Shall we bow our
heads for prayer.
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Father in heaven, we thank
You for the awesome privilege of
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being in Your presence.
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Father, as we open
Your holy Word this morning,
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we ask for the
guidance of Your Holy Spirit.
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I ask particularly that if there
is anyone here this morning
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who has not made a
full and complete surrender
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and commitment to Jesus,
that today will be the day
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in which they will do it.
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I know that there are
many people in the valley of
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decision, many people
who have not decided to go to
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one side or to the other side.
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I just ask, Lord, that You
will touch hearts and You will
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speak to minds, and
that decisions will be made.
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And I thank You, Father, for the
privilege of opening Your Word
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and for hearing our prayer.
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For we ask it in the
precious name of Jesus, amen.
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The Holy Bible has very
much to say about baptism.
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And perhaps we have
come to believe that baptism
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is a New Testament phenomenon.
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But did you realize that many
of the most beautiful passages
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in Scripture about baptism
are found in the Old Testament?
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In our study today
we are going to examine
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a very well known
story, probably, to most of us
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who are gathered here.
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We're going to study the
story of Naaman the Syrian.
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And so I invite you to
open your Bibles with me to
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the second book of Kings
chapter 5, and we're going to
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take a look primarily at
the first thirteen verses
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of this chapter.
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And then we'll also
notice two or three verses
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a little later
on in the chapter.
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And basically, we're just
going to go through the chapter
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verse by verse and try
and draw out the lessons
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that God would have us
learn today about commitment,
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about conversion, about
giving our lives to the Lord.
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Beginning at verse 1.
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Now the purpose of this verse
1 of chapter 5 is to highlight
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the greatness of this
individual called Naaman.
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By the way,
Naaman was a Gentile.
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He was not a member of
the covenant community.
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He was not a member of
the chosen people of God.
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And we're told in no uncertain
terms that, first of all,
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he was commander.
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Then we're told that
he was great and honorable
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before his master.
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We're told that he
was a mighty man of valor.
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In other words, he was, humanly
speaking, a very great man.
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But the verse
ends with a big, "but."
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It says, "But he was a leper."
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Now today, leprosy
isn't such a great thing.
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Because there are antibodies
which can treat leprosy.
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But in biblical times,
a person who had leprosy
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was under the sentence of
death, as we're going to notice
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a little later
on in this passage.
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In other words, a
person who had leprosy
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could kiss life goodbye forever.
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And so we find this great man,
in spite of all his greatness,
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we're told that he was a leper.
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And eventually
he was going to die.
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Now in the
household of this man, Naaman,
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was a little girl who had been
brought as a hostage to Syria
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in one of the raids
that Naaman himself had done
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in the land of Israel.
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Let's go on and read
about this in verse 2.
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Ellen White emphasizes
that she was very young.
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Now this young girl could
have whined and complained
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about being far away from home,
not being with her parents.
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She could have held
it against her master
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for taking her hostage.
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In fact, she could have hated
Naaman for what he had done
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removing her from her
household at such a young age.
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But this little girl
evidently had been very well
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trained at home.
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She had had an excellent
education by her parents
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in her youngest years.
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And we're told in this
passage that she had a passion
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for the healing of her master.
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In other words, instead
of holding it against Naaman,
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instead of whining and putting a
long face because of her plight,
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because she wasn't at
home, she felt a passion
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for the healing of this man.
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And we find this
described in verse 3.
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Can't you just kind of
experience the attitude?
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By the way,
that would be Elisha.
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So this little girl,
instead of having a negative
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frame of mind,
actually witnesses to Naaman.
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She becomes a witness to
the salvation of this man.
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And so we're told that the
king gave Naaman authorization
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to go to the land of
Israel to have an interview
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with the prophet Elisha.
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That's described in verse 5.
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Now by the way, this is
tens of thousands of dollars
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worth of gold and
silver, not including all of the
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precious materials.
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In other words, he thinks
he might just have a chance
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to buy his
healing from the prophet.
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Interestingly enough, his travel
would have lasted several days.
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I don't know whether you've
looked at a map of Israel,
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but you have Syria
which is north and east
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of Israel, of Samaria.
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So he would have had
to travel several days
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in order to arrive there
in Samaria where the prophet
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Elisha was found.
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And so he goes with all
of his gold and his silver,
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and with all of his chariots
and all of his soldiers,
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and he says, "This is going
to be easy, because you know,
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Israel has been
somewhat enslaved by us.
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So this prophet is going to have
to do what I ask him to do."
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And so he arrives in Samaria.
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Let's go to verse 6.
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This is a letter
sent by the king of Syria
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to the king of Israel.
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Can you imagine how
the king must have felt?
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We catch a
glimpse of it in verse 7.
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Why would he say
something like that,
00:10:03.46\00:10:05.02
"to kill and to make alive?"
00:10:05.05\00:10:06.62
As far as the king
of Israel was concerned,
00:10:06.87\00:10:09.01
this man, Naaman, was what?
00:10:09.84\00:10:12.33
Was dead.
00:10:13.04\00:10:14.15
In fact, it was believed
that a person who had leprosy
00:10:15.22\00:10:18.02
was a living dead person.
