2 Kings 5 Naaman and Elisha

“Close to, Round About, or Nearby” One Sunday, the Minister was giving a sermon on baptism. He was illustrating the fact that baptism should take place by sprinkling and not by immersion, using some examples in the Bible. He said that when John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the River Jordan, it didn’t mean in — it meant close to, round about, or nearby. And again when it says in the Bible that Philip baptized people in the river, it didn’t mean in - it meant close to, round about, or nearby. After the semon, a man came up to the minister and told him it was a great sermon, one of the best he had ever heard. He said that it had cleared up a many mysteries he had encountered in the Bible. “For instance,” he said, “The story about Jonah getting swallowed by the whale has always bothered me. Now I know that Jonah wasn’t really in the whale, but close to, round about, or nearby, just swimming in the water.

“Close to, Round About, or Nearby” “Then,” he continued, “There is the story about the three young Hebrew boys who were thrown into the furious furnace and were not burned. Now I see that they were not really in the fire, just close to, round about, or nearby, just keeping warm. “And then there’s Daniel getting thrown into the lions den…But now I see that he wasn’t really in the lions’ den, but close to, round about, or nearby, just like at the zoo. “I loved your sermon because next Sunday, I won’t have to be in church, just close to, round about, or nearby. “And since I am a wicked man, I am gratified to know that I won’t be in Hell, but close to, round about, or nearby! “Thanks. You have really put my mind at ease.”

Naaman 2 Kings 5:1-14  What truths can we learn from the servants’ question?  Why might we be more willing to do something great and less willing to do something small to keep the commandments? Why do you think we frequently need to exercise faith in God before our testimonies are strengthened?  VIDEO

Washed clean: (personal story of Gerlado and Leonel) Cleansing a Leper Washed clean: (personal story of Gerlado and Leonel) What must be done to make us clean We cannot do alone. The law, to be a law, requires A pure one must atone. He taught that justice will be stayed Till mercy’s claim be heard If we repent and are baptized And live by every word. … If we could only understand All we have heard and seen, We’d know there is no greater gift Than those two words—“Washed clean!” “Washed Clean” President Boyd K Packer However great that miracle, This was not why He came. He came to rescue every soul From death, from sin, from shame. For greater miracles, He said, His servants yet would do, To rescue every living soul, Not just heal up the few. Though we’re redeemed from mortal death, We still can’t enter in Unless we’re clean, cleansed every whit, From every mortal sin.

Cleansing a Leper Washed Clean (Boyd K Packer) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUoXAcOoQNU

Cleansing a Leper Washed Clean (Boyd K Packer) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUoXAcOoQNU

2 Kings 5 The Prophet Elisha