This is Spoken Gospel.

We’re dedicated to seeing
Jesus in all of scripture.

In each episode, we see
what’s happening in a Biblical text

and how it sheds light
on Jesus and his gospel.

Let’s jump in.

Elisha is about to heal a leprous
Naaman, who's a wealthy Syrian general.

But it’s important to know
this story is actually a sequel.

Elisha has just raised a wealthy Shunammite’s son
from the dead and Naaman’s story has a similar cast:

You've got Elisha, Gehazi, a
little child, and a wealthy person.

In both stories servants act as mediators
between Elisha and those in need.

The Shunammite’s son sneezes seven
times when he’s raised from the dead,

and Naaman is cleansed after
seven dips in the Jordan river.

And, in both stories,
Gehazi is shown as faithless.

And the question, “Is all well?” is answered in
both narratives with varying degrees of deception.

This type of repetition escalates our expectations
of what Elisha and God might do next.

When God raises the Shunammite’s son we know that
God gives life to his people, but when God heals a Syrian’s
leprosy, we know that God gives life to all people.

A little girl tells Naaman that he should travel to the
prophet Elisha in Israel and ask for healing from his leprosy.

So Naaman asks Israel’s king
to connect him with Elisha.

But the king of Israel is convinced that the whole thing is a
trap and doesn’t think to direct Naaman to the prophet Elisha.

Sarcastically he asks, “Am I God?
Can I kill and make a life?”

Well, Elisha overhears the king and
tells him to send Naaman his way.

Soon they will both know that
there is a prophet of God in Israel.

Naaman expects to have to pay for his miracle, and
he expects Elisha to cure him with just a wave of his hand.

But Elisha refuses to leave his house.

And, instead, he sends a messenger to tell
Naaman to wash in the Jordan seven times.

Well, Naaman storms off.

He did not come to Israel to take a
bath in the dirty rivers and be ignored.

But desperate, he does it anyway,
and miraculously his skin and soul are reborn.

Naaman returns to Elisha convinced he’s a prophet, but
more significantly that God is the only God in all the earth.

Naaman wants to pay Elisha
for his services, but Elisha refuses.

Elisha will not take credit
for what God does for free.

As a token of his new faith, Naaman loads
his mules with Israeli dirt to remind him

in Syria that the true God is the God of Israel.

Leprous Naaman came to Israel loaded with what he
thought a miracle would cost—and learned
that God’s cleansing costs nothing.

But Gehazi runs after Naaman and lies to get
what he thinks is a fair compensation for a miracle.

Gehazi wants to profit from God’s power.

So, God’s prophet gives Gehazi the
same leprosy he wanted to charge for.

[music]

God is the God who kills and makes alive.
He both heals lepers and causes leprosy.

He cleanses for free, and he defiles
those who try to profit from his power.

No matter how desperate or reluctant, whether Syrian or
Shunammite, healing is for everyone who trusts the God of Israel.

God is no less powerful or gracious today.

Like Elisha, Jesus raised the
dead and cleansed lepers.

He healed for Roman centurions
and for Jewish housewives alike.

And when Jesus’ disciples encounter a man trying to
buy the power of God, he’s cursed for his presumption.

God is still the God who kills and makes alive.
God is still the God of free grace for all people.

And like Naaman we can come
to God’s final prophet and be reborn.

By Jesus’ living words and by the waters
of his baptism we are healed and saved.

In the water, we are cleansed from what defiles
us and we are forgiven of our sins.

In the water God buries our old lives and
raises us from the dead to new ones.

Like Naaman our skin and our souls can be reborn, not
by Elisha in the Jordan but Jesus’ word and in baptism.

So come to the water, not with gold or good
works, but with your leprosy and with your sin.

Come ready to be washed by the
words of Jesus and be forever cleaned.

I pray that the Holy Spirit would open your
eyes to see the God who kills and makes alive.

And may you see Jesus’ words
and baptism as your free salvation.