One of my favorite sections in the newspaper (when I decide to purchase one) is the "funny pages". One of my favorite comic strips is the one called "Dilbert". In a recent episode, Dilbert and his friend Wally were sitting down and enjoying their lunch break at work. While eating Wally brings up the topic of bathing. He said, "I don't understand why I should have to wash my bath towels periodically. When I get through with my bath I'm the cleanest thing in my house. Theoretically then, my towels should be getting cleaner every time I use them." There is silence for a few moments, and in the last panel Wally asks Dilbert, "Should towels bend?"
I know before each one of you came to Church this morning
you took certain steps to make sure that you were properly groomed. You
all took baths either last night or this morning. You shaved (if you do
not sport a beard as I do), washed your face, brushed your teeth, combed
your hair. These are all normal actions taken by normal people before they
go out into public. You put on clean clothes, what my mom used to call
my "Sunday Best", and properly attired you made your way to Church. Theoretically
you sit before me this morning clean, the very picture of good and Godly
people. But the question I want to ask you today, and have you seriously
consider, is "Are you truly washed, are you truly clean enough to enter
into the Kingdom of God?"
Naaman was a mighty warrior in Syria, a man who had
risen to the rank of Captain of all the armed forces of that great nation.
Because he was such a gifted warrior and leader of the armed forces, Naaman
was immensely important to the King of Syria. But Naaman, as gifted as
he was, had one overwhelming flaw: he was a leper.
Leprosy was a terrible disease in Biblical times. Once leprosy took hold of your body it began to cause decay and deterioration, first in your outermost limbs (your feet and hands), and gradually it crept up into your body itself. Leprosy was particularly insidious because it attacked the nervous system before it attacked the flesh. The leper lost all feeling in the effected parts of his body. You could accidentally cut yourself and, not feeling the cut, bleed to death without knowing it. The leper had to be on constant watch to move carefully so as to prevent terrible damage to his body. Leprosy was such a terrible disease that God often used it in Scripture to illustrate the effects of sin in our lives. Sin, like leprosy, often cloaks us without our knowledge. Sin, if left untreated, eventually leads to eternal damnation in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20.1-5).
The King of Syria wanted Naaman to be healed, so when he heard there was healing in Israel:
[5] And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. [6] And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
He sent a fortune to the King of Israel, millions of dollars in goods if "you, Good King, will only heal my servant". The King of Israel could not heal Naaman, no matter how much money was sent. The prophet in Israel, regardless as to what the well meaning maid said:
[3] And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.
Could not heal Naaman of his leprosy. Dear friend, you may be beautifully groomed and clothed this morning. You may outwardly look like a pillar of this Church. But if you have put your faith in your own ability to get to Heaven, you are inwardly a leper, someone lost and without hope.
You cannot buy your way into Heaven with your good works or your money. A rich young ruler came to Jesus one day and said:
Luke 18:18-24 "And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? [19] And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. [20] Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. [21] And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. [22] Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. [23] And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. [24] And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!"
This young man thought that there was something he could
do to "earn" his way to Heaven. What you need to understand this morning
is that Heaven is a Gift from God, a Gift given to those who have trusted
in Jesus Christ for salvation. There will be many who stand before
God at the Great White Throne and plead to be let in Heaven. God will ask,
"What did you do to deserve such riches, such blessings of eternal life?"
Many will answer, "I attended Church faithfully, I was a good husband and
good provider for my family, tithed a portion of all that I owned",
and God will answer "Depart from me, for I never knew you!". When this
lost soul cries out, "But why?", the Father will answer, "Because you never
knew my Son". You cannot buy your way into Heaven.
When Naaman came to Elisha for cleansing, the cure that was offered did not meet Naaman's expectations so he refused to do it. Elisha told Naaman, "Go and wash yourself in the river Jordan seven times and God will heal you". Yet this didn't meet Naaman's expectations. He expected this great prophet to come out, wave his hands, and with a mighty and theatrical voice call down healing from Heaven. When Naaman's expectations were not met he went away mad. More than that, he went away unhealed.
The November 16, 1998 "Thought For The Day Devotional" recounted the following story:
"Recently, the dazed crew members of a Japanese trawler were plucked out of the Sea of Japan clinging to the wreckage of their sunken ship. Their rescue, however, was followed by immediate imprisonment once authorities questioned the sailors on their ship's loss. Every single one of them claimed that a cow, falling out of a clear blue sky, had struck the trawler amidships, shattering its hull and sinking the vessel within minutes. Impossible!
They remained in prison for several weeks, until the Russian Air Force reluctantly informed Japanese authorities that the crew of one of its cargo planes had apparently stolen a cow wandering at the edge of a Siberian airfield, forced the cow into the plane's hold and hastily taken off for home. Unprepared for live cargo, the Russian crew was ill-equipped to manage a rampaging cow within its hold. To save the aircraft and themselves, they shoved the animal out of the cargo hold as they crossed the Sea of Japan at an altitude of 30,000 feet."
To many people the Cross of Christ is a foolish thing, something so improbable and totally useless for salvation. We think that our sins are so great that, surely, we must do more than just ask God to forgive us in the name of Jesus. Surely we must add something to the formula in order for it to be effective. Surely Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus are just as good for washing as is the River Jordan. Yet to us God says:
1 John 5:10-13 "He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. [11] And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. [12] He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. [13] These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."
When you say "Surely just believing in Jesus isn't enough.
Surely I must add something to the formula in order to be saved", you are
calling
God a liar, and the healing will not occur. Salvation is a precious
Gift from God, a Gift purchased by the terrible cost of the Cross. God
expects you to stand before Him this morning and say, "Lord, I know I cannot
save myself. Lord, I know I am a sinner, lost and without hope other than
Jesus. I ask that you forgive me of my sins, wash this leprosy from me,
in the name of Jesus I ask. I accept His death and believe.".
If you will do that this morning, put aside all your works, all your "good
deeds", and accept Jesus Christ to be your Saviour, then and only then
will you be clean of all your sins.
When Naaman hardened his heart against Elisha's instructions he did not receive healing, but when he submitted himself to the will of God he was healed. Perhaps when you came to hear me speak this morning you heard less than your expectations. Perhaps my words were not, to you, quite as forceful or as compelling as you expected. You expected me to strike down my hands and, with an awesome prophetic voice to decree You are healed. Yet I cannot.
Dear friends, the choice, when all is said and done, relies entirely with you. Will you come down to the River Jordan with me today? Will you dip yourselves in the Water of Life while calling on the name of Jesus? I cannot dip you in that river myself. I cannot grab you and force you to the Cross. I cannot absolve you of your sins with a mighty voice, nor pronounce clean your "mortal sins". But I know Someone who can:
John 7:37-41 "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. [38] He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. [39] (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) [40] Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. [41] Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?"
Are you thirsty this morning? Do you look at your spiritual life and sense that there should be more? Are you clean on the outside, but uncertain as to your true self? Then come. Come this morning and accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour. I cannot come for you. I cannot clean you myself. But Jesus stands ready to accept you, if you will only call on His name.
In the last Book of the Bible we are told:
Revelation 22:17 "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."
Will you come?
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