Summary: In 2 Kings there is an interesting story about a Syrian general, a Jewish prophet, & his assistant. It is about a pagan who finds God, & a Jew who finds that he hasn’t fooled God.

MELVIN M. NEWLAND, MINISTER

CENTRAL CHRISTIAN, BROWNSVILLE, TX

ILL. The Gallup Poll organization took a survey a few years ago on the church habits of American people & came up with an interesting statistic. They reported that 6 out of every 10 people surveyed said that they had been an active part of some significant religious worship time during that year.

I don’t mean that they just went to church once or twice during that year, but they felt that they had really been involved in their churches, & not just simply in having their name on a church roll. 60% of the people in the U.S. said, "We have been active in our church & in our worship."

So the Gallup organization came up with this conclusion, "More people are going to church & taking their religion seriously than in many years."

A. That’s the good news. But there is bad news, also. Even while this religious renewal was going on, surveys showed that 3/4ths of the attendance in the movie houses were people attending "R" & "X" rated movies. Child abuse & pornography were also reaching new heights, or should I say "new lows"?

As a result, several newspapers began pointing out that there is a correlation between what people see & read, & what they do. They would report on a violent crime, & then point out that exactly the same kind of crime had been presented that week on prime﷓time TV."

ILL. Do you remember reading this article in the newspaper, "GIRL ACCUSED OF PRINCIPAL POISONING TRY"? It says, "An 11-year-old girl tried to poison her principal in an attempt to prevent her parents from learning that she had been in a fight at school, police said. The 5th grader had a classmate deliver a cupcake containing three pellets of rat poison to Zona Jefferson, principal of Alice Drive Elementary School."

The article goes on to report, "The poisoning attempt was the second this school year by an elementary student in this city. In September, a student tried to poison his teacher because she wouldn’t let him go out for recess. That incident also involved rat poison."

"Police said the 9-year-old boy put poison in his teacher’s iced tea after he got the idea from the movie `Heathers,’ in which a teen-ager poisoned her classmates."

Another newspaper told about a man arrested for molestation. It reported that when the authorities went to his house they found stacks of pornography portraying that same kind of behavior.

In response to such news items, one newspaper received this letter, "Yes, it is true. I admit to reading Penthouse & Hustler magazines & viewing the Playboy Channel. I am also proud to say that I am a devout Christian."

But I wonder? How can he call himself a "devout Christian" when the Bible clearly says, "Brothers...whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure...let your mind dwell on these things" for "among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality or of any kind of impurity...because these are improper for God’s holy people?" [Philippians 4:8; Galatians 5:3]

ILL. Just a few years ago the results of another survey was announced. It found that 45% of those who regularly attend church said that they didn’t let their religion affect the way they lived their lives.

But that does begin to explain something, doesn’t it? How could 3/4ths of the movies be "R" & "X" rated unless so-called Christians are attending them? How could some of our prime-time TV shows be so popular unless so-called Christians are watching them? How could pornography be so prevalent unless so-called Christians are engaged in it?

Remember, Jesus said that "not everyone who says to me `Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven." It is not just what we say, but what we do.

PROP. With that in mind, there is an interesting story in the 5th chapter of 2 Kings about a Syrian general, a Jewish prophet, & his assistant. It is about a pagan who finds God, & of a Jew who finds that he hasn’t fooled God.

I. THE STORY

A. As we look at the 5th chapter of 2 Kings, we find that the Syrians have been sending raiding parties into the land of Israel. One captive they bring back to Syria is a young Jewish girl who becomes a servant in the house of Naaman, commander of the Syrian armies.

Now Naaman had a very serious problem, & so far only a few people knew it. He had leprosy, a disease that attacks the nerve system of the body. Naaman was losing all sense of feeling in his body. He could no longer feel the hilt of his sword as he clutched it in his hand.

His men thought that he was courageous in battle because when an arrow hit his leg - he did not react. They interpreted that as toughness - but Naaman knew the sickening truth that he could not even feel the arrow as it ripped into his leg.

