Music...
00:00:01.36\00:00:31.16
Well, today I have chosen
00:00:31.19\00:00:35.20
for us to focus on
a passage of Scripture
00:00:35.23\00:00:39.90
found in 2nd Kings chapter 5,
00:00:39.93\00:00:44.01
2nd Kings chapter 5.
00:00:44.04\00:00:48.11
It's the story of a leper
00:00:48.14\00:00:51.58
and the story is
told in two parts...
00:00:51.61\00:00:55.65
and we're only going to
look at one part of it today.
00:00:55.68\00:00:58.52
The name of the
leper was Naaman.
00:00:58.55\00:01:02.59
King James has
it... "Captain Naaman"
00:01:02.62\00:01:06.59
more up-to-date translations
have it... "Commander Naaman. "
00:01:06.63\00:01:12.50
So it's a story
of a... of a man...
00:01:12.53\00:01:17.34
a prominent man with leprosy
00:01:17.37\00:01:20.98
who needed to
become cleansed or pure.
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The second part of the
story talks about a man
00:01:26.78\00:01:31.42
who was pure and
clean but became a leper
00:01:31.45\00:01:37.73
and that was the
servant of Elisha the Prophet...
00:01:37.79\00:01:43.16
his name was Gehazi
and so we won't spend...
00:01:43.20\00:01:47.24
we won't have the time to spend
looking at the second part today
00:01:47.27\00:01:52.97
we'll focus on the first part
00:01:53.04\00:01:54.78
and so our emphasis
will be Naaman the leper.
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I have... just to
kind of help us along
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in the
understanding of the story,
00:02:06.49\00:02:08.92
I want to read the entire story,
2nd Kings 5 verses 1 to 14.
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I've chosen to read it
out of a version called:
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The English
Standard Version... ESV
00:02:22.34\00:02:26.34
now I'm guessing most of
you do not have an ESV version
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here today.
00:02:30.71\00:02:32.05
I'm guessing you have a
New King James or a King James
00:02:32.08\00:02:35.32
but probably not an ESV.
00:02:35.35\00:02:39.72
The ESV version has a
colorful and interesting history
00:02:39.75\00:02:46.29
of its origins
and how it came to be.
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It's the preferred translation
of the conservative arm
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of the Protestant
Church... Evangelicals...
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this is... this
is their Bible, okay.
00:03:00.64\00:03:03.78
Its predecessor was the
RSV... Revised Standard Version
00:03:03.81\00:03:11.19
that came out in the year of my
birth... 1952... 66 years ago.
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the RSV came out...
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but it was rejected by the
Evangelical or Conservative
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Christian Churches
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for some of the way
it translated Scripture
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but years later, when the
Evangelicals rejected the NIV
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for gender-inclusive language...
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now, there's a difference
between gender accurate
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and gender inclusive
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but NIV went to gender inclusive
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that is putting female
terms in where it's not there,
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so the Conservative Christian
Denominations rejected that
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and commissioned that they
take the RSV and sanitize it.
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In other words,
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look at the areas that
they were very opposed to
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and they got the
Rights to re-translate it
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and that's what
you have here today.
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Well, I just bought a new Bible
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and I thought,
"Well, we'll try this"
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Mr. Babb has been gracious
to put it on the screen.
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You can follow in your own Bible
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which may be a
different translation
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or you can follow it on
the screen... as I read.
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Let's bow our
heads for just a minute,
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"Father in heaven, we are...
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we are now going to read
the sacred text of Scripture
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that you have
preserved down through the ages,
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that we might have it today
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in the last hours
of earth's history
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and have it to be our
guide and our teacher,
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but we so easily go
astray as we read from Your Word
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and come up with all kinds of
interesting and different ideas,
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ones that you
never ordained to be,
00:05:01.70\00:05:04.33
and so, we just
ask that you again
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would be our Teacher and Guide
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as we read from the
passage that we've chosen today
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about Naaman the
leper, in Jesus' name, amen. "
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Audience: Amen.
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"Naaman, commander of the army
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of the king of Syria,
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was a great man with his
master and in high favor,
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because by him the
Lord... " get that...
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"the Lord... "
not the lords of Syria
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but the Lord...
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"had given victory to Syria.
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He was a mighty man of
valor, but he was a leper.
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Now the Syrians
on one of their raids
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had carried off a little
girl from the land of Israel,
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and she worked in the
service of Naaman' s wife.
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And she said to her mistress,
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'Would that my Lord were with
the prophet who is in Samaria!
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He would cure
him of his leprosy. '
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So Naaman went in
and told his lord... "
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now, his lord was the king,
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"And Naaman told his lord,
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'Thus and so spoke the
girl from the land of Israel. '
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And the king of Syria says,
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'Go now... I'll send a
letter to the king of Israel. '
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So he went,
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he took with him
ten talents of silver,
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six thousand shekels of
gold, ten changes of clothing.
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And he brought the
letter to the king of Israel,
00:07:01.48\00:07:05.49
which read, 'When
this letter reaches you,
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know that I have sent
to you Naaman my servant,
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that you may cure
him of his leprosy. '
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And when the king of
Israel read the letter,
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he tore his clothes and said,
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'Am I God, to
kill and to make alive,
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that this man sends word to
me to cure a man of leprosy?
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Only consider, see how he
is seeking a quarrel with me. '
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But when Elisha the man of God
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heard that the king of
Israel had torn his clothes,
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he sent to the king, saying,
'Why have you torn your clothes?
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Let him come to me,
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that he may know that
there is a prophet in Israel. '
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So Naaman came with
his horses and chariots
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and stood at the
door of Elisha's house.
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And Elisha sent a
messenger to him, saying,
00:08:02.31\00:08:05.75
'Go and wash in the
River Jordan seven times,
00:08:05.78\00:08:09.15
and your flesh will be restored,
and you shall be clean. '
00:08:09.18\00:08:13.36
But Naaman was angry
and went away saying,
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'Behold, I thought
he would come surely...
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he would surely come out to me
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and stand and call upon
the name of the Lord his God,
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wave his hand over the
place' you know, the spot...
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'and cure the leper.
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Are not Abana and
Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus,
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better than all
the rivers of Israel?
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Could I not wash
in them and be clean?'
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So he turned...
went away in a rage.
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But his servants
came near and said to him,
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'My father... my father...
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it is a great word the
prophet has spoken to you;
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will you not do it?
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Has he actually said to
you, 'Wash and be clean?'
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So he went down
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and dipped himself
seven times in the Jordan,
00:09:02.00\00:09:05.27
according to the word of God
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and his flesh was restored like
the flesh of a little child,
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and he was clean. "
00:09:11.18\00:09:12.95
That's the story.
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Now, I will interject here,
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verse 13 reads totally
different than your Bible.
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Pause.
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Your Bible probably read
00:09:26.33\00:09:27.93
"And his servants came
near, and spoke to him,
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and said, 'My father,
00:09:30.33\00:09:31.67
if the prophet had said
to you to do something great,
00:09:31.70\00:09:34.17
would you not have done it?
00:09:34.20\00:09:36.00
How much more then when he says,
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'Go and wash and
be clean?'" Okay.
00:09:39.54\00:09:42.94
I... I have an interesting
piece of Bible software
00:09:42.98\00:09:48.12
that allows me to take about
every translation as possible
00:09:48.15\00:09:53.05
and line them up
in a row like this...
00:09:53.12\00:09:56.99
and then, look at
any particular verse
00:09:57.03\00:10:00.83
and see how it's rendered
in every single translation
00:10:00.86\00:10:05.10
pause...
00:10:05.13\00:10:07.04
this one is the
odd duck in the group
00:10:07.07\00:10:10.31
for some reason
00:10:10.34\00:10:12.27
and I really did
spend a little time
00:10:12.31\00:10:14.64
trying to find
the answer to that
00:10:14.68\00:10:16.98
and I wasn't successful.
00:10:17.01\00:10:18.48
Why did this one read
that a little differently?
00:10:18.68\00:10:22.78
I don't know the answer to that.
00:10:22.82\00:10:25.32
I do know that sometimes
00:10:25.35\00:10:27.39
Translators prefer some
manuscript over other ones
00:10:27.42\00:10:33.09
because maybe they're
older or some reason...
