Easy 1.31

II Kings 5

Let’s read 2 Kings Chapter 5 together. If you have your bible follow along, we’ll also have it up on the big screen. Listen, and pick out some of your favorite aspects to this crazy chapter.


Wow, there is a lot of stuff in this chapter. Some crazy things take place don’t they! What are some of the ones that stand out to you? (numbers 1-8 are talking points)

1. Naaman – Just a few notes about Naaman: He was a top commander in the Syrian army who was really appreciated by his boss, King Ben-Hadad. Naaman was a key leader in his king's army and enjoyed a lavish lifestyle when he was not away in battle. He drove the latest chariot and even had several servants at hand. Yet -- you wouldn't envy Naaman, because he was a leper. Although lepers were not seen as outcasts in Syria as they were in Israel, leprosy was still a dreaded and despised disease. It turns out that one of the servant girls in Naaman's household was an Israelite girl who was captured in one of Naaman's raids, and through her suggestion to her mistress, Naaman goes to Israel to be healed of his disease. Then, if he was healed... he would have it all! He would be happy, healthy and wealthy.

2. Elisha – the prophet tells the king "Stop tearing your clothes," "You're not the only one around here, you know. Send the man to me so that he may learn there's a prophet in Israel." We then hear of the mighty warrior with his chariots and horses and gifts of gold and silver heading on over to Elisha's house. And this is a great scene, cuz Elisha doesn't even come out of his house! He stays inside and simply sends his servant out with a message for Naaman. "Go, wash seven times in the Jordan and you will be clean."

3. Angry – Well, Naaman isn't used to being stood up. He's a man with authority. He's accustomed to speaking with kings. He is often in communication with his own king and the kings of other nations. So in his mind, he’s wondering – “Who does Elisha think he is?” Naaman has no intention of washing in the muddy Jordan and says: "Aren’t Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel?" If Israel's prophet is going to disrespect Naaman by not even coming out to meet him, then Naaman decides he’s going to dis Israel's river. And with that outburst, the mighty warrior turns, enraged, toward home.

4. Reasoning – Naaman's servants are horrified with their master's behavior. One of them sees through his master's ranting and raving and says something like, "Excuse me sir, but if the prophet had told you to climb the highest mountain seven days in a row, or roll a pebble on your hands and knees all the way back to Damascus, you would probably have done it. So why not this simple washing thing?" Basically the servant is smart and knows how to get to his master. Of course Naaman would do something difficult, he was a mighty warrior. He had done many difficult things before. So he's surely brave enough to wash in the muddy Jordan River!

5. Healed – Naaman laid down his pride. He followed Elisha’s directions, and was blessed. It was because of the rationale from his servant, that he turned around, went down to the Jordan, and immersed himself seven times. When he came out of the water that last time, he looked down at his hands and his feet. His flesh was like the flesh of a young boy. He was healed.

6. Payment – for services rendered. Perhaps an important element to the story is that Elisha would not accept anything from Naaman for the healing. Here, Elisha is telling Naaman and everyone else that the blessing of God is not for sale. Elisha is insistent upon not receiving anything from Naaman – essentially so God would get all the glory.

7. Dirt – Naaman asked for two mules full worth of dirt – He was affirming that he would offer sacrifices from there on, only to God. He apparently was so passionate about this that he intended to use the Israelite soil to make a holy place in Syria to worship God. This request reflects the current thought that God must be worshiped at a particular place or on the basis of association with a particular land.

8. Gehazi – Elijah's servant sees an opportunity to skim a bit of Naaman's treasure off for himself. "Hey -- who's to know?" The guy should have known better than to try and pull the wool over a miracle working prophet of God like Elisha! Yet Gehazi thought Naaman got off too easy. His actions were an attempt to lift himself up a bit from his servant status. He thought he could take advantage of an easy situation. So he chases Naaman's caravan down and comes up with a story about how Elisha needs a bit of money and clothing for a couple of students who have just come by. And Naaman, since all along he wanted to give Elisha something anyway, gives the servant more than he’d even asked for. And heading back home he tries to tell Elisha that he had been at home the whole time. Gehezi wanted something from Naaman, and he got it. Elisha tells his servant that since he wanted something of Naaman's, he would have Naaman's leprosy!

2 Kings chapter 5. I think this chapter really paints for us a fantastic picture of what life was like during this time. We see the powerful with their servants, and the tension between two kings. We see the power of healing, and the role wealth plays within the different strata of society.

