Naaman was a commander of the Syrian army to whom the Lord had given great success, including a victory over the Israelites. Yet despite his strength and prowess, Naaman was a leper. On one of the Syrian's raids, they had taken captive an Israelite girl who worked in the service of Naaman's wife. The girl told her mistress, "Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy."
This was reported to the Syrian king who sent a letter to the king of Israel, and Naaman was permitted to see the prophet Elisha. He took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing as gifts for the prophet. In horse-drawn chariots, they rode up before the door of Elisha's house. But instead of Elisha coming out to greet Naaman, a messenger approached him and said, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean."
Naaman was incensed. He rode all this way, and with rich payment, and the prophet wouldn't even bother to come see Naaman in person? "I thought he would at least come out and wave his hand all over the place and cure the leper," he ranted. "Are not the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?"
In his rage, he was about to return home before his servants pleaded with him. "It is a great word the prophet has spoken to you. Won't you give it a try? Hasn't he just said to you that your flesh would be restored?"
Naaman gave in. He went down to the Jordan and dipped himself seven times. (Note: This story in 2 Kings 5 is sometimes used to talk about how we need to be baptized to be saved, but the story has about as much to do with baptism as Jesus healing a blind man with mud has to do with mud masks.) Sure enough, after obeying what the prophet told him to do, Naaman came up with clean skin, restored like the flesh of a little child. He was cured. His leprosy was gone.
One of the beautiful aspects in the language of this story is how Naaman is described as "a great man" and "a mighty man of valor" (v.1), he was told by "a little girl" about a prophet in Israel (v.2), and after doing what the prophet told him to do, his flesh was like that of "a little child" (v.14). These contrasts are meant to show that despite Naaman's great success and intimidation as a soldier, it took the faith of a child to be healed of his ailment. Healing came not by his power, but the power of God.
This time Naaman did get to meet Elisha and tried to give him payment for the miracle. "As the Lord lives, I will receive none," Elisha replied. Naaman persisted, but Elisha wouldn't take it. So Naaman asked for a pardon from the paganism of his native land, and Elisha granted his request, telling him, "Go in peace."
One of Elisha's servants, a man named Gehazi, had been enticed by all that gold and silver and fine clothing Naaman brought. The amount of gold he had with him was equivalent to the combined annual wages of 600 laborers. Gehazi ran to Naaman who got down off his chariot and asked if everything was alright. Everything was fine, Gehazi said, but made up a story about his master's "change of mind."
"Elisha sent me to tell you that there have just now come from the hill country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets," Gehazi said. "Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing." Naaman happily doubled the request, giving him two talents in two bags, along with the two changes of rich garments. Gehazi took the prizes into his home, and Naaman and his men went on.
When Elisha saw Gehazi again, he asked him, "Where have you been?"
"Uh, nowhere," Gehazi deflected.
But Elisha said, "Did not my heart go when the man turned from his chariot to meet you?" In other words, nice try, but I'm a prophet, and you're a servant of the prophet, and whatever you do, I know about it. Now because Gehazi had used this deed to profit himself, and because he had then lied about it, Elisha said, "The leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever." And Gehazi went out a leper.
There are many men (and some women) out there who will use their positions as pastors or preachers to make themselves rich. It's one thing for a worker to be worthy of his wages. It's something entirely different to lavish wealth upon oneself. Now, the penalty for their greed is probably not going to be leprosy. But the Bible has said that God is not slow to fulfill his promises as some consider slowness (2 Peter 3:9), and that teachers will be judged more strictly (James 3:1). If a preacher doesn't repent of such behavior, they will certainly pay for it.
Even if you might not end up in a church where you witness a pastor using the ministry to benefit themselves, it's still something to be wary of when it comes to teaching we might receive online or through books and other Bible studies. As we've been studying through 1 Timothy, we should test everything and ask: Is the aim of this teacher's charge love that issues from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith (1 Timothy 1:5)? If the aim of that teacher is to get rich, you can be sure the doctrine will suffer, as he will be willing to mold it or tweak it in just such a way that will gain him the most glory.
