Services | Doing It God’s Way

Bulletin

Hymn #499 “When the Morning Comes”
SCRIPTURE READING – Psalm 8

Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
OFFERTORY MUSIC – Pru Hungate

Praise and Worship
“Love Is War” ​​
“Battle Belongs”
“Echo Holy”

Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“Resolved to Obey and Worship Only the Lord, God”
“Doing It God’s Way”

PRAYER TIME / Time of Reflection
“Way Maker”


Acknowledgements and Announcements
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Benediction “There Is Freedom”



Sermon Notes


2 Kings 5:1
A great and respected man is ill
2 Kings 5:2 & 3
A servant wants good for her master
2 Kings 5:4 & 5
The king permits him to seek healing
2 Kings 5:6 & 7
Israel’s king interprets the letter as an attempt to start a war
2 Kings 5:8
Elisha hears of the request and tells the king to send Naaman to him
2 Kings 5:9 & 10
Naaman goes to Elisha’s house, but instead of meeting him he send a messenger to tell Naaman what he must do to be healed
2 Kings 5:11 & 12
Naaman is insulted by what Elisha told him
he must do to be healed
2 Kings 5:13
Naaman’s servant gives him good advice
2 Kings 5:14
Naaman does as Elisha instructed and not only was he healed, his flesh became like a baby’s
1 Corinthians 1:1:18 – 25
Foolishness of God is wiser than our
wisdom

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Scritpures

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Transcript of Service

Good morning again. We've been doing a series. Only worshipping the Lord our God. And not bowing to me to. Any other but him. We take a look at many women who have been placed in challenging situations where that they do not bend the knee or by the head that they would suffer life consequences and we have seen how. Many women of Faith responded in such situations. But oftentimes. We are not confronted with. With a governmental agency or culture or something that says. If you were to do this, and if not, there are consequences. Sometimes we just live our lives and things happen and we have our difficulties and problems and some would say opportunities. But then the question is how? Do we respond? All too often we respond by doing our own thing. Or if we see Scott's counsel, we try to tell him how to do it. Because somehow we think we are.

Well informed on how God ought to handle certain situations. And the only thing I can tell you is to kind of. What you would think of this is that. While we may be playing beginning chess and I'm sorry beginning checkers. God is playing five dimensional chess. We don't even understand the concept. It's kind of like when we tell God what to do. It's like God telling. Where were you when? I formed the mountains. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the sea and we, we kind of think that we should be able to tell God what to do. And I've heard an expression says if. You want God to. Laugh. Tell him your plans. I'm not sure he takes it that that well, but we're going to take a look today. So if you have your Bibles, please turn to Second Kings Chapter 5.

We'll take a look at a few different people, how they respond to situations as kind of as life would would handle, and we will see what their responses and what. Our response ought to be. And so in Second Kings chapter 5. It says now name captain of the army of the King of Iran was a great man with his master and a highly respected because by him the Lord had given victory to Abraham and the man was also a valiant warrior. It was a leopard. And So what we see is this man who is highly respected by those in charge by the king because he's a valiant warrior, he's been able to accomplish great things for his king and is therefore highly respected. He's he's a great man. But he has a problem. He's a leper. As a leper, he's fortunate that he's not part of Israel. Because as part of Israel, he would have to be a social outcast, he would have to go along and say unclean, unclean, and no longer would he be able to be the commander of the armies, because that there would be. Distancing from him until he became clean, and I'm sure, even though there was. Not law in. That said that he was unclean, therefore he could participate. Let's face it, if you saw somebody with skin, that's kind of all yucky and kind of flaking and falling off, you don't want to be around them. It there becomes a.

If you will a social distancing, and so he has this. It's serious, because if it. Allows to go on literally parts of your body fall off. So this is not a minor illness, this is something that is substantial. Now the Armenians had gone out and bands and had taken captive the little girl for the Land of Israel, and she waited on Raymond's wife. But she was a slave. And she said to her mistress, I wish that my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria. Then he would cure him of his leprosy. And I want you to see something that's very unique and distinct about this girl. She has been taken away from her family. She is now a slave, a servant. So you would think that her natural tendency would be. I hope he gets what he deserves and I hope his ears fall off and I hope his nose falls off and I can't wait to see it. But that's not her response. Her response is I want him to have good. Now, if this is not an example of loving your enemy, I don't know what it is. Isn't it interesting rather than saying, oh, I'm a victim for me? Before Queen Esther.

