This evening we continue the story.

1. Here we see how the Lord always has His messengers of the Word. When there is a person whose heart has been prepared, God always has his messengers. Here, God's messengers begin with a little captive slave girl. In fact, by His matchless grace, God worked through the unrighteous deeds of Naaman's own army to bring this little slave girl into his own home to be the instrument of God's Love.

2. But what kind of messenger does God use? He uses those who are available--those who know and love the Lord. Here was a small girl, humble, obedient, insignificant to men, living under dire conditions, but with a Romans 8:28 mental attitude; she was a girl using the problems of life as opportunities or as open doors to witness for God.

3. Though small, weak, and insignificant, this little girl knew the omnipotent and sovereign Lord of the universe with whom there was healing. She was willing to point others to the most significant Being of the universe, YAHWEH OF ISRAEL, who alone could cure Naaman's disease.

4. Why do you suppose Naaman listened to her? After all what could a slave know? May I suggest that he listened because perhaps her life spoke volumes! Her life had been such a testimony that it gave credibility to her words. I think we each understand the point here for us. Does your life speak volumes about who you are and your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ?

1. In verses 4-7, we have an excellent illustration of how salvation cannot be obtained. Oh, how these verses reveal the natural tendencies and perspective of the carnal mind. Here is a typical man who recognized his need to some extent, but he wanted to have a part in his healing. He was trusting first in power, position, and riches. Instead of thinking in terms of God's grace, he naturally thought in terms of favoritism, the leverage of power, wealth, and what one can earn or buy.

2. First, in verse 4, Naaman went to the king with the news and to get permission from his king to go to Israel. The king was willing to help, and that's good, but they immediately thought in terms of political and financial clout (vss. 5-6). They thought they could buy the favors of God from the prophet of Yahweh through the king of Israel. So Naaman was sent to the king of Israel rather than to the prophet of God. With him he took a large amount of silver, gold and clothes as payment. This was the typical cultural pattern of that day (and ours as well), but it is not God's pattern.

3. So now with verse 7 we see the wrong response of the king of Israel. Though he had power, position and wealth, yet unlike the little slave girl, he had no witness. Instead of immediately pointing Naaman to Elisha, the prophet of God, he was paralyzed with fear; he was paranoid. He rent his clothes which was often a sign of humbleness and repentance, but in this case that is not what has happened. He thought that the king of Syria was seeking some cause to create an incident and a reason to attack. Instead of seeing this as an opportunity to demonstrate the power of the Lord, he thought only of himself. What a contrast to the little slave girl who thought of others rather than her own plight. Note that she could have thought, as many would, that he was getting just what he deserved. Or she could have tried to strike a bargain in exchange for her freedom.

4. Like the king of Israel, how quick we are to read things into situations and expect the worst rather than take life's situations as opportunities to serve the Lord and to see Him work. Why? Because we are blinded and paralyzed by our self love.

5. There is a lesson here for us. It's the lesson of the growth potential of accountability, service, and suffering. Through her accountability to her master, her service to his wife, and her own suffering being uprooted from her home and family, this little girl had learned to trust the Lord and then to think of others and their needs. The king, on the other hand, considered himself accountable to no one (a serious error). Further, he was always served by others and failed to see himself as a servant of the people. Thinking only of himself was simply a natural product of the kind of luxurious life he lived.

6. But from Naaman's standpoint, what did this do for him? It shattered part of his trust in his human resources. That which he thought would buy his cure was worthless. He was literally left holding the bag, the bag of money in his leprous hand. He needed to learn, as all of us do, that we must never trust in the uncertainty of riches, or power, or position, but instead, to trust only in God's grace and work in His Son.

7. Money, power and wealth cannot save us, make us spiritual, effective witnesses, or deserving of responsibility or leadership in the body of Jesus Christ. Only God's grace and his gifts and blessings in Jesus Christ can do that.

1. Does this not illustrate God's loving concern for the sinner. Again, God has his messengers. Though some will fail in their responsibility and ministry, the Lord watches over the seeking soul and at just the right moment, he sends one of his own with whatever is necessary to take the seeking person another step toward the Lord and salvation (cf. Rom 2:2-8).

2. Naaman represents the seeking soul, one in need of the Lord. Remember, God was using his leprosy as a means to bring him to a knowledge of the Lord. Elisha on the other hand represents the Lord. And Elisha, as God's representative, said "let him come now to me," words which the Lord wants to speak to every unsaved person. For Naaman to come "to know that there was a prophet in Israel" was to come to know that the God of Israel was the only true God, and the only real hope in life.

