|
GO AND WASH
There were two natural places to take a refreshing swim in the days when I was young: Wilson’s Creek and John’s River. They were very different. Of course, John’s River was the largest; after all, it was a river. Wilson’s Creek was small and you had to look for the “swimming holes” but they were there. The obvious differences were that John’s River was dark and dirty and Wilson’s Creek was clean, cold and refreshing.
You could see the trout swim in the clear waters of Wilson’s Creek. Most of the time there was a cool breeze which also kept the gnats and mosquitoes away. Some of the areas for swimming had a beach where you could sit or even camp and a few areas even had a small beach. It was best to swim and play in the water when you could be in the sunshine or you would be turning blue before you got out of the cold, cold mountain water.
John’s River was closer and more convenient, and places could be found just off the paved highway. Most of the baptisms we had at our church were held in John’s River. That’s where I was baptized.
The day of my baptism it didn’t matter that the river was not clear like Wilson’ Creek. It didn’t matter that I couldn’t look down and see my feet. It was a grand day. I was only eleven but I understood what baptism was about. I knew that it is about Jesus: his death, burial, and resurrection. I knew it was about being a new creature and having a new life so I could be cleansed from my sins. I wanted a new life and was thrilled to be baptized.
JESUS-MOSES & LEPROSY
Jesus cleansed a leper in Matthew 8:2-3. Luke said he was full of leprosy. He fell on his face seeking mercy from Jesus. Luke 5:12. The fact that he was cleansed speaks to the required cry, Unclean! Unclean! Leviticus 13:45. Don’t you know how good it must have felt to have your skin clean again?
Jesus on another occasion brought healing into the lives of ten lepers as he entered a village on a journey between Samaria and Galilee. Jesus heard their cry for mercy and instructed them to go and show themselves to the priest which they did. On their way they were healed. Only one returned to give thanks for the miracle which had happened in his life. Luke 17:11-19
Do you recall when Moses encountered God and God was calling him into the task of bringing his people out the land of Egypt? "What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say” Moses asked? Ex 4:1
- “Put your hand into your bosom." So he put his hand into his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow.7 Then He said, "Put your hand into your bosom again." So he put his hand into his bosom again, and when he took it out of his bosom, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. Ex 4:6-8 (NASB)
Consider the law of the leper:
- "As for the leper who has the infection, his clothes shall be torn, and the hair of his head shall be uncovered , and he shall cover his mustache and cry, 'Unclean! Unclean!'46 "He shall remain unclean all the days during which he has the infection; he is unclean. He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. Lev 13:40-46 (NASB)
NAAMAN THE LEPER
- “There is a man mentioned in the Bible who was a very powerful and important man with an embarrassing problem: leprosy. Leprosy was a skin disease for which there was no cure. Those who contracted this dreaded disease were most often relegated to leper colonies, away from contact with other people. The contagious, unclean nature of the disease necessitated that they loudly declare, "unclean!", when others approached.” Steve Taylor.
Naaman’s money nor his prestige were enough make the leprosy go away. The laws in Aram were evidently not as strict as they were in Israel. Naaman seemed to be able to move about freely and without restrictions. This story speaks of the simple faith of a servant girl who could not bide the suffering of another human being. Let us reflect on Naaman.
- Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man with his master, and highly respected, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but he was a leper.2 Now the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman's wife.3 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."4 Naaman went in and told his master, saying, "Thus and thus spoke the girl who is from the land of Israel."5 Then the king of Aram said, "Go now , and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." He departed and took with him ten talents of silver and six thousand shekels of gold and ten changes of clothes. 2 Kings 5:1-5 (NASB)
The king of Aram thought a lot of Naaman so he jumped at the chance of seeing his much respected warrior made whole again. The proper thing he felt to do was to approach the prophet through the King of Israel. But when the king of Israel received the letter from the king of Aram he was confused. What’s this all about; he thought. Is he trying to pick a fight with me? 2 Kings 5:6-7.
Elisha the prophet heard about the king of Israel’s concerns and instructed the king to allow Naaman to come visit him. Naaman came with his horses and his chariots and stood at the doorway of the Elisha’s house. Elisha sent Naaman a message instructing him to go and wash in the Jordan River and his flesh would be clean.