00:10:33.13\00:10:37.63
sometimes the Hebrew...
particularly the Hebrew
00:10:37.67\00:10:42.14
is very cryptic
00:10:42.17\00:10:43.67
and you've got to
fill in the blanks
00:10:43.71\00:10:45.97
and you can fill in the blanks
in a number of different ways
00:10:46.01\00:10:49.58
and it will read differently
00:10:49.64\00:10:50.98
because you have
to fill in the blanks.
00:10:51.01\00:10:52.81
It just gives you few...
00:10:52.88\00:10:54.48
so I'm not sure
exactly what it was
00:10:54.52\00:10:57.22
but I'm going to
keep digging to find out
00:10:57.25\00:10:59.35
and someday I'll know it
00:10:59.39\00:11:00.72
and maybe I'll
tell you, how's that?
00:11:00.76\00:11:02.46
But either rendering
accomplishes the same purpose
00:11:02.49\00:11:08.70
and that is... the
servants came to reason
00:11:08.73\00:11:13.34
with an irate man
who wasn't reasonable
00:11:13.37\00:11:17.91
and brought his rage down
00:11:17.94\00:11:20.64
so that he could
think rationally...
00:11:20.68\00:11:23.08
and make a good decision
00:11:23.11\00:11:25.11
and see, that's what
was trying to happen here.
00:11:25.15\00:11:28.48
So, that is the story of Naaman.
00:11:28.52\00:11:33.52
"Naaman, the Commander of
the army of the king of Syria
00:11:33.56\00:11:42.20
was a great man... " verse 1,
00:11:42.23\00:11:44.83
great man with his
master and in favor
00:11:44.87\00:11:48.74
because by him the Lord
had given victory to Syria.
00:11:48.77\00:11:51.87
He was a mighty
man of valor and he...
00:11:51.91\00:11:55.34
but he was a leper...
00:11:55.38\00:11:57.65
the writer of the book of Kings
00:11:57.68\00:12:03.75
wants us to sense the
prominence of this man.
00:12:03.79\00:12:10.43
I mean, this man
is somebody, okay.
00:12:10.46\00:12:14.50
He's a Commander...
00:12:14.53\00:12:16.36
I mean, he's not just a
Captain, he's a Commander.
00:12:16.40\00:12:22.47
The Syrian Army had brigades
and each brigade had a captain
00:12:22.50\00:12:27.11
but all those captains
reported to the Commander...
00:12:27.14\00:12:31.41
the Field Commander
over all of the army...
00:12:31.45\00:12:34.12
I mean, this is
like the Chairman
00:12:34.18\00:12:36.05
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
00:12:36.08\00:12:38.15
of the armed services
of the United States, okay,
00:12:38.19\00:12:42.62
this is the top dog...
Naaman was a Commander.
00:12:42.66\00:12:47.03
He had great
preference with the king.
00:12:47.06\00:12:51.50
It says that he was a...
was a great man with his master.
00:12:51.53\00:13:01.24
So, the king, in
fact, in the passages...
00:13:01.28\00:13:05.38
in the second part of the story,
00:13:05.41\00:13:07.32
Naaman says, "Forgive me
when the king leans on my...
00:13:07.35\00:13:13.15
on my arm and goes in to
worship at one of their gods...
00:13:13.19\00:13:18.69
you know...
forgive me for that...
00:13:18.73\00:13:20.80
he leans on my... "
00:13:20.83\00:13:22.16
he was... he was
tight with the king.
00:13:22.20\00:13:24.60
The king admired Naaman.
00:13:24.63\00:13:27.44
Naaman and the king had
a... a close relationship
00:13:27.47\00:13:33.24
so, he was a man of prominence,
00:13:33.27\00:13:34.94
he was highly favored
in the eyes of the people
00:13:34.98\00:13:38.45
and he received that favor
because of his performance,
00:13:38.48\00:13:43.79
he performed well
on the field of battle.
00:13:43.82\00:13:47.29
He was successful.
00:13:47.32\00:13:48.82
Now, the people of
Syria didn't realize
00:13:48.86\00:13:52.43
that Naaman was successful
00:13:52.46\00:13:54.80
because the God of
heaven was on his side
00:13:54.83\00:13:58.80
but he was still considered
a mighty, mighty man of valor
00:13:58.83\00:14:04.74
so, we're told all
these things about Naaman
00:14:04.77\00:14:08.34
because the writer wants
us to catch his prominence.
00:14:08.38\00:14:14.22
This guy is somebody...
somebody... okay... important...
00:14:14.25\00:14:19.35
but then it says he was a leper.
00:14:19.39\00:14:26.46
the Hebrew renders it more
powerfully than the English
00:14:26.49\00:14:33.74
"and he was" are added words...
00:14:33.77\00:14:38.27
English words to
make it flow for us.
00:14:38.31\00:14:41.44
The Hebrew... it
just says, "a leper"
00:14:41.48\00:14:44.58
so it's kind of like
00:14:44.61\00:14:46.88
everything that we have learned
about Commander Naaman...
00:14:46.92\00:14:51.89
all of his
prominence... his valor...
00:14:51.95\00:14:54.86
his prowess on
the field of battle...
00:14:54.89\00:14:57.76
I mean, everything about him
is all wiped out by two words,
00:14:57.79\00:15:05.13
"a leper"
00:15:05.20\00:15:07.50
wow! this hits... okay...
00:15:07.54\00:15:11.37
pause
00:15:11.41\00:15:14.34
leprosy was a defiling,
disfiguring, deadening,
00:15:14.38\00:15:22.38
disassociating
and deadly disease,
00:15:22.42\00:15:27.32
bunch of "d's"
00:15:27.36\00:15:29.92
kind of sounds good doesn't it?
00:15:29.96\00:15:31.69
Pause.
00:15:31.76\00:15:33.09
We will look at the five
major characteristics of leprosy
00:15:33.13\00:15:38.73
and as we do, we'll
quickly see why Naaman' s malady
00:15:38.77\00:15:44.11
canceled out all
of his prominence.
00:15:44.14\00:15:47.81
We'll also see that
leprosy does to a person...
00:15:47.84\00:15:51.61
what leprosy does to
a person physically...
00:15:51.65\00:15:56.52
sin does to a person
morally and spiritually.
00:15:56.55\00:16:01.29
Pause.
00:16:01.32\00:16:05.83
Leper was considered...
leprosy was considered defiling,
00:16:05.89\00:16:11.30
a leper was called unclean...
00:16:11.33\00:16:15.60
God's law for Israel
required lepers to cry,
00:16:15.64\00:16:19.74
"Unclean... unclean... "
00:16:19.77\00:16:21.11
you'll find that in
Leviticus chapter 13
00:16:21.14\00:16:23.45
and it was to warn
people of their presence...
00:16:23.48\00:16:26.41
when a leper came to Christ,
he asked to be made "clean"
00:16:26.45\00:16:32.22
Mark chapter 1.
00:16:32.25\00:16:34.09
When Elisha told
Naaman to go to the Jordan
00:16:34.12\00:16:37.89
to be healed of his leprosy
00:16:37.93\00:16:39.79
the language was, "Wash
and thou shalt be clean"
00:16:39.83\00:16:44.17
Naaman had just about everything
any person could ever want
00:16:44.20\00:16:50.94
but he had one great
lack and that lack was purity.
00:16:50.97\00:16:58.11
Pause.
00:16:58.18\00:17:00.52
Because he lacked purity,
00:17:00.55\00:17:02.15
his future was one of
hopelessness... misery
00:17:02.18\00:17:05.52
and ultimately death
00:17:05.55\00:17:07.92
and so it is
spiritually and morally
00:17:07.96\00:17:12.76
holiness is what we need.
00:17:12.79\00:17:16.46
Money, position, popularity
00:17:16.50\00:17:21.20
pause
00:17:21.24\00:17:23.64
sink into insignificance
when we look at it
00:17:23.67\00:17:28.28
in perspective of eternity.
00:17:28.31\00:17:31.25
We may have all
the world can offer
00:17:31.28\00:17:34.32
but if we lack
holiness... if we lack purity...
00:17:34.35\00:17:37.39
we can only look
forward to a hopeless end
00:17:37.42\00:17:42.02
rather than an endless hope.
00:17:42.06\00:17:45.06
Pause.
00:17:45.09\00:17:47.10
So, leprosy was defiling
but it was also disfiguring.
00:17:47.13\00:17:50.87
I don't know if
you've been on the internet
00:17:50.90\00:17:53.50
and looked at pictures of
people with Hansen's disease...
