Sermons

When Gods Answers Don’t Make Sense 2 Kings 5:1-14

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Small Group Guide:

Open with prayer.

Go around and give everyone a chance to share about how the past week has been. What’s one highlight? What’s one lowlight?

If your small group has talked about it before, feel free to use this time to hold people accountable to what they’ve asked to be held accountable for previously, and go through the “missional” part of this discussion guide.

 

Naaman Healed of Leprosy

5 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.[a] 2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 4 So Naaman went in and told his lord, “Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel.” 5 And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.”

So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels[b] of gold, and ten changes of clothing. 6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7 And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.”

8 But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.”9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.12 Are not Abana[c] and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 But his servants came near and said to him, “My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

  1. Remember what God has done in your life

2 Kings 5:1, Deut. 4:9, 6:12, 8:2, 32:7, Is. 46:9, Ps. 77:11, Rev. 2:5

  1. Listen to what God has done in others’ lives

2 Kings 5:2-5, Ps. 71:15-16, Luke 8:39, Col. 3:16, 1 Cor. 12:12

  1. Don’t get sidetracked.

2 Kings 5:6-7, Heb. 6:11-12, 1 Cor. 10:11-13, Prov. 4:25, Luke 10:38-42, 12:34, 21:34, 1 Cor. 7:35, Phil. 4:8, Josh. 1:8, 2 Cor. 11:3

  1. Share what’s happening with other believers

2 Kings 5:8:13, Heb. 3:12-13, 4:12, 10:24-25, Matt. 4:4, 2 Tim. 3:16-17, Col. 3:16, Prov. 30:5-6

  1. Be relentlessly faithful

2 Kings 5:14, Luke 16:10, 1 Cor. 2:9, 4:2, 10:13, Phil. 3:14, 2 Tim. 4:7



Reflection Questions:

    1. Have you ever heard this passage of Scripture or topic taught on before? What stood out to you?

     

    1. Read 2 Kings 5:11-12. Elisha gave Naaman a different answer than he was expecting, and it caused him to become angry. Has God ever done anything, or answered you in such a way, that you weren’t expecting? If so, did it cause you to become angry? If not, how did you respond? Why did you respond that way? What was the outcome of the situation? 

     

    1. Read 2 Kings 5:1. It wasn’t because of Naaman’s amazing military strategies, ability to implement those strategies, or amazing leadership skill that led to Syria having victory over Israel in battle; it was because the Lord gave victory to Syria through Naaman. If Naaman would have recognized this fact better, he probably would’ve taken Elisha’s command better. How would remembering what God has done for you help you to respond in a more Godly manner when He acts in unexpected ways? 

     

    1. Looking at your answers from question #3, what practical things can you do in order to better remember what God has done in your life? 

     

    1. Read 2 Kings 5:3. Because the little girl spoke up about Elisha’s ability to heal people, and Naaman listened to her, he pursued going to Israel. How can you better listen to others about what God has done in their life?

     

    1. Read 2 Kings 5:5-7. Naaman goes to the King of Syria, who sends him to the King of Israel. This is an inconvenient side track for Naaman. The girl spoke nothing about the King of Israel, and obviously the King of Israel can’t do anything to help his situation. After talking with the King of Syria, he should have directed him to Elisha, even though the King of Syria was sending him to the King of Israel. How can you eliminate distractions and being side tracked from what God has called you to do? 

     

    1. Read 2 Kings 5:13. Naaman’s servants came around Naaman and helped him to be faithful to what Elisha had told him to do. How can you come around the people around you and do the same? 

     

    1. Read 2 Kings 5:13 again. How can you share and listen to the other believers around you in order to be faithful to what God is calling you to do? 

     

    1. Read 2 Kings 5:14. Eventually, Naaman did what Elisha told him to do, and because he did, he was healed. How can you best listen to what God is telling you to do, and be faithful to that? 

     

    1. What is your biggest take away about how this passage affects your life? What do you need to work on? Who can you share this with and ask you to keep you accountable to accomplishing this?





     

Prayer Time:

Pray for each other in your small group to be faithful take the step(s) that you shared above. Pray for each other and the interactions that they have with those who don’t know Jesus. Pray that God would soften the people’s hearts to what He has for them. Pray that God would give everyone opportunities to share the Gospel.

Staying Missional:

Share spiritual/missional conversations you’ve had where you live, work, and play:

Who did you have a conversation with that took a spiritual/missional turn this week?
What questions did you ask to discover where God is at work in their life, even if they are not aware?
How were you able to share your story of life change or how you have experienced Jesus?
How can you be intentional this week with people where you live, work, and play to have spiritual/missional conversations if the opportunity arises?
Who in your life do you think could be discipleable or open to spiritual/missional conversations?

What’s next?

Discuss the next step for your small group. When will we gather again and what purpose will it fulfill?