00:10:18.22\00:10:20.98
And Pastor Jensen would
certainly understand this,
00:10:21.55\00:10:23.79
having lived in India
where undoubtedly he's seen this
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phenomenon time and again.
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It was considered that
though the person was alive,
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the person was actually dead.
00:10:31.10\00:10:32.38
And so the letter from
the king of Syria comes to the
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king of Israel, and the king
of Israel say, "Oh, I'm doomed.
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This man is dead.
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Only God could make
this dead man alive.
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It's an impossible thing."
00:10:45.43\00:10:47.10
And so it continues
saying, once again verse 7,
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"It happened, when the
king of Israel read the letter,
00:10:53.12\00:10:56.62
that he tore his
clothes and said, 'Am I God,
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to kill and to make alive...'"
00:11:01.00\00:11:02.69
In other words,
he's picking a fight
00:11:12.20\00:11:14.71
by saying that this man should
be healed by the prophet Elisha.
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Notice verse 8.
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Notice the terminology,
he's coming to the man of God.
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He's coming to God's minister.
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In other words, "Send him to me.
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It's okay.
00:11:53.17\00:11:54.54
You know, God can
certainly take a dead person
00:11:54.92\00:11:58.62
and make him alive."
00:11:58.82\00:12:00.69
And so we find in
verses 9 and 10 the arrival
00:12:01.84\00:12:05.58
of Naaman at the home of Elisha.
00:12:05.61\00:12:08.08
And here's where the
story becomes very interesting.
00:12:08.11\00:12:11.22
It says there in verse 9...
00:12:12.15\00:12:13.87
What is Naaman trying
to do? He's trying to what?
00:12:19.40\00:12:21.98
He's trying to
impress through his greatness.
00:12:22.52\00:12:28.39
And it says...
00:12:28.77\00:12:29.80
Now, what would
you expect Elisha to do
00:12:34.68\00:12:38.15
if he knew that Naaman
had traveled many, many days
00:12:38.80\00:12:43.46
to have an interview with him?
00:12:43.49\00:12:44.87
Well, the most respectful
thing that he could do
00:12:45.60\00:12:48.11
would be to go
and answer the door.
00:12:48.21\00:12:51.84
But I want you to notice now
that the story begins to turn.
00:12:53.14\00:12:56.98
The story begins speaking
about the greatness of this man.
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You know, great man of valor.
00:13:01.62\00:13:04.09
Greatly admired by the king.
00:13:04.30\00:13:06.70
Great conqueror.
00:13:07.78\00:13:09.32
It begins by
telling of his greatness.
00:13:10.75\00:13:12.74
But as the story goes
along, we're going to find
00:13:12.77\00:13:15.21
that Naaman gets
smaller and smaller.
00:13:15.24\00:13:19.48
So he comes to Elisha's house.
00:13:21.32\00:13:23.90
And we're told, "And
Elisha sent a messenger to him."
00:13:24.60\00:13:29.40
Would you
consider that an insult?
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Here he's traveled all
these days, and Elisha says,
00:13:34.56\00:13:37.83
to the messenger he says,
"You go out and talk to him."
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What is Elisha trying to do?
00:13:41.94\00:13:43.50
He's trying to humble this man.
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Exactly.
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In the right sense of the word.
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And so it says...
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Which by the way, in many places
is a very muddy dirty river.
00:14:00.91\00:14:04.43
It's not crystal clear.
00:14:05.19\00:14:06.80
So he's adding insult to injury.
00:14:08.29\00:14:10.64
First of all, he doesn't
have the courtesy to come out
00:14:12.00\00:14:15.13
and meet him personally.
00:14:15.16\00:14:16.47
And now he says, "Go
wash in the Jordan River."
00:14:16.50\00:14:18.93
And mind you, not
only once, but seven times.
00:14:20.66\00:14:24.54
By the way, the number
seven is symbolic of totality,
00:14:26.63\00:14:29.87
of completeness.
00:14:29.90\00:14:32.49
You know, it took seven
days to complete creation.
00:14:33.47\00:14:37.96
Seven drops of blood were
sprinkled on the mercy seat
00:14:39.65\00:14:46.81
to totally cleanse
the Sanctuary from sin.
00:14:47.04\00:14:49.63
Seven times Israel
marched around Jericho
00:14:50.88\00:14:54.08
for the city to
be totally destroyed.
00:14:54.38\00:14:56.48
The furnace was
heated seven times hotter.
00:14:57.30\00:14:59.74
Which means that it
was heated to the maximum.
00:15:00.16\00:15:03.30
Seven churches in Revelation
describe the totality of
00:15:03.99\00:15:07.19
the history of
the Christian church.
00:15:07.22\00:15:08.52
Seven horns on the head of
Jesus represents total power.
00:15:08.55\00:15:12.07
Seven eyes, total wisdom.
00:15:12.10\00:15:14.43
Seven plagues, the total
wrath of God is poured out.
00:15:14.77\00:15:18.08
So in other words, the number
seven represents totality.
00:15:18.11\00:15:21.12
Something total is
going to happen now.
00:15:21.15\00:15:23.59
And so Elisha says...
00:15:25.11\00:15:26.81
And now notice the promise.
00:15:29.77\00:15:31.37
God never gives us a command
without, at the same time,
00:15:34.21\00:15:37.28
giving us a promise.
