Sunday July 12
He Had It All . . . But
"Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, [but he was] a leper." 2 Kings 5:1.
This verse contains no fewer than four descriptions or titles that put Naaman in the top echelon of Syrian, or Aramean, society. He exerted major influence on the king of Aram, was held in high esteem, and was the king’s right-hand man in religious, as well as military matters (2 Kings 5:18). He was also extremely wealthy (2 Kings 5:5).
However, 2 Kings 5:1 has a major "but." All Naaman’s power, honor, and bravery paled in light of the most feared disease in those days, leprosy. And that is exactly what this poor man had, the major "but" that cast a dark shadow over all else he had achieved. This ailment, however, brought him into contact with God’s prophet, and through that contact he became a believer in the true God.
Read Mark 1:40-45, Luke 8:41-56, and Mark 2:1-12.
1:40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
1:41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth [his] hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.
1:42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.
1:43 And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away;
1:44 And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
1:45 But he went out, and began to publish [it] much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.
8:41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house:
8:42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.
8:43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,
8:44 Came behind [him], and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
8:45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press [thee], and sayest thou, Who touched me?
8:46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.
8:47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.
8:48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
8:49 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's [house], saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.
8:50 But when Jesus heard [it], he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.
8:51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.
8:52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.
8:53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
8:54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.
8:55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.
8:56 And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.
2:1 And again he entered into Capernaum after [some] days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
2:2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive [them], no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
2:3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
2:4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken [it] up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
2:6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
2:7 Why doth this [man] thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
2:8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
2:9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, [Thy] sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
2:10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
2:11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
2:12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
Despite the obvious fact that Jesus did miraculous healings here, what is the common denominator in these accounts? What is it that brought all these people to Jesus?
Personal life disruptions, tragedies, and transitions can make people more open to spiritual truth and set them on a search for God. Physical, psychological, political, or other disasters can open people up to the reality of the divine. Personal loss, national catastrophes, and wars are major motivators that cause people to seek a power greater than themselves. The church has long been aware that increased soul-winning results tend to come in areas in which people are struck by personal or societal suffering.
It is true. Jesus spoke of how hard it is for a rich man to be converted. How about Laodiceans who believe themselves to be rich, but don't know they are miserable, poor, blind, and naked? Can they be saved?
On one level Naaman appeared to have it all; on another he was a broken man without much hope. In what ways are we all like that, having good things and bad things in our life? How can we learn to allow both to keep us connected to the Lord?
Both do not keep us connected to the Lord. How do we become connected to the Lord each day? And, if we do not do that which Christ has instructed, it may be that He will chastise us. Satan will do both. He will bless and hurt in order to succeed in his rebellion. But, God has only good in mind for all who can still be saved. Now, if we cannot be saved, it may be that in this world, we end up as did those who perished in the great flood. Can we know that we are lost? Forever lost? Probably not. When the heart is so seared that it cannot respond to God's love, then the mind has been so perverted that discernment is lacking. Condemnation is understood, but that the line has been crossed, that is a hard one. How about looking at another? Can we tell the line has been crossed and there is no hope? Absolutely not! That would be sitting on the throne of judgment. Only God knows who is forever lost.