When we’re honest, this chapter, minus the servants and well - the miraculous healings, is everything we are today. I think it’d be easily for us to see this story as a modern day film, perhaps an adaptation like all the Romeo & Juliet’s, Peter Pan’s, or the different Jane Austen films. If I were a film maker, I’d make it into a movie. I think the only thing it’s missing is some romance.

So, in this chapter we have miraculous healings and expectations unfulfilled. We see greed and the power of wealth. There is transformation and humility. This chapter really speaks to us about the reality of the time; the reality of the time of 2 Kings as well as our own reality.

How does it speak to our own time, our own reality? In this chapter, which character do you resonate with? Whose story are you able to identify with? Is it Elisha? One of the Kings? The Israelite servant girl? How about Naaman, or his servant? Are you able to identify with Gehazi? I believe at different times throughout our lives – we’re probably able to see aspects of each of them in ourselves; each of them in our own story.

Let’s focus on the middle. The middle of the chapter is perhaps where I find myself most often. As I read and reread chapter 5, this is the part of the story that stands out to me. I find myself resonating with Naaman. He’s an easy character to identify with isn’t he. He’s got a problem… he’s got some pride, some power, and he’s at his wits end – ready for some outside help. He’s arrogant. Thinks he’s due certain things, certain privileges or prestige. He has expectations of how society operates. I think this is where I resonate with him, in understanding the functions of our world.

I also find myself resonating with Naamans servant, his officer. Or at least with the simple logic he poses to Naaman. Maybe not resonating with it, but longing for it. I see it as truth! I’m really just drawn to this portion of the story. I love the Servants question to Naaman, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn’t you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he says simply, ‘Go and wash and be cured!”

How often do we carry around an arrogant baggage with expectations of how things work? Allowing our pride, arrogance, or ignorance to get us out of doing the simple things the Lord is asking of us? We might say silly things like: I have a college education, I’m not going to apply for that job. I’m a pastor, I shouldn’t have to change this light bulb. I’m above this… someone else should do it! I’ll let someone else, one of the volunteers mop Demitasse, wash the dishes, or pull a shot for this next person. How often do we do this, acting like Naaman, ignoring God’s instructions because of our pride or empirical understanding of order?

The question really is, What is God calling you to do, that you so arrogantly are ignoring because it seems too simple. The penance is not great enough… thinking it must be harder, we should have to do more!

I love that Elisha didn’t even come out to greet Naaman. He didn’t need to. He didn’t need to wave his hands over Naaman’s sores, or pray a big lofty prayer. Yet this is what Naaman expected. He wanted something difficult. He wanted something official. He wanted something great. And Elisha’s instructions seemed too easy.

Did you notice what story Jesus referenced in our Gospel text this morning? It was the healing of Naaman. Maybe you’re like me, but I can’t help but be drawn forward into the Gospels after reading 2 Kings chapter 5. I’m drawn into thinking of what we’re asked to do. It’s not too often that we are called to the impossible, the hard? Throughout the Scriptures, in both the Old and New Testament, we hear things like: Wash 7 times, put mud on your eyes and you’ll be able to see, and follow me and I’ll make you fishers of men! Come, follow, wash, be forgiven.

So often it’s the simple tasks that we’re asked to do. And yet so often it is these simple things which we find too easy to be “of God”.

We think: to be a missionary means we must leave and go across the ocean and live in straw huts. To be a good disciple, we must wake up early and read the scriptures for an hour or more before doing anything else. But perhaps it is much simpler. Perhaps God’s call – and expectation for our lives is not as difficult as we make it out to be. Perhaps we ignore the simplistic tasks required of us because they aren’t difficult enough to motivate us. Perhaps we avoid them because we’re embarrassed, thinking “aren’t the waters back home better than these?”

May we be open to hearing God’s voice when it breaks into our lives and says "Excuse me, if you had been told to climb the highest mountain seven days in a row, or roll a pebble on your hands and knees all the way through downtown, you probably would have done it. So why not this? This which is simple?

Open your ears to hear. Open your heart to feel. And participate in God’s upside down kingdom, where it’s often not the difficult that he asks of us – but simply our obedience.

Let’s pray.

As you go, be open to the simplistic tasks before you. Go and Love.

(some assitance in the historal talking points came from: http://day1.org/530-what_the_mighty_might_learn & http://www.lectionarysermons.com/feb13&00.html )