Unlikely Grace - Stories from Kings, Week 7
July 26, 2026 - 2 Kings 5:1-15

Would you rather help someone, or be the one who is helped? Have you ever been given something that was "too much"? Did it make you uncomfortable? Why is receiving so hard for us?
Most of us prefer earning. We work, we save, we pay our own way. Receiving is much harder. It feels like weakness. And that is exactly where Jesus wants to meet us this morning.
We are moving through the books of 1 and 2 Kings. Last week, Pastor Corey talked about Elijah under
That brings us to 2 Kings 5, where an Aramean commander named Naaman comes looking for the healing only Israel’s God can give. This story is a beautiful, clear pictures of grace. And it teaches us:
God's grace is a gift! Period.
Aram was the nation next door and the sworn enemy of Israel.

Aram and Israel were rivals, often divided by raids and war. At this point in time (995-895 BC), Aram was stronger and sometimes took Israelites captive through raids.
Naaman was powerful. He had the ear of his king and a chest full of medals. Then comes the last line of his introduction. “He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.” 2 Kings 5:1. One little word changes everything. "But."

If you are new to the Bible, I'm glad you are here. What you need to know about leprosy in the Bible is that the Hebrew word, צָרַעַת, (tsaraʿat), covered a range of serious skin diseases.
Now watch how grace enters this story. It comes through a little girl, taken captive by Aram in a border raid. She is a slave, living in Naaman's house and serving Naaman’s wife. She is aware of Naaman's leprosy, and she says, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 2 Kings 5:3. She had every reason to stay silent, but she spoke mercy.

So, a desperate Naaman assembles a caravan and heads to Israel. He loads up a fortune in silver and gold. He also has a letter from his own king. And ultimately, he arrives at Elisha’s door. And Elisha does not even come outside to greet him. He sends a messenger with one sentence. "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored, and you will be cleansed." 2 Kings 5:10. Naaman is furious. He feels disrespected. “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God.” 2 Kings 5:11. He's indignant. He wanted healing, but he wanted his due respect. And that prideful attitude almost prevents him from being saved. Instead of respect, God offered him muddy water and a promise. Naaman is ready to leave in a rage.

But his servants save his life. “If the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it?” 2 Kings 5:13.
Of course he would. We all would. Tell us to climb a mountain, and we will climb it. Tell us something is free, and we get suspicious. Naaman was a short trip to the Jordan River and a whole new life. He nearly went home sick because grace that was offered did not flatter him. Can you see yourself in Naaman? I can. Even as mercy is being offered, we can't get past the stumbling block/offense of grace.
So the great general walks down to the Jordan. Armor off. Titles left on the bank. Just a sick man and the promise of God. He dips seven times, and Scripture says, “his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.” 2 Kings 5:14.

There is a treasure hidden here. The story begins with a little girl, and it ends with the great man’s skin like that of a little boy. God stripped away his greatness until only his need for grace remained. He enters the river as a proud commander and comes out confessing, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.” 2 Kings 5:15.

We are Naaman. We want God's help; we desperately need God's help. But we want it on our own terms. We would rather do some great thing than receive grace for free. And the devil works both sides of that struggle. Sometimes, he tells us we have to earn God’s love... striving and never feeling clean. Sometimes, he tells us we are too strong to need God's help. Both are lies. Both keep us from grace.
Maybe you've lived this battle. Working like crazy for something God offers for free. Or standing on your own strength even though it is failing you. Hear the good news this morning. God does not ask for our credentials. He pours His grace into empty hands.
Some people walk away from church because it felt like we couldn't meet the expectations... one more place to perform. If that is you, I am so glad you are here. Please hear this story. The prophet did not hand Naaman a to-do list. He handed him a promise. God's grace is a gift! Period.

Here is the Gospel. Naaman had to go down into the water. Jesus came all the way down into our disease and our shame. He let Himself be made low. He carried our sin to the cross. He came up out of the grave. And now He washes us clean, free of charge, once and for all, because He loves us.
Did you know this story comes up again in the Bible? Jesus speaks of it in His very first sermon. He reminded the crowd in Nazareth that there were many lepers in Israel in Elisha's day. But the one God cleansed was Naaman the Syrian, an outsider. Luke 4:27. Grace for outsiders has always been His way. Later, when a leper knelt in front of Jesus, He did what everyone else feared to do. He reached out and touched the man and said, “I am willing. Be clean!” Mark 1:41.

Do you know what I love? The flow of God's grace that healed Naaman is still available for us. When we baptize someone, it looks ordinary. Plain water, words we've heard so many times, an ordinary pastor. But the Jordan River wasn't very impressive either. But in both cases, God joined His promise to the water. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith.” Ephesians 2:8.
In baptism, Jesus washed us and claimed us as His own. We didn't earn any of it. God is not stingy with His grace. He never stops calling, forgiving, and speaking His promises over us, week after week, right here at this font and this altar.

So, what do we do with a gift like this? We don't pay it back. We can't. We live in it. Here's what I want you to do this week. Every time you touch water this week (at the sink, in the shower, in the rain), say, "I am Yours, Jesus." Because you are.
One more thing. Some of us are carrying an illness, a diagnosis, or shame we have hidden like Naaman tried to hide his skin. You don't have to carry it alone. Come talk to a pastor or come and pray with our prayer partners. God's grace is for you!
So back to where we started. Why is receiving so hard? Probably because grace reminds us of what we can't do for ourselves. We can't fix ourselves. But when we stand in the river with empty hands, we can understand the truth. God LOVES to give. Naaman walked into that water a great man. He came up clean. God's grace is a gift! Period.