Who was placed in a place of loyalty for such a time as this? Maybe she was placed. In slavery. For such a time as this. And maybe you are in your circumstances, whether they're great or whether they're terrible for such a time as this, and she takes this opportunity to say there is a man in Samaria who is a godly man, a prophet, and if he will with him. God could do something. There is a God that deals with his people. Newman went in and told his master, saying thus and thus spoke the girl who was from the land of Israel. So he he responded says there may be hope for my illness. And I need permission king to go because this server to mine this school has said that I could be cured. If I go to see Elijah. Then the king of Aram said, go now and I will send a letter to the King of Israel, and he departed the took with him 10 talents of silver and 6000 shekels of gold and 10 changes of clothes. So he brings, if you will, a reward with him so that. One probably to entice Elijah to heal him and then reward him for healing him he brings. Quite an amount of riches. By way of of of. Personal thing, I've probably taken the talents of silver and gold. You could keep it closed because I don't like clothes that. Other people buy. From me anyway, but. Probably last year wasn't like me, and so he brings all these things, hoping that Elijah will will respond to him. He brought a letter to the King of Israel saying and now, as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Nam, my servant, you that you may cure him of his left. The part of the problem is the letter is sent to the king. It's going to the wrong person. The little girl didn't say the King of Israel and the king of Samaria will heal you, he said. Elijah, the Prophet of God, will heal you. But again, people do what they think. Well, I'm the head of state. He's the head of state. We'll talk back and forth and we'll get this accomplished. So he's dealing with the wrong people. It sends the letter. And when the King of Israel read this letter, he tore his clothes and said a my God, the cure him will make alive that this man is sending weird to me to cure a man. Of his leprosy. But consider now and see how he is seeking a fall against me. Now his response is is is totally understandable. There is this rating band of of the people from the long will keep coming and they're they took the little girl. They different.

They're stuff like that. As a matter of fact, the message we took that look last time happened after this incident. The war actually does break out between Iran and Samaria and the but. So the key is thinking, OK, he's set this up so that he has a reason. To go to war. Because I'm not God, I can't cure. At least he understands this place. He may be king, but he's not God. And it happened when Elijah, the man of God, heard that the King of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king saying, why have you torn your clothes? Let now him come to me and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. The King had a correctly yet wrong response. The King's response was I'm not God. But I know someone who deals with them. That is a profit, and like she says. Why are you? Why are you in a panic? Why are you depressed? Why are you? Why are you? And me?

Them than me, so that they may know that there is a prophet in Israel. Her name came. With his horses and his Chariots, and stood at the doorway of the House of Elijah. So here's this respected man, a powerful man, a leader of armies coming in essence with his army. And I'm a great guy. I'm a I'm a respected warrior. And I am in command of of men and Chariots. So somebody who should be paid attention to. One of the problems with people. Well respected. And powerful. They think too much of themselves. Elisha sent a message here to him saying so. Elijah didn't even go to him. Leisen becomes the Laisha's house. Elisha doesn't. Even go out? Like to send a messenger to him saying go and wash into Jordan 7 times and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean. You will not only be. But you will be clean. Very significant. Not just you're going. What's going to happen is more than you've asked. You've asked to be healed, you're going to be healed and. He's going to get more. Than he had asked for. So you think, OK. This is what the man of God has. Told me to do. And so you. Would think then. Now that's what we'll do. And do what God for us to do. But Nam was furious and went away and said, behold, I thought he will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God and wave his hands over the place. And cure the leper. We wanted to show. He wanted the guy to come out and do hopeless focus and whatever and get healed and everybody have this great revival. It didn't happen the way he thought. That almost never does things the way we think. And if he does, maybe it's not God. You're saying so because he's powerful and respected. He thinks that some big deal should be made of him. And you're not disappointed?

He's furious. As God's not doing to him the way he thinks God. Ought to do it. And how many times have you heard people say, Oh my God would never do that? Your God ain't God so it's OK. God does what God does because God is God. Fortunately, he is a merciful, loving. Powerful God who does things. With mercy and love and kindness. And he's holding. And salt separated. He is so. A lot of times we go and we expect God to heal us or to fix our finances or to do all these other things that he we ask him to do. It doesn't do it the way we. Instruct him to. I don't know as. Much about God, as I would love to know. But I do know. That he can do things far above my thoughts, my imaginations, my expectations. Why define him by what I think he should? So maybe. The prayer of. Or let your. Will be done. Should be our prayer. Rather than God fix it for me because I want you. And I want you to fix it for me because everybody says how God is special to me because they waved their hands and they did some stuff and I was a well respected guy and. I got. Special privilege. And then he goes on and says are not abina and parpar the rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel. They're not, not awash in them and be clean, returned and went away in a rage. It's going OK if I got a dump. If I got to whip myself in the water, how come I can't do it in some nice water at home? This Jordan River, you know, it's it's chilly in all this. And why should I? Why isn't there a better place? And again, it's because. He's special.

