00:00:00.000 - 00:00:30.960

[ Silence ] [MUSIC] I am on the battlefield for my Lord. I am on the battlefield for my Lord.

00:00:30.960 - 00:01:00.920

And I promise Him that I will serve Him till I die. I am on the battlefield for my Lord. I am on the battlefield I am on the battlefield for my Lord

00:01:00.920 - 00:01:30.360

And I promise him that I will serve him till I die I am all the battle for you, oh my Lord. I was a lonely idol, and I was a sinner too. I heard the voice from heaven say there is work to do.

00:01:30.360 - 00:01:59.340

And I took my master's hand, and I joined the Christian plan. I am on the battlefield for my Lord. I am on the battlefield for my Lord. I am on the battlefield for my Lord.

00:01:59.340 - 00:02:28.300

And I promised Him that I would serve Him till I die. I am all that I feel for my Lord. I left my friends and kindred bound for the promised land. The grace of God upon me, the Bible in my hand.

00:02:28.300 - 00:02:57.280

In distant lands I've trod, my sinner come to God. I am on the battlefield for my Lord. I am on the battlefield for my Lord. I am on the battlefield for my Lord.

00:02:57.280 - 00:03:25.280

And I promised Him that I would serve Him till I die. I am on the battlefield for my Lord. I am on the battlefield for my Lord. I am on the battlefield for my Lord.

00:03:25.280 - 00:04:11.280

And I promised Him that I, and I promised Him that I, and I promised Him that I, and I promised Him that I, would serve Him till I die. I am on the battlefield for my Lord. Amen. Hear this word. In everything give thanks.

00:04:11.280 - 00:05:26.220

For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. This is the word of the Lord. I want to direct our attention to Second Kings, the fifth chapter. Second Kings, the fifth chapter. "Not Naaman, the leper." Naaman, Come with me this morning and let us together take a journey back into the annals of ancient

00:05:26.220 - 00:05:50.900

biblical history. And meet Naaman. The King's historian makes a brief and pungent statement concerning Naaman's unique place in the story of God's people.

00:05:50.900 - 00:06:36.600

He says, "Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and honorable. He willingly risked his life for king and kingdom. He was an honorable man and through him God had given deliverance unto Syria.

00:06:36.600 - 00:07:07.880

He was a brave man in battle, but he was a leper. In reading the account of Naaman's biography, there is a comma at this point. Just before the but there is a comma. But he was a leper.

00:07:07.880 - 00:07:42.960

Seems a name that had it made when we say in the language of the historian that he was the commander in chief of the army, that he had achieved greatness, that he was outstanding on the battlefield, but he was a leper. There is a comma there, but he was a leper.

00:07:42.960 - 00:08:05.320

Naaman had it made. He constantly climbed the ladder of success until he made it to the top as a military man. He received promotion after promotion.

00:08:05.320 - 00:08:34.260

He was the captain of the Syrian hosts, commander-in-chief of the military forces. Soldiers came and went at Naaman's command. His photo was on the walls of public places. Naaman was tremendously blessed.

00:08:34.260 - 00:08:59.620

He was highly regarded in the eyes of the king and famous among the people. He was great. He had the reputation of being a brave, courageous warrior. And it would have been wonderful if we could have just stopped there.

00:08:59.620 - 00:09:34.660

But as we continue with the record, it's just a comma, which suggests that there is something more. He was brave, he was popular, he was honorable, he was victorious, but comma, but, but, oh many times we would like to have a period there and just stop and say that

00:09:34.660 - 00:10:06.460

he was all those other things but we have to continue because it's just a comma. So we must proceed further now Naaman captain of the Syrian host the The king of Syria was a great man with his master, honorable because of him the Lord had given deliverance to his people.

00:10:06.460 - 00:10:39.840

He won numerous awards, citations, decorations for bravery and all of that, as I said. In fact, he had received an award. He received the highest award, in fact, a Congressional Medal for Freedom Fighters. And the king issued a royal decree honoring him for his bravery, risking his life, and

00:10:39.840 - 00:11:06.020

bringing victory after victory to his native land. I said, "Naman is tremendously blessed. He is the recipient of great power, praise, and prestige. He's a mighty man, but he was a leper.

