The Healing of Naaman: 7/24-25/2010
I don’t know if it felt controversial to you but the story of Naaman, the story that Hank Fortener retold this weekend, found in 2 Kings 5.1-19, once caused Jesus a whole lot of trouble.
In Luke 4.16-30, we find a story about the first time that Jesus spoke in a synagogue in his hometown. It’s a good story and you might want to read it. Jesus is not messing around. He has been waiting to say something out loud. And when he finally does, it’s scandalous.
He starts off okay, just quoting from the book of Isaiah. This is fine because this is what they always do when they meet together. But then he says that the passage he’s reciting is about him. He is the one they have been waiting for. He is the one carrying the Spirit of God. The one who is anointed with good news. He is the one who has come to bring freedom, recovery, and healing.
They lean in a little closer to listen. And then he messes with them.
He starts talking about how it’s hard for people to know a prophet when they see one. Maybe he’s afraid they won’t believe that he’s the one they’ve been waiting for. (He’s right.)
Then he gives them some examples of times when the people who should have known a prophet when they saw one, missed it. And so the prophets went to other people instead.
In a room full of Jewish people, Jesus tells stories about great Gentiles, including Naaman, who didn’t just see the truth but acted on it.
And this makes them really, really mad. Like the kind of anger you see on reality shows. Where people lose control and start saying and doing ridiculous things.
From the very beginning, his very first speech, Luke says they wanted to kill him.
Because he dared to say out loud that the freedom, recovery and healing he carried was for everyone. It’s scandalous. I don’t know if it sounds that way to you but I hope it does.
This truth ought to humble us and empower us at the same time.
Ask yourself honestly this week:
“Do I think I am more worthy of God’s love than other people? Is pride getting in the way of me hearing the truth?”
“Is there something God is/has been preparing me to go and do? Where is God asking me to take action?”
If you want to read more stories about people who have been humbled and empowered by God to change the world, try googling Dorothy Day, Fannie Lou Hamer, St. Francis of Assisi or Dietrich Bonhoeffer. And then if you really want to be humbled, google your own name. Always works for me.
Listen to the weekend message
