10.000 And grace attacks and dethrones human pride and achievements. 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:14.000 Everything about Naaman is under siege. 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:19.000 Who he is as represented by the letter from the king. 00:14:19.000 --> 00:14:21.000 What he possesses. 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:24.000 You know his wealth as shown by the gifts he brought. 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:29.000 His social importance as could be seen through his entourage. 00:14:29.000 --> 00:14:32.000 His theology, his wisdom on how God should act. 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:34.000 Everything is being attacked. 00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:38.000 And everything would crumble if he took the step of faith. 00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:41.000 And steps into the Jordan River. 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:43.000 And he does take the step of faith. 00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:47.000 He goes down and dips himself in the Jordan seven times. 00:14:47.000 --> 00:14:52.000 Naaman has to meet God in his weakness. 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:55.000 Naaman has to humble himself. 00:14:55.000 --> 00:15:00.000 He has to be isolated from who he think he is. 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:03.000 His identity, his achievements, his knowledge. 00:15:03.000 --> 00:15:07.000 And it's all in the presence of everyone. 00:15:07.000 --> 00:15:11.000 In the presence of all the people that is inferior to him. 00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:16.000 He has to be stripped both physically and metaphorically. 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:20.000 And throw himself to the grace of God to be healed. 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:22.000 We know what happens next. 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:23.000 Naaman is healed. 00:15:23.000 --> 00:15:25.000 He is not only healed. 00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:31.000 Verse 14 tells us his flesh is restored like the flesh of a little child. 00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:33.000 He receives the new flesh. 00:15:33.000 --> 00:15:36.000 And when Naaman comes out of the river. 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:40.000 There is a transformation that takes place in him. 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:42.000 Naaman now is a humbled man. 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:44.000 Now how do we know that? 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:46.000 In just two verses. 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:48.000 Verse 17 and 18. 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:53.000 He refers himself as Elisha's servant. 00:15:53.000 --> 00:15:56.000 He calls himself as I am your servant Elisha. 00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:59.000 And he says that not once but five times. 00:15:59.000 --> 00:16:07.000 Naaman's transformation points to the ways of God and to his grace. 00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:14.000 Now God has a way to humble us without humiliating us. 00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:20.000 And lift us without flattering us. 00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:21.000 Unlike the ways of this world. 00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:24.000 You know how are we humbled in this world? 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:26.000 How do we put people in their place? 00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:31.000 You know we when we meet proud people. 00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:33.000 Sometimes we have to lift ourselves up. 00:16:33.000 --> 00:16:36.000 And say you know if you think you are rich I am richer. 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:39.000 Or we have to point them to someone better than them. 00:16:39.000 --> 00:16:42.000 Someone who would take the superior position. 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:44.000 Only then we can humble people. 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:45.000 We have to humiliate them. 00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:47.000 But God of the Bible. 00:16:47.000 --> 00:16:49.000 The God of the Bible does not do it that way. 00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:52.000 In bringing Naaman to humility. 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:55.000 God never at all took a superior position. 00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:58.000 And there are four things in this passage. 00:16:58.000 --> 00:17:01.000 That will point God and to God's humility. 00:17:01.000 --> 00:17:02.000 Firstly. 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:06.000 The God of Israel is the God of the weaker nation. 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:11.000 Israel is both weaker militarily and politically to Syria. 00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:14.000 So God is saying I am the God of this weak nation. 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:15.000 Secondly. 00:17:15.000 --> 00:17:18.000 The preaching of the word as we called it. 00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:19.000 If we called it. 00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:22.000 You know Naaman gets the information about the existence of God. 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:25.000 Through the words of a slave girl. 00:17:25.000 --> 00:17:28.000 The least important person in his kingdom. 00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:32.000 God allows Naaman to know of his existence. 