Rev. George Miller
November 08, 2026
2 Kings 5:1-19
When studying scripture, we begin to
notice certain things. While Mark,
Matthew and Luke are the same story told 3 different ways, John is a whole
other narrative with Jesus saying and doing things found nowhere else.
Mark, Matthew, and Luke rearrange the
order of how things happen. Why?
Perhaps a simple mistake. Perhaps the event happened more than once in
different locations. Perhaps the writer
wanted to make a point.
Mark and Matthew tell us Jesus’s ministry
began in Galilee with calling the disciples and healing acts. Matthew says Jesus goes up a mountain to
teach the Beatitudes; Mark says nothing of the sorts.
But Luke? He tells us Jesus starts his ministry by
teaching in the synagogue and upsetting every single person around him.
As the author of Luke likes to tell it,
one day in Nazareth, Jesus went to the synagogue, as he often did, and read
from the Prophet Isaiah- “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me anointing me to
bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, empower people
to see, and set the oppressed free.”
Jesus sits down; all eyes on him. “Today,” he says, “The scripture has come to
be.”
People speak well of him, praising him,
amazed, delighted. “Wow oh wow- isn’t he
Joseph’s little boy all grown up? His words are so gracious and full of
wisdom!”
…Well, Jesus being Jesus, did not come to
keep the status quo in power or placate people’s feelings. Jesus says-
“Well, now I have to share the hard facts- historically, no truth
tellers are welcome in their hometown.”
“Back when hunger hit our nation, God sent
Elijah to care for a widow of a different and land. And when many people in our country had skin
diseases, God had Elisha tend to Naaman, the head of a foreign army.”
Jesus is saying to them, “Yes, the year of
the Lord’s favor is proclaimed; yes, I am the one to share it, but this favor
extends to those who are different, despised, of different religious beliefs, even
live in other countries.”
Jesus is saying, “God’s grace is so
generous it is being poured out in unlimited quantities to all.”
This just upsets everyone within those 4
walls. They get angry, immediately get on
their feet, chase him to the edge of a cliff, ready to toss him over, but Jesus
makes it through to see another day, until finally faith leads him to that Old
Rugged Cross.
This is how Luke tells us about the start
of Jesus’ ministry; only then does Jesus offer healing, calls the disciples,
and teaches the Beatitudes.
Mark and Matthew have Jesus ease into his
ministry before chaos and controversy erupts; Luke puts him right there with
folk who’ve decided they want him gone.
When Jesus spoke about the widow and
Naaman, he wasn’t making things up or telling them something they didn’t all know. They are well known stories in 1 and 2nd
Kings. The people just didn’t like being
reminded of stories that spoke of God’s inclusive care.
The story of Namaan is a rich tale full of
drama and humor, miracles and adventure.
In public, Naaman is the most powerful military leader in the world; but
in private he’s battling the reality of bodies that become diseased.
It must have eaten away at his spirit,
because it takes a little slave girl from Israel to say what needs to be said
“I know someone who can make him happy, they live in the hometown you took me
from.”
In a series of political moves, Naaman
goes to his king to see if he can go to Israel.
The King gives him a permission slip and 9 million dollars’ worth of
coins.
But when Namaan gets to Israel, the King
there freaks out- “What is this? A test?
A trick? A way to start another
unfounded war? I have no time for such pettiness.”
Naaman is sent away unhealed, but the
prophet Elisha hears about this; sends Naaman clear instructions- go to the
Jordan River, dunk yourself 7 times and you’ll be good as new.
What does Naaman, the mightiest warrior in
all the world do? He throws a tantrum,
acting like a child. “No! I expected
there to be a big show and lots of fireworks.
I could have stayed home and swam in the local river. This is stupid!”
His people talk him down; he gets into the
Jordan and emerges brand new, restored, refreshed. His bratty behavior turns into deep faith in
the Lord.
He makes a request- can I have some soil
so when I go back to my country, I can stand upon it to pray to God…and the
times I go into other temples with my superiors, please forgive me and know I
am forever faithful to the Lord.”
This is a story of transformation, of
teamwork, of wisdom changing lives.
It’s a tale of how God’s gift of healing,
love and grace goes beyond one’s nation, one’s faith, one’s language, one’s
military status, one’s place in acceptable political and religious community.
This was a revolutionary story when it was
first told in the Old Testament. It was
a revolutionary story when Jesus retold it in the synagogue at the start of his
ministry.
It is a revolutionary story today in a
climate of voices of those who try to use their faith to decide who is in, who
is out, what constitutes an American and who gets to play a role in leadership.
Imagine if the story of Naaman had been told
on the debate stage, in the advertisements, in the numerous mailings and texts
we all received last week.
Perhaps folk would be just as angry as
they were with Jesus as that day in the synagogue.
So where do we go, what can be done with
this scripture that’s nearly 2,500 years old?
We wrestle with it. We revisit it. We discuss it. We seek to discover what wisdom it has for
us. It must be important for Luke to say
Jesus spoke about it.
We can also ask, “Who are the Naamans
amongst us?”
Who are the ones who desire wholeness and
healing but will fight it every step of the way?
Who are the ones who are often ignored or
dismissed as young or different or subservient or invisible who might have the
greatest wisdom and knowledge to share?
Who are the ones that are willing to cross
lines and differences and come together for
new life and fresh beginnings?
Who are the ones out there, in the
highways and bylaws, the inner chambers and outside crossroads who are waiting
to hear the Good News, who are yearning to be cleansed?
Who out there are the Naaman’s waiting to
not only hear, but to see by our hands and feet, heart and words that
“This is the year of the Lord’s favor.
Good News is to be brought to those who hunger and mourn, are blind and waiting
to be free.”
Amen and amen.
