SEVEN STEPS DOWN
2 KINGS 5:1-15C
OCTOBER 13, 2013
TWENTY FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, YEAR C
FARM HILL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, HARRISBURG, AR
INTRO. Pat Summerall died earlier this year. We probably remember him the most for working in the broadcast booth with John Madden, calling NFL games on CBS and Fox. You may even remember that he played for the Razorbacks back in the day, before his own professional football career. One thing you may not remember about him with his conversion to Jesus Christ after years of alcohol abuse. He ended up at the Betty Ford Clinic, where the reading material was the Bible and the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. He read a lot of the Bible, and conviction gripped his heart. At the age of 64, he was saved and then baptized. He said, “It was such a magnificent feeling. After the baptism I felt so clean. I knew what people were talking about when they talk about being born again. I had that feeling. I had a feeling of peace (www.cbn.com/entertainment/ books/Summerall_OnAir.aspx).”
Baptism is such a humbling experience, isn’t it? Many of us came remember that time and the feelings we had. It’s not too hard to relate to Naaman and his self baptisms there in the Jordan River at the instruction of Elisha. As we follow what happened to him there, seven humbling experiences come to mind that perhaps would relate to the seven times he went under in the Jordan.
I. THE FIRST HUMBLING - HIS TERRIBLE CONDITION (2 Kings 5:1). With all that Naaman had accomplished, with his standing in life, he had to own up to his terrible condition. I listened this week to Nancy Leigh DeMoss’ program on American Family Radio. She talked with a man who had to own up to his terrible condition in modern days. He had gotten an engineer job with a government contractor. The problem was that he lied on his employment application. It had asked something about had he ever committed any crimes. He put on there he had not, but he had. He had used illegal drugs for a time in his life when younger. Years later, he came under conviction from God about his terrible condition. Finally he could take it no longer. He got another copy of the job application and filled it out again, putting down the truth this time. He took the application to work the next day and twice walked down the hall to the office that did security checks and bailed out on turning it in. The third time, though, he persevered and turned it in. Since he opened up to his terrible condition, God was freed up to work in his life and touch and bless him. But he would never have gotten to that point, he never would have been able to move on and move up in life, if he had not been able to admit his terrible condition. Neither would Naaman had been able to move on if he had not been able to admit his terrible condition.
II. THE SECOND HUMBLING - LISTENING TO A SLAVE GIRL (2 Kings 5:2-3). When you are a person of importance and influence, those who serve you are often invisible to you. History records that in ancient Rome, as a Roman general was parading through the streets during a victory parade, standing behind him was his slave, who had the responsibility of reminding the general that, although he was at his peak today, tomorrow he could fall, or more likely, be brought down. The servant would remind the general of this by whispering the phrase, “Remember that you will die” (www.wikipedia.org). History can also tell us that many of the Roman generals and emperors did not pay much attention to the warning! It’s easy to overlook the small people in your life, to ignore or walk over them. I read years ago, I can’t remember where, of how the students in a seminary class, training to be ministers and other Christian workers, were given a test one day. They were asked various things about the Bible, theology, church history and so on. Then came the last question on the test - “What is the name of the janitor who cleans this building?” You don’t know what janitor or slave girl God may send to you with a message from him, so we need to listen to them all, looking and hoping and praying and listening for the voice of God. Then, even though it humbles us, God give us the grace to follow as Naaman did.