00:15:37.31\00:15:38.69
Have you noticed
several times in this passage
00:15:50.14\00:15:52.29
that it contrasts
unclean with clean?
00:15:52.32\00:15:56.23
Before he goes to the Jordan
River and submerges himself
00:15:57.38\00:16:01.90
seven times, he is unclean.
00:16:01.93\00:16:04.30
When he goes to the
Jordan and submerges himself,
00:16:04.33\00:16:07.16
he is going to be what?
00:16:07.19\00:16:08.91
He's going to be clean.
00:16:09.23\00:16:10.82
So what is the ceremony
between unclean and clean?
00:16:11.05\00:16:15.26
It's the ceremony of
dipping himself seven times
00:16:16.73\00:16:20.64
in the Jordan River.
00:16:20.67\00:16:21.70
That's a transition point
between unclean and clean.
00:16:21.73\00:16:25.53
Let's go to verse 11.
00:16:26.50\00:16:27.84
"But Naaman became furious."
00:16:29.33\00:16:32.72
Do you think he had any
right, humanly speaking,
00:16:34.08\00:16:35.81
to be furious?
00:16:35.84\00:16:37.01
Humanly speaking, yeah.
00:16:38.26\00:16:39.88
The old man was coming out.
00:16:40.08\00:16:41.69
The flesh, if you
please, was coming out.
00:16:42.37\00:16:44.70
He says, "How dare this prophet.
00:16:44.81\00:16:46.93
First of all, he's
a prophet of Israel.
00:16:46.96\00:16:50.32
I traveled many days, he
doesn't come out personally.
00:16:50.35\00:16:53.66
And now he tells me to go wash
myself in that dirty ole river,
00:16:53.69\00:16:57.78
the Jordan River."
00:16:58.63\00:16:59.66
So it says...
00:16:59.69\00:17:00.72
"Certainly he would
come out to me personally."
00:17:12.43\00:17:14.62
And now notice,
this is important.
00:17:18.07\00:17:19.56
"...and call on the
name of the Lord his God..."
00:17:20.01\00:17:25.20
Don't forget that.
00:17:25.78\00:17:27.00
Before he submerges
himself in the Jordan River,
00:17:27.87\00:17:31.80
what does he call God?
00:17:31.83\00:17:33.28
This is Elisha's God.
00:17:34.27\00:17:36.92
It's not his God.
00:17:37.03\00:17:38.34
And notice how he
expected to be healed.
00:17:40.02\00:17:41.87
He says, "...and
wave his hand..."
00:17:41.90\00:17:43.99
"I wanted him to come out
and just pronounce me clean.
00:17:44.67\00:17:48.98
Just wave his hand
and say, 'You're clean.'"
00:17:49.01\00:17:52.63
But you see, Naaman
had to take the plunge
00:17:53.86\00:17:57.19
in order to be clean.
00:17:58.06\00:17:59.70
And he says, "If he
would wave his hand over me,
00:18:02.63\00:18:04.88
he would heal my leprosy."
00:18:06.00\00:18:07.65
A symbol of sin,
by the way; leprosy.
00:18:08.56\00:18:10.81
Jesus healed many lepers.
00:18:11.50\00:18:13.09
The leprosy on
the body represented
00:18:13.12\00:18:15.07
the leprosy in the soul.
00:18:15.10\00:18:16.94
And now notice what he says...
00:18:18.90\00:18:20.27
"Why do I have to do
what the preacher says?
00:18:35.62\00:18:37.71
Why do I have to go
dip in the Jordan River?
00:18:39.88\00:18:41.91
Why seven times?
00:18:41.94\00:18:43.13
I could actually go and
do it in one of my rivers."
00:18:43.16\00:18:46.24
It says, "So he turned
and went away in rage."
00:18:47.38\00:18:53.43
I like to imagine what
it must have been like.
00:18:54.79\00:18:56.78
He must have been fuming.
00:18:56.81\00:18:58.37
"Doesn't this
prophet realize who I am?
00:19:00.35\00:19:03.45
The great Naaman.
00:19:04.48\00:19:05.91
A mighty man of
valor, great conqueror.
00:19:08.07\00:19:12.36
Commander of the Syrian armies.
00:19:13.28\00:19:15.70
How dare he not
recognize my greatness."
00:19:16.60\00:19:19.23
Well, what Elisha is doing
is he's reducing him to size.
00:19:19.79\00:19:24.52
Remember what our theme
is in this series of sermons?
00:19:25.64\00:19:29.01
He who exalts
himself will be what?
00:19:29.04\00:19:31.54
Humbled.
00:19:32.08\00:19:33.35
And he who humbles
himself will be exalted.
00:19:34.00\00:19:36.71
Let me read you a
statement from Ellen White
00:19:37.01\00:19:39.48
on the attitude of
Naaman when Elisha told him to
00:19:41.10\00:19:44.85
go bathe in the Jordan River.
00:19:44.88\00:19:46.61
This is in the book,
Conflict and Courage, page 228.
00:19:46.64\00:19:49.55
She says...
00:19:49.58\00:19:50.61
See, below his
dignity to humble himself.
00:20:01.41\00:20:04.88
Now notice this.