00:17:53.54\00:17:57.84
the one that we call "leprosy. "
00:17:57.87\00:18:00.74
It's a... it...
00:18:00.78\00:18:04.11
a human being becomes
very gross and disfigured...
00:18:04.15\00:18:08.98
anyone... when someone who
was once beautiful or handsome
00:18:09.02\00:18:16.66
and attractive becomes a leper,
00:18:16.69\00:18:19.09
they become
grotesque and loathsome.
00:18:19.13\00:18:21.40
It would change Naaman
from attractive army officer
00:18:21.43\00:18:25.30
to an ugly,
repulsive, unwanted person...
00:18:25.33\00:18:29.80
as prospect... it took all the
luster out of his prominence.
00:18:29.84\00:18:36.54
In like manner,
sin disfigures...
00:18:36.58\00:18:41.05
it destroys the
beautiful... the attractive.
00:18:41.08\00:18:45.65
It disfigures the loveliness
of a person's character.
00:18:45.69\00:18:51.23
It makes one's behavior
perverted and grotesque.
00:18:51.26\00:18:55.43
We see it in television...
in modern art... they call it,
00:18:55.46\00:19:03.87
in music and the
moral decay of our society.
00:19:03.91\00:19:09.64
Yet in our folly we try to
dignify such moral disfiguration
00:19:09.68\00:19:16.15
we put labels of culture and art
00:19:16.18\00:19:18.59
on deeds that
are filthy and foul
00:19:18.62\00:19:20.96
but labels do not change
the character of the deed,
00:19:20.99\00:19:25.06
they only deceive the depraved.
00:19:25.09\00:19:27.63
So, leprosy was defiling...
it was disfiguring...
00:19:27.66\00:19:32.23
it's also deadening...
00:19:32.27\00:19:34.37
leprosy seems to attack...
and I'm not a physician
00:19:34.40\00:19:40.01
but it seems from
my simple readings...
00:19:40.04\00:19:43.78
it attacks the nerve
endings and so you...
00:19:43.81\00:19:47.52
you lose feelings in your...
your fingers... in your feet...
00:19:47.55\00:19:51.65
in your toes... and...
00:19:51.69\00:19:53.39
and even pretty soon
your... your eyelids don't know
00:19:53.42\00:19:59.16
that they're
supposed to go up and down
00:19:59.19\00:20:01.33
and lubricate your
eyeballs and you lose your sight
00:20:01.36\00:20:05.13
because you... you don't
blink, you don't know that
00:20:05.20\00:20:08.90
I remember reading about stories
of leper colonies in India
00:20:08.94\00:20:16.44
and they had to be careful
at night when they slept...
00:20:16.48\00:20:21.68
India has rats...
00:20:21.72\00:20:24.52
big ones...
00:20:24.55\00:20:26.25
and they come out at night and
they would gnaw on the lepers
00:20:26.29\00:20:30.96
and the lepers wouldn't feel it.
00:20:30.99\00:20:33.80
They had to be careful
around their cook stoves because
00:20:33.83\00:20:38.93
they could burn
themselves severely
00:20:38.97\00:20:42.77
and wouldn't know
it until they saw it
00:20:42.80\00:20:46.24
okay...
00:20:46.27\00:20:48.04
pause...
00:20:48.08\00:20:49.78
Naaman would eventually have
been unable to feel the sword
00:20:49.81\00:20:53.98
or the spear or the
bow with sensitive fingers
00:20:54.02\00:20:59.35
and this would be a
crushing blow to a career man
00:20:59.39\00:21:02.32
which would make his
prominence meaningless.
00:21:02.39\00:21:07.30
Sin also destroys
feeling... it hardens the heart.
00:21:07.33\00:21:11.63
It sears the conscience...
00:21:11.67\00:21:14.04
it actually
affects the countenance.
00:21:14.07\00:21:17.41
How hard and I'm
feeling are abortionists
00:21:17.44\00:21:22.11
and murderers,
pimps and drug peddlers?
00:21:22.14\00:21:26.38
So leprosy was defiling...
it was disfiguring...
00:21:26.41\00:21:31.25
it was deadening...
00:21:31.29\00:21:33.12
leprosy was disassociating.
00:21:33.15\00:21:36.46
Israel had stricter
rules than other nations
00:21:36.49\00:21:40.66
but all societies
eventually segregated the leper
00:21:40.70\00:21:45.10
officially or unofficially
from the rest of society...
00:21:45.13\00:21:49.60
they quarantined them.
00:21:49.64\00:21:51.04
The leper would be
banished from society
00:21:51.07\00:21:55.14
regardless of who he was.
00:21:55.18\00:21:56.58
Miriam was shut
out from the camp...
00:21:56.64\00:21:59.55
Numbers chapter
12 because of leprosy
00:21:59.58\00:22:02.58
even though she was
the sister of Moses.
00:22:02.62\00:22:07.52
King Uzziah had to
live in a separate house,
00:22:07.56\00:22:12.43
remember he became leprous
00:22:12.46\00:22:14.36
because he had reached out
to touch what he shouldn't touch
00:22:14.40\00:22:18.80
and he turned a
leper white as snow...
00:22:18.83\00:22:21.90
so he had to live in a separate
house even though he was king.
00:22:21.94\00:22:25.31
Naaman' s grandeur would
not stop his banishment either.
00:22:25.37\00:22:31.48
Sin causes
banishment and disassociation
00:22:31.51\00:22:36.08
therefore, the Lord God sent
him... speaking of Adam and Eve
00:22:36.12\00:22:41.12
out from the Garden of Eden
00:22:41.16\00:22:42.76
to work the ground
from which he was taken...
00:22:42.79\00:22:44.76
He drove out the man... and at
the east of the Garden of Eden
00:22:44.79\00:22:49.46
He placed the
cherubim and the flaming sword
00:22:49.50\00:22:52.30
that turned every way
00:22:52.33\00:22:53.67
to guard the way
to the Tree of Life.
00:22:53.70\00:22:55.24
In the end, sin causes the
unrepentant soul to be separated
00:22:55.27\00:23:01.28
from both the
righteous and from God.
00:23:01.31\00:23:04.48
They'll be banished to the fire
of hell... eternal destruction
00:23:04.51\00:23:09.62
eternal separation... regardless
of who that person may be.
00:23:09.65\00:23:14.52
Finally, leprosy was deadly.
00:23:14.56\00:23:16.76
Leprosy doomed
Naaman to a premature death
00:23:16.79\00:23:22.23
for the Bible and Bible times,
00:23:22.26\00:23:24.53
there was no remedy for leprosy.
00:23:24.57\00:23:26.77
For us today, we hear
the words "inoperable cancer"
00:23:26.80\00:23:34.28
pause...
00:23:34.31\00:23:35.68
the word "leprosy"
struck the people of that day
00:23:35.71\00:23:39.61
like those
words strike us today.
00:23:39.65\00:23:42.12
Once prominence was no value
in stopping lepers... leprosy.
00:23:42.15\00:23:46.96
A leper was considered for all
practical purposes to be dead.
00:23:46.99\00:23:51.76
Someone said, a leper
is a walking sepulcher...
00:23:51.79\00:23:56.26
how that reminds us of the
Scripture that says of sinners,
00:23:56.30\00:24:01.17
their throat is
an open sepulcher...
00:24:01.20\00:24:02.87
"Woe unto you,
scribes and Pharisees,
00:24:02.90\00:24:05.87
you are like
white-washed sepulchers"
00:24:05.91\00:24:08.91
which indeed
appear beautiful outwardly
00:24:08.94\00:24:11.55
but within are full
of dead men's bones,
00:24:11.58\00:24:14.18
and all uncleanness. "
00:24:14.22\00:24:15.55
Pause.
00:24:15.58\00:24:17.09
But although leprosy was a
terrible incurable disease,
00:24:17.12\00:24:20.76
yet God was able to heal a leper
00:24:20.79\00:24:25.09
and though sin is
a great curse of man
00:24:25.13\00:24:27.86
and power of man
can eradicate it,
00:24:27.90\00:24:30.60
"He... that is Christ...
00:24:30.63\00:24:32.73
is also able to save
them to the uttermost
00:24:32.77\00:24:37.21
that come to God by Him. "
00:24:37.24\00:24:40.61
Pause.
