SCRIPTURE
Naaman’s
Leprosy Healed
1 Now
Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable
man in the eyes of his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to
Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper.
2 And the Syrians
had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land
of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife. 3 Then she said to her mistress, “If
only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him
of his leprosy.” 4 And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and
thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel.” 5 Then the king of Syria
said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he departed
and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten
changes of clothing. 6 Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which
said, Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my
servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy. 7 And it happened, when
the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, “ Am I
God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his
leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me.” 8
So it was, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn
his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes?
Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in
Israel.” 9 Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the
door of Elisha’s house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and
wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and
you shall clean"11 But Naaman became furious, and went away and said,
“Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call
on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the
leprosy.’ 12 “ Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar , the rivers of Damascus,
better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?”
So he turned and went away in a rage.13 And his g servants came near and spoke
to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something
great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you,
‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan,
according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the
flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 15 And he returned to the man of
God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, “Indeed,
now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now
therefore, please take a gift from your servant.” 16 But he said, l “ As the
LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.” And he urged him to
take it, but he refused. 17 So Naaman said, “Then, if not, please let your
servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer
either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the LORD . 18 “Yet in
this thing may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the
temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in
the temple of Rimmon-when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon , may the LORD
please pardon your servant in this thing.” 19 Then he said to him, “Go in
peace.” So he departed from him a short distance. (II Kings 5:1-19).
Sunday September 18, 2016
"THE LORD OUR RESTORER"
Pastor Enoch Hanokh
What did the
little slave girl do when she saw the General’s leprosy condition?
She reasoned
according to the standard of her identity (the Kingdom of God).
What should we do
when we see people?
We should go by
the standard of identity of the Kingdom of God?
Introduction:
How
many times have we not been tempted to weigh people according to the standard
of this world and therefore become envious of people without Christ instead of
recognizing the leprosy in their lives and humbly lead them to the way, the
truth and the life, Christ Jesus, the restorer of life and hope? Well, we are
not alone, but like David we should quickly see our own folly, repent and focus
on God so we can show others the way to restoration. (Ps. 73:2-9). May we
humbly see the true state of people in this world who are not yet part of our
Kingdom and help them make their way into the it. There is hope for every who
shall live.
1) Our
eyes must see differently.
▪
Accomplished in the eyes of men, yet being eating up by leprosy.
▪
Puffed up with pride and fits of anger
▪
Approaching in our terms.
2) Can
we boast in the LORD and say, “If only my master were with the prophet in
Samaria?
▪ We
should believe in the power of to save lives.
▪ Our
God is the restorer of lives.
▪ These
truths should be part of identity.
3) “And
he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
▪ Where
the prophets of God? (Joel 2:28, Num. 11:29, 1 Cor. 14:3-33).
▪ Do we
live for the glory of God or we live for ourselves?
Conclusion:
Can
we boast of the LORD Jesus Christ in our lives in the face of our ungodly
generation and proclaim the truth of the Kingdom of our God today? Would we
please stop envying this world so we can have focus to make boast of our LORD
Jesus Christ? It should all be about Jesus! We have just a limited time. This
is not our home. Jesus is coming sooner than we can ever imagine. Can you today
to talk to at least one person about Jesus this week? God bless you and your
family.
And may His grace
abound toward you in all things.
Shalom!!
SMALL
GROUP STUDIES
Based on today’s message, let us consider
the following questions in sharing with one another the understanding and
insight we have received from the Word of God. We are also encouraged to share
with others how we want to apply the meaning of today’s message in our personal
Christian life.
1. 1. What are some of the spiritual principle that we have learned from today's message?
2. 2. How can
you apply these principles in your spiritual journey with God?
