Participants: Pr. Stephen Bohr
Series Code: LLD
Program Code: LLD000006
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00:37 Shall we bow our heads for prayer.
00:40 Father in heaven, we thank You for the awesome privilege of 00:42 being in Your presence. 00:45 Father, as we open Your holy Word this morning, 00:48 we ask for the guidance of Your Holy Spirit. 00:51 I ask particularly that if there is anyone here this morning 00:54 who has not made a full and complete surrender 00:58 and commitment to Jesus, that today will be the day 01:01 in which they will do it. 01:04 I know that there are many people in the valley of 01:06 decision, many people who have not decided to go to 01:11 one side or to the other side. 01:13 I just ask, Lord, that You will touch hearts and You will 01:16 speak to minds, and that decisions will be made. 01:20 And I thank You, Father, for the privilege of opening Your Word 01:24 and for hearing our prayer. 01:26 For we ask it in the precious name of Jesus, amen. 01:33 The Holy Bible has very much to say about baptism. 01:40 And perhaps we have come to believe that baptism 01:44 is a New Testament phenomenon. 01:48 But did you realize that many of the most beautiful passages 01:52 in Scripture about baptism are found in the Old Testament? 01:59 In our study today we are going to examine 02:03 a very well known story, probably, to most of us 02:06 who are gathered here. 02:09 We're going to study the story of Naaman the Syrian. 02:15 And so I invite you to open your Bibles with me to 02:18 the second book of Kings chapter 5, and we're going to 02:24 take a look primarily at the first thirteen verses 02:28 of this chapter. 02:29 And then we'll also notice two or three verses 02:32 a little later on in the chapter. 02:36 And basically, we're just going to go through the chapter 02:39 verse by verse and try and draw out the lessons 02:43 that God would have us learn today about commitment, 02:49 about conversion, about giving our lives to the Lord. 02:55 Beginning at verse 1. 03:27 Now the purpose of this verse 1 of chapter 5 is to highlight 03:32 the greatness of this individual called Naaman. 03:37 By the way, Naaman was a Gentile. 03:39 He was not a member of the covenant community. 03:42 He was not a member of the chosen people of God. 03:48 And we're told in no uncertain terms that, first of all, 03:52 he was commander. 03:54 Then we're told that he was great and honorable 03:58 before his master. 04:00 We're told that he was a mighty man of valor. 04:04 In other words, he was, humanly speaking, a very great man. 04:10 But the verse ends with a big, "but." 04:15 It says, "But he was a leper." 04:20 Now today, leprosy isn't such a great thing. 04:24 Because there are antibodies which can treat leprosy. 04:29 But in biblical times, a person who had leprosy 04:32 was under the sentence of death, as we're going to notice 04:35 a little later on in this passage. 04:38 In other words, a person who had leprosy 04:41 could kiss life goodbye forever. 04:47 And so we find this great man, in spite of all his greatness, 04:52 we're told that he was a leper. 04:55 And eventually he was going to die. 04:59 Now in the household of this man, Naaman, 05:03 was a little girl who had been brought as a hostage to Syria 05:08 in one of the raids that Naaman himself had done 05:11 in the land of Israel. 05:13 Let's go on and read about this in verse 2. 05:25 Ellen White emphasizes that she was very young. 05:36 Now this young girl could have whined and complained 05:42 about being far away from home, not being with her parents. 05:47 She could have held it against her master 05:51 for taking her hostage. 05:53 In fact, she could have hated Naaman for what he had done 05:57 removing her from her household at such a young age. 06:02 But this little girl evidently had been very well 06:06 trained at home. 06:08 She had had an excellent education by her parents 06:11 in her youngest years. 06:14 And we're told in this passage that she had a passion 06:18 for the healing of her master. 