00:11:06.020 - 00:11:24.480

He would have gained the insurance a long and healthy life and enjoyed the distinction that

00:11:24.480 - 00:11:42.160

comes with that, but he was a leper. He would have spent more quality time with his family, but he would have been a regular

00:11:42.160 - 00:11:59.160

worshipper at the temple, Bud. Bud is the gate that opens to a stream of contradicting

00:11:59.160 - 00:12:19.400

faults and failures, Bud. And you know, Bud has a way of invading our lives, interrupting us whether we like it or not, destroying our future.

00:12:19.400 - 00:12:46.320

But, Naaman is a mighty man of valor. But he had a lot going against him here. He was a leper. He just leads to one of the most dreadful and painful experiences of ancient times, but he was a leper.

00:12:46.320 - 00:13:26.200

Leprosy, dangerous, deadly, dreadful disease. And how strange it is that a man so tremendously blessed would be so severely cursed with leprosy. It's wonderful to be honored by the king. It's wonderful to worship and receive the highest honors.

00:13:26.200 - 00:14:04.920

It's wonderful to be great in the eyes of the king, but how could one so tremendously blessed be possessed by such a dreadful disease? This was the sign that death was knocking at the door of Naaman. And the longer death knocked, the more nervous Naaman became concerning his future.

00:14:04.920 - 00:14:24.200

But, while there are many unfavorable things that follow this "but" in scripture, here we have another possibility opened up

00:14:24.200 - 00:14:54.960

through the grace of God. But, there is a ray with all of the darkness, with all of the defeat and all of the despair that seems to surround his life caused by leprosy, there is a ray of hope that shines into this dark dungeon of despair.

00:14:54.960 - 00:15:11.480

for in this household, in his own household, is a slave girl who was captured in battle and was an employee of Naaman's wife. And this little girl

00:15:11.480 - 00:15:25.600

mentioned the fact that there was a prophet in Samaria who could cure Naaman of his leprosy. Naaman reported

00:15:25.600 - 00:15:42.960

this to the king who wrote a letter to the king of Israel telling him that he wanted the prophet Elisha, who was one of his subjects, to cure Naaman

00:15:42.960 - 00:16:20.200

of his leprosy. Naaman lost no time in departing with the gift of money and clothes that would be bestowed upon the prophet who would cure him of his leprosy. When the letter came to the king of Israel, he read it, and he ran his clothes and tore his garments in frustration and despair.

00:16:20.200 - 00:16:48.160

The king of Israel said, "Does he think I am God? Does he expect me to do the impossible? I'm not God." So Elisha the prophet heard about it and sent word to the king and said, "Let him come."

00:16:48.160 - 00:17:15.600

Let him come on and let me handle the situation. We are in what is considered the midst of the Thanksgiving season. Season of gratitude. Season when we are encouraged to give thanks.

00:17:15.600 - 00:17:40.720

Gratitude is a journey. It's a journey that we should take from I to thou. All of us should have hearts overflowing with gratitude because we have so much to be thankful for.

00:17:40.720 - 00:18:15.480

this man he had so much to be thankful for and yet there was one major fault that seemed to cancel out in his opinion all the other things. He was a leper and that was the worst thing that could happen to a person in ancient times. We think of AIDS and cancer today, but in Old Testament times it was leprosy. And

00:18:15.480 - 00:18:47.120

the question was who can cure leprosy? And the answer was only God. And Naaman, a a stranger to the covenants of Israel, has leprosy, and he leaves his country searching

00:18:47.120 - 00:19:07.360

for cure of leprosy. As we sit quietly in this sanctuary and we recall the many memories and experiences of God that we've had on our journey.

00:19:07.360 - 00:19:27.600

Many experiences. And Naaman has fought in many battles and has come through safely. But now he has a battle that he cannot fight and overcome.