00:20:07.14\00:20:08.18
There was a reason why he
wanted to wash in those rivers
00:20:08.38\00:20:10.57
besides the fact that they were
cleaner than the Jordan River.
00:20:10.60\00:20:13.33
Because he would be doing
what everybody else was doing.
00:20:35.25\00:20:37.87
In Prophets and Kings, page
249, Ellen White explains in a
00:21:07.13\00:21:11.44
short statement,
"But faith conquered.
00:21:11.47\00:21:15.09
And the haughty Syrian
yielded his pride of heart
00:21:16.02\00:21:20.00
and bowed in submission to
the revealed will of Jehovah."
00:21:20.66\00:21:26.54
So did he humble himself?
00:21:28.90\00:21:30.42
Did he? Yes, he did.
00:21:31.61\00:21:33.66
Did God help him a little bit?
00:21:33.81\00:21:35.45
For the prophet,
the Lord helped him.
00:21:36.52\00:21:38.68
He brought him
into circumstances
00:21:39.16\00:21:41.03
that would humble his heart.
00:21:41.06\00:21:42.38
Because it would do no
good for him to bury his leprosy
00:21:42.41\00:21:44.77
with a proud heart.
00:21:44.80\00:21:46.27
And you know, when
God actually heals,
00:21:49.18\00:21:51.95
He heals fully and completely.
00:21:52.35\00:21:53.70
Now I'd like to go
to verses 13 and 14.
00:21:53.73\00:21:56.79
Because we have something
very interesting in them.
00:21:57.36\00:21:59.56
You know, when God asks
someone to do something,
00:21:59.59\00:22:01.71
sometimes they get furious.
00:22:01.74\00:22:03.30
Let me ask you, can the friends
of that person help to kind of
00:22:03.33\00:22:06.39
alleviate the situation if
you're really a person's friend?
00:22:06.42\00:22:10.43
When a call is made, can
the friend kind of give a nudge
00:22:10.77\00:22:14.57
and say, "Come on."
00:22:14.60\00:22:16.66
Let's notice. Verses 13 and 14.
00:22:17.48\00:22:20.10
"I mean, he could have
told you to jump from the
00:22:37.46\00:22:38.95
earth to the moon."
00:22:38.98\00:22:40.02
Do you notice once again
that the washing makes us what?
00:22:47.13\00:22:49.47
Clean.
00:22:50.03\00:22:51.25
Verse 14...
00:22:51.76\00:22:52.96
Whose counsel did he obey?
00:23:01.26\00:23:03.63
The counsel of the man of God.
00:23:04.58\00:23:06.39
And who had given that
counsel to the man of God?
00:23:06.42\00:23:08.76
God Himself.
00:23:09.30\00:23:10.59
Can you imagine what
it must have been like
00:23:11.24\00:23:13.02
for this man Naaman,
this great man Naaman?
00:23:13.05\00:23:15.32
He's doing what an Israelite
prophet is telling him to do.
00:23:15.35\00:23:18.23
He's in the dirty Jordan
River and he's dipping himself
00:23:18.26\00:23:21.34
in front of his soldiers?
00:23:21.37\00:23:23.81
What a humiliating experience.
00:23:24.55\00:23:26.91
Then of course you can imagine,
dips himself once; leprosy.
00:23:28.20\00:23:32.08
Twice; leprosy.
00:23:32.18\00:23:34.23
Three times; leprosy.
00:23:34.62\00:23:36.74
Four times; leprosy.
00:23:36.77\00:23:38.81
Maybe he's starting to
wonder, "Hmmm, who knows
00:23:39.14\00:23:42.71
whether I'm going to
look ridiculous here."
00:23:42.74\00:23:44.57
Five times, six times.
00:23:45.10\00:23:47.83
And then he dips
himself the seventh time.
00:23:48.04\00:23:50.77
Totality; remember the
number seven represents
00:23:50.80\00:23:53.21
fullness or totality.
00:23:53.24\00:23:54.69
He dips himself the seventh
time and when he comes out...
00:23:54.72\00:23:58.20
I want you to
notice what Scripture says.
00:24:00.07\00:24:02.48
Once again, verse 14...
00:24:03.96\00:24:05.63
"So he went down and dipped
seven times in the Jordan,
00:24:05.93\00:24:09.50
according to the
saying of the man of God."
00:24:09.53\00:24:12.61
In other words, he
obeyed the command of God
00:24:13.75\00:24:15.77
through His minister.
00:24:15.80\00:24:17.03
"And his flesh
was restored like the
00:24:17.73\00:24:20.86
flesh of a little child."
00:24:20.89\00:24:22.83
Listen here.
00:24:25.17\00:24:26.21
It was not
restored like an old man.
00:24:26.43\00:24:29.39
Because he was a grown man.
00:24:30.62\00:24:32.38
I mean, it was
like he was born again.
00:24:33.44\00:24:36.72
Because we're told here
that the flesh that he had
00:24:37.65\00:24:40.60
was not the flesh of old
Naaman scarred in battle.
00:24:40.63\00:24:45.24
It was the flesh
of a little child.
00:24:45.34\00:24:47.64
In other words, he
had died and he had
00:24:47.67\00:24:49.92
resurrected to newness of life.