00:24:40.64\00:24:42.74
Well, let's go to
verse 3... 2 and 3...
00:24:42.78\00:24:47.52
now the Syrians
on one of their raids
00:24:47.55\00:24:52.25
had carried off a little
girl from the land of Israel
00:24:52.29\00:24:57.19
and she worked in the
service of Naaman' s wife
00:24:57.23\00:25:03.23
and she said to her mistress,
"Would that my lord... "
00:25:03.26\00:25:09.00
the King James has...
00:25:09.04\00:25:10.91
"Would to God... that my
lord were with the prophet
00:25:10.97\00:25:17.38
who is in Samaria,
00:25:17.45\00:25:18.91
he would cure
him of his leprosy. "
00:25:18.95\00:25:22.02
Pause.
00:25:22.05\00:25:24.95
When you hit this
spot... this is difficult.
00:25:24.99\00:25:31.16
We're talking about
divine providence and how...
00:25:31.19\00:25:36.77
somehow this little
girl found a place in a home
00:25:36.80\00:25:41.54
and all the circumstances
that brought her there,
00:25:41.57\00:25:46.31
Scripture
doesn't lay it out for us
00:25:46.34\00:25:48.48
but it would have
had to been awful.
00:25:48.54\00:25:50.41
I mean, the raiders
coming in and pillaging
00:25:50.45\00:25:57.05
and destroying...
00:25:57.09\00:25:58.65
doesn't tell us what
happened to her parents...
00:25:58.72\00:26:03.02
were they still alive
when she was dragged away?
00:26:03.06\00:26:05.39
Was she out in the
field working or playing
00:26:05.43\00:26:10.07
and they came by
and picked her up...
00:26:10.13\00:26:12.60
parents don't know
what happened to her...
00:26:12.63\00:26:14.84
did she see her parents cut down
and then she was dragged way?
00:26:14.87\00:26:20.78
We don't know the
circumstances of the story
00:26:20.81\00:26:24.61
but whatever it
is, it wasn't good.
00:26:24.65\00:26:28.18
Is God working like that?
00:26:28.22\00:26:31.49
Is divine
providence somehow involved?
00:26:31.52\00:26:35.26
Well, I'll be
the first to tell you
00:26:35.29\00:26:38.99
I don't know...
00:26:39.03\00:26:40.50
divine
providence and how God works
00:26:40.53\00:26:44.73
is a mystery, okay.
00:26:44.77\00:26:48.50
Now we have,
like the story of Job
00:26:48.54\00:26:50.87
and God takes the
curtain and He sort of opens it
00:26:50.91\00:26:54.61
so that we can see a
little bit behind the scenes
00:26:54.64\00:26:57.85
to understand why He's
working the way He works,
00:26:57.88\00:27:01.08
in the story of Job we know
00:27:01.12\00:27:03.39
that it's not God that wiped
out all of Job's possessions.
00:27:03.42\00:27:06.76
We know that it wasn't
God who brought the wind
00:27:06.79\00:27:10.46
that knocked the house down
00:27:10.49\00:27:12.19
and took the lives of all of
Job's and Mrs. Job's children.
00:27:12.23\00:27:17.00
We know that it wasn't the
finger of God that touched Job
00:27:17.03\00:27:21.80
okay, we know it wasn't that,
00:27:21.84\00:27:23.97
it was the enemy
that did all those things
00:27:24.01\00:27:27.58
but yet, God allowed it, okay.
00:27:27.64\00:27:34.55
Now, for me, I can understand,
"Oh, I got all my camel's back,
00:27:34.58\00:27:40.66
I got my sheep
back, I got my goats back,
00:27:40.69\00:27:43.19
I have my
fields, I have my money,
00:27:43.22\00:27:45.19
I don't miss what's
past but the kids...
00:27:45.23\00:27:48.90
I don't care how much
more kids you give me,
00:27:48.93\00:27:52.57
if I've lost the first batch...
00:27:52.60\00:27:54.80
that doesn't undo the losing
of the first batch... " right?
00:27:54.84\00:27:59.47
That's the mystery and is
unfathomable understanding
00:27:59.51\00:28:04.01
of God's providential
leadings in the lives of...
00:28:04.05\00:28:08.52
of human beings.
00:28:08.55\00:28:10.55
Pause.
00:28:10.59\00:28:12.52
I've troubled over
that, when you think about it
00:28:12.55\00:28:16.26
but, you know, I
can only say this
00:28:16.29\00:28:19.53
as I've looked over
my 66 years of life...
00:28:19.56\00:28:24.17
or will be 66 years of life
00:28:24.20\00:28:26.43
and God's providential
leadings in my life,
00:28:26.47\00:28:31.61
I've been through some
pretty heart-rending...
00:28:31.64\00:28:36.75
heart wrenching situations,
00:28:36.81\00:28:39.51
but as I've looked back
over the perspective of time,
00:28:39.55\00:28:44.82
I've seen how God used those
for my good and not for my ill
00:28:44.85\00:28:52.63
and so, what... at least for me
00:28:52.66\00:28:56.23
and this might
not answer it for you
00:28:56.26\00:28:58.30
but for me, the areas that
say, "I don't understand... "
00:28:58.33\00:29:02.47
I've put on a shelf...
"I-don't-understand shelf"
00:29:02.50\00:29:06.88
"It-doesn't-make-sense-to-me-God
shelf"
00:29:06.91\00:29:09.18
I put it on there
00:29:09.24\00:29:10.58
and I leave it
there trusting because
00:29:10.61\00:29:13.31
I know that He
was good to me here
00:29:13.35\00:29:15.98
and meant it for
my good over here...
00:29:16.02\00:29:18.55
and just because I
don't understand it there,
00:29:18.59\00:29:21.42
I will one day...
00:29:21.46\00:29:23.59
there will be a day
when I see Him face-to-face,
00:29:23.63\00:29:27.76
just as you will...
and you can ask Him,
00:29:27.80\00:29:31.57
"Lord, why in the
world did you do that?"
00:29:31.60\00:29:35.34
Why did you let this happen?
00:29:35.37\00:29:38.31
And I think, He'll
make it clear to us
00:29:38.34\00:29:41.08
and when He does, Friends,
00:29:41.11\00:29:43.31
I have all the
faith and confidence
00:29:43.35\00:29:46.01
that when He does,
00:29:46.05\00:29:48.82
we will say, "Just
and true are Your ways. "
00:29:48.88\00:29:51.89
Audience loudly: Amen.
00:29:51.92\00:29:53.25
"Just and true are Your...
00:29:53.29\00:29:54.62
I agree Lord...
absolutely... I agree...
00:29:54.66\00:29:58.13
I wouldn't want
it any other way. "
00:29:58.16\00:30:00.66
Hmmm... God's providence.
00:30:00.70\00:30:03.63
God's providence has a purpose,
00:30:03.67\00:30:08.70
God's purpose in His
providential leadings
00:30:08.74\00:30:13.71
in this little maid's life
00:30:13.78\00:30:15.61
was for her to
help bring a pagan man
00:30:15.64\00:30:18.41
to the knowledge
of the one true God
00:30:18.45\00:30:21.08
and through the
miracle of God's divine grace
00:30:21.12\00:30:24.42
extended to Captain Naaman,
00:30:24.45\00:30:28.39
helped the entire nation
of Syria see the love of God.
00:30:28.42\00:30:34.16
How rich and
pure... how measureless...
00:30:34.20\00:30:38.33
it served to glorify God above
the heathen idols of that day
00:30:38.37\00:30:44.01
and this is what happened
00:30:44.07\00:30:47.31
for Scripture says,
00:30:47.34\00:30:49.08
"After the healing, Naaman said,
00:30:49.11\00:30:51.11
'Now I know that there
is no God in all the earth
00:30:51.15\00:30:54.88
but in Israel. '"
00:30:54.92\00:30:56.55
This little maid...
00:30:56.58\00:30:58.92
by her suffering
providence of God...
00:30:58.95\00:31:02.79
caused God to be glorified
in the eyes of a heathen nation,
00:31:02.82\00:31:08.83
okay,
00:31:08.86\00:31:10.47
so, we don't know where
God's leading will take us,
00:31:10.50\00:31:15.54
but we need to be
like that little maid...
00:31:15.57\00:31:18.64
trusting all the way.
00:31:18.67\00:31:21.41
Audience: Amen.
00:31:21.44\00:31:23.14
Pause.