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:35.000 Through the word of the slave girl. 00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:37.000 You know today in this world when you are doing business. 00:17:37.000 --> 00:17:39.000 And if you want to promote your business. 00:17:39.000 --> 00:17:41.000 If you want to market your business. 00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:44.000 You get very important people to model for you. 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:45.000 To model your products. 00:17:45.000 --> 00:17:47.000 To be brand ambassadors. 00:17:47.000 --> 00:17:50.000 The brand ambassadors for God was a slave girl. 00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:52.000 A nobody in his kingdom. 00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:53.000 Thirdly. 00:17:53.000 --> 00:17:55.000 When Naaman was going to give up. 00:17:55.000 --> 00:17:57.000 In his rage. 00:17:57.000 --> 00:18:00.000 God uses the counsel of the servants. 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:01.000 Not of the wise people. 00:18:01.000 --> 00:18:02.000 The strong people. 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:03.000 The counsel of the servants. 00:18:03.000 --> 00:18:04.000 To bring him back. 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:05.000 To try. 00:18:05.000 --> 00:18:06.000 To be in the wise people. 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:07.000 And fourthly. 00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:09.000 If he is going to be confronted by God's grace. 00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:10.000 By God's power. 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:11.000 And healing. 00:18:11.000 --> 00:18:12.000 It has to be. 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:15.000 In the not so beautiful Jordan River. 00:18:15.000 --> 00:18:17.000 But God is saying. 00:18:17.000 --> 00:18:18.000 If you want to meet me Naaman. 00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:20.000 You have to come down to where I am. 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:21.000 Not to where. 00:18:21.000 --> 00:18:22.000 Not up where I am. 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:24.000 But down to where I am. 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:25.000 You have to come down to your high house. 00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:26.000 And meet me. 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:27.000 Where I am with my people. 00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:28.000 Uh. 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:29.000 The apostle Paul tells us. 00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:30.000 In the. 00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:31.000 First Corinthians. 00:18:31.000 --> 00:18:32.000 He says. 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:34.000 For since in the wisdom of God. 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:36.000 The world did not know God through wisdom. 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:37.000 It pleased God through the folly. 00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:38.000 Of what we preach. 00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:40.000 To save those who believe. 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:41.000 For Jews demand signs. 00:18:41.000 --> 00:18:42.000 And Greeks seek wisdom. 00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:43.000 But we preach Christ crucified. 00:18:43.000 --> 00:18:44.000 A stumbling block to Jews. 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:45.000 And folly to Gentiles. 00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:47.000 But to those who are called. 00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:48.000 Both Jews and Christians. 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:49.000 As Christians. 00:18:49.000 --> 00:18:50.000 As Christians. 00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:51.000 As Christians. 00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:52.000 As Christians. 00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:53.000 As Christians. 00:18:53.000 --> 00:18:54.000 As Christians. 00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:55.000 As Christians. 00:18:55.000 --> 00:18:56.000 As Christians. 00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:56.000 00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:57.000 As Christians. 00:18:57.000 --> 00:19:02.660 and Greeks, price the power of God and the wisdom of God, for the foolishness of God is wiser than 00:19:02.660 --> 00:19:10.779 men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. After all this, Naaman still attempted to pay for 00:19:10.779 --> 00:19:18.079 his blessing. Now what actually was the sin of Gehazi? We know, you know, he got greedy, and 00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:24.019 Naaman's leprosy went on him, but his actual sin was this, he put a price on the grace of God, 00:19:24.019 --> 00:19:32.900 and Naaman was more than happy to pay. We would do anything to earn God's grace. It's contradiction 00:19:32.900 --> 00:19:38.579 in terms, but we would do anything. We would pay more, we would suffer, we would make resolutions, 00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:45.099 we'll be good, we'll read the Bible, just let me know, how can I pay you back? Because 00:19:45.099 --> 00:19:53.940 we are confronted with God and our pride is attacked. This healing was free, but it was 00:19:53.940 --> 00:20:02.279 priceless. Because this story points to the humble Messiah, our Lord Jesus, who would die on the cross 00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:10.340 to pay for all other sins. Paul