Worship - October 10, 2004

Simply tell the basics of the story of 2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-14. Begin, though, by using an erasable pen to make marks on each child's hand. As you do so, talk about leprosy (describing it from a child's point of view). Then tell how a general - Naaman - whose country was an enemy of Israel long ago, suffered from leprosy. He learned from a young Hebrew girl his army had captured about a prophet (Elisha) who could cure leprosy. So he went to see this man of God. Elisha told him to go and wash himself in the Jordan river seven times and he would be clean, which made Naaman angry. Do any of you get angry when your parents tell you you have to go take a bath?

Namman expected Elisha would just call out his god's name, wave his hand over the leprous spot, and he would be cured. If he just needed a bath, could a river back home do just as well? Naaman's servants calmed him down, pointing out that Elisha didn't tell him to do something difficult, asking, "would you have done that difficult thing if he had?" All Elisha said was, "Wash and be clean." Now maybe you think washing yourself seven times is a difficult thing to do but, when his thought about it, seven baths didn't seem to Naaman to be such a big thing.

So, after his anger went away, Naaman decided to do as Elisha had said. He went to the Jordan river and washed himself seven times. (Wash off the marks on each child's hand, one at a time). You know what? The Bible says that Naaman's leprosy then went away. He was healed. In fact it says that "his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy." Just like your skin.

Whoa! That's a story to remember. What makes it even more interesting is that Naaman was an enemy. The king of Israel wasn't very happy about it, when he found out. But Elisha healed him anyway. Would you pray with me?

God, thank you for all these wonderful stories in the Bible. Thank you also that you make people better. One more thing, Lord - as much as we may not like taking them sometimes, thank you for baths. Amen.

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

         In the story as we have received it in the second book of Kings, after Naaman was healed of his leprosy by the prophet Elisha, "he returned to (this) man of God, he and all his company." It says that "he came and stood before (Elisha) and said, �Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel; please accept a present from your servant�" (5:15).
         As it turned out, the offering that Elisha accepted was not Naaman�s money, but rather his promise to turn from his other gods and serve instead the LORD God for the rest of his days... Healing, it seems, it not something for which we can pay. Of course, try telling that to your health care provider the next time you receive a bill.
         Still, how are you responding to the healing touch of God in your life? Maybe you haven�t, like Naaman, been dramatically cured of some terrible disease. As you return your offering just now, however, ponder the ways in which the Lord has touched your life recently. It just might be that, when you take time to think about it, your heart will start singing out like that old gospel hymn: "it is well, it is well, with my soul." If so, make that your own prayer as the plates are passed, and vow - like Naaman - to serve the Lord this coming week.
         Will the ushers come forward now to receive what we have to return to God?

Pastoral Prayer

written closer to the time (if not at the moment)

Benediction