Title: That's the Problem (November 13)
Content span id="writeContents">◆ Main text: 2 Kings 5:9-14
Our church is currently holding a morning prayer meeting on the 20th. Unlike previous years, many alumni are participating in this decree prayer. This is the confession of a deacon who has never been able to participate in decree prayer while living in the church. It couldn't be that good. And the story he tells is that he lived a very difficult life even though he believed in Jesus, but what he felt during this prayer meeting was that he received such grace that the way to live can be this easy. Even if you say the same thing, there are people who make it easy and others who make it difficult. While living the same life, some people are grateful and there are certainly others who struggle too much.
Why is faith a blessing? Because we can live in the world very easily. People who live with faith have the wisdom to solve problems easily, so we can say that we are people of blessing. Let's say hello to our church after a long time. It is always a blessing to have a good mate. I will hold the person's hand next to me and confess together. “Why do I look so good when I see you?” Second greeting. “Am I very proud?” This is the third greeting. “Are you happy because of me?”
Today's passage is a story you are familiar with. The nations of Israel and Syria are like Korea and China. The two countries are living near the border, and Aram is such a vast and powerful country like China. Israel is a small country and has always been on the side of being invaded by Syria. But a letter came from the king of Syria. It is the story of a general named Naaman whom he is most proud of in his country, and this general is stricken with leprosy. But what is even more perplexing is that Naaman, who has leprosy, will be sent to your country. In your country, there is a man of God named Elisha, who can heal well, solve problems well, and if you meet only that person, you will see a solution. It was a letter asking us to fix our general because we could.
As we well know, in the nation of Israel, when they get leprosy, they think that it is a disease that God has thrown away, so they are thrown away at home, society, and church as well. . To tell a forced story is to put the pretext of war on it. It is the story of “If you don’t fix it, it will be war.” The king who is threatened is truly bewildered. A feeling of despair as if hitting a big wall is ahead. But when he heard the story, a man of God named Elisha sent a messenger to the king. “Send me that man named Naaman. I will solve it.”
Looking at the attitude of two people towards the same leper, one feels like he's hit a wall, and the other thinks it can be easily solved. Ladies and gentlemen, at this precious time today, if you tell me what the blessings of these words that God gives you are, I hope that such grace to easily solve your problems will be with you. Now, one felt he hit a wall. But one person saw that it could be easily solved. say send.
Although Naaman is stricken with leprosy, he is the best general of the world's most powerful nation, the Aram. Although I am sick and suffering now, my heart is not sick. He is the one with the highest self-esteem. I thought that when he came to the country of Israel, a king would come and a so-called Elisha would also kneel with me to greet him, but that was not the case at all. Even a person named Elisha did something through a servant without seeing me. “If you go to the Jordan River and wash yourself seven times, you will be completely healed.” tell the story I was proud of myself. One of the most difficult things to bear in life is hurting your self-esteem. Although his body is ill, Naaman, who was the world's strongest military commander, can't stand it. I'm angry. In the Bible, the expression of being angry is recorded three times. man is angry I got angry again. I got angry again. To say that you are angry three times is to say that you are angry beyond your control.
The society we live in today is an angry society. The ruling party was angry with the ruling party. I was angry that the opposition parties did not follow suit. The opposition party was angry that the whole country would be destroyed if it continued like the opposition party. In the teaching society, there was a lot of scolding just like the teaching society. We were angry with each other. See labor issues. Both sides are angry. Everywhere I go, I'm angry. Guys, you can't see a solution when you're angry. Politicians should make the people comfortable, but they are only getting angry. In all aspects, our country is now experiencing such an angry social phenomenon.
Naaman was angry. “Let’s go back. I can't stand being ignored like this. There are two clean and good rivers in our country. Why do you go to the Jordan River, a dirty river, and wash yourself seven times? Let’s go back.” But look at the attitude of this servant when he asked to return. When the master is angry, the servant is angry with his stomach. It is the image of human society. As always, the people around the leader are more scathing than the leader. There are too many people around who are covering the ears of the leader.
