"A Simple Gift" July 3, 2016

2 Kings 5: 1-4 Luke 10: 1-11 This being 4th of July Weekend, I cannot escape the irony that as the United States of America our identity is in having declared our independence from Great Britain, and Great Britain has now declared independence from the European Union. Yet, for vastly different reasons, by differing means, and I have not heard anyone cheering. South Sudan fought a Civil War for 25 years, in order to have a Referendum Vote for Independence. Our ancestors fought, fearing indictment for treason, questioning their own loyalties and identity and commitments, in what at the time the British Prime Minister referred to as The Presbyterian Rebellion. The action Across the Pond this week, carried all the repercussions of creation of a new Nation declaring independence; with all the repercussions of our Presidential election, All resolved by a Referendum Vote much as we might do for a School Millage. If ever there were a lesson in the power of each person's vote, this was it. The power is not in being able to fill a bubble, or pulling a lever, but in what this simple action, by the people, represents. Naaman the Syrian is remembered throughout history, yet not for being the Military General, the Head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of a Conquering Nation, a Man of War. Hundreds of years after this event, Jesus spoke of how “at the time, people throughout Israel suffered and died of Leprosy, but only Naaman the Syrian was redeemed.” This is the story of a simple gift, a story Naaman himself would never before have believed, nor would the King of Syria, or even the King of Israel! After a great and terrible war between Syria and Israel, Syria was dominant, Naaman was the Conquering Hero. He was an enormous and powerful figure, made even larger in his ego and people's estimation of him by his mighty victories; yet as invincible as Naaman appeared, he had a terrible secret, he was afflicted with Leprosy. Leprosy is an immune deficiency disease rare in the United States, an extremely slow-growing bacteria often mistaken for Syphilis or Tuberculosis, that results in lesions, loss of feeling in extremities, extreme pain and eventual loss of fingers, toes, eyes, ears and nose. Leprosy can only be transmitted by human to human or animal to human contact. In all these ways, Leprosy was considered to be like AIDs in the 1980s. Secrets, good or bad, seem such a simple little thing, yet secrets have power unto themselves. Because the hiding of the secret makes you complicit. A gift is also given and received between two individuals. Yet a gift does not have the power of secret, because a gift is free. A gift cannot be earned, or bought, or compelled to be given. A simple gift is an act of Grace. In this battle with Israel, Syria had taken prisoners of war, among which was a young slave girl whom Naaman brought into his home as a gift, a possession for his wife. In the story the girl has no name or identification, she is as small and insignificant as Naaman is Powerful, yet where his secret makes him vulnerable, the girl has great faith and lets it be known to Naaman that in Israel there is a Prophet of God with the power to heal Leprosy. If you were this great and powerful, fearsome General, possessing all power and dominance, with direct access to the most powerful people, to the king of Syria, and you had this dirty secret, this vulnerability that was killing you but you had heard of a miracle cure, what would you pay, what would you give to be healed of this social disease? One of the most basic of human values is our power of The Self, our self-sufficiency. We believe in our control over our lives, our power. We believe in Survival of the fittest, and Capitalism, and particularly in America that we should be able to buy whatever we desire, particularly a life-saving cure. Our passages this morning fly in the face of these human values. That what is truly of value cannot be controlled, cannot be bought. Life is a gift, the most simple and yet most precious gift. Naaman did not understand and went to the King of Syria asking him to lend the King's authority and power to make the Israelites give Naaman this gift. Naaman traveled to Israel and stood as Commander of the Conquering Army to the vanquished King, demanding this power. There is an irony in the King of Israel, because on the one hand he knows and confesses that he is not God to grant or take away life; yet at the same time, the King never thinks to consult God or the Man of God, revealing that the King of Israel himself does not believe that even God has the power to give or take Life. At which point in the story, the Prophet Elisha invites Naaman for the cure. Naaman comes, but Elisha is no where to be found. Elisha sends word to Naaman to go bathe in the Jordan River 3 times. If as a General you had come to the vanquished Nation, and their prophet would not even see you, but told you to go soak your head, what would be your reaction? The Jordan River is not Skaneateles Lake, the Jordan is murky and muddy, often with the