Cleanliness

Sermon on 2 Kings 5

Title:  Cleanliness

Theme:  Through the spreading out of God’s people, the life of God will spread to all nations.

Goal:  to encourage Christians that God is always working for the good.

Need:  We often get greedy and don’t allow God to be the giver of blessings.

Introduction about the life and times of elisha

1.     Three themes

a.     Elisha is the prophet in line with Elijah.  He has the spirit of the Lord on him.

b.    God punishes the wicked with death.

c.     God brings life to the obedient in surprising places.

2.     Elisha’s miracle shows he is the up and coming prophet

a.     Lack of greed.  1 talent is 750 lbs.  1 shekel is 150 lbs.

b.    Lack of discrimination.  He isn’t going to deprive this fellow human being something that God wants to give to him.  Even if he is an enemy.

c.     Glory to God.

3.     Gehazi’s greed shows he is absolutely no prophet.

a.     He does everything opposite of Gehazi.

                                                              i.      He’s taking it too easy on the foreigner.

                                                            ii.      He didn’t take the money.  At least a little would be good.

                                                          iii.      Gehazi lies to Elisha about what he has been up to.

4.     Wickedness brings death.  Gehazi

a.     The transfer of the disease is the harsh reality.

                                                              i.      Removal from the community.

                                                            ii.      Certain agony and death.

5.     Obedience brings life, in a very surprising way and to a surprising person.

a.     Surprising way

                                                              i.      Dipping in the Jordan River.

                                                            ii.      Dirty river making one clean.

                                                          iii.      Its not about the cleanliness of the river but the purity of the heart.

b.    Surprising person

                                                              i.      Foreigner

                                                            ii.      One who has captured an Israelite girl.

                                                          iii.      One who has leprosy

c.     God re-enacts this miracle again in the new testament.  Where else is there a foreign leper healed?

                                                              i.      Sammaritan is healed

                                                            ii.      Healed with act of faith of going to the Jewish chief priest.

                                                          iii.      He is the only one who returns to thank Jesus.

                                                         iv.      None of the others return

                                                           v.      Faith of the foreigner

                                                         vi.      Unbelief of the prophets own servant.

6.     For us today

Conclusion