06:22 In other words, instead of holding it against Naaman, 06:25 instead of whining and putting a long face because of her plight, 06:30 because she wasn't at home, she felt a passion 06:34 for the healing of this man. 06:37 And we find this described in verse 3. 06:47 Can't you just kind of experience the attitude? 06:59 By the way, that would be Elisha. 07:13 So this little girl, instead of having a negative 07:17 frame of mind, actually witnesses to Naaman. 07:21 She becomes a witness to the salvation of this man. 07:27 And so we're told that the king gave Naaman authorization 07:31 to go to the land of Israel to have an interview 07:36 with the prophet Elisha. 07:40 That's described in verse 5. 08:03 Now by the way, this is tens of thousands of dollars 08:09 worth of gold and silver, not including all of the 08:13 precious materials. 08:14 In other words, he thinks he might just have a chance 08:17 to buy his healing from the prophet. 08:22 Interestingly enough, his travel would have lasted several days. 08:28 I don't know whether you've looked at a map of Israel, 08:31 but you have Syria which is north and east 08:36 of Israel, of Samaria. 08:38 So he would have had to travel several days 08:41 in order to arrive there in Samaria where the prophet 08:47 Elisha was found. 08:50 And so he goes with all of his gold and his silver, 08:53 and with all of his chariots and all of his soldiers, 09:00 and he says, "This is going to be easy, because you know, 09:03 Israel has been somewhat enslaved by us. 09:07 So this prophet is going to have to do what I ask him to do." 09:13 And so he arrives in Samaria. 09:19 Let's go to verse 6. 09:33 This is a letter sent by the king of Syria 09:35 to the king of Israel. 09:40 Can you imagine how the king must have felt? 09:45 We catch a glimpse of it in verse 7. 10:03 Why would he say something like that, 10:05 "to kill and to make alive?" 10:06 As far as the king of Israel was concerned, 10:09 this man, Naaman, was what? 10:13 Was dead. 10:15 In fact, it was believed that a person who had leprosy 10:18 was a living dead person. 10:21 And Pastor Jensen would certainly understand this, 10:23 having lived in India where undoubtedly he's seen this 10:27 phenomenon time and again. 10:28 It was considered that though the person was alive, 10:31 the person was actually dead. 10:32 And so the letter from the king of Syria comes to the 10:35 king of Israel, and the king of Israel say, "Oh, I'm doomed. 10:40 This man is dead. 10:42 Only God could make this dead man alive. 10:45 It's an impossible thing." 10:49 And so it continues saying, once again verse 7, 10:53 "It happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, 10:56 that he tore his clothes and said, 'Am I God, 11:01 to kill and to make alive...'" 11:12 In other words, he's picking a fight 11:15 by saying that this man should be healed by the prophet Elisha. 11:21 Notice verse 8. 11:27 Notice the terminology, he's coming to the man of God. 11:30 He's coming to God's minister. 11:51 In other words, "Send him to me. 11:53 It's okay. 11:54 You know, God can certainly take a dead person 11:58 and make him alive." 12:01 And so we find in verses 9 and 10 the arrival 12:05 of Naaman at the home of Elisha. 12:08 And here's where the story becomes very interesting. 12:12 It says there in verse 9... 12:19 What is Naaman trying to do? He's trying to what? 12:22 He's trying to impress through his greatness. 12:28 And it says... 12:34 Now, what would you expect Elisha to do 12:38 if he knew that Naaman had traveled many, many days 12:43 to have an interview with him? 12:45 Well, the most respectful thing that he could do 12:48 would be to go and answer the door. 12:53 But I want you to notice now that the story begins to turn. 12:57 The story begins speaking about the greatness of this man. 13:01 You know, great man of valor. 13:04 Greatly admired by the king. 13:07 Great conqueror. 13:10 It begins by telling of his greatness. 