00:24:49.95\00:24:51.71
He was like a little child.
00:24:51.74\00:24:53.56
Is that what happens
when we're born again?
00:24:54.24\00:24:57.35
Yes.
00:24:57.98\00:24:59.20
That's what happens
when we're baptized.
00:24:59.80\00:25:01.61
The past is buried and we're
born, according to the Bible,
00:25:01.71\00:25:05.75
to newness of life.
00:25:05.78\00:25:07.61
The old has passed away,
according to the Scriptures.
00:25:10.03\00:25:13.54
Now, how did Naaman
look upon the religion
00:25:16.00\00:25:18.27
of Israel and the God of
Israel after his conversion?
00:25:18.30\00:25:20.91
Did he just say,
"Oh, it's wonderful.
00:25:21.14\00:25:24.19
I've been healed. Hallelujah.
00:25:24.22\00:25:25.91
Now I'll go on
worshiping the gods of Syria."
00:25:25.94\00:25:28.61
No. Notice verse 17.
00:25:30.80\00:25:33.87
There's a very
interesting little custom here.
00:25:33.90\00:25:36.17
You know, he lived in Syria.
00:25:37.71\00:25:38.93
He didn't live in Israel.
00:25:38.96\00:25:40.29
And God was the God of Israel.
00:25:40.32\00:25:42.60
So notice this, verse 17...
00:25:43.34\00:25:45.64
Because Elisha had not accepted
the gifts that he had brought.
00:25:49.93\00:25:52.81
"If you're not going to
take the gifts," he says...
00:25:52.84\00:25:55.38
What is he asking for?
00:26:05.01\00:26:06.40
He's asking for
two mule loads of dirt.
00:26:07.45\00:26:11.70
From where?
00:26:12.81\00:26:13.85
From Israel.
00:26:14.30\00:26:15.54
Interesting.
00:26:16.96\00:26:18.13
And he says...
00:26:20.46\00:26:21.57
Do you know why
he takes the earth?
00:26:33.46\00:26:35.02
Because he wants to
put that earth in Syria.
00:26:37.15\00:26:41.77
And because it's earth
from Israel, he's worshiping
00:26:41.80\00:26:45.20
on Israel's earth the true God.
00:26:45.41\00:26:48.22
Had he been converted?
00:26:50.20\00:26:51.84
Had his outlook
on life been changed?
00:26:52.95\00:26:55.72
Yes, he says, "I live in Syria,
but I'm taking a little piece
00:26:55.75\00:26:59.65
of Israel so that I can
worship the God of Israel."
00:26:59.68\00:27:02.38
Wow, what a change.
00:27:03.37\00:27:05.70
He says, "I will not worship
any of the pagan gods anymore."
00:27:06.11\00:27:09.18
Had his life changed?
00:27:09.21\00:27:11.14
Not only his skin, but his heart
had actually been converted
00:27:11.17\00:27:15.24
by this baptismal experience.
00:27:15.27\00:27:17.17
He had been totally
transformed, totally changed.
00:27:17.20\00:27:20.67
What a beautiful illustration
in the Old Testament on baptism.
00:27:22.63\00:27:26.88
Go with me to 2 Corinthians
chapter 5 and verse 17.
00:27:28.00\00:27:31.97
2 Corinthians
chapter 5 and verse 17.
00:27:32.00\00:27:34.46
Do you know that we are
all afflicted with leprosy?
00:27:34.49\00:27:37.03
In one point in our lives we
were all afflicted with leprosy,
00:27:38.92\00:27:42.53
the deadly disease of sin.
00:27:42.56\00:27:44.85
Which is a mortal disease.
00:27:46.38\00:27:48.69
And we're told there
in 2 Corinthians 5:17
00:27:49.87\00:27:53.15
that something
happens when we choose to take
00:27:53.25\00:27:55.89
the step of baptism.
00:27:55.92\00:27:57.36
Is that true of Naaman?
00:28:08.15\00:28:09.59
Physically, was
he a new creation?
00:28:10.21\00:28:11.84
Yes, he had the skin of a child.
00:28:12.31\00:28:14.01
The leprosy is gone.
00:28:19.66\00:28:21.32
That was the
experience of Naaman.
00:28:24.73\00:28:26.39
The old Naaman was buried
and the new Naaman came forth.
00:28:27.74\00:28:31.92
Not only physically,
but also spiritually.
00:28:32.19\00:28:35.94
The big question is, however,
how is it that we are in Christ?
00:28:38.36\00:28:42.50
Because it says here,
"those who are in Christ."
00:28:43.40\00:28:45.93
How do we get to be in Christ?
00:28:45.96\00:28:48.35
Well, the Bible
says it very clearly.
00:28:49.52\00:28:51.23
Go with me to
Galatians chapter 3
00:28:51.26\00:28:53.03
and verses 26 and 27.
00:28:53.06\00:28:55.17
Galatians chapter
3 verses 26 and 27.
00:28:55.20\00:28:58.12
It tells us how
we become in Christ.
00:28:58.81\00:29:01.72
See, according to the Bible, I
am either in Adam or in Christ.
00:29:02.31\00:29:06.42
If I'm in Adam, I have
the disease of leprosy.