These wonderful. And let's face it, we think the same thing we. Think we're special. We think God just. Think the rest of eternity waiting for us. Just to be born. As we're special. Here's his opportunity. To be healed. And he says. And I'm angry. Out of here. Because God didn't do it the way I. Wanted him to because of my position. But then he gets some really good advice. When his servant came here and spoke to him and said my father had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done? How much more than when? He says to you, wash and be clean. Look at if he just said I want you to. Defeat 10 armies. You'd have done it. You just said I need you to to climb the highest mountains. You'd have done it if there was some. If you'd cross the the Mediterranean Sea and conquer the Spaniards, you'd have done it. We can ask you to do some great thing the voter River Jordan and dip yourself some into. He's done the great thing. Why not to? What God said to do. He went down and dipped himself 7 times into the Jordan, according to the Word of Man of God. I want to stop here. Well, let me go on and his. Flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was. Now I don't know how old man. But he's an adult. God didn't clean. Cure him by giving him this say he's 30. Getting cure him by giving him the skin. Of a 30 year old. He gave him the skin of a child. You see, our God does all things. And he restores you from where you would have been. Like you. When God talks about us being a new creation, he's not talking about new in the sense of new 30 year olds he's talking about we. Are you brand new? Children of God. Now, why did he tell him to go? To the Jordan. Let me give you 3 possibilities. Possibility #1 because the people of God prossed the Jordan River on dry land as they entered the promised land. And they wanted to remind Nayam of God.

It's because. In a few centuries. There's one who's going to be baptized there. So needed no cleaning whatsoever. By his baptism, it was declared. Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Or maybe he did it to make them understand. You're a prideful man. And if you're going to allow your pride to get in the way of your healing, then so be it. But if you come. To me. As a little child, I'll make you. Like a little child. Because God says I hate. Those who applied. And he tells us pride because before the fall. Just like the rich man, when Jesus talked to him and said if you go and give all your money to the poor and come and follow me, you'll have eternal life. And he went away sad because he was very rich. Fortunately, Nam listened to his servant. Didn't do. What he had planned to do, but went and follow what God had told him to do, and we need to do that as. Well, now the story goes on and I'll. He tries to give all of these great gifts and all this stuff to, to Elisha and Elijah turns it down. And then Elijah servant runs off and buys to collect. On the offer. We wanted to make money off the deal and when he came back, lo and behold. He was stricken with leprosy. That's the end of the story, so don't try to. Get rich off what God's doing. God did God things and. You just be a part of it. Now God does. Bad things. And he tells us. That we are. Faded by grace. Through faith. And that not of ourselves it. Is a gift of God that anyone should vote. He made a very simple plan because I'm going to give my grace to people who don't deserve it. That's why we're always having to convince people, well, how could some terrible evil person be saved? Because we're saying no one ever justified. Receiving breaks all of us have. All of us have come. Short of the glory of God. And as I say, not only have we come. Short of the glory of God. Because as Jesus said, there is no. One good but God. So if you're trying to get. Into heaven because you're good. You ain't getting in cause only. Good as God. Second, even if you don't fall short of the glory of God, you don't fall. You fall short of the glory of you, and I keep repeating this over and over. I bet you can think of a time right now without having. To think too hard. You did something you didn't think was right. Or you didn't do something that you thought was right and you didn't do it. You felt sure? The glory you. Even we're gaining. On a scale and we can get in because we don't not as good as God. We're not getting in because. We're not as good as us. But God said. Here's my plan. I'm going to send my son. To die on. A cross to be considered a curse. And suffer the shame. Of that sacrifice. So that it might take away the sins of them. He didn't ask us to do anything great. Simply asked us to believe. If God would have said. I want you to take a peanut. And go to the nearest Interstate highway. Get on your hands and knees and push that peanut or 4.5 miles down the road during rush hour. And if you are able to accomplish that. And still live. You get into heaven. We'd have more people pushing peanuts. Than we have cars. Because we think we should do something. That God has already done for us. We tried to convince people that God loves that God is a God of justice and God, but that he's given us the opportunity through his sacrifice. Through his work that no one should boast.