13:12 But as the story goes along, we're going to find 13:15 that Naaman gets smaller and smaller. 13:21 So he comes to Elisha's house. 13:24 And we're told, "And Elisha sent a messenger to him." 13:31 Would you consider that an insult? 13:34 Here he's traveled all these days, and Elisha says, 13:38 to the messenger he says, "You go out and talk to him." 13:41 What is Elisha trying to do? 13:44 He's trying to humble this man. 13:48 Exactly. 13:49 In the right sense of the word. 13:52 And so it says... 14:00 Which by the way, in many places is a very muddy dirty river. 14:05 It's not crystal clear. 14:08 So he's adding insult to injury. 14:12 First of all, he doesn't have the courtesy to come out 14:15 and meet him personally. 14:16 And now he says, "Go wash in the Jordan River." 14:20 And mind you, not only once, but seven times. 14:26 By the way, the number seven is symbolic of totality, 14:29 of completeness. 14:33 You know, it took seven days to complete creation. 14:39 Seven drops of blood were sprinkled on the mercy seat 14:47 to totally cleanse the Sanctuary from sin. 14:50 Seven times Israel marched around Jericho 14:54 for the city to be totally destroyed. 14:57 The furnace was heated seven times hotter. 15:00 Which means that it was heated to the maximum. 15:03 Seven churches in Revelation describe the totality of 15:07 the history of the Christian church. 15:08 Seven horns on the head of Jesus represents total power. 15:12 Seven eyes, total wisdom. 15:14 Seven plagues, the total wrath of God is poured out. 15:18 So in other words, the number seven represents totality. 15:21 Something total is going to happen now. 15:25 And so Elisha says... 15:29 And now notice the promise. 15:34 God never gives us a command without, at the same time, 15:37 giving us a promise. 15:50 Have you noticed several times in this passage 15:52 that it contrasts unclean with clean? 15:57 Before he goes to the Jordan River and submerges himself 16:01 seven times, he is unclean. 16:04 When he goes to the Jordan and submerges himself, 16:07 he is going to be what? 16:09 He's going to be clean. 16:11 So what is the ceremony between unclean and clean? 16:16 It's the ceremony of dipping himself seven times 16:20 in the Jordan River. 16:21 That's a transition point between unclean and clean. 16:26 Let's go to verse 11. 16:29 "But Naaman became furious." 16:34 Do you think he had any right, humanly speaking, 16:35 to be furious? 16:38 Humanly speaking, yeah. 16:40 The old man was coming out. 16:42 The flesh, if you please, was coming out. 16:44 He says, "How dare this prophet. 16:46 First of all, he's a prophet of Israel. 16:50 I traveled many days, he doesn't come out personally. 16:53 And now he tells me to go wash myself in that dirty ole river, 16:58 the Jordan River." 16:59 So it says... 17:12 "Certainly he would come out to me personally." 17:18 And now notice, this is important. 17:20 "...and call on the name of the Lord his God..." 17:25 Don't forget that. 17:27 Before he submerges himself in the Jordan River, 17:31 what does he call God? 17:34 This is Elisha's God. 17:37 It's not his God. 17:40 And notice how he expected to be healed. 17:41 He says, "...and wave his hand..." 17:44 "I wanted him to come out and just pronounce me clean. 17:49 Just wave his hand and say, 'You're clean.'" 17:53 But you see, Naaman had to take the plunge 17:58 in order to be clean. 18:02 And he says, "If he would wave his hand over me, 18:06 he would heal my leprosy." 18:08 A symbol of sin, by the way; leprosy. 18:11 Jesus healed many lepers. 18:13 The leprosy on the body represented 18:15 the leprosy in the soul. 18:18 And now notice what he says... 18:35 "Why do I have to do what the preacher says? 18:39 Why do I have to go dip in the Jordan River? 18:41 Why seven times? 18:43 I could actually go and do it in one of my rivers." 18:47 It says, "So he turned and went away in rage." 18:54 I like to imagine what it must have been like. 18:56 He must have been fuming. 