Let us remain committed to sound doctrine, setting Christ as preeminent above all things. And may the Lord help us to be faithful to the calling and with the blessings that he has given us.
Please Remember To Give To This Ministry
That said, I hope that you know that you can trust this ministry in the ways that we use our funds to advance the name of Christ. We try to be as frugal as possible with what we are given. Almost all of the VBS decorations we used were donated by another church. Just yesterday, having finished our use of the decorations, we passed them on to a ministry at Ft. Riley who will be doing the same VBS on post.
AWANA and MOPS will be starting back up again soon, as well as Bible Lunch Tuesday and other ministries that we do during the school year. We regularly have people stopping in needing assistance, and we try to be wise with how those resources get used. I took a fellow down to the gas station the other day to get fuel, and witnessed to him with the gospel. Last week during VBS, I had a night where I stayed up late with a family who needed counsel.
I mention these things to you so you know that ministry is ongoing beyond Sundays and Wednesdays or occasional programs like VBS. We fell short of our budget in June, and our offering this past Sunday was the second-worst since I became pastor. Summer offerings are often hard as people vacation. Many of our giving families PCS out and the new ones that come in don't yet consider our church their home.
I ask that you remember your financial giving to our church. We're making enough that those who are on payroll will get paid, but we've had to put a freeze on any additional spending until the giving comes back up. If you haven't been in church because you've been on vacation or otherwise, remember that you can donate by giving online. Go to our website, www.fsbcjc.org, and click on the "donate" button on the top right. You can give with a credit card, or do an automatic draft from your bank account.
Ministry Page Updates
By the way, when was the last time you were on our website? We recently made some changes to the Ministry page. Check it to see what's going on, and what kinds of Bible studies are being offered at our church right now. Also, if you happen to be reading through the website and notice a typo or some inaccurate details, be sure to let us know about it so we can get that changed.
Speaking of Bible studies, we're starting on Exodus tomorrow night in our Wednesday co-ed adult study that meets in the garage classroom. We'll start at 6:00. And there's coffee. As appealing as that can be on a 100-degree day, I suppose. A reminder that the women's Bible study is also Wednesday night at 6. Childcare is provided for both studies.
Softball Updates
Our softball team finished the regular season 6-1! Our first postseason game is this Sunday, 6:00 on field #2 at Anneberg Park in Manhattan. Come on out and cheer us on! If we win that game, the semi-final and final games will be the next week. Also, we have our late-summer co-ed league softball starting up August 7. All games will be played right here in Junction City! The deadline for sign-up is July 30. We'll have a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board in the foyer this Sunday. For ages 16 and up. Cost is $15 per person, $20 if we're going to make up t-shirts.
Annieism of the Week
Annie and Zeej have their daily chore assignments. One of such chores that Annie actually loves to do is clean the bathroom. However, we keep the chemicals in the highest cabinet and out of reach of the kids. One day Annie comes in and says, "Hey, daddy? Can you get the bathroom cleaners down for me please?" I tell her I can't right now, and she'll just have to wait. In a mommy-like huff, my 6-year-old says, "Alright, I guess I'll have to do it myself, then."
Closing Thoughts
We'll resume our study of 1 Timothy 3:1-7 this Sunday, continuing our series on Eldership (Part 2). We'll likely have a third part the next week, and then do a one-week study on Deacons in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. All of the sermons on eldership will be summarized in a single-sermon video that you can watch to keep all of these thoughts in context as we study this subject, considering an eldership for our own church.
The sermon from this past Sunday is online, but just the audio. There was an error uploading the video (which I just noticed). The sermons are listed on the right at www.fsbcjc.org. Consider yourselves blessed in all things. I look forward to worshiping with you again this week!
P.S.