speaks about the humility of Christ in his epistle to the 00:20:10.340 --> 00:20:17.940 Philippians. He says, have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who do he was in the 00:20:17.940 --> 00:20:26.279 form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking 00:20:26.279 --> 00:20:33.559 the form of a servant. Being born in the likeness of men, and being found in human form, he humbled 00:20:33.559 --> 00:20:42.059 himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. And our Lord Jesus himself 00:20:42.059 --> 00:20:49.799 says this in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 11, he says, all things have been handed over to me by my 00:20:49.799 --> 00:20:56.139 Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. And no one knows the Father except the Son, and anyone 00:20:56.139 --> 00:21:03.440 to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:13.500 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for 00:21:13.500 --> 00:21:22.240 your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is slight. So I believe there are, you know, a number of 00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:30.120 takeaways from our passage this evening. I have three. Firstly, if you look in the life of Naaman, you know, 00:21:30.119 --> 00:21:35.519 salvation is both a decision that Naaman took when he came out of the river. You know, he confesses 00:21:35.519 --> 00:21:42.719 that there is no God, but the God of Israel. But salvation is a process. You know, God is the one 00:21:42.719 --> 00:21:49.179 who pursues and does not give up. You know, it seems to me that God was wrestling with Naaman's heart 00:21:49.179 --> 00:21:55.339 so that he would come to salvation. So salvation is both a journey and a decision. In Naaman's case, 00:21:55.339 --> 00:22:02.019 God has been working in his life even before he acknowledged God. You know, the passage clearly 00:22:02.019 --> 00:22:07.500 says it. You know, his social life, who he is socially, God has prospered him in his social life. 00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:14.899 And then as we see, he was healed physically. You know, he experienced God's grace on his body. 00:22:14.900 --> 00:22:22.960 And then finally, God works in his heart spiritually and he receives salvation. And then after that, 00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:29.120 he makes this very strange request for some of us to Elisha that, you know, if I go back, 00:22:29.180 --> 00:22:33.980 I will still have to serve my king and I might have to go into the idol house and I'll have to bow down. 00:22:34.800 --> 00:22:41.220 And Elisha doesn't stop him. Because Elisha realizes that grace has started working in Elisha's, 00:22:41.220 --> 00:22:47.860 in Naaman's life. Because grace starts from the outside, it gets into our heart and he works out for it again. 00:22:48.539 --> 00:22:55.900 Because one day, Elisha, he believes that Naaman will come to a point where he will trust God fully. 00:22:57.160 --> 00:23:01.299 And as we see, God is interested in every area of our lives. 00:23:02.160 --> 00:23:06.059 Secondly, this text is also both a reminder and a warning for all of us. 00:23:06.059 --> 00:23:09.899 There is the insider and the outsider issue, the high and the low. 00:23:09.980 --> 00:23:14.059 If you look at the text, Naaman was the outsider. By the end of the story, he's the insider. 00:23:15.159 --> 00:23:17.019 Gehazi, the insider, has become the outsider. 00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:23.460 The slave girl, who is the most powerless person in the story, 00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:27.399 has more faith than the king of Israel, who is a powerful person. 00:23:27.400 --> 00:23:31.240 And we see an upside down world here. 00:23:32.280 --> 00:23:36.720 And you see two kings. One king trusts the words of the slave girl. 00:23:36.780 --> 00:23:41.400 The other king, who is the king of God's people, completely is faithless. 00:23:41.720 --> 00:23:42.980 And then we see the stories of the servant. 00:23:43.140 --> 00:23:45.840 There is Gehazi, a servant, and there's Naaman's servants. 00:23:47.540 --> 00:23:52.960 Thirdly, the values of the kingdom of God is completely opposite to the values of this fallen world. 00:23:52.960 --> 00:23:58.440 When I was in India, a young minister was telling me, a young preacher said, 00:23:58.559 --> 00:24:02.640 someone asked him, what's the difference between God's kingdom and this world? 00:24:03.299 --> 00:24:05.120 And he said, look into the values of this world. 00:24:05.819 --> 00:24:08.140 Turn it upside down. It's God's kingdom. 00:24:09.259 --> 00:24:15.000 And that's why Paul tells us, and I'll finish with this passage from Paul in Corinthians again. 00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:17.059 For consider your calling, brothers. 00:24:18.160 --> 00:24:20.880 Not many of you were wise according to the worldly standards. 00:24:21.140 --> 00:24:22.559 Not many were powerful like Naaman. 00:24:22.720 --> 00:24:24.240 Not many were of noble birth. 00:24:25.079 --> 00:24:28.420 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. 00:24:29.160 --> 00:24:31.819 God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 00:24:32.660 --> 00:24:35.519 God chose what is low and despised in the world, 00:24:35.559 --> 00:24:38.259 even things that are not to bring nothing, things that are. 00:24:38.940 --> 00:24:41.980 That no human being might boast in the presence of God. 00:24:41.980 --> 00:24:44.640 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, 00:24:44.980 --> 00:24:50.360 who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption. 00:24:50.920 --> 00:24:55.360 So that, as it is written, let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. 00:24:56.079 --> 00:24:56.880 Let us pray. 00:24:56.880 --> 00:24:56.920 Amen.