00:31:23.21\00:31:30.09
Something else
that... about this little lady
00:31:30.12\00:31:33.79
that I think is good
for us to think about,
00:31:33.82\00:31:37.46
pause...
00:31:37.53\00:31:39.73
this little maid knew
that there was a prophet
00:31:39.76\00:31:43.63
who could heal
Naaman of his leprosy.
00:31:43.67\00:31:47.90
She also knew where he lived.
00:31:47.94\00:31:51.27
She says, "Samaria. "
00:31:51.31\00:31:53.48
Simple truth but
very vital knowledge.
00:31:53.51\00:31:58.51
Pause...
00:31:58.55\00:32:01.02
Where did she
learn this knowledge?
00:32:01.08\00:32:04.69
She had to have
learned it in her home
00:32:04.72\00:32:08.42
pause
00:32:08.46\00:32:09.89
and it was
obvious... it was a good home
00:32:09.92\00:32:13.09
for she did not
only learn about Elisha
00:32:13.16\00:32:16.30
but she had
learned to respect him.
00:32:16.33\00:32:19.40
A bad home speaks
often badly about the prophet
00:32:19.43\00:32:25.37
or the preacher
for that matter...
00:32:25.41\00:32:26.84
is critical of him...
00:32:26.88\00:32:28.34
and their children
did not have the same...
00:32:28.38\00:32:31.08
and take on the same feelings
and attitudes of the parent
00:32:31.11\00:32:35.85
but this little maid... she was
instructed well by her parents.
00:32:35.88\00:32:40.32
How important is a good home...
00:32:40.36\00:32:43.49
without good
homes, a nation sinks...
00:32:43.53\00:32:46.16
so does a church.
00:32:46.19\00:32:47.53
Not only was this
little maid instructed well
00:32:47.60\00:32:51.53
but she was also
instructed early in her life.
00:32:51.57\00:32:55.80
How important that
this was in the story...
00:32:55.84\00:33:00.04
had her parents not taken time
00:33:00.08\00:33:02.01
to instruct her
when she was young,
00:33:02.04\00:33:04.55
she would have been
of little use in Syria...
00:33:04.58\00:33:08.32
little use in
Captain Naaman' s house.
00:33:08.38\00:33:12.19
So we don't want to
wait till a child is grown
00:33:12.22\00:33:16.76
to introduce them
to spiritual truths.
00:33:16.79\00:33:20.00
The world starts teaching
our children early about sin,
00:33:20.03\00:33:24.97
we need to start earlier
about grace and God and love.
00:33:25.03\00:33:29.94
Pause.
00:33:29.97\00:33:32.54
Something else about this little
girl that's really heartening
00:33:32.57\00:33:37.71
is how gracious she is,
00:33:37.78\00:33:41.98
I mean, most of us... if we had
been in the little maid's place,
00:33:42.02\00:33:47.72
we probably would have been
glad that Naaman had leprosy.
00:33:47.76\00:33:52.69
We would have felt...
"It just serves him right,
00:33:52.76\00:33:56.36
after all, he was so
cruel and heartless. "
00:33:56.40\00:33:59.60
We would have...
00:33:59.63\00:34:01.77
at the very least
probably kept silent
00:34:01.80\00:34:04.07
about the
possibility of his healing
00:34:04.11\00:34:06.31
but this little Jewish
lass did not act that way.
00:34:06.34\00:34:10.61
She did not let hard feelings
and hard trials make her bitter
00:34:10.65\00:34:16.65
and cause her to
quit serving God.
00:34:16.69\00:34:18.72
Like Joseph who did not let
the mistreatment of his brothers
00:34:18.75\00:34:23.73
the lying of Potiphar's wife
00:34:23.79\00:34:26.23
or his imprisonment
keep him from serving well.
00:34:26.26\00:34:30.10
This little maid did not let her
cruel capture and sad slavery
00:34:30.13\00:34:36.74
silence her witness
and service for God.
00:34:36.77\00:34:41.11
She graciously gave
helpful witness and service
00:34:41.14\00:34:45.98
in spite of her
painful situation.
00:34:46.01\00:34:48.15
You know, that should
shame many of us adults
00:34:48.18\00:34:52.29
or a number of us
adults who get miffed at...
00:34:52.32\00:34:56.39
over something that
happens in the church
00:34:56.42\00:34:58.66
and we say, "I'm not
going to do that anymore
00:34:58.69\00:35:00.90
okay, because we got miffed. "
00:35:00.93\00:35:03.33
Well, this little girl
stands as a rebuke to any of us
00:35:03.77\00:35:09.40
who would take
that kind of attitude.
00:35:09.44\00:35:12.17
Verse 4 says now,
00:35:12.24\00:35:13.71
"Naaman went in
and told his lord,
00:35:13.74\00:35:16.85
'Thus and so spake the
girl from the land of Israel. '"
00:35:16.88\00:35:20.88
The text doesn't tell
us how he got the words
00:35:20.92\00:35:24.29
of what the little girl said
00:35:24.32\00:35:25.65
because the
little girl, of course,
00:35:25.69\00:35:27.72
was speaking to...
Mistress, Naaman' s wife,
00:35:27.76\00:35:31.99
but we can kind of deduce
that she probably told him
00:35:32.03\00:35:36.16
and he bought in to what
the little maid was saying,
00:35:36.20\00:35:40.37
that's remarkable and so,
he goes rushing in to the king
00:35:40.40\00:35:44.37
and the King of Syria says,
00:35:44.41\00:35:46.61
"Go now, I mean,
don't wait, go now.
00:35:46.64\00:35:49.88
I'll send a letter
to the King of Israel.
00:35:49.91\00:35:52.98
So he went, taking with
him ten talents of silver. "
00:35:53.01\00:35:59.55
Bruce, that's 750 pounds...
00:35:59.59\00:36:05.59
that's 12,000 ounces of silver.
00:36:05.63\00:36:11.60
Now, I don't know what
silver's worth today...
00:36:11.63\00:36:14.74
I looked up on the Internet,
00:36:14.80\00:36:16.57
and they said the
stock price was $16.36.
00:36:16.60\00:36:21.48
Is that anywhere close?
00:36:21.51\00:36:23.08
Okay, that's close.
00:36:23.11\00:36:24.58
Well, if you want to do
the little math on that,
00:36:24.61\00:36:27.58
that adds up to about $200,000.
00:36:27.62\00:36:30.15
Now, if any of you have
00:36:30.19\00:36:32.79
ten talents of silver
00:36:32.82\00:36:35.32
and you want to give
it to Bruce for 3ABN,
00:36:35.39\00:36:38.46
no problem...
00:36:38.49\00:36:40.50
I mean, 12,000
ounces of silver...
00:36:40.53\00:36:43.57
Bruce can handle
it... I tell you, okay...
00:36:43.60\00:36:46.80
but the story
doesn't stop there,
00:36:46.84\00:36:48.60
it says, 6,000 shekels of gold,
now that's 150 pounds of gold.
00:36:48.64\00:36:55.44
Ooooh... 2,400 ounces of gold,
00:36:55.48\00:37:01.32
now if the stock price
of gold is $1,311 per ounce,
00:37:01.35\00:37:07.29
that's somewhere
in the neighborhood of
00:37:07.32\00:37:10.26
3 million 150 thousand bucks
00:37:10.33\00:37:14.76
plus ten changes of clothes.
00:37:14.80\00:37:19.17
Now, in case you are thinking,
"Wow! that's anti-climactic...
00:37:19.20\00:37:24.44
10 changes of clothes...
00:37:24.47\00:37:26.64
they're not talking
about J. C. Penney suits,
00:37:26.68\00:37:31.31
okay...
00:37:31.35\00:37:33.25
they're talking about
Melania Trump dresses.
00:37:33.31\00:37:38.22
You know the dress she wore to
National Convention cost $2,190
00:37:38.25\00:37:46.49
and the heels
that she wore... $675.
00:37:46.53\00:37:52.60
How's that for a pair of shoes?
00:37:52.63\00:37:54.37
Okay,
00:37:54.40\00:37:55.94
so the point is,
Captain Naaman brought
00:37:55.97\00:37:58.91
a ton of
silver... a ton of gold,
00:37:58.97\00:38:01.54
and a bunch of very
costly custom-tailored outfits,
00:38:01.58\00:38:08.52
all right.