When a leader says they are a little angry, they are even more angry. People say that the stories are outdated and there is no need to listen. The story of the elders of society is dismissed as the story of people who have passed on to old age. A leader must be able to listen to the stories of the common people. You must be able to listen to the stories of the elders. If you only listen to people who say they are good at it, you don't even know that society is going out. In order for our society to stand upright, we need to be able to listen to what is right. Society needs to learn to listen to the right people. Leaders must always keep their ears open.
What did Naaman's servants say when General Naaman got angry and asked to go home? "no. Master, there is nothing to be angry about. Are we here to be treated? What have we come to get a present? Are you here for sightseeing? What is our purpose? I came to heal you. This is our purpose. What if it was a little neglected when it came to healing?” The attitude of these Naaman's servants did a valuable job of healing Naaman's disease.
Guys, it's not like that. The attitude of faith is 50%, if you believe it, you will solve it 50%. If I believe 100%... do I have to wait for the next word? you do some Not Amen, but “If you believe 100%, you will become 100%.” That's right. Let's do it again. If you believe 50%... No, that's what I do, and if you believe 50%, it's 100% right? Why are you so upset today? If you trust 50%, you will get a 50% solution, and if you trust 100%, you will be 100%. It's 100%. This is where the massive amount of work of faith is revealed. “Go down to the Jordan River and wash seven times.” Then he obeyed the servants. Isn't it something else? Ladies and gentlemen, if we have a goal, we don't need face to face and we don't need pride. What does the surroundings have to do with it?
Look at the people swimming at the Olympics. Take everything off. I didn't see anyone wearing a tie diving to save face. I didn't see anyone swimming in shoes. You take off everything you're going to take off and that's how you get a gold medal. What face does a praying person need? What are you aware of around you? This expression of going down means to receive anything humbly. Humble... Amen? Receive the word humbly. There is no other way to do the best in your life of faith. Do it like a child. Like a child... I went to a church in Seoul and it was so holy that I couldn't hold a revival meeting. It's funny, but I can't even smile because of my face... I've seen all the churches of the stars. Religious life is like a very young child, laughing when you laugh, when you say Amen, say Amen, raise your hands and say Amen, but you can't do it... Then you don't have to raise your hands... Not a person...
I went down humbly. But someone asks me again. Did Naaman go down wearing clothes? Did you take off your clothes and go downstairs? What do we have to write about there now? We'll never see a body with leprosy, right? Whether you wore it down or took it off... But you must have put it on and went down. Because I have leprosy... Go down and go in and out of the water seven times, so I go in and out, go in twice, go in three times... When our church is gracious, even if I go in just three times, Amen has already come out loudly, but now how can I... Four bundles... Amen. The fifth, sixth, and seventh times, I'll stay in until I raise my hand... After going in seven times and coming out, my body was completely healed. When I say seven times, I mean perfect. As I said before, if you believe 50%, 50a% of history will appear, and if you believe 100%, 100% of history will appear. completely...
If you believe it, you do it. I was completely healed. How many times did you cry when you came out the 7th? How much... how overwhelming was the joy of gaining a new life? As we believe in Jesus, we must experience this kind of emotion and this kind of joy. Jesus is not a habitual belief. Jesus is understood only in our heads, and we have to experience this not only in our hearts. We did 13 days of the 20-day plan. Seven left. For the remaining seven days, just like Naaman who received this command to enter and exit the Jordan River seven times, run down the road at dawn with such a feeling. Undoubtedly, a thrilling answer awaits all of you who pray with determination. Because God loves us, we believe that the One who gives us a lot of work to believe will surely grant you such a touching moment. We will pray with you.
“Thanks and thankful Father God, in order to obey the Word, the beloved saints started the prayer meeting on the 20th and we finished our prayers on the 13th. Just like Naaman, who was commanded to go in and out of the Jordan River seven times for the remaining seven times, just as Naaman experienced the emotion of tears when we ran down the road at dawn, relying on the Word, grant us the thrill of answers. I earnestly pray in the name of Jesus. Amen."