Title: WASH!
Focus: Accept God’s grace when he says, “Wash! Be cleansed!” Do not look unto yourself or others.
Function: To encourage the people to relish the grace of God’s salvation through the blood of Christ.
Text: II Kings 5:1-14
Taking God at his word is a problem for most, if not all of us. In my years of pastoral ministry, I have had countless moments where Christians showed a struggle to grasp the good news of salvation in Christ Jesus.
For example, when I ask the question, “are you confident that you have eternal life today and that you will spend eternity with God on a restored creation when Christ comes again,” there often tends to be silence, followed by a comment in the trend of : “Well pastor, I hope so, or I think so, because I have served Christ all my life; I have tried to obey his Word; I have been part of the worshiping life of the church. Yes, I have lived a good life. So, I hope that God will give me credit for these things.”
Others prefer to adopt a posture of “I don’t know.” And they reject any claim that says you can have certainty about such things. “We are creatures; God is God,” they say. “You can never be certain about what will happen to you after death.”
Today, in light of Scriptures, I say: accept and relish the grace of God’s salvation through the blood of Christ. Do not look unto yourself or others.
The other day I read a story about a woman who was assaulted a year ago; the attack was vicious; and ever since that time, the woman has felt the need to take frequent daily showers because she feels so “dirty” from the inside. She, like so many of us—from one degree to another—has a strong need to be cleansed, to be washed and healed. Today, in light of Scriptures, I wish I could tell her to accept and relish the cleansing, healing power of God’s salvation through the blood of Christ. Be washed and healed through the blood of Christ!
Another example of Christians having difficulty taking God at his word is the appeal of some to have their new-born children dedicated to the Lord in a church ceremony, rather than be baptized. In baptism, God comes to us with his word and promise of grace in Christ Jesus. In a dedication ceremony, we come to God offering our children, hoping for and pleading for God’s grace upon our children. In the sacrament of baptism, which is instituted by Christ, the focus is on God. In an infant dedication ceremony, which is a man-made substitution or alternative to the sacrament of baptism, the focus is on us.
In light of the Scriptures, today, I say: accept God’s grace when he says, “Wash!” Be cleansed!” Relish the grace of God’s salvation through the blood of Christ. And do not look unto yourself or others!
THE STORY IN II KINGS 5:1-14
The story in II Kings 5 has a number of very interesting characters. Let’s explore them a bit. First of all, there is
· Naaman: Naaman is the
commander of the army of the king of Aram. Naaman is a military man. Imposing. Esteemed by his king; revered by his soldiers. Naaman has fame: he is a Rambo, a Terminator, feared by friend and foe alike. When Naaman speaks, people listen; when Naaman shows up, people show respect. Naaman, then, is a man of stature. There’s one problem, however: Naaman has leprosy! He is doomed to live in isolation, and yes, doomed to die.
Then there are these
· Two Kings: The king of
Aram—his name is Ben Hadad—is a powerful ruler, who at the moment is at peace with Israel. Ben Hadad does not know the God of Israel; in fact, Ben Hadad serves many gods, in particular the god of war called “Rimmon.” But when Ben Hadad gets the request to write a letter to the king of Israel, Ben Hadad has no problem seeking help from Israel’s God. No sir, Ben Hadad readily accommodates to whomever may be able to heal his military commander.
The other king is Joram, ruler of Israel. He worries about his relationship with the king of Aram; Joram does not trust Ben Hadad. Neither does Joram trust the God of Israel. Think of it: Joram is supposed to rule Israel under God; Joram is to facilitate the Word and worship of Israel’s God, but Joram seems oblivious to God’s presence in the land.
So when Joram reads the letter of King Ben Hadad requesting that Joram might cure Naaman of his leprosy, Joram throws a tantrum. He tears his robes and says, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!” King Joram does not get it! He thinks the letter is a political ploy, a trick. He should have known better, seeking healing from Israel’s God. King Ben Hadad at least appeals to the ruler of Israel. (And thus he appeals indirectly to the God of Israel who has ordained Joram as King of Israel).
Here are some more interesting characters in the story. I’m thinking of
· The Servants. Naaman’s
wife has an Israelite slave girl. Naaman and his soldiers must have captured her in one of his raids on Israel. The Israelite servant girl plays a fascinating role in the story. She is devout; she believes the Word of God that she has heard and learned in Israel. She must have had parents who raised her in the fear of the Lord. And she trusts in the God of Israel, even though she is in exile, a slave girl in Naaman’s household. She also cares about her master and mistress.
So she tells them of the Word of God that is carried by and proclaimed by the prophet Elisha. “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria!” she said. “He would cure him of his leprosy.” How ironic! This humble slave girl has far more faith and trust in Israel’s God than King Joram! Joram looks downright foolish in light of this Israelite servant girl’s expressions of faith and trust in the Word of God!
And then there are Naaman’s personal servants. They seem to have more common sense and wisdom than their own master. For when Naaman refuses to wash himself in the river Jordan saying, “Are not the Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel?” his personal attendants appease his pride and temperament saying, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!”
What is it about the humility, the simple faith or trust of these servants in this story? Could it be that we should take our cues from them?
Then there is one more character in the story. It is
· The prophet Elisha. Elisha is
the bearer of God’s Word. When he speaks, God speaks. When Elisha acts in power, God acts through him. When Elisha speaks and acts in power, let all Israel--yes, let all God’s people today listen and obey!
