Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20040125.htm

1 AND 2 KINGS: ENJOYING GOD'S BLESSINGS IN AN APOSTATE ERA
Part XXXIX: Discerning Between The Abuse And The Godly Use Of Earthly Goods
(2 Kings 5:20-27 with 6:1-7)
  1. Introduction
    1. We know we are not to love the world neither the material goods that are in the world, for the world system and its things are not of God, but are of the world that is passing away, 1 John 2:15-17.
    2. However, it IS a fact that we need SOME material goods to survive, so a believer may need insight on discerning between the abuse and the God-blessed use of earthly goods, cf. 1 Corinthians 7:31.
    3. To answer this question, Scripture contrasts the materialism of Gehazi in 2 Kings 5:20-27 with the godly use of goods that God supports with material blessing in 2 Kings 6:1-7 (as follows):
  2. Discerning Between The Abuse And The Godly Use Of Earthly Goods, 2 Kings 5:20-27; 6:1-7.
    1. When Gehazi lusted after the material goods the healed Naaman tried to offer Elisha, Gehazi sinned by acquiring them at the cost of upholding God's reputation as the Sole Cause of Naaman's healing; as a result, he was judged to be afflicted with Naaman's leprosy, 2 Kings 5:15-16, 20, 26-27.
    2. Yet, when a son of the prophets lost an ax head in the Jordan River while working to expand the living quarters of the prophets, God materially aided him, restoring to him the lost, borrowed ax head, 6:1-7.
    3. If we compare these two cases, we see characteristics that DIFFERENTIATE abusing this world's goods as Gehazi did from rightly using them as did the son of the prophets:
      1. Gehazi errantly sought his own welfare at the cost of God's testimony in acquiring Naaman's goods where the son of the prophet sought the welfare of God's testimony:
        1. Where Elisha had refused Naaman's goods lest Naaman think Elisha and not God was the Cause of his healing, Gehazi failed to uphold God's testimony by taking Naaman's goods, 5:15-16; 5:20, 26b.
        2. However, the son of the prophets wanted to work to uphold God's cause in helping His men, 6:1-2.
      2. Gehazi errantly sought to advance his own agenda with material goods where the son of the prophets sought to advance God's kingdom by the use of his ax head:
        1. Gehazi was interested in what personal wealth and fame he could acquire by Naaman's gift, 5:26b.
        2. In contrast, the son of the prophets wanted God's kingdom to spread by using his ax head to help construct an adequate housing unit for God's prophets, 2 Kings 6:1-2.
      3. Gehazi errantly sought excessive abundance where the prophet sought only what material good was needed -- the restoration of an ax head to advance God's work by building a needed home for His men:
        1. Elisha pointed out Gehazi had his heart materialistically set on excessive wealth, 2 Kings 5:26b.
        2. In contrast, the prophet wanted to build a single building to advance God's cause, 2 Kings 6:1-2.
      4. Gehazi errantly had his own interests at heart at the cost of Naaman where the son of the prophet had at heart the needs of other prophets and the man from whom he borrowed the ax head:
        1. Gehazi was set on taking advantage of Naaman where Elisha had not done so, 2 Kings 5:20.
        2. In contrast, the son of the prophets wanted to help others rather than take advantage of them; he wanted to build a home for the prophets and return the ax head to its rightful owner, 6:1-2, 5.
      5. Gehazi errantly sought to hide his use of Naaman's acquired goods from God's leader where the son of the prophet sought the fellowship and oversight of Elisha in his work with the ax, 5:24-25; 6:1-2.
      6. Gehazi errantly rationalized within himself his right to gain Naaman's goods where the son of the prophet sought outside, godly advice before acquiring the ax head to cut down the trees, 5:20; 6:1-2.
      7. Gehazi errantly accumulated Naaman's riches alone where the son of the prophets worked to acquire the ax head and trees for the building project in concert with other godly people , 5:20, 24; 6:1-3.
Lesson: (1) Materialism is marked by self-centered, self-advancing, testimony-harming, secretive, greedy, hoarding, self-rationalized acts. (2) In CONTRAST, the godly use of goods is marked by God-centered, God-advancing, testimony-upholding, honest, modest, sharing, advice-seeking actions.

Application: (1) Let us "test" ourselves by this contrast to evaluate if we are properly USING material goods, something God blesses, or materialistically ABUSING them, something God disciplines. (2) If we FAIL the test, may we repent and adjust by God's power, 1 John 1:9; Galatians 5:16-23. (3) If we PASS the test, like the man who lost the ax head, we can look to God and see Him meet our needs!