00:29:06.45\00:29:09.22
I'm doomed to death.
00:29:09.25\00:29:10.68
So I have to change families
into the family of the new Adam.
00:29:12.16\00:29:15.66
I have to be born
into a different family.
00:29:16.04\00:29:17.96
But in order to do that, I
have to bury the old family.
00:29:17.99\00:29:20.94
The question is, how do I
get rid of that Adam nature,
00:29:22.04\00:29:25.84
that leprous nature, and how
am I born to newness of life,
00:29:25.87\00:29:30.37
like Naaman was?
00:29:30.40\00:29:32.06
It says in
Galatians 3 verse 26...
00:29:33.18\00:29:35.50
And now notice this...
00:29:42.80\00:29:43.96
At what moment is it
that we cease being an Adam
00:29:55.28\00:29:58.69
and we are in Christ?
00:29:58.72\00:30:00.16
At the moment of what?
00:30:00.70\00:30:02.05
Baptism.
00:30:02.87\00:30:03.95
How important then is baptism?
00:30:05.50\00:30:07.41
It's vitally important.
00:30:08.43\00:30:10.03
It's the moment when we bury
our old leprous Naaman nature.
00:30:10.43\00:30:14.79
And when we come forth,
we're born to newness of life.
00:30:15.99\00:30:19.25
Like Naaman who had
the skin of a child,
00:30:19.28\00:30:21.19
and he had the
heart of a child too.
00:30:21.22\00:30:23.27
Because Jesus says that
we must become like children
00:30:23.30\00:30:26.18
in order to see and in order
to enter the kingdom of God.
00:30:26.21\00:30:29.89
Go with me to Romans
chapter 6 and verses 3 and on.
00:30:31.91\00:30:38.66
Romans chapter 6 verse 3,
notice the apostle Paul says...
00:30:39.42\00:30:44.84
How are we baptized?
00:30:53.93\00:30:55.37
We're baptized into what?
00:30:55.40\00:30:56.91
Jesus Christ.
00:30:57.37\00:30:58.40
If we're baptized into Jesus
Christ, are we then in Christ?
00:30:58.43\00:31:01.44
So what happens before baptism?
00:31:02.85\00:31:04.81
We're outside of Christ. Right?
00:31:05.88\00:31:08.38
And so it says, "...or do
you not know that as many of us
00:31:08.88\00:31:11.62
as were baptized into
Christ Jesus were baptized
00:31:11.65\00:31:15.76
into His death?"
00:31:15.79\00:31:17.15
Notice, we died with Him.
00:31:21.78\00:31:23.43
But not only did we die with
Him, not only were we buried
00:31:29.10\00:31:33.94
with Him, but notice that
we're also resurrected with Him.
00:31:33.97\00:31:37.02
Now listen to
what I'm going to say.
00:31:52.11\00:31:53.35
Many people, even within the
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:31:53.38\00:31:56.02
misunderstand the
meaning of baptism.
00:31:56.05\00:31:58.19
See, baptism is not my
own little death to sin
00:31:59.54\00:32:04.04
and my own little
resurrection from sin.
00:32:04.07\00:32:06.73
Did you notice here that it says
that whoever has been baptized
00:32:08.23\00:32:10.77
has been
baptized into His death?
00:32:10.80\00:32:12.93
And that we
were buried with Him.
00:32:14.00\00:32:16.60
And that we
resurrected with Him.
00:32:17.12\00:32:19.37
In other words, when I'm
buried in the waters of baptism,
00:32:20.68\00:32:24.58
when in humility I come to
God and I say, "I'm a sinner.
00:32:24.78\00:32:28.01
I'm leprous. I have
nothing to offer You.
00:32:28.04\00:32:30.37
I'm doomed to death."
00:32:30.40\00:32:31.48
When I come to God and I
say that, and I'm baptized,
00:32:31.51\00:32:35.41
at the moment of
baptism you know what God says?
00:32:35.44\00:32:37.67
God says, "What you
just did right now makes you
00:32:38.42\00:32:44.57
to be included in
what Jesus did back there."
00:32:44.60\00:32:47.68
He died so you don't have to.
00:32:48.87\00:32:50.55
He was buried so
you don't have to.
00:32:52.57\00:32:54.75
He resurrected so that
you can resurrect with Him.
00:32:55.98\00:33:00.19
In other words, at
baptism we're transferred back
00:33:01.28\00:33:03.72
to what Jesus did.
00:33:03.75\00:33:05.05
We're included in Him.
00:33:05.08\00:33:06.54
See, the law demands a
perfect life, doesn't it?
00:33:07.39\00:33:09.64
The law says, obey and live.
00:33:10.64\00:33:12.52
And if you don't
obey the law, you what?
00:33:13.55\00:33:15.71
You die.
00:33:15.74\00:33:16.77
How many of us have lived in
harmony with the law perfectly?
00:33:16.80\00:33:19.65
None of us.
00:33:20.15\00:33:21.18
So we're all on
death row, right?
00:33:21.21\00:33:23.14
So how can we be saved?
00:33:24.00\00:33:25.39
It's very simple.
00:33:25.42\00:33:26.70
We receive Jesus as our Savior.
00:33:27.75\00:33:30.02
We announce it through baptism.
