Almost as soon as He started His public ministry, Jesus was faced with a tricky situation. It wasn't
that things weren't going well. It wasn't that miracles and healings weren't taking place.
It wasn't that people weren't coming from all over to hear Him and see what God was doing through Him.
The problem was that Jesus didn't want His ministry to become some kind of circus sideshow. It was as though there were posters all around town declaring, "Roll up, Roll, up;
come and see the miracle worker. No problem too great, no problem too small... Come to Jesus, He'll heal you all."
Yes, Jesus did desire to see peopled healed. For sure, neither
evil, nor disease could stand against His love. But He hadn't come just to make peoples’ bodies whole. He came to be a healer of souls. He came to "Preach Good News
to the Poor" and "Heal the brokenhearted." He came to proclaim the Kingdom of God. He
came to make disciples.
People were coming to Him not because they wa nted to do the will of God in their lives, but because they wanted
to feel good and be made physically whole. Jesus knew that bodily health alone
did not satisfy the needs of the heart. Only those who sought to truly be 'Kingdom
people' were made whole.
This is reflected in our Old Testament reading that gave us the story of a proud, successful, important
captain in the army of Aram called Namaan. Namaan had a physical problem, a skin disease described as leprosy.
But there is some glimmer of hope on the horizon for his physical healing. An Israeli servant girl belonging to his wife speaks of a prophet over in Israel
that could affect miraculous cures. So Namaan sends a message to the King of
Israel promising to pay whatever it takes.
Unfortunately, the King of Israel didn't realize he had a prophet in the country, and he
misconstrues the situation thinking that Namaan is spoiling for a fight. But all is not lost. Living not far away is Elisha,
who sees his opportunity for letting the King know that there was a prophet in the land. It
is suggested that Namaan should go see Elisha.
Ever wonder how some of these Old Testament stories may have turned out if they were set in West Virginia
rather than the Middle East? Picture it if you can.
Maybe Namaan’s story would be something like this…
Namaan arrives at Washington D.C. International airport. The
Stretch Limousine has two cars full of bodyguards leading the way and two following after. Riders
on Harley Davison's head the procession. A helicopter keeps watch over head.
They travel out of the great city and head down the Interstate. They’re a bit nervous as they go
through the tunnel into West Virginia but no, everything's O.K. The convoy heads
down I-64 and takes Route 19 at Beckley. Then they reach a sign that says…
‘Thurmond’. “You sure this is the way?" radios one of the cars.
They go down that road as it heads into the Gorge getting narrower and narrower towards
the river. Then a 'not-noticed-before' dirt track with a mailbox marked "Elisha"
leads them to the prophet’s trailer home right on the banks of the New River. The shiny convoy parks amongst the not
so new vehicles that litter the field in front of the trailer. One of the bodyguards
wonders how many channels a Satellite Dish that size can actually receive. Another
is concerned as to whether the dogs under the porch are friendly!
"Ee-Lisha" hollers the lady in the rockin' chair
sitting on the porch, "You git out here. We done got company." The door creaks open. Out walks Elisha – denim overalls, oily baseball hat with Nascar written on
it, whittling a piece of wood, and chewing tobacco.
He spits out the 'Bacca’. "Which one of you boys got the name of Namaan?" One of the bodyguards opens the limo door and out he steps – smart suit, gold just about everywhere
a guy can wear gold, his skin as pale as a sheet, and no life in his shaky hands.
"I am Commander in Chief, Namaan. Your King told me that
you could cure my disease. I will see that you are handsomely rewarded." "Well
sir", says Elisha, "If you all want is to get healed, you gotta go down in the waters of this here New River, duck up and
down seven times, that'll do it."
The guards can scarcely hide their muffled laughter. Namaan
isn't laughing. He's mad. "That's it?" he yells. "You think we haven't got rivers
back in my own country a hundred times purer than this muddy creek? I will go
and bathe in one of those. C'mon let's go."
He gets back into the car, slams the door, and the convoy heads out, slipping and sliding
in the mud, dogs on the porch barking at the motorcycles, and Elisha just standing there whittling away.
They travel about a mile down the road. Nammans’
sons are in the car with him. "Y'know, Dad, what if he's right? What if that's
all it takes? What if it's some kind of test? If
this Elisha guy is a prophet of a great god, then just maybe you have to humble yourself to show that you'll go along with
whatever the gods want."