III. HE WAS HUMBLED A THIRD TIME - LOOKING TO THE ENEMY FOR HELP (2 Kings 5:3-5). In the Bible, Naaman had to look to a very unexpected source for help. The people of Israel were enemies of the Arameans. This tribe came from the area that we know as Syria today. Mention of them is made here and there throughout the Old Testament, and they are never seen as being friends of the Jews. For an Aramean to look to a Jew for help would invite ridicule at the least and possible even suspicion, depending on the circumstances. Years ago, I read several science fiction novels by the same author about events a few hundred years in the future. There is a space academy on Earth, and the students there come from our planet, but also from outposts on Venus, Mars, the Moon, and perhaps other places in our solar system. A team of three cadets is put together, and they are the main characters of the stories. Tom is from Earth, and he is the head of the team. Astro is from Venus, and Roger is from Mars. Due to cultural and personality differences, Astro and Roger are always at each other’s throats, and Tom is about ready to give up on this every being a team; in fact, he is thinking about going to their commanding officer and requesting that the team be broken, which will certainly be seen as a failure on his part. But they are sent up into orbit on a training mission, and disaster strikes. A small meteorite passes through their spaceship, creating two holes a few inches wide in the walls of the spaceship. If quick action is not taken, they will lose their atmosphere and suffocate in space. Tom has to pilot the ship, and he orders the other two to do something. These two enemies, who can’t get along to save their lives, finally have to do just that. Even though it means looking to the other for help, relying on someone they can’t stand to save themselves, they act. They each go to one of the holes and cram their fist, covered with a cloth, into the hole and stay there, plugging the leaks, until the ship is landed. Naaman had to do the same kind of thing, and to get there, he had to swallow his pride and do what needed to be done, looking even to an enemy for help.
IV. THE FOURTH HUMBLING - THE DESPAIR OF THOSE HE LOOKED TO FOR HELP (2 Kings 5:6-7). What would you think if you went to the doctor for some problem you had and they looked you over, tested you for this or that, then all of a sudden, rushed everybody out of the room, and these guys came in dressed in biohazard suits and strapped you down, all the while ignoring anything you said as they dealt with this medical emergency they were screaming about? It reminds me of the man who went to the doctor for some tests. When the exams were done, they sat down and the man asked, “Well doc, how bad is it?” The doctor looked at him soberly and said, “You have ten left to live.” “Ten what?” the man replied. “Ten years? Months? Weeks?” The doctor stated, “Nine, eight, seven...” I can remember this kind of despair in the life of my mother. She had a lot of medical issues throughout her life, and it seemed like she was always going to this or that new doctor or hospital for help with this or that new medical condition and getting hopeful that they would they would have the magic bullet, they would know just what the problem was and how to treat it to bring great improvement into her life, to help her feel better and live better and be better, only to be disappointed, again and again. How must Naaman had felt to have sucked it up and go to someone he didn’t want to ask for help in someplace he didn’t want to be, only to be screamed at, “What in the world! Is your king trying to kill me?” We have all probably had a similar experience at one time or another, and it is never comfortable or encouraging.
V. HUMBLING CAME A FIFTH TIME - WHEN ELISHA SENT HIS SERVANT OUT TO GREET HIM (2 Kings 5:8-10). In a world of rank and privilege, of the need to remember who is important and who is very important, Naaman was insulted when Elisha did not come to the door to greet him. Instead, he sent a lowly servant out to face Naaman. And the servant was not there to say, “Hold on just a second and my master will be able to see you,” or, “My master is sick - could you come back tomorrow?”. No, the servant is there to bring a message from Elisha. Elisha is not going to appear. Naaman will not see Elisha. But here are orders from the prophet, coming from the lips of a lowly servant. How the words must have stung, delivered in this way. In his rage, I would not be surprised at all if, after the servant disappeared, Naaman did not whip around to one of his own servants and snap, “I was so angry I didn’t hear what that man said. What were his words?” Have you ever been left on the doorstep by someone you felt should not treat you that way? A few days ago, I needed to go see our state senator, David Burnett. When I entered his office, his secretary was gone on one errand or another. David’s offices are set up shotgun style and through several doorways, I could see David at his desk, on the phone. He looked up, recognized me, and waved me back. When I call him David, I mean no disrespect. It’s just that he’s been David to me ever since I moved to Arkansas. But I have gone to see other people who had some kind of responsibility to me, only to be treated as if I were wasting their time or not even worthy of their time! That’s never a good feeling and it is difficult to listen to the message you get from such a person. To listen, you have to be humble, and that is what Naaman was forced to do.
