FROM THE PULPIT: GOSPEL LESSONS SEEN IN ELISHA'S MIRACLES

What a beautiful lesson of the Gospel of God's Free and Sovereign Grace is found here in this passage of scripture before us. Each and every passage of the Bible tells of the "good news" God has for His people in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us look at this one today and see the "Gospel according to Elisha."

I. Naaman: A picture of fallen man. (Vs. 1). Here we see this one Naaman; humanly speaking he was top notch. He was respectable, courageous, held in high esteem and second in command under the King of Syria. BUT he was a LEPER. Leprosy is just one of the types of or pictures of sin in the bible. In the eyes of men this Naaman was a pretty good guy, but the real issue is what does God think about the natural man and his sin. Sin, like leprosy cannot be cured by man's remedies (and so man's puny efforts to work his way to heaven by his own deeds will not be accepted), can be inherited (as was our sin from Adam. Rom. 5:12), can work in the person without much notice (so sin is very deceitful and often times is excused), is actually a state of living death (we are dead in trespasses and sins until the mercy of God redeems us), is shameful and demands banishment (so the uncured sinner that remains in his or her sin will be shamed and banished from the presence of the Lamb in glory). In summary; the truth about man is that he is totally corrupt from head to foot in the eyes of a thrice-Holy God. He can not save himself, help himself in the way of salvation or make himself more savable by any deeds he may do, religious or nonreligious.

II. How can a sinner be Cleansed? (Vs. 2, 3). God in His infinite wisdom has secured the method and the means to redeem all His elect from the Four Corners of the earth. The Lord has purposed to save a people from among the multitudes, He has decreed that through the preaching of the Gospel He will save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:21, Eph 1:13). Notice in our lesson how God uses what we would call a "bad situation" to arouse Naaman from his leprous plight (Vs. 2). The little maiden, who was just besieged from her homeland, her parents, is used of God for His grand purpose. She tells of one who could "recover" Naaman from his disorder. YES, there is THE PROPHET OF GOD who has taken sin and given us His righteousness (2 con 5:21). NOTICE; the message is about "the prophet," and so the only message that will do any sinner any good is the proclamation of Jesus of Nazareth He is the one that saves, not our works, or our free-willism, or our decision, or our anything. *

III. The reaction of natural man to the Gospel. (Vs.. 9-12). "Wroth, anger, pride, rage". These actions by Naaman are very representative of all sinners upon hearing the TRUE gospel and not believing it. Man is offended that salvation is "of the Lord" (Jonah 2:9). We want something to do to earn redemption. We want to boast about our " decision for Jesus". But the scriptures are absolutely clear in this matter of eternal salvation: "It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy." (Rom. 9:16).

IV. However! God will Save His Elect (Vs. 13.14). "Then he went down." Yes, once God almighty has His eye on His sheep they will come and shall ever be His. You see, this washing in the river Jordan was a test to see if the new heart of Grace had been implanted into Naaman, and when we come to Christ we do so in His manner; humbled and ready for obedience and servitude. There's no arguing about who's in control of the situation, just plain and simple trust and worship of the Supreme and Holy Sovereign.

V. Why was Naaman cured or the Sinner Saved? (Luke 4:25-30). Again the answer is in the Word of God. Why is any sinner saved? It's all according to the good pleasure of the Grace of God (Eph. 1:3-6). "He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world. . ." I am so thankful that He loved me first and not that I loved him, because if He left salvation up to me or any son or daughter of Adam's race, "no man CAN come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father."(John 6:65 ). May He give us ears to hear and Grace to believe His word.