00:33:30.36\00:33:32.41
And then at the
moment of baptism, His death
00:33:32.44\00:33:35.54
counts as if it was mine.
00:33:35.90\00:33:37.80
His life is reckoned as mine.
00:33:39.05\00:33:42.05
And therefore now, when
I come before the Father,
00:33:42.38\00:33:45.18
when I'm in Jesus, when I've
buried my old self with Him,
00:33:45.63\00:33:50.10
and I've resurrected with Him,
now when I appear before God
00:33:50.13\00:33:53.34
the Father, the
Father doesn't see me,
00:33:53.37\00:33:55.95
He sees Jesus
because I am in Him.
00:33:56.92\00:33:59.47
Isn't that good news?
00:34:01.04\00:34:02.38
In other words, at
the moment of baptism
00:34:03.33\00:34:04.98
is when the Father no
longer looks at me as me.
00:34:05.01\00:34:09.25
He looks at me through Him.
00:34:10.72\00:34:12.85
And because He
lived a perfect life,
00:34:14.48\00:34:16.36
the law doesn't condemn me.
00:34:16.39\00:34:17.95
Because His life
stands in place of my life.
00:34:19.20\00:34:21.37
And because He suffered
the death that I should suffer,
00:34:22.22\00:34:24.86
I don't have to suffer death.
00:34:24.89\00:34:26.22
Because His death
counts as my death.
00:34:26.25\00:34:28.67
So at baptism, I am
included in what He did.
00:34:28.70\00:34:32.06
That's what the Bible means when
it says that we are in Christ.
00:34:32.09\00:34:36.35
If we are in Christ,
we are a new creation.
00:34:36.38\00:34:39.10
All old things have passed
away and everything is new.
00:34:39.13\00:34:42.41
Because we are in Jesus.
00:34:43.43\00:34:45.36
In other words, at
baptism we're transferred back
00:34:47.33\00:34:49.42
to what Jesus did.
00:34:49.45\00:34:50.88
And God includes us in Him.
00:34:50.91\00:34:53.15
We're accepted in the Beloved.
00:34:53.18\00:34:54.82
We have an Advocate
before the Father; Jesus Christ.
00:34:54.85\00:34:57.80
And when Jesus
appears before the Father,
00:34:57.83\00:34:59.61
He says, "Father, I come
here representing Steve Bohr."
00:34:59.64\00:35:02.26
And I'm dramatizing.
00:35:03.65\00:35:04.68
The Father says,
"Where is Steve Bohr?"
00:35:04.71\00:35:06.39
Jesus says, "Well, he
doesn't have to appear,
00:35:06.42\00:35:08.36
because he's in Me.
00:35:08.39\00:35:10.09
And so when I appear
here, it's as if he appears.
00:35:11.79\00:35:15.34
Because he is in Christ."
00:35:15.37\00:35:17.54
That's what happens at baptism.
00:35:18.94\00:35:20.60
We are reckoned
dead and alive in Christ.
00:35:21.29\00:35:24.01
His death and His life
now stand in our place.
00:35:24.04\00:35:26.64
Is that good news or what?
00:35:26.67\00:35:28.17
Baptism is a marvelous ceremony.
00:35:29.05\00:35:31.22
It's the way of
passing from death to life.
00:35:31.25\00:35:33.73
Now I don't believe in
baptismal regeneration.
00:35:33.76\00:35:36.24
I don't think
that baptism saves.
00:35:36.27\00:35:38.53
But baptism is a
sign of salvation.
00:35:38.56\00:35:41.70
It's an external announcement
of an internal experience
00:35:41.73\00:35:45.46
with Jesus Christ.
00:35:45.49\00:35:46.94
Have you ever noticed
what Jesus said to Nicodemus?
00:35:49.26\00:35:51.66
Was Nicodemus kind
of similar to Naaman?
00:35:51.69\00:35:53.94
He thought he was
a pretty good guy.
00:35:55.33\00:35:57.46
He was a leader in Israel.
00:35:58.71\00:36:00.13
He was a rabbi.
00:36:00.50\00:36:01.76
He thought he knew a lot.
00:36:02.61\00:36:04.16
But notice what
Jesus said to Nicodemus.
00:36:04.84\00:36:07.30
John 3 and we'll read verse
3, and we'll also read verse 5.
00:36:07.50\00:36:11.87
John 3 and verses 3 and 5.
00:36:11.90\00:36:15.32
To this great man
who thought he knew much,
00:36:17.63\00:36:20.14
who thought he was great
in Israel, we're told this...
00:36:20.58\00:36:24.65
What did He mean?
00:36:40.01\00:36:41.16
Notice verse 5.
00:36:41.19\00:36:42.52
"Jesus answered, 'Most
assuredly I say to you,
00:36:42.55\00:36:46.18
unless one is born of
water and the Spirit...'"
00:36:46.21\00:36:51.15
This is talking about water
baptism, being born of water.
00:36:51.31\00:36:55.30
In other words, that's
for forgiveness of sins.
00:36:55.33\00:36:57.50
And the Spirit is
breathing new life.
00:36:57.53\00:37:01.06
Which also, we receive
the Holy Spirit at baptism.