Did you notice the background role that Elisha plays in this story? For example, rather than going himself as the bearer and prophet of God’s Word, Elisha sent a message to King Joram saying, “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
Later, when Naaman and his entourage including horses and chariots, arrive at the home of the prophet, Elisha stays in the background. Elisha does not pay any deference or respect to this feared Terminator or Rambo called “Naaman.” Elisha sent a messenger who said to Naaman: “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”
The point, of course, is clear: rather than the Word of God bowing before kings and such dignitaries as Naaman, it is kings, and Naaman (and you and I) who must bow before the Word of God. Trust and obey! These are the proper responses to God’s Word.
Clearly, when you pay close attention to the characters in this story, you’ll discover the message of the Scriptures today: Accept God’s grace when he says, “Wash! Be cleansed!” Do not look unto yourself or to others. Yes, relish the grace of God’s salvation through the blood of Christ.
THE STORY’S CLIMAX
Naaman is not willing to accept God’s healing or saving grace. Naaman has his own terms, his own notions as to how healing should come to him. For example,
Naaman has brought with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. These are gifts to pay for the service of Elisha the prophet.
Not only that, Naaman also has his own notions as to how healing should come to him. Listen to him grumbling about the humble treatment he is getting from Elisha: “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot (of leprosy) and cure me of my leprosy.”
In other words, Naaman expected some “hocus pocus,” magic waving of the hand to bring healing to him. Naaman wants to manipulate the God of Israel the same way as he is accustomed to manipulate the gods in Aram. Naaman thought that it is about what you do and what people such as Elisha do that makes the difference. Naaman is not open to grace. He wants to go the route of human works.
Likewise, Naaman has other notions about what should work for him. The Word of God tells him to wash in the river Jordan. But surely, that is nonsense. That’s not good enough. Why dip into a dirty, dinky river called the Jordan, while the rivers of Damascus are a whole lot cleaner and better and more majestic? No, Naaman thinks he can do better than obey God’s call to be baptized or washed in the Jordan river. “I’ll do it my way,” says Naaman. I’ll offer myself to the Pharpar River or the Abana River. But I will not obey this ridiculous command to be washed in the Jordan!”
Thankfully, Naaman has servants who talk some sense into him. And Naaman, reluctantly, obeys the Word of God. He dips into the Jordan: once… twice… thrice…seven times…as the man of God had told him. “And his flesh was restored and became like that of a young boy.” When God’s grace says, ‘Wash! Be cleansed,’ we must accept and relish that offer of salvation or healing in obedience. Don’t do it your way. Do it God’s way!
THE STORY’S POINTERS
Today, God provides healing or salvation through the shed blood of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The story of Naaman’s healing in the waters of the Jordan River connects us with the story of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was himself baptized in the Jordan River, and who calls us to be washed, baptized, cleansed by his blood. The waters of our baptism point to the shed blood of Christ Jesus. And it is Jesus who calls us to be washed, to be cleansed—his way.
Note the cleansing power of Jesus’ blood, symbolized in the sacrament of baptism:
1. The blood of Jesus cleanses
or purifies us. Listen: (I John 1:7) ”…if we walk in the light, as (God) is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” Do you feel “dirty,” a deep need to be cleansed, forgiven? Then appeal to Christ’s blood. If you have been baptized, then remember your baptism and claim the cleansing power of Christ’s blood. Ah, the power of Christ’s shed blood. It not only cleanses us from all sin.
2. The blood of Jesus also sets
us free. Listen (Rev. 1:5) “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood…to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen!” Are you in bondage to sin? Are you one of those who blames the devil for your sins and imperfections? Are you and I inclined to say, “Well, no one is perfect; we are only human”—thus excusing our sinful habits and tendencies? Well, then, wash! Be cleansed! Remember the waters of your baptism. They point to the shed blood of Jesus. To him we must go! For his saving grace brings cleansing and freedom from sin. Ah, the power of Christ’s shed blood. It not only sets us free from sin.
3. The blood of Jesus also
reconciles us, brings us into union or harmony with God. Listen: (Eph. 2:13ff) (speaking to Gentile Christians Paul says) “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ…(Jesus) came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both (Jews and Gentiles) have access to the Father by one Spirit.” Do you need reconciliation with God? Have you lived a life of sin? Then repent, be baptized and enter into union with Christ. Through his shed blood on the cross, the Lord Jesus brings reconciliation, forgiveness, a clear conscience, freedom from the bondage of sin, and reconciliation. All these precious benefits are captured in that one word “salvation.”
Relish the grace of God’s salvation through the blood of Christ. Do not be like the King of Israel, ignoring the Word and grace of God. Do not be like Naaman, spurning the way of God’s Word, trying to come up with your own ways of securing God’s healing and grace. Simply obey the Word and do what God says.
And those of you who find yourself on the pathway of putting off baptism and replacing it by an infant dedication ceremony, I appeal to you as well: don’t spurn God’s grace offered so freely in baptism for you and for your child. Embrace that grace and live out of its power with confidence and in reliance of the Holy Spirit.
Learn from Naaman! Do not look unto yourself or others. Rather, accept and relish God’s grace when he says, “Wash! Be cleansed by the blood of my Son, Jesus Christ.”
Glory be to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.