VI. THE SIXTH HUMBLING - HE HAD TO LISTEN TO HIS OWN SERVANTS (2 Kings 5:11-13)! Here Naaman was, on the brink of getting something done, of maybe finding some help with his leprosy, and he is about to short-circuit the whole thing because he didn’t like what he was told to do! And what excuses he had! “I thought the prophet would come out, and wave his magic hand, and poof! all of my leprosy would be gone!” And then, “Why should I go and wash in the Jordan? The rivers back home are bigger and better and more powerful!” It sounds like back when we were kids, “My dad can whoop your dad, so why should I listen to your dad?” A Christian counselor reminds us, “Even as people redeemed by the grace of God, we can be tempted to despise and forsake the river God provided for our healing. Rather than cry out for His mercy, we run to fantasies and amusements. Rather than seek comfort from His word, we bath in food or drink. Instead of repentance and rest in Him, we blame, avoid, and try harder to clean up. We all have our Abanahs and Pharpars. What are some of yours?” He goes on to tell me, “When the blood of Jesus Christ is offered as the river for our healing, it is natural to ask, ‘Are there not better waters?’” (http://christiancounseling. com/ content/ one-river- of-cleansing). Like Naaman, we pretend we know better how to fix the mess we created in life and chase after every answer under the sun except Jesus. But we have to listen to those voices that tell us that Jesus is the truth, the life, and the way and we need to follow, just as Naaman did.
VII. THE LAST HUMBLING - DOING WHAT HE WAS TOLD (2 Kings 5:14-15). It is one thing to listen to good advice, to be told what is the correct thing to do, and respond in a positive way. It is another thing entirely to act on the good advice, to do the right thing, even when it looks ridiculous to those who are looking on and it brings embarrassment to yourself. Put yourself in the shoes of Naaman. Here he was, a foreign dignitary in a strange land, dipping himself seven times into this so-called river that was not much more than a creek, all because he had been told this would take his leprosy away. Not to be called on to do some great and difficult thing, but to do the simple, the easy thing. I mentioned before the man I heard on Nancy Leigh Demoss’ program this week, Revive Our Hearts. After he turned in his paperwork to the security office, the papers that told the truth about himself, his security clearance was suspended for months while an investigation took place. He had recently been promoted, but he was sent back to the department where he had been working and had to explain to folks there what had happened. He had recently been transferred to St. Louis and received many phone calls from employees there and had to tell them why he wasn’t coming at the present. Hardest of all, he had to explain to his family that he had lied at the job and was dealing with the consequences of what he had done. Like Naaman and like this man, we need to do what we are told. What is God telling you to do?
CON. When I think of Naaman and his situation, the words of the old gospel song, “Nothing But the Blood of Jesus,” come to mind:
“Nothing in my hand I bring... Simply to the cross I cling.”
Naaman never heard about Jesus and the Cross, but he ended up clinging to the truth he did hear! Isn’t it an even greater responsibility on our part, don’t we owe an even greater debt, as we stand today in the shadow of the Cross? What is my response? What is your response? Are we willing to humble ourselves in whatever ways God lays out for us so that we can find the healing and the peace we so desperately need? This man I heard on the radio had to wait for nine months to hear back from the security investigation. But along the way, he had many opportunities to witness for Jesus. When he sat down with a security investigator, the first question was, “Why did you do this?” He told him about Jesus. God also led this man to contact the bookstore at Oklahoma State University because he had stolen some textbooks and a calculator while a student there. He sent a letter explaining what had happened and enclosing a check. The student newspaper called him to do a story about it, and the first question they asked was, “Why did you do this?” He told the reporter about Jesus, and the story ended up in the student newspaper, the Stillwater, OK paper, and was picked up by USA Today. For him, though, the greatest reward of all came not too long after he had explained to his wife and young children what was going on and how he was having to deal with the consequences of his lie. He said one night, he led his family in prayer before supper, then his five year old daughter looked at him and said, “Daddy, tell me about Jesus.” That night, his daughter asked Jesus into her heart. Who knows what would have happened in his life if he had refused to humble himself? Who knows what would have happened in Naaman’s life is he had refused to humble himself? Who knows what happens, or doesn’t happen, in my life or your life if we refuse to humble ourselves? God help us to be the man or the woman, the boy or the girl, who can lower ourselves to the place where God can heal and use us.
(Based on J.B. Nicholson, Jr., “Seven Steps Down: Naaman’s Journey to the Jordan, Counsel, January-February 2007, 7).