00:38:08.55\00:38:10.55
Pause.
00:38:10.59\00:38:12.49
This was a
high-stake diplomatic mission
00:38:12.52\00:38:17.59
that Naaman was headed out on.
00:38:17.63\00:38:20.83
First the letter,
00:38:20.86\00:38:23.26
the letter from one
king to another king,
00:38:23.30\00:38:27.17
secondly, the extreme value
of the gifts that were brought
00:38:27.24\00:38:33.38
are to tell us that this was
a high-stake diplomatic mission.
00:38:33.41\00:38:39.51
So what... why
were the stakes so high?
00:38:39.55\00:38:42.65
Well, first of all, the
cost of health care is high.
00:38:42.68\00:38:49.06
If you have a terminal disease
00:38:49.12\00:38:52.29
the cost of
treatment is astronomical...
00:38:52.33\00:38:55.16
always has
been... always will be.
00:38:55.23\00:38:58.63
So you thought
this was a new thing,
00:38:58.70\00:39:02.04
a modern thing that when
you go to the hospital today
00:39:02.10\00:39:05.11
you know, you
come out with a bill
00:39:05.14\00:39:07.08
of a couple of hundred
thousand dollars or more
00:39:07.14\00:39:09.08
for a day or
two in the hospital,
00:39:09.11\00:39:10.91
or you get some medication
that one pill costs 10,000 bucks
00:39:10.95\00:39:16.69
that's nothing new
00:39:16.72\00:39:18.62
health care was
expensive back then
00:39:18.65\00:39:22.09
and it's expensive today,
the King of Syria knew it,
00:39:22.12\00:39:25.33
Commander Naaman knew it
00:39:25.36\00:39:27.73
and they were
ready and willing to pay.
00:39:27.76\00:39:30.13
Pause.
00:39:30.17\00:39:31.83
The other thing
that was the reason
00:39:31.87\00:39:35.34
why this diplomatic
mission was so high stake
00:39:35.37\00:39:40.04
was... there was a
lot of fence mending
00:39:40.08\00:39:44.38
that needed to be done
between Syria and Israel
00:39:44.41\00:39:49.62
and if you know
Old Testament history
00:39:49.65\00:39:53.92
and I refer you particularly
to 1st Kings chapter 20 and 22.
00:39:53.96\00:40:02.36
there are stories of
this particular king...
00:40:02.43\00:40:07.30
his name was Ben-Hadad...
00:40:07.34\00:40:10.41
Ben means: son of
00:40:10.44\00:40:12.64
Hadad means: the
name of the storm god
00:40:12.67\00:40:16.54
that was the major god of Syria
00:40:16.58\00:40:18.31
so he was the son
of the storm god...
00:40:18.35\00:40:20.58
I mean, the high god of
Syria, he was the son of it.
00:40:20.62\00:40:25.15
So Ben-Hadad had
gone to war against Israel
00:40:25.19\00:40:29.22
two different times
00:40:29.26\00:40:30.93
raising a huge army
and coalition of kings...
00:40:30.96\00:40:35.10
you find that
in... in chapter 20...
00:40:35.13\00:40:38.70
goes against
Israel with his vast army
00:40:38.73\00:40:42.04
and Israel is like a
little podding bunch of nothing
00:40:42.07\00:40:47.04
compared to the huge
army that Syria had raised
00:40:47.08\00:40:50.38
but because God
wanted King Ahab to know
00:40:50.45\00:40:58.09
that a God rules in heaven
and is looking out for Ahab,
00:40:58.12\00:41:04.16
I mean, this is the
Ahab that married Jezebel...
00:41:04.19\00:41:08.66
the Ahab that brought in
all the prophets of Baal...
00:41:08.70\00:41:12.80
and the priests of Baal...
00:41:12.83\00:41:15.30
I mean, that Ahab
that God interposed
00:41:15.34\00:41:20.81
in Ahab's life two times
00:41:20.84\00:41:24.38
when they were
totally outnumbered
00:41:24.41\00:41:26.55
and whipped the Syrians
00:41:26.58\00:41:28.48
but it made for bad
blood, I'll tell you that
00:41:28.55\00:41:31.65
between the two nations.
00:41:31.69\00:41:33.56
One more time...
this time in chapter 22
00:41:33.59\00:41:38.89
Israel decides
to go against Syria,
00:41:38.93\00:41:42.76
all right
00:41:42.80\00:41:45.17
and so, you have in
that interesting story...
00:41:45.23\00:41:49.70
you have King
Jehoshaphat visiting King Ahab
00:41:49.74\00:41:54.14
and they're sitting on
the their throne side by side
00:41:54.18\00:41:57.01
sort of chatting together...
00:41:57.05\00:41:58.38
this was a photo op...
00:41:58.41\00:41:59.75
you know, like
the President does,
00:41:59.78\00:42:01.35
they sit in a chair...
00:42:01.38\00:42:02.72
and the other
dignitary sits in the chair
00:42:02.75\00:42:04.35
and they smile and the
cameras all flashing...
00:42:04.42\00:42:07.19
and they're... I mean, this
is one of those scenes, okay
00:42:07.22\00:42:09.69
and Ahab leans over
to Jehoshaphat and says,
00:42:09.72\00:42:15.03
"Hey, Jehoshaphat,
00:42:15.06\00:42:16.40
Ramoth-gilead...
one of the cities...
00:42:16.43\00:42:18.57
the Syrians have taken
that from me, it's not right,
00:42:18.60\00:42:21.44
I want it back,
would you help me?"
00:42:21.47\00:42:23.10
Bring your army in
and I'll bring my army in
00:42:23.14\00:42:25.74
and we'll go and
we will whip them
00:42:25.77\00:42:27.18
and take that city back.
00:42:27.21\00:42:28.58
Jehoshaphat says,
"Hey, I'm with you...
00:42:28.61\00:42:30.61
gang... I'm with you...
00:42:30.65\00:42:31.98
our army and your
army... we are one...
00:42:32.01\00:42:33.85
with are brothers, we
will do it, yes, yes, yes"
00:42:33.88\00:42:35.92
and then he stops and he says,
00:42:35.95\00:42:40.39
"Ahab, let's seek
a word from the Lord"
00:42:40.42\00:42:44.86
and Ahab says, "No problem"
00:42:44.89\00:42:47.13
and so he brings in a
whole bunch of his prophets
00:42:47.16\00:42:49.63
and they all
prophesied... 400 of them...
00:42:49.66\00:42:52.17
prophesying... "No problem...
go up... you'll whip them...
00:42:52.20\00:42:54.70
you'll get them, man... it's
just going to be wonderful. "
00:42:54.74\00:42:57.21
One of them brings in
some horns made of metal
00:42:57.27\00:43:00.71
and he says, "You are going
to gore them to death, man,
00:43:00.74\00:43:03.55
you're going to get
Ramoth-gilead back... go for it"
00:43:03.58\00:43:05.41
and Jehoshaphat...
when they're all done
00:43:05.45\00:43:09.12
leans over to Ahab...
00:43:09.18\00:43:10.52
"Ahab, is there
a prophet of God?"
00:43:10.55\00:43:14.19
He recognizes there is a
difference between these 400
00:43:14.22\00:43:19.96
and one prophet of Israel...
00:43:20.00\00:43:21.90
"Is there but one prophet
of God that we can seek?"
00:43:21.93\00:43:24.30
And Ahab says,
00:43:24.33\00:43:25.93
"Ha, that guy never
says anything good about me,
00:43:26.00\00:43:28.20
Micaiah... he never
says one good thing about me
00:43:28.24\00:43:30.67
and Jehoshaphat says,
"Oh, no, no, no, that's silly,
00:43:30.71\00:43:33.11
I'm sure, he'll tell the truth"
00:43:33.14\00:43:34.51
and so, they go and
get Micaiah the prophet.
00:43:34.54\00:43:38.28
Well, the man commissioned
to go get Micaiah the prophet...
00:43:38.31\00:43:42.45
he... he takes it upon
himself to admonish Micaiah,
00:43:42.48\00:43:49.32
he says, "Now, 400 prophets
have all said, 'Go take it,
00:43:49.36\00:43:52.89
you're going to win so,
come on, join the crowd,
00:43:52.93\00:43:56.90
say the same thing. '"
00:43:56.97\00:43:59.33
And so, Micaiah gets there,
00:43:59.37\00:44:01.07
he goes, "No problem,
yes, go... go take it...