00:37:02.28\00:37:04.75
So, "Most assuredly I say
to you, unless one is born of
00:37:04.85\00:37:07.41
water and the Spirit, he cannot
enter the kingdom of God."
00:37:07.44\00:37:11.23
Let me ask you, is baptism
then absolutely indispensible?
00:37:11.26\00:37:14.93
Is it?
00:37:16.25\00:37:17.28
According to the
Bible, it's absolutely
00:37:17.57\00:37:19.66
indispensible, Jesus says.
00:37:19.76\00:37:21.50
You must be born of the
water and of the Spirit.
00:37:21.53\00:37:24.20
Your old self must be
buried and you must resurrect
00:37:24.23\00:37:27.03
to newness of life.
00:37:27.06\00:37:28.09
You know, God couldn't
have chosen a better ceremony
00:37:28.12\00:37:30.26
than baptism to illustrate this.
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You've seen
baptisms here in the church.
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A person stands, the pastor
is up there in the baptistery.
00:37:36.86\00:37:39.62
The person is in front of him.
00:37:39.82\00:37:40.87
The pastor says, "In the
name of the Father, the Son,
00:37:41.52\00:37:43.43
and the Holy Spirit."
00:37:43.46\00:37:44.79
The person who is going
to be put under the water
00:37:44.99\00:37:46.83
stops breathing.
00:37:47.03\00:37:48.83
Like you do when you die.
00:37:49.99\00:37:51.47
And then the person is what?
00:37:53.71\00:37:55.52
They stop breathing,
they're buried in the waters.
00:37:56.43\00:38:02.20
And what's the first
thing they do when they come
00:38:03.02\00:38:05.16
forth from the water?
00:38:05.19\00:38:06.35
They breathe.
00:38:06.70\00:38:08.19
Newness of life.
00:38:09.59\00:38:11.57
Could God have chosen a
better symbol or better ceremony
00:38:13.27\00:38:16.64
to illustrate death to
sin, resurrection to newness
00:38:16.67\00:38:20.06
of life in Christ?
00:38:20.09\00:38:21.47
There could be no better symbol
that God could have chosen
00:38:22.05\00:38:24.96
than this symbol of baptism.
00:38:24.99\00:38:27.25
It makes me think of
one last person that I would
00:38:29.05\00:38:30.95
like to mention that experienced
what Naaman experienced.
00:38:30.98\00:38:35.69
That's the great Saul of Tarsus.
00:38:36.64\00:38:38.41
The great apostle Paul.
00:38:39.37\00:38:40.60
You know, if you want to
read an interesting passage,
00:38:41.85\00:38:43.68
read Philippians chapter 3.
00:38:43.71\00:38:45.52
There, the apostle Paul
tells us how great he was
00:38:46.62\00:38:50.24
before he accepted Jesus.
00:38:50.27\00:38:51.84
In fact, let's go there quickly.
00:38:52.14\00:38:53.67
Philippians chapter 3.
00:38:54.35\00:38:55.96
And let's notice the
apostle Paul's self evaluation
00:38:59.08\00:39:02.79
before his conversion.
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He was just like Naaman.
00:39:03.93\00:39:05.14
Chapter 3 and verse 4, he says,
"...though also I might have
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confidence in the flesh.
00:39:15.69\00:39:17.61
If anyone else thinks
he may have confidence
00:39:18.41\00:39:21.26
in the flesh, I more so.
00:39:21.29\00:39:22.91
Circumcised the eighth
day, of the stock of Israel,
00:39:23.67\00:39:27.91
of the tribe of Benjamin,
a Hebrew of the Hebrews.
00:39:28.73\00:39:32.97
Concerning the law; a Pharisee.
00:39:33.60\00:39:35.48
Concerning zeal;
persecuting the church.
00:39:35.51\00:39:37.78
Concerning the righteousness
which is in the law; blameless."
00:39:37.81\00:39:42.65
Typical Naaman.
00:39:43.80\00:39:45.03
But he had leprosy.
00:39:46.00\00:39:47.67
So then Jesus confronts
him on the road to Damascus.
00:39:50.01\00:39:53.01
And Saul of Tarsus goes through
the conversion experience.
00:39:54.50\00:39:56.82
And he goes to Ananias' house.
00:39:56.85\00:39:58.74
Do you know what
Ananias says to him?
00:39:58.77\00:40:00.55
Let's read it.
00:40:02.73\00:40:03.82
Acts 22 and verse 16. Acts 22.
00:40:03.85\00:40:07.44
Even Saul of Tarsus had to
go through this experience.
00:40:07.47\00:40:10.44
Acts 22 and verse 16.
00:40:10.64\00:40:12.65
Ananias says to Saul...
00:40:16.01\00:40:17.95
I like that,
"Why are you waiting?"
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And what does baptism do?
00:40:34.04\00:40:35.55
So what happens at baptism?
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Saul's sins were what?
00:40:52.68\00:40:54.78
Were washed away.
00:40:55.79\00:40:57.18
So baptism is a
glorious ceremony.
00:40:58.74\00:41:01.14
It's a ceremony where
we pass from death to life.
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As Naaman the Syrian
passed from death to life.
00:41:06.11\00:41:08.84
He buried his leprosy and
he came out to newness of life.
00:41:09.99\00:41:14.21