1. This must have been an imposing picture. Naaman in his chariot with his fine horses, with his gold and silver and fine clothes standing in front of the prophet's house which was probably very unimposing by Naaman's standards. Naaman was a proud man. He was proud of his accomplishments, talents, power, position, and wealth. He rode up arrogantly and thought, surely this lowly prophet of Israel will come out to me, Naaman the great warrior; and he will wave his hand over the area of my leprosy and I will be cured. We see his pride expressing itself in verses 9, 11 and 12, but especially in his anger at being told to go and wash seven times in the Jordan.

2. But who was Naaman? He was a sinner and a mere creature of God, who drew his breath from two small slits in his face (Isa. 2:22). Even the power, the victories he had enjoyed, and his accomplishments were given him by the Lord of the universe (so the importance of verse 1). What does the Scripture teach about the pride of man?

3. Naaman had to be brought low; he had to be knocked off his high horse! God cannot and will not bless us as long as we are full of pride.

4. Why will a man's pride bring him low? James gives us part of the answer. After telling us about the grace which God gives, he also reminds us that "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." Who can experience God's grace? The humble! Then from whom does God withhold his grace? The proud! Who are the proud? Those who are indifferent to God's plan, who refuse to commit themselves to God's plan, who attempt to handle life by their own abilities or strategies.

1. That which the prophet does in this passage may seem rude; in fact, he would be severely criticized by many church members today and our politically correct society. His actions would be viewed as unloving, rude, and arrogant. But what Elisha did was really an act of love. It was a means of showing Naaman his pride so he could receive God's grace and begin to count for God himself.

2. Sure Naaman reacted and snorted off. But note that Elisha didn't run after him; it appears he simply turned it over to the sovereignty of God who then worked through the life of another to bring Naaman to his senses. As long as Naaman was proud, he would never obey the Lord in humble belief or faith.

3. Self conceit and the various ego trips of men are typical of the unregenerate heart and even of the carnal mind of the regenerate. It is so hard to realize just who we are, mere creatures, and to submit to God's plan. We must let God be God!

1. First, let's note what Naaman said as he went away in his fury in verse 11, "Behold I thought." What verse of Scripture comes to your mind here? "There is a way that seemeth right unto man, but the ways thereof are the ways of death" (Prov. 14:12).

2. But that's not all. Naaman had contempt for God's solution and plan. To him it was base and foolish. He was thinking, why should I go wash in the muddy Jordan River in Israel when I have clear streams of water in Damascus? Of all the absurd ideas! Note the human reasoning here. The implication is: If a cure comes through bathing in a stream, then I have better streams in which to bathe myself.

3. The world's standards and ideas of salvation seem so much more logical in comparison to God's which seems foolish and so simplistic. "Go and wash in Jordan seven times . . . and thou shalt be clean." A very simple thing to do, surely, but Naaman objected. And so the Bible teaches, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:16). But simple faith is not so simple; men object. Ironically, Naaman was willing to pay any price, willing to do any great deed of prowess, to make any fatiguing pilgrimage, but he was unwilling to obey a simple command 'wash and be clean.

4. What was the issue here? The washing? No. Would that cure him? No. It was the obedience of faith. It was personal faith in the command of the prophet and not the evidence of his faith, washing, which cured him. It was his simple faith in the word of God. Washing was simply the fruit, the result.

5. So today, men are saved simply and solely by the obedience of faith, by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as one's personal Savior. The obedience God asks is the obedience of faith in Christ.

6. Man is so self willed. By his ego, his reason, by his own experience and desires, he wants things his own way; he wants to be saved his way; he wants to be spiritual his own way; he wants the church to operate his way, and on the list goes. But man must submit humbly to the wise plans of God or there can be no salvation, no real joy and fruitfulness, no deliverance.

7. Satan also played on Naaman's pride, and pointed to the way in which he had been treated. Naaman, a great personage, had come to make a request of a king and pay handsomely for services rendered. First he was sent to the lowly dwelling of a prophet, who did not even come out to meet him, and then he was sent off in this way, without any display or notice, to wash in the muddy Jordan River! So he turned away in a rage, and it seemed as though Satan had won.

What are some of the key lessons we can glean from the story so far?

(1) God is constantly at work to lead people to Himself, no matter how dark their condition.

(2) God uses any committed believer, no matter how ordinary or insignificant he may be. How? Because of the mighty God who indwells us. This makes us significant as His instruments of light.

(3) The grace of God cannot be bought with silver and gold or power or position. We must come to God in faith and believe His revelation in the Scripture.

(4) In fact, power and position, silver and gold, can be a hindrance and an impediment to coming to Christ, as well as to effective service.

(5) Two of the greatest hindrances to experiencing God's blessing for believers and unbelievers alike are:

(a) our pride--Naaman almost lost out because of his pride, and

(b) our opinions--Naaman almost lost out because his thinking was contrary to Scripture.

All appeared to be lost, it appeared Satan had won and that Naaman would go away without healing and without the saving knowledge of the Lord. But something happened. Next Wednesday evening we will see the change that takes place in Naaman’s life.