00:44:01.10\00:44:05.74
man, no problem... fight
him, get him... you'll win. "
00:44:05.77\00:44:09.34
And Ahab stops and says,
"Tell me the truth now. "
00:44:09.38\00:44:13.52
Audience: Laughter.
00:44:13.55\00:44:14.88
"I've told you not to
lie, tell me the truth,
00:44:14.92\00:44:17.99
what did God
tell you to tell me?"
00:44:18.02\00:44:19.85
And Micaiah says,
00:44:19.92\00:44:22.09
"I saw the armies of
Israel on the hillsides
00:44:22.12\00:44:25.06
like a sheep
without a shepherd. "
00:44:25.09\00:44:28.43
Pause.
00:44:28.46\00:44:30.27
The end of that story is,
one of the Syrian soldiers...
00:44:30.30\00:44:35.40
not even aiming his bow...
00:44:35.47\00:44:39.21
just took an arrow and his bow,
pulled it back and let it fly
00:44:39.24\00:44:43.78
not pointing it at anybody...
00:44:43.85\00:44:45.55
struck Ahab between a
vulnerable place in his armour
00:44:45.61\00:44:51.22
and Ahab died that day.
00:44:51.25\00:44:54.66
Pause.
00:44:54.69\00:44:56.29
Now, do you understand
that there was bad blood
00:44:56.32\00:45:01.20
between Syria and Israel...
so the stakes were high
00:45:01.23\00:45:06.07
and so, the price was great.
00:45:06.10\00:45:08.27
They sent all this money...
00:45:08.30\00:45:10.41
gold... silver...
changes of raiment
00:45:10.44\00:45:13.84
because now they...
they were asking a favor
00:45:13.88\00:45:17.15
of their
enemy... asking a favor...
00:45:17.21\00:45:22.18
pause...
00:45:22.22\00:45:24.49
so it says, verse 6
00:45:24.55\00:45:27.09
"... and he brought the
letter to the king of Israel,
00:45:27.12\00:45:29.72
which read, 'When
this letter reaches you,
00:45:29.79\00:45:32.79
know that I have sent
to you Naaman my servant,
00:45:32.83\00:45:36.50
that you may cure
him of his leprosy. '
00:45:36.53\00:45:38.97
When the King of
Israel read the letter,
00:45:39.00\00:45:41.40
he tore his clothes and said,
00:45:41.44\00:45:42.87
'Am I God, to kill
and to make alive...
00:45:42.90\00:45:45.37
this man sends word to
me to cure a man of leprosy?
00:45:45.41\00:45:49.71
How...?
00:45:49.74\00:45:51.11
Only consider, how he is
seeking a quarrel with me. '"
00:45:51.15\00:45:54.58
Pause.
00:45:54.62\00:45:56.38
How would you have responded?
00:45:56.45\00:45:59.12
I find it interesting
that Naaman nor either king
00:45:59.15\00:46:05.16
referenced the prophet at all.
00:46:05.19\00:46:07.96
Remember this
whole journey started
00:46:08.00\00:46:10.63
because a little nameless
maiden told the wife of Naaman
00:46:10.67\00:46:15.87
about the prophet
who lived in Samaria
00:46:15.90\00:46:19.07
and he started on this
journey with all this money
00:46:19.11\00:46:22.44
and all this stuff and
there is no reference...
00:46:22.51\00:46:25.81
not one single
word about the prophet,
00:46:25.85\00:46:29.48
instead... even the king
never thinks about the prophet,
00:46:29.52\00:46:34.06
instead he's thinking,
"He expects me to heal him?
00:46:34.12\00:46:39.19
He's just aching for a fight. "
00:46:39.23\00:46:41.13
Pause.
00:46:41.16\00:46:43.20
Seems to me...
00:46:43.23\00:46:44.70
1st Corinthians 1:27
is a true statement...
00:46:44.73\00:46:49.37
God chooses what is foolish
in this world to shame the wise.
00:46:49.40\00:46:53.88
God chooses what is weak in
this world to shame the strong.
00:46:53.91\00:46:58.35
God chooses what is low
and despised in this world...
00:46:58.38\00:47:02.62
a little maid...
a little servant...
00:47:02.65\00:47:05.02
a little slave girl...
00:47:05.05\00:47:06.42
and even things that are
not to bring to nothing...
00:47:06.45\00:47:10.76
things that are...
00:47:10.79\00:47:12.13
so that human beings...
man... may not boast...
00:47:12.16\00:47:17.00
that no human being may
boast in the presence of God.
00:47:17.03\00:47:23.74
Well, luckily... providentially
00:47:23.77\00:47:29.71
Elisha knows what's going
on in the king's palace...
00:47:29.74\00:47:35.18
and so, when Elisha...
00:47:35.22\00:47:38.85
the man of God hears
that the king of Israel
00:47:38.89\00:47:41.39
has torn his clothes,
00:47:41.42\00:47:42.76
he said to the king saying,
"Why have you torn your clothes,
00:47:42.79\00:47:47.33
let him come to me
00:47:47.36\00:47:48.96
that he may know that
there is a prophet in Israel. "
00:47:49.00\00:47:52.83
"When the Prophet Elisha
heard of the king's reaction,
00:47:52.87\00:47:56.60
he chided the king for
such a foolish response. "
00:47:56.64\00:48:00.58
Pause.
00:48:00.61\00:48:01.98
This issue was nothing
to tear one's robes over,
00:48:02.01\00:48:07.65
Jehoram... whose father was Ahab
00:48:07.68\00:48:12.25
whose mother was Jezebel
00:48:12.29\00:48:14.82
knew all about
both Elijah and Elisha.
00:48:14.86\00:48:21.06
In fact, Elisha had
helped him and his army
00:48:21.10\00:48:28.17
in a battle with Moab.
00:48:28.20\00:48:30.61
God singly
interposed in their behalf.
00:48:30.64\00:48:36.04
1st Kings chapter 3... I
mean, 2nd Kings chapter 3...
00:48:36.08\00:48:41.88
you read about it,
00:48:41.92\00:48:43.49
so, Jehoram knew
about the prophet...
00:48:43.52\00:48:47.02
the prophet lived
in his own hometown...
00:48:47.06\00:48:50.56
his own hometown
was not a Los Angeles.
00:48:50.59\00:48:53.80
I mean, it was bigger
than a Thompsonville...
00:48:53.83\00:48:57.07
maybe like Marion
or something, you know,
00:48:57.13\00:49:00.34
so he knew about him,
00:49:00.37\00:49:02.14
but what is being
contrasted in this story
00:49:02.17\00:49:06.07
is the simple
faith of a little maiden
00:49:06.11\00:49:09.74
versus the lack
of faith of a king.
00:49:09.78\00:49:13.15
How many times
have we come against
00:49:13.18\00:49:16.52
seemingly impossible odds
00:49:16.55\00:49:18.69
like mountains that
you sang about, Rosemary,
00:49:18.72\00:49:23.02
impossible odds...
impossible situations...
00:49:23.06\00:49:26.46
and we lost our
faith and trust in God...
00:49:26.49\00:49:29.86
it's so easy to do.
00:49:29.90\00:49:31.27
Jehoram had asked
the question, "Am I God?"
00:49:31.33\00:49:37.04
Certainly he was not...
00:49:37.07\00:49:38.97
nor was Elisha...
00:49:39.01\00:49:40.38
but Elisha was a man of God
who would address the concerns
00:49:40.41\00:49:45.01
expressed by the
king of Syria and Naaman.
00:49:45.05\00:49:48.38
The real king in
Israel was still Lord.
00:49:48.42\00:49:52.09
Elisha's message
was passed on to Naaman
00:49:52.12\00:49:55.76
and so, Naaman
ended up in front of
00:49:55.79\00:50:00.36
Elisha's house...
00:50:00.40\00:50:03.80
all his
soldiers... his horses...
00:50:03.83\00:50:08.37
his chariots...
00:50:08.40\00:50:09.74
it was an imposing...
00:50:09.77\00:50:11.84
I mean, retinue of people.
00:50:11.87\00:50:14.44
It's like seeing a
presidential motorcade...
00:50:14.48\00:50:18.11
if you've ever
seen one of those...
00:50:18.15\00:50:20.65
it stops all
traffic, I'll tell you that.
