You Are A Witness!

MELVIN M. NEWLAND, MINISTER RIDGE CHAPEL, KANSAS, OK

(Powerpoints used with this message are available at no charge. Just email me at mnewland@sstelco.com and request #409.)

TEXT: 2 Kings 5:1-27; 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

ILL. This week I read a story told by Bobby Stults on Sermon Central about a timid Christian who prayed: "Lord, if you want me to witness to someone, please give me a sign to show me who it is."

That very day he found himself on a nearly empty bus when a big, burly man sat down next to him. The timid believer anxiously waited for his stop so he could exit the bus.

However, before he could get off, the big burly guy burst into tears & then cried out with a loud voice, "I’m a lost sinner & I need the Lord. Won’t somebody tell me how to find the Lord?"

The believer immediately bowed his head & prayed, "Lord, is this a sign?"

A. In the 5th chapter of 2 Kings, during the time of the prophet Elisha, there is a story about a pagan general & a Jewish slave girl that is a powerful example of an effective witness.

Vs. 1 says, "… Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master & highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy."

Now, to help fix this in your mind, realize that ancient Aram is roughly equivalent to the country of Syria today. Damascus was the capitol of Aram then, just as Damascus is the capitol of Syria today. Aram & Israel were enemies then, just as they are today.

But at the time of our story, there was a shaky peace between them. Yet, even during this time of peace, there were still occasional skirmishes along the borders of the two countries. During one of these, a young Israeli girl was taken captive & became a servant to Gen. Naaman's wife.

The life of a slave was generally very difficult because you were looked upon as property, a living tool to be used & disposed of at will. Yes, some masters weren't cruel, but usually the life of a slave was one of hopelessness & despair.

B. But when this Israeli slave girl learned that Gen. Naaman had leprosy, Vs. 3 tells us, "She said to her mistress, ‘If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria. He would cure him of his leprosy.’"

In obeying & serving God as a prophet, Elisha had parted the Jordan River, raised a boy from the dead, & had been used by God to perform other miracles as well. The slave girl had heard the stories & was convinced that Elisha could heal her master, & she wanted to see him healed.

Amazingly, Naaman listened to the girl. Maybe it was just a grasping at straws, but taking the word of his servant girl, Naaman headed for Israel with an entourage of soldiers, a letter from the King of Aram, & chariots loaded with gifts.

After first going to the palace of the King of Israel, Naaman was finally directed to the house of Elisha.

2 Kings 5:9-10 tells us, "So Naaman went with his horses & chariots & stopped at the door of Elisha's house. Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, ‘Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, & your flesh will be restored & you will be cleansed.’"

Did you notice? Elisha did not come out of the house to greet Naaman. He sent a servant with a message for him instead. Naaman was a proud warrior who commanded armies. He was used to fanfares & cheering crowds, & this was not the kind of reception he expected.

It was bad enough to have a terrible disease that rotted away his flesh. It was humbling enough to travel hundreds of miles on just the word of a slave girl. But then to have the prophet not even come to the door to greet him! Naaman's pride was hurt, & he reacted furiously.

Vs's 11-12 tells us, "Naaman went away angry & said, ‘I thought that he would surely come out to me & stand & call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot & cure me of my leprosy.'

‘Are not Abana & 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."

C. It is obvious that Naaman needed more than just healing of his leprosy. He needed a lesson in humility, too. But let's not be too hard on him. None of us likes to be treated as if we're not important. And the more famous you are, the more humbling it is to discover that some people aren't impressed.