19:00 "Doesn't this prophet realize who I am? 19:04 The great Naaman. 19:08 A mighty man of valor, great conqueror. 19:13 Commander of the Syrian armies. 19:16 How dare he not recognize my greatness." 19:19 Well, what Elisha is doing is he's reducing him to size. 19:25 Remember what our theme is in this series of sermons? 19:29 He who exalts himself will be what? 19:32 Humbled. 19:34 And he who humbles himself will be exalted. 19:37 Let me read you a statement from Ellen White 19:41 on the attitude of Naaman when Elisha told him to 19:44 go bathe in the Jordan River. 19:46 This is in the book, Conflict and Courage, page 228. 19:49 She says... 20:01 See, below his dignity to humble himself. 20:07 Now notice this. 20:08 There was a reason why he wanted to wash in those rivers 20:10 besides the fact that they were cleaner than the Jordan River. 20:35 Because he would be doing what everybody else was doing. 21:07 In Prophets and Kings, page 249, Ellen White explains in a 21:11 short statement, "But faith conquered. 21:16 And the haughty Syrian yielded his pride of heart 21:20 and bowed in submission to the revealed will of Jehovah." 21:28 So did he humble himself? 21:31 Did he? Yes, he did. 21:33 Did God help him a little bit? 21:36 For the prophet, the Lord helped him. 21:39 He brought him into circumstances 21:41 that would humble his heart. 21:42 Because it would do no good for him to bury his leprosy 21:44 with a proud heart. 21:49 And you know, when God actually heals, 21:52 He heals fully and completely. 21:53 Now I'd like to go to verses 13 and 14. 21:57 Because we have something very interesting in them. 21:59 You know, when God asks someone to do something, 22:01 sometimes they get furious. 22:03 Let me ask you, can the friends of that person help to kind of 22:06 alleviate the situation if you're really a person's friend? 22:10 When a call is made, can the friend kind of give a nudge 22:14 and say, "Come on." 22:17 Let's notice. Verses 13 and 14. 22:37 "I mean, he could have told you to jump from the 22:38 earth to the moon." 22:47 Do you notice once again that the washing makes us what? 22:50 Clean. 22:51 Verse 14... 23:01 Whose counsel did he obey? 23:04 The counsel of the man of God. 23:06 And who had given that counsel to the man of God? 23:09 God Himself. 23:11 Can you imagine what it must have been like 23:13 for this man Naaman, this great man Naaman? 23:15 He's doing what an Israelite prophet is telling him to do. 23:18 He's in the dirty Jordan River and he's dipping himself 23:21 in front of his soldiers? 23:24 What a humiliating experience. 23:28 Then of course you can imagine, dips himself once; leprosy. 23:32 Twice; leprosy. 23:34 Three times; leprosy. 23:36 Four times; leprosy. 23:39 Maybe he's starting to wonder, "Hmmm, who knows 23:42 whether I'm going to look ridiculous here." 23:45 Five times, six times. 23:48 And then he dips himself the seventh time. 23:50 Totality; remember the number seven represents 23:53 fullness or totality. 23:54 He dips himself the seventh time and when he comes out... 24:00 I want you to notice what Scripture says. 24:03 Once again, verse 14... 24:05 "So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, 24:09 according to the saying of the man of God." 24:13 In other words, he obeyed the command of God 24:15 through His minister. 24:17 "And his flesh was restored like the 24:20 flesh of a little child." 24:25 Listen here. 24:26 It was not restored like an old man. 24:30 Because he was a grown man. 24:33 I mean, it was like he was born again. 24:37 Because we're told here that the flesh that he had 24:40 was not the flesh of old Naaman scarred in battle. 24:45 It was the flesh of a little child. 24:47 In other words, he had died and he had 24:49 resurrected to newness of life. 24:51 He was like a little child. 24:54 Is that what happens when we're born again? 24:57 Yes. 24:59 That's what happens when we're baptized. 25:01 The past is buried and we're born, according to the Bible, 25:05 to newness of life. 25:10 The old has passed away, according to the Scriptures. 