“Go and Wash”

I. Naaman the Leper (2 Kings 5:1-14)

A. Characteristics of leprosy 

1. Contagious
2. Incurable
3. Often a death sentence
4. "Unclean" (Leviticus 13)
5. Results in separation & isolation

B. Naaman - power, position, & wealth / yet, infected by exposure 

C. "Go and wash yourself…" - Healing was already ordained and provided for. 

D. Obedience = healing & cleansing 

II. Man born blind (John 9:1-11)

A. Characteristics of blindness 

1. Inability to see anything, even light
2. Dependence upon other senses to "see"
3. Never knows anything different

B. Blind man - afflicted since birth 

C. "Go wash yourself…" - Healing was already ordained and provided for. 

D. Obedience = healing & sight 

III. Leprosy & blindness as an illustration of sin

A. By birth - we have inherited our sin nature 

B. By exposure - we have been contaminated by our environment 

IV. What does God want YOU to do?

A. John 6:28-29 - They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”  Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

B. John 9:35-39 - When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”  The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.”  “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!”  “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.  Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”

V. "Go and wash…" - faith in action through obedience

A. Ephesians 5:25b-26 - Christ "gave up His life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word."

B. Hebrews 10:22b - "For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water."

C. 1 Peter 1:22 - You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.

D. 1 Corinthians 7:1 - Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.

E. Our spiritual healing has already been ordained and provided for.