NAAMAN

2 Kings 5:1-14

By David J. Riggs

Intro.
   A. 2 Kings 5:1-3
   B. Leprosy is a terrible disease.
      1. Naaman would do anything to be healed--even go into the
         land of the enemy to find someone to cure him.

I. HE WENT TO THE WRONG SOURCE. (He went to the king of
   Israel -- vs. 3-7)
   A. Today, many go to the wrong source for religious authority.
      1. They go to creed books, famous men, parents, the church,
         church officials, etc.
      2. 2 Tim. 3:16-17; John 12:48
   B. We need more reading of the Bible itself. There is power there 
      to help us. Acts 20:32; Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:18; James 1:25
      1. Let us not go to religious books, or Bible books, but to the
         Bible itself. Let us not let other things occupy our minds.

II. HE HAD PRE-CONCEIVED IDEAS. (vs. 11)
   A. This is what is wrong in our religious world today. Judges     
      21:25
      1. We have a king today -- Jesus Christ. Matt. 28:18; John
         14:21
      2. We must denounce men as authorities and follow the Lord.
         Prov. 16:25; Jer. 10:23; Psalm 19:13
      3. We need awesome respect for God's Word. Rom. 3:4; Isa.
         66:2; 2 John 9

III. HE THOUGHT WATER COULD NOT CLEANSE. (vs. 11-12)
   A. Naaman thought the whole thing was ridiculous and went away in
      a rage.
      1. He was convinced that water could not cure leprosy. He was
         also convinced that the water in the rivers back home were
         just as good as the water in the Jordan.
   B. He was right on both counts, except for one thing -- God said
      "water" and "Jordan."
   C. Everyone knows that the waters of Jordan cannot cure leprosy.  
      If so, all lepers would have gone there. Luke 4:27
   D. In the spirit of Naaman, many question the water of baptism
      today.
      1. Consider what Christ required of the blind man. John 9:6-7
      2. Christ commanded -- Mark 16:16; Acts 10:48; 22:16
         a. Yet people reject it for exactly the same reason that
            Naaman almost did. They can't believe that water can
            save anyone.
         b. It is not the water that saves, but God. As was true with
            Naaman, God saves when we do what He commands.

IV. "ONE RIVER IS AS GOOD AS ANOTHER."
   A. If God wanted him to dip in a river, why not where he grew up,
      why not the river of his parents?
   B. God did not say, "Dip in a river," but "dip in the Jordan."
      1. When God designated the Jordan, no other river would do.
         He could bathe in other rivers, swim in others rivers, fish 
         in other rivers, but if he wanted to be cleansed, he had to 
         dip in the Jordan.
   C. Many today, in the same spirit of Naaman, claim that "one      
      church is as good as another."
      1. But look at what God taught about the church. Matt. 16:18;
         Acts 2:47; 20:28; Col. 1:18; Eph. 4:4; 5:23; Rom. 16:16
      2. The church is not mine, nor yours. It belongs to Jesus      
         Christ. He built it; He died for it; He saves it; He is the 
         head of it. It is His body; It is named after Him.
      3. Now, does that sound like one church is as good as another?
      4. Naaman was not satisfied with the Jordan. He wanted rivers
         he was familiar with.
         a. Today, many are not satisfied with the church Jesus
            built.
      5. It was not up to Naaman to have the river of his choice, and
         it is not up to us to have the church of our choice.
         a. God has made the choice and we must submit to His
            will.

V. REAL FAITH OBEYS. (vs. 13-14)
   A. Think of how wise the servants were.
   B. Real faith does not argue with God.
      1. He could not see how water could heal him, nor could he see
         why the Jordan was better than other rivers.
      2. Because he believed, he was willing to submit in order to be
         cleansed.
   C. Others -- Noah, Heb. 11:7 -- built a large boat on dry land.
      Abraham -- Gen. 22:2-3.
   D. Today -- for us -- Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38
      1. We are not saved by the water; we are saved by God. He
         said go to the water and we cannot quibble or argue with
         Him.
      2. Too many today claim that they are saved by faith, but they
         don't have enough faith to do what Jesus said. Luke 6:46

VI. HE WOULD HAVE DONE SOME GREAT THING. (vs. 13)
   A. If the prophet had required some great thing, he would have    
      done it to be cleansed.
   B. What can we do to make amends for our sins. Micah 6:6-7
      1. The wages of sin is death. Rom. 6:23; 1:32
      2. Rom. 1:28-32. How many of us have committed some of
         those sins? If we have committed only one, we are guilty of
         death.
      3. Jesus Christ has died in our place. 2 Cor. 5:21; 2 Pet. 2:24
   C. 1 John 5:3; Rom. 12:1

VII. REAL FAITH IS REWARDED.
   A. When Naaman obeyed, he was cleansed. vs. 14 "...Like the flesh
      of a little child."
   B. When one is baptized for the remission of sins, all his sins   
      are washed away. He is cleansed of something far worse than    
      leprosy.
   C. Acceptable faith continues to be rewarded in our lives. Luke
      18:29-30; 1 Tim. 4:8
      1. The great reward comes when this life is over. Matt. 5:11-
         12; John 14:1-2

VIII. A GRATEFUL HEART. (vs. 15-16)
   A. Naaman was grateful and wanted to give a gift, but Elisha
      refused. "The best things in life are free." Isa. 55:1
      1. Jesus healed ten lepers and only one returned to give       
         thanks. Luke 17:11-19
      2. We have been cleansed from something far worse than
         leprosy. Do we give thanks? Heb. 13:15
         a. We show our appreciation by living faithful, godly lives.
            1 Pet. 2:24; Heb. 9:14
         b. Thus, we continually render a grateful service to the
            Lord.

Concl.
   A. Let us not try to argue with God's way, but accept it.
      1. Let us not try to improve on God's plan, but just believe
         what He says and do it.
      2. Let us trust God enough to do precisely as He requires.
      3. Then, like Naaman, we too can be healed.