25:16 Now, how did Naaman look upon the religion 25:18 of Israel and the God of Israel after his conversion? 25:21 Did he just say, "Oh, it's wonderful. 25:24 I've been healed. Hallelujah. 25:25 Now I'll go on worshiping the gods of Syria." 25:30 No. Notice verse 17. 25:33 There's a very interesting little custom here. 25:37 You know, he lived in Syria. 25:38 He didn't live in Israel. 25:40 And God was the God of Israel. 25:43 So notice this, verse 17... 25:49 Because Elisha had not accepted the gifts that he had brought. 25:52 "If you're not going to take the gifts," he says... 26:05 What is he asking for? 26:07 He's asking for two mule loads of dirt. 26:12 From where? 26:14 From Israel. 26:16 Interesting. 26:20 And he says... 26:33 Do you know why he takes the earth? 26:37 Because he wants to put that earth in Syria. 26:41 And because it's earth from Israel, he's worshiping 26:45 on Israel's earth the true God. 26:50 Had he been converted? 26:52 Had his outlook on life been changed? 26:55 Yes, he says, "I live in Syria, but I'm taking a little piece 26:59 of Israel so that I can worship the God of Israel." 27:03 Wow, what a change. 27:06 He says, "I will not worship any of the pagan gods anymore." 27:09 Had his life changed? 27:11 Not only his skin, but his heart had actually been converted 27:15 by this baptismal experience. 27:17 He had been totally transformed, totally changed. 27:22 What a beautiful illustration in the Old Testament on baptism. 27:28 Go with me to 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 17. 27:32 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 17. 27:34 Do you know that we are all afflicted with leprosy? 27:38 In one point in our lives we were all afflicted with leprosy, 27:42 the deadly disease of sin. 27:46 Which is a mortal disease. 27:49 And we're told there in 2 Corinthians 5:17 27:53 that something happens when we choose to take 27:55 the step of baptism. 28:08 Is that true of Naaman? 28:10 Physically, was he a new creation? 28:12 Yes, he had the skin of a child. 28:19 The leprosy is gone. 28:24 That was the experience of Naaman. 28:27 The old Naaman was buried and the new Naaman came forth. 28:32 Not only physically, but also spiritually. 28:38 The big question is, however, how is it that we are in Christ? 28:43 Because it says here, "those who are in Christ." 28:45 How do we get to be in Christ? 28:49 Well, the Bible says it very clearly. 28:51 Go with me to Galatians chapter 3 28:53 and verses 26 and 27. 28:55 Galatians chapter 3 verses 26 and 27. 28:58 It tells us how we become in Christ. 29:02 See, according to the Bible, I am either in Adam or in Christ. 29:06 If I'm in Adam, I have the disease of leprosy. 29:09 I'm doomed to death. 29:12 So I have to change families into the family of the new Adam. 29:16 I have to be born into a different family. 29:17 But in order to do that, I have to bury the old family. 29:22 The question is, how do I get rid of that Adam nature, 29:25 that leprous nature, and how am I born to newness of life, 29:30 like Naaman was? 29:33 It says in Galatians 3 verse 26... 29:42 And now notice this... 29:55 At what moment is it that we cease being an Adam 29:58 and we are in Christ? 30:00 At the moment of what? 30:02 Baptism. 30:05 How important then is baptism? 30:08 It's vitally important. 30:10 It's the moment when we bury our old leprous Naaman nature. 30:15 And when we come forth, we're born to newness of life. 30:19 Like Naaman who had the skin of a child, 30:21 and he had the heart of a child too. 30:23 Because Jesus says that we must become like children 30:26 in order to see and in order to enter the kingdom of God. 30:31 Go with me to Romans chapter 6 and verses 3 and on. 30:39 Romans chapter 6 verse 3, notice the apostle Paul says... 30:53 How are we baptized? 30:55 We're baptized into what? 30:57 Jesus Christ. 30:58 If we're baptized into Jesus Christ, are we then in Christ? 31:02 So what happens before baptism? 31:05 We're outside of Christ. Right? 