I think I have pink-eye. I'm in the office. But you're better off calling me instead of coming to see me today. All the door knobs I've touched will be wiped down. I'll try to be cleared up in time for Bible study tomorrow night, God willing ;)
This was reported to the Syrian king who sent a letter to the king of Israel, and Naaman was permitted to see the prophet Elisha. He took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing as gifts for the prophet. In horse-drawn chariots, they rode up before the door of Elisha's house. But instead of Elisha coming out to greet Naaman, a messenger approached him and said, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean."
Naaman was incensed. He rode all this way, and with rich payment, and the prophet wouldn't even bother to come see Naaman in person? "I thought he would at least come out and wave his hand all over the place and cure the leper," he ranted. "Are not the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?"
In his rage, he was about to return home before his servants pleaded with him. "It is a great word the prophet has spoken to you. Won't you give it a try? Hasn't he just said to you that your flesh would be restored?"
Naaman gave in. He went down to the Jordan and dipped himself seven times. (Note: This story in 2 Kings 5 is sometimes used to talk about how we need to be baptized to be saved, but the story has about as much to do with baptism as Jesus healing a blind man with mud has to do with mud masks.) Sure enough, after obeying what the prophet told him to do, Naaman came up with clean skin, restored like the flesh of a little child. He was cured. His leprosy was gone.
One of the beautiful aspects in the language of this story is how Naaman is described as "a great man" and "a mighty man of valor" (v.1), he was told by "a little girl" about a prophet in Israel (v.2), and after doing what the prophet told him to do, his flesh was like that of "a little child" (v.14). These contrasts are meant to show that despite Naaman's great success and intimidation as a soldier, it took the faith of a child to be healed of his ailment. Healing came not by his power, but the power of God.
This time Naaman did get to meet Elisha and tried to give him payment for the miracle. "As the Lord lives, I will receive none," Elisha replied. Naaman persisted, but Elisha wouldn't take it. So Naaman asked for a pardon from the paganism of his native land, and Elisha granted his request, telling him, "Go in peace."
One of Elisha's servants, a man named Gehazi, had been enticed by all that gold and silver and fine clothing Naaman brought. The amount of gold he had with him was equivalent to the combined annual wages of 600 laborers. Gehazi ran to Naaman who got down off his chariot and asked if everything was alright. Everything was fine, Gehazi said, but made up a story about his master's "change of mind."
"Elisha sent me to tell you that there have just now come from the hill country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets," Gehazi said. "Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing." Naaman happily doubled the request, giving him two talents in two bags, along with the two changes of rich garments. Gehazi took the prizes into his home, and Naaman and his men went on.
When Elisha saw Gehazi again, he asked him, "Where have you been?"
"Uh, nowhere," Gehazi deflected.
But Elisha said, "Did not my heart go when the man turned from his chariot to meet you?" In other words, nice try, but I'm a prophet, and you're a servant of the prophet, and whatever you do, I know about it. Now because Gehazi had used this deed to profit himself, and because he had then lied about it, Elisha said, "The leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever." And Gehazi went out a leper.
There are many men (and some women) out there who will use their positions as pastors or preachers to make themselves rich. It's one thing for a worker to be worthy of his wages. It's something entirely different to lavish wealth upon oneself. Now, the penalty for their greed is probably not going to be leprosy. But the Bible has said that God is not slow to fulfill his promises as some consider slowness (2 Peter 3:9), and that teachers will be judged more strictly (James 3:1). If a preacher doesn't repent of such behavior, they will certainly pay for it.
Even if you might not end up in a church where you witness a pastor using the ministry to benefit themselves, it's still something to be wary of when it comes to teaching we might receive online or through books and other Bible studies. As we've been studying through 1 Timothy, we should test everything and ask: Is the aim of this teacher's charge love that issues from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith (1 Timothy 1:5)? If the aim of that teacher is to get rich, you can be sure the doctrine will suffer, as he will be willing to mold it or tweak it in just such a way that will gain him the most glory.