And ask Corinthians. First Corinthians says chapter one. For the world, the cross is foolishness to those of us who are perishing. To those who are perishing. But to us who are being saved, it is the. Power of the. See, we're letting God be. God, it may seem odd and strange that a God who is all powerful would send his son to die for us, and quite frankly. If I were in heaven, I'd probably. Counsel them against it. As if every human being, whoever was born and ever will be born, was saved. It still wasn't worth Jesus dying on the cross. Is that infinitely valuable? In exchange for that. It says there was a way of. You who find it. The whole world isn't getting saved. It's just those who come to him, those who have been saved by grace. And how do we know we're being saved by grace? Because of faith. It was given to. So we understand that it is the power of God that we are now his children. It is written. I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and the cleverness of the clever. I will set aside. Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age?

Has God not made foolish the wisdom of the? The world thinks by just doing enough good things. I'll make it. And you could never do enough good. It's not about being. Doing good things about who you are and your. And saying you can debate and you can be like Joel and you can be like his friends and you can argue with God, whose God ought to do things and whatever. But God is God and he has set forth his determination and his plan, and he did that before he ever said. Let there be light. God knew that you would be his daughter or his son before he ever spoke. That's how wise our God is. That's how powerful our God is. That's how awesome. Or, since the in the wisdom of God, the world, through its wisdom did not come to know God. All you got to do is wander around today. How many people live their lives? That that there is no God. I shared about how the Majesty of God is declared. And look into the heavens at night and. Unfortunately, we here in the cities see very few stars. If you'll go out where it's really dark, you see a plethora of stars. This moon and all of these things into this week, we got to see a joining of. Jupiter and Venus and it was kind. Of cool and whatever. Speaks of the Majesty of God. The world says. The universe is flying apart. And eventually it will die out and fold us. That's a wonderful prospect. They see that. And they see that conclusion, that's their wish. We see the stars and we see a God who made.

We take a look. That the body itself. Beauty of the mechanism and simplicity, and yet complexity of ourself. And we see that there is a God. We take a look at our mathematics. And we see statistically. There's there are not enough. Atoms in the entire universe. Equal the number of. That anyone thing would happen? In creation, let alone. The world sees all. These things and doesn't see God. We see all these things and we understand that there is a God who is wonderful and powerful. And they didn't get to know him. God was well pleased through the foolishness of the message preached. It's save those. God doesn't care what your opinion is of his plan. You didn't get a vote. The scripture says whoever believes. Be safe. I'd have written proper. I like would be saving the. Ones I don't know. Bring me a bunch of silver and gold and we'll talk. But that's not his plan. And I've seen God save. Men and women. So you would have thought would never be seen. At an age in their lives that you would thought statistically? Would never happen. And I would see.

Wonderful transformation in their life. As God is not bound by when I think somebody should get saved or not. Or the time schedule or not. Or their personality or not? Or indeed Jews. Ask for signs. And brief search for Wiz. Here's the problem with signs. You can seek a sign. You can seek a miracle almost every time a sign or miracle happens. It doesn't generate faith, it only confirms it or renews it. If it created faith. The entire nation of Israel would have been 100 percent sold on their God because they saw things like the Red Sea being parted and a pillar of fire and a pillar of and God defending enemies and doing all kinds of awesome things. And yet, as soon as Moses has gone up a little bit, they started creating their own little bowling calf and started worshipping it. None of those signs and miracles ever created faith. The Jews are still seeking those things. And the Greeks are still searching for wisdom, and the problem is they're looking in all the wrong place. We preach Christ crucified. That the Jews are stumbling block into the Gentiles book. For those who are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than man, and the weakness of God is stronger than. We should take the example of man. And say I'm going to do. What God has called us to do? Because it's God's. Plan and its God's. All too often. We look for opportunities to be strong in the faith. And so if someone says thou shalt not do this, we say get you and I'm going to do it. Sometimes life just gives us life. There's illness and there's problem and there's financial setbacks and there's people that don't like us and all kinds of other things that happen. And we just do what God called us to do. Has God called us to do it? He's gone. We do it under his plan. The way he has called us to do it. Let's face it. None of us. Are all that brilliant to begin with? There is a statement that says. If you are the smartest person in the room. In another room. I'm telling you, there's no place you can go that's smarter. And being in this presence of God. With his. Do it his way. The scripture says doing it. And the amazing thing is we're going to sing in just a minute. God's way is a way of making way. He finds ways for us to come to him. He is in content. Just as Jesus said, when there's one person who is lost. He goes out.

God is a way maker. He makes a way to come to him. You may not be the brightest bulb in the you might. Not be the sharpest tool in the woodshed. God will find you if you're here. He did.

And All God's people say.