31:08 And so it says, "...or do you not know that as many of us 31:11 as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized 31:15 into His death?" 31:21 Notice, we died with Him. 31:29 But not only did we die with Him, not only were we buried 31:33 with Him, but notice that we're also resurrected with Him. 31:52 Now listen to what I'm going to say. 31:53 Many people, even within the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 31:56 misunderstand the meaning of baptism. 31:59 See, baptism is not my own little death to sin 32:04 and my own little resurrection from sin. 32:08 Did you notice here that it says that whoever has been baptized 32:10 has been baptized into His death? 32:14 And that we were buried with Him. 32:17 And that we resurrected with Him. 32:20 In other words, when I'm buried in the waters of baptism, 32:24 when in humility I come to God and I say, "I'm a sinner. 32:28 I'm leprous. I have nothing to offer You. 32:30 I'm doomed to death." 32:31 When I come to God and I say that, and I'm baptized, 32:35 at the moment of baptism you know what God says? 32:38 God says, "What you just did right now makes you 32:44 to be included in what Jesus did back there." 32:48 He died so you don't have to. 32:52 He was buried so you don't have to. 32:55 He resurrected so that you can resurrect with Him. 33:01 In other words, at baptism we're transferred back 33:03 to what Jesus did. 33:05 We're included in Him. 33:07 See, the law demands a perfect life, doesn't it? 33:10 The law says, obey and live. 33:13 And if you don't obey the law, you what? 33:15 You die. 33:16 How many of us have lived in harmony with the law perfectly? 33:20 None of us. 33:21 So we're all on death row, right? 33:24 So how can we be saved? 33:25 It's very simple. 33:27 We receive Jesus as our Savior. 33:30 We announce it through baptism. 33:32 And then at the moment of baptism, His death 33:35 counts as if it was mine. 33:39 His life is reckoned as mine. 33:42 And therefore now, when I come before the Father, 33:45 when I'm in Jesus, when I've buried my old self with Him, 33:50 and I've resurrected with Him, now when I appear before God 33:53 the Father, the Father doesn't see me, 33:56 He sees Jesus because I am in Him. 34:01 Isn't that good news? 34:03 In other words, at the moment of baptism 34:05 is when the Father no longer looks at me as me. 34:10 He looks at me through Him. 34:14 And because He lived a perfect life, 34:16 the law doesn't condemn me. 34:19 Because His life stands in place of my life. 34:22 And because He suffered the death that I should suffer, 34:24 I don't have to suffer death. 34:26 Because His death counts as my death. 34:28 So at baptism, I am included in what He did. 34:32 That's what the Bible means when it says that we are in Christ. 34:36 If we are in Christ, we are a new creation. 34:39 All old things have passed away and everything is new. 34:43 Because we are in Jesus. 34:47 In other words, at baptism we're transferred back 34:49 to what Jesus did. 34:50 And God includes us in Him. 34:53 We're accepted in the Beloved. 34:54 We have an Advocate before the Father; Jesus Christ. 34:57 And when Jesus appears before the Father, 34:59 He says, "Father, I come here representing Steve Bohr." 35:03 And I'm dramatizing. 35:04 The Father says, "Where is Steve Bohr?" 35:06 Jesus says, "Well, he doesn't have to appear, 35:08 because he's in Me. 35:11 And so when I appear here, it's as if he appears. 35:15 Because he is in Christ." 35:18 That's what happens at baptism. 35:21 We are reckoned dead and alive in Christ. 35:24 His death and His life now stand in our place. 35:26 Is that good news or what? 35:29 Baptism is a marvelous ceremony. 35:31 It's the way of passing from death to life. 35:33 Now I don't believe in baptismal regeneration. 35:36 I don't think that baptism saves. 35:38 But baptism is a sign of salvation. 35:41 It's an external announcement of an internal experience 35:45 with Jesus Christ. 