00:19:27.600 - 00:19:51.520

And so that's a devastating phrase. Naaman was a leper. It's a journey that one has to take. You can't remain selfish.

00:19:51.520 - 00:20:19.120

You can't be self-centered. You cannot be shut up in yourself and experience the grace of gratitude. There has to be an openness. There has to be a willingness on the part of Naaman to make a journey if he would experience

00:20:19.120 - 00:20:36.660

the grace of gratitude. And so he leaves, he makes that journey from I to thou. It's a personal journey. This is not the time for us to worry about

00:20:36.660 - 00:20:51.120

whether someone else knows what it is, but do we know? Do we really know? And so often we just forget to pause and give thanks.

00:20:52.640 - 00:21:26.520

I was in a school a short time ago and I was in the hall with the principal and it was time to change classes and the principal and I were in the hall talking and children began to go past us one way and another way and one young man walked between us and he said "Come here, come here, come here, you know better than that."

00:21:26.520 - 00:21:48.760

And the boy was told to apologize and he apologized and hurried on down the hall. Well, there isn't anyone to stop us, grab us by the shoulder and say, "Come here.

00:21:48.760 - 00:22:04.960

Stop, you know better than that. You know how good I've been to you and what has been provided. But there is a spirit of gratitude. And this is really what thanksgiving is all about.

00:22:04.960 - 00:22:37.140

Is being possessed by the spirit of gratitude. Naman makes his journey person to person, a journey that so many times we fail to make. Just to go back and say thank you. It's a journey to say thank you. To take time just to write a little note. We call it a thank you note. We're so busy.

00:22:37.140 - 00:22:53.260

Oh, I intended to do it, but I just didn't get around to it. Well, this trip that he makes to the home of

00:22:53.260 - 00:23:10.620

the prophet, it's, we're not told how many miles, but it's a journey that you have to take. gratitude

00:23:10.620 - 00:23:26.900

he anticipates certain favors in advance, gratitude in advance we got we went to bed last night anticipating

00:23:26.900 - 00:24:04.340

that the Lord would let us get up this morning we just anticipated that and when we We sit at the meal time, wherever we have our meal, we look downward, sometimes we close our eyes, say, "Lord, I thank you, or we thank you, for what we are about to receive."

00:24:04.340 - 00:24:22.020

where you give thanks before you get it for the nourishment of our bodies. So he anticipates the goodness and the grace of God and this gratitude that I

00:24:22.020 - 00:24:41.460

am talking about is nothing that we deserve. There's nothing that Naaman has done to deserve it. It just falls like the gentle rain. And when he was born,

00:24:41.460 - 00:24:58.060

Naaman was given the name Naaman which meant pleasant. And now I can imagine that his appearance is everything but pleasant. Sores

00:24:58.060 - 00:25:19.340

on his face and over his body so much so that lepers were pushed aside they were hidden away somewhere they had their own colonies they were lepers and they were quarantined

00:25:19.340 - 00:25:38.020

so he goes to the home of the prophet Elijah. And he makes the journey. It's a journey of gratitude.

00:25:38.020 - 00:25:52.020

And the next thing about it is it's costly. You know, many times, if you're really going to show gratitude, it's going to cost you something. It's going to cost you something.

00:25:52.020 - 00:26:13.500

So he goes to the home of the prophet Elijah, and Elijah does not even as so much get up and come out to greet him. Here is the king with his chariot and his servants,

00:26:13.500 - 00:26:32.140

and he's out there with gold and silver and changes of rain money. He's come prepared, whatever it costs, I'm prepared to pay. But Elijah does not even get up and go out to greet him.

00:26:32.140 - 00:27:01.100

Just the simple things. And he sends word to him, "Go wash in the Jordan seven times. and you should be cured, completely cured, he says, of your leprosy. And the king is confused.

00:27:01.100 - 00:27:14.200

The king is angry, in fact. I've made the journey. I've come to the place. I have shown a humble spirit because, you see,

00:27:14.200 - 00:27:42.840

I am the captain of the king's army. I'm a great man, but I've humbled myself and I've made the journey and this man does not even extend to me the simple courtesy of coming out to greet me. and sends the word, "Go wash in the Jordan." Seven times, "The Jordan?

