Unexpected Encounters

Preached by Michael Cheuk
July 8, 2007, Sixth Sunday After Pentecost, Year C
2 Kings 5:1-15a

Unexpected encounters. We all have our stories of meeting people that we know but in places that we least expected. It can be discombobulating to see a familiar face in an unfamiliar setting. Or to have a person that you know act in an unexpected ways. In today’s Old Testament lesson, we see a story that has many unexpected encounters.

Our story begins with Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram. Now, Aram was a country north of Israel in what is now known as Syria. And just as Syria is often seen today as a threat to Israel, Aram in those days was a threat to Israel. Wouldn’t you know it, some things never change! Naaman was a great man and a great commander, and his troops had invaded Israel and taken back many Israelites as slaves. But as powerful a man as Naaman was, there was one thing that Naaman was absolutely powerless against. Naaman had leprosy, a dreaded skin disease, and neither his wealth, nor his power, nor his influence could have it cured. However, Naaman, in one of his raids, had captured an Israelite girl to serve as a handmaid to his wife. This enslaved, nondescript, unnamed young girl told her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

Here, we have our first unexpected encounter.

Passing the Baton

Preached by Michael Cheuk
July 1, 2007, Fifth Sunday After Pentecost, Year C
2 Kings 2:1-2,  6-14

Sunday, February 9, 2003 marked the beginning of the end of a basketball era.  That night in Atlanta, Sports Illustrated reported that Michael Jordan, amidst a thunderous standing ovation, stepped onto the basketball court in his thirteenth and final All-Star game that was televised live to 212 countries in 41 languages.  In that game, Jordan poured in 20 points to surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA All-Star Game’s all-time leading scorer.  It was also apparent that this All-Star game would be the beginning of Jordan’s farewell tour as sold-out crowds greeted him and the Washington Wizards everywhere they went for the rest of the season.[1]  During that time, sports writers mused on Jordan’s legacy as a basketball player.  Some compared him to Dr. J and Oscar Robertson.  Many were certain that he was the greatest player in the history of the game.  Up in the air however, was this question: who would now take up Jordan’s mantle as the premier basketball player in the world?  Allen Iverson?  Shaquille O’Neal?  Vince Carter?  Kobe Bryant?  There was no clear heir apparent to His Airness.

In today’s Old Testament lesson, we read of another farewell tour, this time of Elijah, one of the greatest prophets in the history of Israel.