B. Naaman lived in increasing despair. He tried everything - but there was no cure for leprosy. But one day, this servant-girl mentioned to Naaman’s wife that there was a prophet in Israel who could heal Naaman of his leprosy.

When Naaman heard this he went to his king & told him about it. Immediately the King of Syria prepared a letter for the King of Israel. Then he sent Naaman on his way with a great host of horsemen & chariots, & with presents in silver & gold & rich garments worth nearly $1.5 million.

But when Naaman arrived in Israel, the king of Israel became very frightened. Listen to what it says in 2 Kings 5:7. "As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes & said, `Am I God? Can I kill & bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured or his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!’"

C. But Elisha, the prophet of God, heard of Naaman’s visit & sent word to the king to have Naaman come to his house.

So Naaman came in all his splendor, with his horses & chariots & all his rich gifts to the house of Elisha, the prophet of God. But Elisha didn’t come out to speak to Naaman. Instead, Elisha sent his assistant, Gehazi, with a message that Naaman should go & wash in the River Jordan 7 times.

Naaman felt insulted & was enraged at being treated this way after his long journey. Vs’s 11 & 12 say, "But Naaman went away angry & said, `I thought that he would surely come out to me & call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot & cure me of my leprosy. Are not Aban & Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them & be cleansed?’ So he turned & went off in a rage."

But after his men calmed him down, he decided that he would go ahead & do as the prophet had said. So he went to the River Jordan, dipped 7 times, & was cleansed.

Vs’s 14 & 15 report, "His flesh was restored & became clean like that of a young boy. Then Naaman & all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him & said, `Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. Please accept now a gift from your servant."

D. Naaman went back rejoicing to the house of Elisha & wanted to give him the gifts, but Elisha gave God the glory & refused to take anything.

At first, Naaman assumed that Elisha’s refusal was just a matter of oriental politeness, so again he urged Elisha to accept his gifts. But still Elisha refused to take anything.

Now, Naaman was really impressed. The God Elisha served was not like the gods they worshipped back in Syria. He possessed supernatural powers, & His prophets did not expect bribes or rich rewards for themselves.

Naaman decided that he wanted to serve this God, too. So he asked Elisha if he could take back to Syria 2 mule loads of earth from Elisha’s property so that he might have holy ground on which to worship & offer sacrifices to God.

In vs. 18, Naaman begins to call himself a servant of God & asks God to please pardon him when he goes back to Syria & has to accompany his king when the king goes to worship the Syrian gods. Naaman promises God that he, himself, will not be worshipping those gods any more.

So Naaman leaves Elisha & his assistant, Gehazi, as a brand new convert to the worship of God - rejoicing in all that has happened to him.

E. Now turn with me to verses 19-27. (READ 2 KINGS 5:19-27)

II. GEHAZI MADE 4 BIG MISTAKES

The actions of Gehazi bring about a tragic ending to an otherwise inspiring story. And as we look at it, we find that Gehazi made 4 big mistakes.

A. 1st of all, Gehazi resented the fact that God’s mercy had been given so freely to Naaman. He thought, "Why should my master let him off easy? He should pay for the miracle that God worked in his life. It’s not fair."

B. Secondly, Gehazi took the Lord’s name in vain. He said, "As surely as the Lord lives, I will run after him & get something from him." He used God’s name in connection with something that was very wrong. He supposedly serves God, & yet he is going to lie & cheat & steal.

Have you heard these words?

"We are the only Bible the careless world will read.

We are the sinner’s gospel. We are the scoffer’s creed.

What if the type is crooked? What if the print is blurred?

What if our tongues are speaking of things His lips would spurn?"

C. The 3rd thing Gehazi did was to plant the seeds of doubt in Naaman’s mind. Here was a brand new convert who was excited because he had discovered the Lord God - a God who was real & powerful & who cared about him & had cleansed him of his leprosy.

And Gehazi lied to him. Gehazi said, "Naaman, my master sent me to tell you that we just had two young men come by, & they are in need. Do you think you could spare a talent of silver (that’s about $15,000) & a couple of changes of clothes for them?"

