Elisha Heals Naaman: a Bible Reeenactment Script [& its APPS]

Elisha Heals Naaman
A Bible Re-enactment script by CedarS Bible Park Ranger, Lauren Cornthwaite
[With “APPS”—Application Ideas & questions at the end by Warren Huff & Kerry Jenkins, C.S.]

Bible Verses: II Kings 5:1-3, 9-15    Locations: Syria and Samaria

Characters:
Naaman
Maid
Naaman’s wife
Elisha’s Messenger
Elisha
Naaman’s Servant

Narrator: Naaman, captain of the armies of Syria, was very famous and rich.  But although he was a brave and honorable hero, he also happened to have leprosy.  [Leprosy was the most dreaded skin disease of the day because it was believed to spread easily from one person to another. That’s why lepers were feared and avoided by everyone, to the point of priestly law isolating them –“his dwelling shall be outside the camp. Lev. 13:45]
A little girl who a Syrian raiding band had captured in Israel waited on Naaman’s wife as a maid. She had a generous idea for how to help the captain of those who captured her.  She went to Naaman’s wife and said:

[Naaman wife‘s] Maid: I know of a prophet who could get rid of your husband’s leprosy, because God is with him.  His name is Elisha, and he lives in Samaria.

Naaman’s wife:  Thanks for wanting to help us!  I’ll tell him right away!  (turning & running the Naaman)  My little maid knows of a prophet who can set you free from your leprosy! His name is Elisha and God is with him.  He lives just down the road in Samaria.

Narrator: When Naaman heard this, he rode to Samaria with his horses and his chariot, and stood outside of Elisha’s house and asked him to come out to him.  But instead of honoring his request and being part of Naaman’s proud and showy visit, Elisha just sent a messenger out to him with an instruction that took humility to follow.

Elisha’s Messenger: Go wash in the Jordan River seven times, and you will be completely healed. 

Narrator: Naaman was offended and very angry that Elisha had not come out to him.

Naaman: I thought, surely, that he would come out to me and call on the name of the Lord and strike his hand down right on my leprosy so that it would be healed. And aren’t Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all of the waters of Israel?  Why couldn’t I just wash in them and be clean?

Narrator: Then Naaman drove off in a fit of anger.  One of his servants bravely came to him and asked:

Naaman’s Servant: My lord, is the prophet Elisha had asked you to do a great or hard task, wouldn’t you have done it?  How much easier is it to just go and wash, and be clean?

Narrator: After those words, Naaman went and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, just as Elisha had told him to do, and he came out of the river completely healed, with smooth and clear skin like that a little child.  Then he went to Elisha and brought his entire household with him.

Naaman: Now I know that there is no God but the one Elisha has told us about.  He is the one true God!

Follow-up “APPS”—questions & ways to APP-ly the lessons of this healing to our lives – TODAY!

What a great story to talk about on so many levels!  Start with one that seems best, and let Love’s listening and angel messages lead your discussion.

1. Does salvation come by grace? Or by our good works? [Kerry Jenkins PCYL 4]
   Like Naaman, “do we sometimes think that we are “really good” people?  Is there anything wrong with that?  The answer is that if you understand where the goodness comes from, no!  But if you think that you are virtuous through your own efforts and toil, then, yes.  Citation S6 (p. 14:5-16) reiterates the Biblical statement we cannot “serve two masters”.  We cannot have two views of ourselves: 1. Important, good, material person.  2. a child of God. The first is “perfectionism” which will cause anxiety and stress as we try to fulfill an impossible level of goodness.  The other is where you've put on the yoke of Christ and all goodness is from God.  …this story illustrates the need to really bow before the source of man's goodness.”

2. Stay humble: avoid preconceptions of how blessings will come. [Kerry PYCL 5]
   “Talk about the muddy river of Jordan and how Naaman, if he had to take a swim, wanted to dip in his home rivers which were clear and clean-looking…  Mention that Naaman was a very important man; he ruled over a kingdom's army and had the respect even of the people that he had taken captive.  What kind of reception would he have expected from the prophet?  What kind of reception did he get?  Who came out to tell him what he needed to do?  Was it the great prophet Elisha?  Did Elisha's directions include some complicated deed of bravery?  What does that say to us today about what we need to do when we are struggling with a challenge?  Maybe we need to work on our sense of humility and purity, rather than getting too complicated?… [If it seems like] God doesn’t “talks” to us today, could this be because we want to [hear an audible voice or] see the heavens part, or see someone come out and “…strike his hand over the place…” (B4. II Kings 5:1-15). Are we overlooking the humble manifestations of God's love and blessings for us because we have a preconceived idea of what it should be like when God speaks or presents Herself to us?

3. Discuss Symbolism & Salvation, Baptism, Communion from Inside Out! [PYCL 6]
   “What does baptism symbolize?  What does Mrs. Eddy say about it? (S10, 581:23)  [Share how] the traditional Christian view of this act is tightly interwoven with the idea of salvation, which is also defined in citation S7 (p. 593:20)…  How can we be baptized every day?  Why don't we do traditional baptism in our church?  Same goes for the sacrament of Communion: what is it, why don't we do it traditionally, how do we celebrate Communion?  … mention here the prayer in the church service on our knees.  Why do we kneel?  What is the difference between prayer and communion?  …check out Section 4 for all the symbolic meanings of the bread, wine, cup and so on.  Maybe they could put these ideas into their own words.