00:27:42.840 - 00:28:02.440

That, that, that muddy stream? Well, we've got better rivers in Syria than that. We have two rivers there in Syria that are much better than the Jordan."

00:28:02.440 - 00:28:17.360

And he's saying after I've made all the effort and I've made the journey and I've arrived here and I'm at his door and he doesn't even come out to greet me, who does he think he is?

00:28:17.360 - 00:28:36.140

Go wash in the Jordan. Before we can really celebrate the joy of Thanksgiving we have to wash. in the Jordan.

00:28:36.140 - 00:28:52.940

We have to have a sort of a spiritual bath. That's what's necessary to overwhelm us, that we bow reverently before God

00:28:52.940 - 00:29:07.380

because he is the one who has made us and he's the one who cures us and provides the healing that we need as individuals and as a nation.

00:29:07.380 - 00:29:24.980

Go wash, go wash, go wash. I can hear Neiman talking after I've come all these miles, brought my servants, gone all these

00:29:24.980 - 00:29:42.220

painstaking efforts, he tells me to wash in the Jordan I didn't need to come all this distance to hear that. Who does he think he is? I'm the commander in chief of the King's Army.

00:29:42.220 - 00:29:58.340

I could have just stayed at home. But one of the servants said, "Master, you know, if he had told you some difficult thing to do, you would have done it. But he's told you a very simple thing.

00:29:58.340 - 00:30:18.860

Why not carry out his orders? I know you're a man who are accustomed to giving orders, but here is another order that comes from one who represents one higher than you. So obey.

00:30:18.860 - 00:30:38.020

Obey. If we really would be grateful, experience the grace of gratitude, we need to obey. All he has is a word, it's a word from God, go wash, it comes through his prophet, go wash.

00:30:38.020 - 00:31:19.020

And finally Naaman decides to obey the word and he washes in the Jordan and comes forth cured of his depression. we celebrate. This would be a wonderful thing if we would wash. Wash ourselves in humility. Wash ourselves in the spirit of gratitude. Wash in the Jordan, not just once, but seven

00:31:19.020 - 00:31:34.780

time, until you're washed all over. Washed. Because that is the only way. Not by whether or not we have a turkey.

00:31:34.780 - 00:31:58.460

Will it be meaningful? But whether we have washed. And all of us can thank God that he sent his son Jesus Christ all the way from heaven to this sin cursed earth to tell us go wash, go wash.

00:31:58.460 - 00:32:18.740

What can wash away my sins? Nothing. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. nothing but the blood of Jesus.

00:32:18.740 - 00:32:37.740

Oh, precious is the flow that makes me white as snow. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. So, we invitation that he extends to all. Go watch.

00:32:37.740 - 00:33:02.700

This invitation to accept Jesus Christ as Lord of your life, become a member of his family by letter of Christian experience or on profession of faith we We invite you now to come. [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:33:02.700 - 00:33:27.120

Come. Mm. Come. Come.

00:33:27.120 - 00:34:21.480

I am so grateful that Christ is in my life. What would my life be without him? It would be very dark and grim. When I am sad, He, He chee's me.

00:34:21.480 - 00:35:12.480

When I am lonely, He my comfort will be. That's why I'm grateful, I'm truly grateful. I'm so grateful that Christ is in my life. When my friends and my foes turn against me, and it seems I'm at the end of the road,

00:35:12.480 - 00:36:10.280

There's a still soft voice saying there is someone, someone greater who will carry the load. That's why I'm so grateful that Christ is in my life. What would my life be without him? It would be very dark and drear.

00:36:10.280 - 00:36:39.800

When I am sad, he, he cheers me. When I am lonely, he will be my comfort be. That's why I'm grateful. I'm truly grateful.

00:36:39.800 - 00:37:07.540

I am so grateful that Christ is in my life. [MUSIC] [ Silence ]