stench of decay, and with the sensitive skin and lack of immunities of Leprosy, would you go down into the water? But Naaman's servants ask him a question. If the Prophet had demanded a great price, or that you must first accomplish a great feat, you must kill the Wicked Witch of the West and bring her broom, you would then have believed you deserved to be cured, so why not if he asks a simple thing like bathing in the Jordan? Naaman does and when he emerged from the river the third time, his skin is like that of a newborn. Naaman is awestruck by the power of God, and willing to do anything, to give anything for what he has received. Herein is the real power in this story. Naaman was willing and did humble himself before God to do what he was told. Naaman's heart was changed from hating and looking down upon Israel as inferior, to wanting to worship God; and recognizing that as the General of Syria he will be required to worship the Syrian Gods, to stand beside the King of Syria as the King demands to be worshipped, so how can Naaman be faithful? At which point, the Bible records a bit of Comic relief, because where Elisha refuses to be paid for the cure, refusing gold and jewels, Elisha's servant Gehazi goes to Naaman in secret and says “I am Elisha's servant, pay me.” Which Naaman does. But along with the payment, Gehazi receives Leprosy as well. A prospective member came to me the other day, asking about the costs and requirements of membership. “I replied that we want you to want to give yourself.” We have no requirement that you give $300/year or $30,000; there is no requirement that you have perfect attendance, but we want you to want to be part of this body. Jesus did the most amazing thing in this passage from Luke. If you were looking for 70 Volunteers, you probably would not stand up at Coffee hour and say: “Excuse me, I need 70 volunteers to go into a strange and dangerous land, to invite yourselves into people's homes. You are to take absolutely nothing to make life more comfortable, no walking staff, no pillow, no extra clothes, no GPS, no Cellphone, no snacks, not even a pacifier. You will be utterly dependent upon the hospitality of strangers. You will be like lambs sent among wolves.” Twelve years ago, when I went to South Sudan the first time, John and Paul had told me that I was heading into a Warzone of people who had survived by stealing and conning others, so to be on guard. To not trust Taxi Drivers to take you where you want to go, to not trust police. I was meeting one of John's Cousins, who was a contractor from Philadelphia at Nairobi. Then meeting his Uncle who was a Senator at Lokichoggio. But when I arrived at Nairobi, there was no one there. I sat on my duffle realizing just how alone it was to be in a strange and hostile world. When suddenly the doors of the Airport opened and 30 young men came in with a banner reading “Lost Boy Lindsey!” They explained that there had been a death in the family, and my contact could not come. We flew to Lokichoggio, and a Peace Conference had been called so the Senator could not be there, instead there was another Uncle. We went to South Sudan, and in speaking with Government Officials and Administrators it occurred to me that our Goal was not to build a Hospital it never had been. Our goal was to create Trust, to re-unite the lost with their families. But Jesus was Not seeking volunteers. He was appointing “believers,” he was sending them out to challenge their most basic instincts of Individualism, Independence and Self-sufficiency, to trust. Imagine wrestling with whether to believe people are basically hostile, or hospitable. So let me ask you, which do you think was the Greater Gift from Jesus? That he was sending you out with the power to Cast out Demons, to fight the Devil and to Heal people? OR the power to trust, to work together, to rely on the hospitality of strangers? While the one sounds exciting and novel, the second provides the reality that when one falters, when one is exhausted, there is someone else who can help, and who can care for you. When one is discouraged, there is someone to bring you back. That is what this company of believers, does. But also, when invited into someone's home, you are demonstrating what HOSPITALITY is all about. When sharing a Meal at Table, you are BREAKING BREAD. When forgiving and acting with Compassion you are demonstrating the Kingdom of God. For decades, since the 1930s, our Mission Statement like that of most Churches was “To Welcome All who are like us to worship God and enjoy music and fellowship.” When about 5 years ago, we recognized that would not work anymore. People had too many other places to go and things to do on Sunday morning, they did not know they needed Worship. Our goal has never been about numbers, but it is about Success. That success is in sharing the Good News, that there is Good News in the world, which at times it has been hard to see and witness! But where you have witnessed the thin veneer between reality and something more, the presence of God in our midst that is the Good News to share!