"Turn around," says a reluctant Namaan. “We
got nothing to lose." Back to Elisha's shack they go. Now there goes Namaan ducking in the water… 1-2-3-4-5-6-7. He
walks out and sure enough, his skin is like that of a young boy. He's healed. He offers Elisha great wads of money, but Elisha
just shakes his head and says, "Y’all give glory to God. I'm just the messenger boy."
I know I've stretched the details there, but Namaan's problem was much like many of those
who were flocking to Jesus when He started His ministry. They wanted to be healed
in their body, but they never considered the state of their soul. They wanted a Savior to make them feel good, not one
that taught them a new way to live. They wanted a Messiah who could be controlled at their beck and call, not one who offered
unconditional love and expected to be loved unconditionally in return.
Let’s move to our New Testament story (in biblical, not West Virginia
style). A leper approaching Jesus knows that if Jesus wants to, Jesus could heal
him. Jesus is moved by the man’s faith, stretches out His hand and heals
him. Then He sternly warns the healed man, "Don't say a word about this to anybody!"
This could be for any number of reasons. It could be that Jesus recognized that even if He walked
the earth for a thousand years there was no way He could physically touch every person that needed healing. It would be a task like painting the San Francisco Bridge - once you get to
one end you have to start painting the other end, because it needs another coat again!
It could be that Jesus knew that, like wars and rumors of wars, there would always be those
who never received healing. Yet still, God would be glorified through the way
they lived with their disability. One can think of numerous examples of Christian
people who have revealed to us something beautiful through the grace with which they have handled their pain.
Or it could be, and such fits in with the context of our readings, there were too many
Namaans around, too many people who thought they needed to be physically healed but never saw their real need was to humble
their proud hearts before God and seek to become disciples of the Kingdom.
Reflecting on this thought, that too often we come to God seeking to get something rather
than give anything, led me to title this message: "Ask not what Jesus can do for you... ask what you can do for Jesus." Sadly, I have come across many folk who
come to church not for what they can give but for what they can get. There are
those who spend their whole life church-hopping, never committing; ‘Fair weather disciples’ who never really find
a spiritual home.
"Seek first the Kingdom," said Jesus, which in our day, in the context of churches, could
mean “Don't seek the church with the best programs, or the best preacher, or the most dynamic Sunday School, or the
most beautiful facility, but seek out the church where God calls you to serve.” "I
wash your feet," demonstrated Jesus. "You, too, should wash each other’s feet."
So…ask not what Jesus can do for you, but ask what you can do for Jesus.
Isn't that the way a love
relationship should be? Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. The nature of a love relationship isn't to always be seeing what you can get out of
that relationship but to give of your best to another, that their life may be enriched.
If we understand that to be true about human relationships, should it not also be true
in our love relationship with God? Namaan
discovered that all the money in the world was not enough to gain God's good pleasure. In
humility he had to do what God required. Only then was he made whole.
The leper who came to Jesus received a healing touch. But
did he ever become a disciple? That we don't know. The one thing Jesus asked Him to do… keep quiet... he couldn't do it!
Today's
Scriptures about Namaan and the anonymous healed leper teach us that there is a difference between receiving a blessing from
God and being a disciple of Jesus Christ. It is a difference defined by our willingness
to serve each other in Jesus’ name. It is a difference defined by our willingness
to humble ourselves before God.
Of
course we all desire healing when we have physical needs. And… praise God…
there are occasions when our prayers are answered in dramatic and powerful ways. Praise
God for the wonders of medical technology and healing skills that surround our lives. To
be freed from pain or suffering is a glorious blessing.
Yet,
our lives are more than physical. We can be the healthiest, wealthiest person
on the planet and have a heart that is far from God. The way to God’s presence
is one which asks that we humble ourselves before God’s greatness, that we “Love the Lord our God with all heart
and mind and soul” and “That we love our neighbor as we love ourselves.”
Implicit
in that second command is that we cultivate the heart of a servant. That true
wholeness comes through genuine discipleship and through looking to the needs of others, not just our personal needs.
So again I say…
"Ask not what Jesus can do for you,
Ask what you can do for Jesus."
It is in seeking the Kingdom
- first -
that all other things find their rightful place.