Naaman replied, "Take two talents of silver - & whatever clothes you want." And Naaman even sent 2 servants back to help Gehazi carry it all.

I wonder what went through Naaman’s mind? Maybe he thought, "That old Elisha is pretty smooth. He acted so devout & said he wouldn’t take anything from me. But he sure changed his mind fast when he saw me leaving. These followers of Jehovah may pretend to be different, but they’re all alike."

D. Last of all, Gehazi sought security in possessions & not in God. He hid the money & clothes he had gotten from Naaman & then lied to Elisha.

Maybe that is understandable. Gehazi had been Elisha’s assistant for a long time. Perhaps he thought, "I’ve done all these things for years & what has it gotten me? Just the life of a prophet. I don’t have any land. I don’t have any investments. I don’t have any fine clothes. It’s time I started looking out for myself. From now on I’ll take care of myself first & foremost."

So he did. He sought security instead of God. And what was Elisha’s response to Gehazi?

III. HOW DID ELISHA RESPOND TO GEHAZI’S LIES?

A. The first thing we find was that Elisha really cared about Gehazi.

Elisha cared enough about Gehazi to confront him. I can just see Elisha pacing the floor, waiting for Gehazi to get back. And when he came into the room, Elisha looks at him & asks, "Where have you been, Gehazi?"

And after Gehazi lies to him, Elisha said, "Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you?" Elisha cared about Gehazi.

B. Secondly, the Bible tells us that Elisha gave him the opportunity to confess.

ILL. God does that. Remember, after Adam sinned, God gave him an opportunity. He said, "Adam, where are you?" All Adam had to say was, "God, I am sorry."

ILL. In the N.T. Jesus gave Peter the chance when he said, "Simon, do you love me?" A good friend gives his friend an opportunity to set things right.

Gehazi had his chance to confess, too. But he didn’t. He chose to stand before Elisha & say, "Where have I been? Why, I’ve been here all the time."

C. Thirdly, Elisha made sure that Gehazi accepted the responsibility for his actions. Elisha said, "Gehazi, do you realize what you have done? You’ve compromised me. You’ve compromised God. You’ve taken a miracle that God performed in the life of a Gentile that caused him to be a convert to Jehovah & you made it into something ordinary & dirty."

IV. WHAT WAS GOD’S REACTION TO ALL THIS?

A. What was God’s reaction to all this? God was upset. Matter of fact, in the O.T. God strikes 3 people with leprosy.

1. One was Miriam, Moses’ sister. God struck her with leprosy after she questioned Moses’ authority to speak for God.

2. Another was King Uzziah who was so impressed with his own importance that he presumed himself to be more important than God’s prophets & priests. Because of his pride God struck him with leprosy.

3. And the third is Gehazi.

B. What do these three have in common? Each one took advantage of God’s people. I’m convinced that whenever an innocent, sincere Christian is taken advantage of, or has his faith ruined because of our greed or our example, that God takes that very seriously.

God was fair, you know, He took a leper & made him clean. He took an insensitive, uncaring, spineless prophet & made him a leper.

CONCL. I think that we all need to take a good look at ourselves. With whom do you identify? Do you identify with Naaman? Then come to Jesus & let him wash you & make you new. He wants to forgive you if you’ll let Him come into your heart today.

Maybe you’re in Elisha’s shoes. Maybe you have a friend who has betrayed his faith. You’ve seen the glimmer go out of his eyes. You’ve seen the backbone slowly dissolve & there is not much left of his Christian life & witness.

Maybe you’re like Gehazi this morning. Maybe you feel that you need to start thinking about yourself, because if you don’t, nobody will. So you’ve started to erode your integrity, your honesty, & your morals.

I am glad this morning that God doesn’t strike us with leprosy. I am glad that He wants to cleanse us & make us new. If you’re looking to give Jesus your life - or if you’re looking for a church home, then I invite you to take that step today. Will you come?