35:49 Have you ever noticed what Jesus said to Nicodemus? 35:51 Was Nicodemus kind of similar to Naaman? 35:55 He thought he was a pretty good guy. 35:58 He was a leader in Israel. 36:00 He was a rabbi. 36:02 He thought he knew a lot. 36:04 But notice what Jesus said to Nicodemus. 36:07 John 3 and we'll read verse 3, and we'll also read verse 5. 36:11 John 3 and verses 3 and 5. 36:17 To this great man who thought he knew much, 36:20 who thought he was great in Israel, we're told this... 36:40 What did He mean? 36:41 Notice verse 5. 36:42 "Jesus answered, 'Most assuredly I say to you, 36:46 unless one is born of water and the Spirit...'" 36:51 This is talking about water baptism, being born of water. 36:55 In other words, that's for forgiveness of sins. 36:57 And the Spirit is breathing new life. 37:02 Which also, we receive the Holy Spirit at baptism. 37:04 So, "Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born of 37:07 water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." 37:11 Let me ask you, is baptism then absolutely indispensible? 37:16 Is it? 37:17 According to the Bible, it's absolutely 37:19 indispensible, Jesus says. 37:21 You must be born of the water and of the Spirit. 37:24 Your old self must be buried and you must resurrect 37:27 to newness of life. 37:28 You know, God couldn't have chosen a better ceremony 37:30 than baptism to illustrate this. 37:34 You've seen baptisms here in the church. 37:36 A person stands, the pastor is up there in the baptistery. 37:39 The person is in front of him. 37:41 The pastor says, "In the name of the Father, the Son, 37:43 and the Holy Spirit." 37:44 The person who is going to be put under the water 37:47 stops breathing. 37:49 Like you do when you die. 37:53 And then the person is what? 37:56 They stop breathing, they're buried in the waters. 38:03 And what's the first thing they do when they come 38:05 forth from the water? 38:06 They breathe. 38:09 Newness of life. 38:13 Could God have chosen a better symbol or better ceremony 38:16 to illustrate death to sin, resurrection to newness 38:20 of life in Christ? 38:22 There could be no better symbol that God could have chosen 38:24 than this symbol of baptism. 38:29 It makes me think of one last person that I would 38:30 like to mention that experienced what Naaman experienced. 38:36 That's the great Saul of Tarsus. 38:39 The great apostle Paul. 38:41 You know, if you want to read an interesting passage, 38:43 read Philippians chapter 3. 38:46 There, the apostle Paul tells us how great he was 38:50 before he accepted Jesus. 38:52 In fact, let's go there quickly. 38:54 Philippians chapter 3. 38:59 And let's notice the apostle Paul's self evaluation 39:02 before his conversion. 39:03 He was just like Naaman. 39:06 Chapter 3 and verse 4, he says, "...though also I might have 39:15 confidence in the flesh. 39:18 If anyone else thinks he may have confidence 39:21 in the flesh, I more so. 39:23 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, 39:28 of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews. 39:33 Concerning the law; a Pharisee. 39:35 Concerning zeal; persecuting the church. 39:37 Concerning the righteousness which is in the law; blameless." 39:43 Typical Naaman. 39:46 But he had leprosy. 39:50 So then Jesus confronts him on the road to Damascus. 39:54 And Saul of Tarsus goes through the conversion experience. 39:56 And he goes to Ananias' house. 39:58 Do you know what Ananias says to him? 40:02 Let's read it. 40:03 Acts 22 and verse 16. Acts 22. 40:07 Even Saul of Tarsus had to go through this experience. 40:10 Acts 22 and verse 16. 40:16 Ananias says to Saul... 40:24 I like that, "Why are you waiting?" 40:34 And what does baptism do? 40:49 So what happens at baptism? 40:52 Saul's sins were what? 40:55 Were washed away. 40:58 So baptism is a glorious ceremony. 41:02 It's a ceremony where we pass from death to life. 41:06 As Naaman the Syrian passed from death to life. 41:09 He buried his leprosy and he came out to newness of life. |
Revised 2014-12-17