May 16, 2022: One God in All the Earth

With an eye on preaching Old Testament narrative, John Woodhouse examines the story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5. A prominent man suffering leprosy, Namaan visited God’s prophet in Israel, Elisha, laden with treasure to purchase healing—and was instead humbled when Elisha instructed him simply to wash in the Jordan. God’s word, Woodhouse reminds us, always seems unreasonable to the proud: “Wash and be healed. Believe and be saved. Repent and be forgiven.” Yet those who do not receive what is promised can only blame themselves for the blessings they forgo.