00:50:20.68\00:50:23.02
You can take the freeways of LA
00:50:23.05\00:50:26.35
and they'll be emptied to
allow that motorcade through.
00:50:26.39\00:50:31.89
Every... every on and off
ramp will have an Officer...
00:50:31.93\00:50:37.40
a police car blocking the way
00:50:37.43\00:50:39.40
so that that
motorcade pshhh... goes through.
00:50:39.43\00:50:41.80
This was Captain Naaman.
00:50:41.87\00:50:45.24
Well, time is flying here
00:50:45.27\00:50:48.58
but Naaman was
slighted by what happened next,
00:50:48.61\00:50:55.35
he didn't like it.
00:50:55.38\00:50:57.32
So Naaman came with
his horses and his chariots
00:50:57.35\00:51:00.69
and stood at the
door of Elisha's house
00:51:00.72\00:51:03.19
and Elisha sent
a messenger to him,
00:51:03.22\00:51:05.69
That was an affront to Naaman.
00:51:05.73\00:51:09.80
Elisha didn't come
out himself and greet him,
00:51:09.83\00:51:13.94
after all, don't you
know, this is... this is Naaman
00:51:13.97\00:51:17.27
and you didn't
come out to see me?
00:51:17.31\00:51:21.18
Instead you sent a servant, ah,
00:51:21.21\00:51:24.98
and he says, "Go and
wash in the Jordan seven times
00:51:25.01\00:51:28.82
and your flesh will be restored
00:51:28.85\00:51:30.82
and you'll be clean. "
00:51:30.85\00:51:32.19
Naaman was angry
and went away saying,
00:51:32.22\00:51:37.36
"Behold, I thought that he
would surely come out to me
00:51:37.39\00:51:40.96
and stand and call
on the name of the Lord
00:51:41.00\00:51:43.37
and wave his hand over the
place and... and cure me... "
00:51:43.40\00:51:46.74
okay,
00:51:46.77\00:51:48.34
he didn't like
the choice of river...
00:51:48.37\00:51:51.91
I mean, he says,
"Damascus has nicer rivers
00:51:51.94\00:51:55.44
than this yucky Jordan mess...
00:51:55.48\00:51:58.45
why do I have to
dip in that river
00:51:58.48\00:52:00.72
when I've got
better ones over here?"
00:52:00.75\00:52:02.82
And so he left in a rage.
00:52:02.85\00:52:05.55
He felt slighted.
00:52:05.59\00:52:08.32
And so we find out
00:52:08.36\00:52:10.99
that Captain
Naaman needed healing
00:52:11.03\00:52:15.56
from something
far more than leprosy.
00:52:15.60\00:52:20.04
Captain Naaman needed
the healing from pride, okay.
00:52:20.10\00:52:27.88
So, he was... he was upset...
that's an understatement.
00:52:27.91\00:52:35.68
Naaman' s pride was the
main reason for his rage
00:52:35.72\00:52:39.85
by this treatment by Elisha
00:52:39.89\00:52:42.72
and about the remedy
described by the prophet.
00:52:42.76\00:52:45.83
Naaman wished to be
treated like a great man
00:52:45.86\00:52:48.83
that happened to be a leper.
00:52:48.86\00:52:51.00
Elisha treated him like a leper
that happened to be a great man.
00:52:51.03\00:52:56.30
Elisha was more concerned
about Naaman' s disease
00:52:56.34\00:53:00.34
than his dignity
00:53:00.38\00:53:02.28
but Naaman in his pride
00:53:02.31\00:53:04.98
was more concerned about
his dignity than his cure.
00:53:05.01\00:53:08.72
Sinful man will
never come to salvation
00:53:08.75\00:53:13.49
until he becomes more
concerned about his sin
00:53:13.52\00:53:16.16
than his earthly status.
00:53:16.19\00:53:18.36
Naaman in his pride also thought
more of his idea for his cure
00:53:18.39\00:53:24.03
than he did of God's plan
00:53:24.07\00:53:26.23
but God says, "My
thoughts are not your thoughts
00:53:26.27\00:53:31.34
neither are My ways
your ways, says the Lord. "
00:53:31.37\00:53:36.41
Salvation is
God's plan not ours.
00:53:36.44\00:53:39.85
Naaman' s plan may have carried
authority on the field of battle
00:53:39.88\00:53:44.45
but a
prescription for leprosy...
00:53:44.49\00:53:48.32
he was out of his
jurisdiction, okay.
00:53:48.36\00:53:52.29
Just as it was
that a little slave girl
00:53:52.33\00:53:56.23
reached out to help her master,
00:53:56.26\00:53:59.10
so once again, it was a servant
00:53:59.13\00:54:01.90
who came to Captain
Naaman to rescue him, okay.
00:54:01.94\00:54:08.08
Piano playing.
00:54:08.11\00:54:10.41
Verses 11 and 12 start out
with anger and end with rage.
00:54:10.45\00:54:19.65
Verse 14 ends with "clean"
00:54:19.69\00:54:25.96
isn't that something?
00:54:25.99\00:54:28.03
Never would
have thought of that,
00:54:28.06\00:54:30.40
often the conflict
waged in the soul is worse
00:54:30.43\00:54:36.24
just before peace is found,
00:54:36.27\00:54:38.57
just as the
demon-possessed child
00:54:38.61\00:54:41.11
who had been brought to Jesus,
00:54:41.14\00:54:43.55
the demon threw him to
the ground and convulsed him,
00:54:43.58\00:54:46.61
Luke chapter 9,
00:54:46.65\00:54:48.15
it was the last-ditch effort
of Satan to prevent the healing
00:54:48.18\00:54:52.82
and so the rage
of Naaman can be seen
00:54:52.85\00:54:56.62
as the
last-ditch effort of Satan
00:54:56.66\00:55:00.16
to keep him from being
healed and more importantly
00:55:00.20\00:55:04.50
from being
converted from paganism
00:55:04.53\00:55:07.00
to the worship of Jehovah,
00:55:07.04\00:55:10.24
so it says his servants
came near and said to him,
00:55:10.27\00:55:13.71
"My father, it is a great word
the prophet has spoken to you;
00:55:13.74\00:55:18.88
why don't you do it?
00:55:18.91\00:55:20.72
He's actually said to
you, 'Wash, and be clean. '"
00:55:20.75\00:55:26.99
What about us?
00:55:27.02\00:55:30.03
God speaks to us
00:55:30.06\00:55:32.89
in our unreasonable rages
00:55:32.93\00:55:37.10
and He says, "It's
such a simple thing,
00:55:37.13\00:55:42.40
accept my
offer... learn of me...
00:55:42.44\00:55:48.74
I'm simple in heart...
00:55:48.78\00:55:51.55
and you'll find
peace for your soul. "
00:55:51.58\00:55:55.98
Pause.
00:55:56.02\00:55:58.82
And so he went down
00:55:58.85\00:56:00.22
and he dipped himself
seven times in the Jordan
00:56:00.26\00:56:04.93
according to the
Word of the man of God
00:56:04.96\00:56:09.73
"and his flesh was restored
like the flesh of a little child
00:56:09.76\00:56:16.30
and he was clean. "
00:56:16.34\00:56:19.41
Audience: Amen.
00:56:19.44\00:56:22.48
Isn't that something?
00:56:22.54\00:56:23.91
Now that's a
story worth pondering.
00:56:23.95\00:56:28.48
Let's pray.
00:56:28.52\00:56:30.65
"Father in heaven,
00:56:30.69\00:56:33.76
we are lepers...
00:56:33.79\00:56:36.79
defiled...
grotesque... impure... unclean,
00:56:36.83\00:56:46.57
hopeless...
00:56:46.60\00:56:48.94
pause
00:56:48.97\00:56:51.24
thank you that you
provided us a Savior
00:56:51.27\00:56:56.61
and it's without money or price.
00:56:56.64\00:57:01.42
We didn't have to come up with
astronomical amounts of gold
00:57:01.45\00:57:07.56
and silver and ten
changes of clothing
00:57:07.59\00:57:10.76
to pay for our healing,
00:57:10.79\00:57:14.36
instead, we just
needed to accept your offer.
00:57:14.40\00:57:19.97
Thank you so much,
00:57:20.00\00:57:23.00
in Jesus' name
and for Your glory,
00:57:23.04\00:57:26.47
amen and amen. "
00:57:26.51\00:57:30.15