Let us remain committed to sound doctrine, setting Christ as preeminent above all things. And may the Lord help us to be faithful to the calling and with the blessings that he has given us.
Please Remember To Give To This Ministry
That said, I hope that you know that you can trust this ministry in the ways that we use our funds to advance the name of Christ. We try to be as frugal as possible with what we are given. Almost all of the VBS decorations we used were donated by another church. Just yesterday, having finished our use of the decorations, we passed them on to a ministry at Ft. Riley who will be doing the same VBS on post.
AWANA and MOPS will be starting back up again soon, as well as Bible Lunch Tuesday and other ministries that we do during the school year. We regularly have people stopping in needing assistance, and we try to be wise with how those resources get used. I took a fellow down to the gas station the other day to get fuel, and witnessed to him with the gospel. Last week during VBS, I had a night where I stayed up late with a family who needed counsel.
I mention these things to you so you know that ministry is ongoing beyond Sundays and Wednesdays or occasional programs like VBS. We fell short of our budget in June, and our offering this past Sunday was the second-worst since I became pastor. Summer offerings are often hard as people vacation. Many of our giving families PCS out and the new ones that come in don't yet consider our church their home.
I ask that you remember your financial giving to our church. We're making enough that those who are on payroll will get paid, but we've had to put a freeze on any additional spending until the giving comes back up. If you haven't been in church because you've been on vacation or otherwise, remember that you can donate by giving online. Go to our website, www.fsbcjc.org, and click on the "donate" button on the top right. You can give with a credit card, or do an automatic draft from your bank account.
Ministry Page Updates
By the way, when was the last time you were on our website? We recently made some changes to the Ministry page. Check it to see what's going on, and what kinds of Bible studies are being offered at our church right now. Also, if you happen to be reading through the website and notice a typo or some inaccurate details, be sure to let us know about it so we can get that changed.
Speaking of Bible studies, we're starting on Exodus tomorrow night in our Wednesday co-ed adult study that meets in the garage classroom. We'll start at 6:00. And there's coffee. As appealing as that can be on a 100-degree day, I suppose. A reminder that the women's Bible study is also Wednesday night at 6. Childcare is provided for both studies.
Softball Updates
Our softball team finished the regular season 6-1! Our first postseason game is this Sunday, 6:00 on field #2 at Anneberg Park in Manhattan. Come on out and cheer us on! If we win that game, the semi-final and final games will be the next week. Also, we have our late-summer co-ed league softball starting up August 7. All games will be played right here in Junction City! The deadline for sign-up is July 30. We'll have a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board in the foyer this Sunday. For ages 16 and up. Cost is $15 per person, $20 if we're going to make up t-shirts.
Annieism of the Week
Annie and Zeej have their daily chore assignments. One of such chores that Annie actually loves to do is clean the bathroom. However, we keep the chemicals in the highest cabinet and out of reach of the kids. One day Annie comes in and says, "Hey, daddy? Can you get the bathroom cleaners down for me please?" I tell her I can't right now, and she'll just have to wait. In a mommy-like huff, my 6-year-old says, "Alright, I guess I'll have to do it myself, then."
Closing Thoughts
We'll resume our study of 1 Timothy 3:1-7 this Sunday, continuing our series on Eldership (Part 2). We'll likely have a third part the next week, and then do a one-week study on Deacons in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. All of the sermons on eldership will be summarized in a single-sermon video that you can watch to keep all of these thoughts in context as we study this subject, considering an eldership for our own church.
The sermon from this past Sunday is online, but just the audio. There was an error uploading the video (which I just noticed). The sermons are listed on the right at www.fsbcjc.org. Consider yourselves blessed in all things. I look forward to worshiping with you again this week!
P.S.
I think I have pink-eye. I'm in the office. But you're better off calling me instead of coming to see me today. All the door knobs I've touched will be wiped down. I'll try to be cleared up in time for Bible study tomorrow night, God willing ;)