Rather than being excited at the possibility of being cleansed of his leprosy; Naaman was furious and went away. His contemplations included: “I thought, 'He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure me.' He thought about the rivers of Damascus which he considered better and perhaps cleaner than this Jordan River. Why couldn’t he wash there?" He turned and went away in a rage. He took his mind off the goal, a better life; a life free from the dreaded leprosy.
|
His servants reminded him that if Elisha had given instruction to do some great thing he would have done it right away; why not listen to the prophet? After thinking about it, Naaman went down into the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times as Elisha had instructed him to do. His flesh was restored as a little child. 2 Kings 5:8-14 (NASB)
- “How could a muddy river possibly cleanse this important man? The whole idea was offensive, but this reluctant military man eventually heeded the advice of his servants, and found ultimate cleansing for his condition. Naaman's cleansing is a picture of baptism, an equally absurd practice. How is it possible that physical water - regardless of how clean or unclean - could cleanse the soul? Like Naaman's cleansing, we do well to not focus on the mechanics of it, because it will never make sense.” Steve Taylor.
PARALLELS
This story has parallels that need to be explored. Since Jesus was the one who instituted baptism, there is the best place to start. One might wonder as did John the Baptist why Jesus would need to be baptized. He saw the spirit descending as a dove upon Jesus. Jesus reply in simplest terms was “it’s the right thing to do.” Matthew 3:15 Jesus knew that he would give instructions to his disciples to go into all the world and preach and baptize. Mark 16:15-16 He would provide an example for all to be baptized.
Let me direct your attention back to the parallels in the story of Naaman. He was given simple instructions to follow if he wanted to be clean. Ananias instructed Saul to get up, be baptized, and to wash away his sins without delay. Acts 22:16 He was not talking about the cleansing of the flesh from dirt but the appeal to God for a good conscience. I Peter 2:21. We might immediately as did Naaman offer excuses as to why that act is unnecessary. Naaman’s servant’s reply to his reluctance to heed the prophet’s command was simple:
- “Had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, 'Wash, and be clean'?" 2 Kings 5:13 (NASB)
Was the simple act necessary for Naaman to do? Did it matter whether he followed the prophet’s command and dip 7 times in the River Jordan? “Far more than a ritual washing, baptism is simply an appeal, based on faith, for Christ's cleansing work to reach into the depths of our being.” (Steve Taylor) If Jesus had instructed us to do something more difficult than to be immersed in water, would we do that? Is the problem that immersion is just too simple a process? Yes I am well aware that there is more to baptism than being immersed in water.
AN ACT OF FAITH
- When the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water .21 Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him. 1 Peter 3:20-22 (NASB)
If this simple act of faith prompted a stamp of the approval of God from heaven: Matthew 3:16-17 may I suggest to you that like Naaman, we’d best get to the water and heed the command. After hearing Peter’s powerful Sermon at Pentecost; people wondered out loud what should be their response? Peter replied:
- Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" 38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; Acts 2:37-38 (NASB)
Philip’s encounter with the eunuch adds one other dimension to this equation. After preaching Jesus to the Ethiopian eunuch, something happened in the heart of the eunuch. He believed with all his heart. He didn’t whine, “Do I have to be bap-tized?” No! His reply was, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?" Both Philip and the Eunuch went down into a body of water and Philip baptized the Eunuch. Philip went on his way to Azotus and the eunuch went on his way rejoicing. Acts 8:25-40
CONCLUSION
After Peter’s great sermon on Pentecost, people were pierced in their hearts. Their reply was "Brethren, what shall we do?" Peter’s reply to them was, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins;" Acts 2:37-38 (NASB) Their reply was not “Do you mean we have something to do?”
It might be best that we not argue with Jesus’ command to be baptized. Oh, but, what if? There are endless scenarios that might be put forth to counter as to why someone might not be baptized. We’ll let God worry about that. If you are reading this you know what the command is and that Jesus also left an example by going down into the water with John and being immersed in water. Then before his ascension he instructed the disciples to go and baptize. Mark 16:16 “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” Do you want to play with that or listen to the Lord’s command and step up with the attitude of, “What do I need to do?” Don’t forget the words of Jesus:
- Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. Matt 28:20 (NLT)
How do we dare call him Lord and refuse to do what he tells us to do?
- And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Luke 6:46 (KJV)
THINK ON THESE THINGS……Philippians 4:8
|
