Bitter or Better

2 Kings 5: 1-16

In the Armenian sermon I was talking about the young Israelite girl who was ready to help her master. Although she was a captive slave and could be bitter, she chose to be better.

If we do not have thankful hearts, we will become bitter. In fact, a pastor wrote a book titled, “You Can Grow Bitter or You Can Grow Better.” ¹

There are many reasons that can make one bitter. But it is choice: to choose the better not bitter.

I read somewhere about seven things to be thankful for:

* for automatic dishwashers. They make it possible to get out of the kitchen before the family come in for their after-dinner snacks.

* for husbands who attack small repair jobs around the house. They usually make them big enough to call in professionals.

* for the bathtub -- the one place the family allows Mom some time to herself.

* for children who put away their things and clean up after themselves. They're such a joy you hate to see them go home to their own parents.

* for gardening. It's a relief to deal with dirt outside the house for a change.

* for teenagers. They give parents an opportunity to learn a second language.

* for smoke alarms. They let you know when the turkey's done. ²

You see it is a choice. It depends on how we look at things.

Let us continue with General Naaman. He did listen to the advice of this unimportant girl, and took the message to his big boss, the king of Aram: King Ben-Hadad. Arameans were in Damascus. The king thought the best thing is to write a recommendation letter and send gifts to the king of Israel. This can help his General Naaman. Naaman took a lot of silver and shekels along with him.

The king of Israel read the letter, became angry and tore his clothes. He was angry because he knew that he could not heal this man. Why had they come to him? But Elisha (Yeghiseh) heard the event and sent his servant to tell the king not to worry, and send General Naaman to him.

Naaman still does not understand what is going on. He is man of the army. He believes in fights, victories, orders, servants and possessions. He is just doing whatever has been said to him.

He went to Elisha. He arrived with horses and chariots. Elisha did not come to welcome the General. He sent the cure through his servant: “Just wash seven times in the Jordan River and you are cured.”

One can imagine the General’s face on his horse. Jordan River? In Damascus there is the Barada River, which is much better than Jordan. What is going on?

He was angry. He decided to not do anything. But his servants convinced him saying, “Whatever is asked is not difficult. Do it.”

He did and was healed.

1.When he returned to Man of God, the angry Naaman was changed. He came to say “thank you.” Naaman had experienced God’s grace.

It is very similar to the situation when the 10 lepers were healed by Jesus. Only one came back to thank him. Only one was then really healed. He was saved.

We all need healing. Today when we are participating in the Lord ’s Table, we need to come like Naaman: ready to be “washed.”

Come with a thankful heart. You can not celebrate thanksgiving without becoming “better” with God. “Better” means, accepting Jesus Christ as savior. Not only accepting, Jesus becoming the KING and LORD of your life.

Because we are sinners. we need to be washed always by the blood of Jesus.

So come to table with broken heart. God will forgive you because of his geace.

2. Naaman came back to God with thanksgiving because he wanted declare God’s Glory.

“Now I know that there is no God in the entire world except in Israel…..”

Last week we read in Exodus. God said I AM. I AM The LORD ALMIGHTY.

Thanksgiving is not just eating turkey and having a joyful family time. Although these are wonderful things, yet not enough.

It is a time to reflect on the blessings that you have and realize that there is only one true God. I AM.

It is also a time to declare that whatever we have is from God.

Revelation 11:17 says: “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.”

Are you in the church this morning because you want to declare that everything you are, you have, is from God?

Someone was annoyed from the pastor because he always said “thank you” for the weather.

One Sunday morning it was raining and windy. The weather was real bad. This man went to church, thinking there is no way the pastor will find a reason to thank God for the weather. He was wrong. The pastor thanked God that not everyday the weather was like this.

Do you see God is working in you life?

Do you see that you are nothing, and you are something because of GOD?

Naaman did see this and came back to thank God.

3. Naaman wanted to give back to God. He wanted to give his gifts. But the man of God refused his gifts. We can not repay GOD. We can rejoice with HIM.

God does not need us. We need God.

Naaman wanted to give. I do know what his motives of giving were, but does it matter to God why we give?

In Acts chapter 8 we read about man called Simon. He saw that one can get the Holy Spirit by laying hands. He offered money to the apostles so he can have the same power. Peter said:

“May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money?” (vs20)

You can not do favors to God. God does not need you. God’s grace is unconditional. God offers new life. Our response is recognizing our sinful nature and asking God’s grace through His Son Jesus Christ.

Then you can give with the right motivation. God will accept your gift.

Sometimes we will ask for healing and we will not get healed as Naaman was healed. We need to learn to thank God also in difficult times. You see, being thankful is not related to the circumstances. It is a state of being. It is from the inside. It is from the heart.

Hymn number 26 is composed and written by a German man by the name of Martin Reinkardht.

It was written in 1607. The name of the hymn is "Now Thank We All Our God." It is interesting to note that in the year when Rinkardht wrote that hymn, over 6000 persons in his German village, including his wife and his children, died of an epidemic. Yet, in the midst of that catastrophic social and personal loss Reinkardht sat down to write this great hymn of praise:

“Now thank we all our God,

with hearts and hands and voices.”' ³

Conclusion.

Learn from that little girl: Bitter or better. She chose to be better and thankful.

Learn from Naaman: Be bitter and angry or listen to the girl then to the servants and be BETTER. He chose to be better and thankful.

Come to the TABLE with broken hearts confessing your sins.

Come with the joy of being forgiven.

Come with a THANKFUL HEART.

Amen 

1 Dr. Jim Moore, pastor of St. Luke’s UMC

2 Illustration Sermons.com: Source unknown

3 Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com, November, 2000