This sermon examines the destructive nature of greed through the biblical account of Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, revealing four critical lessons about how greed corrupts spiritual life and ministry. By understanding these warnings from 2 Kings 5:15-27, believers can recognize greed’s subtle influence and embrace the biblical antidote of contentment and generosity through seeking God’s kingdom first.

The message demonstrates how even those in spiritual leadership positions can fall prey to greed’s temptation, making this teaching relevant for every believer regardless of their role in ministry.

Watch the full sermon from Easley Bible Methodist Church below:

The Context: Naaman’s Healing and Response

The sermon begins by connecting to the previous week’s teaching about Naaman’s healing from leprosy. Pastor Jonathan Slagenweit emphasizes that Naaman’s healing came not from the Jordan River’s properties, but from his obedience to God’s word through the prophet Elisha. This sets the stage for understanding how disobedience, driven by greed, would soon corrupt Elisha’s servant Gehazi.

After his healing, Naaman traveled approximately 20 miles back to Samaria to thank Elisha—a significant journey in ancient times. This demonstrates the importance of maintaining a spirit of thanksgiving when God works in our lives, paralleling Jesus’s teaching about the ten lepers where only one returned to give thanks.

Four Lessons About Greed

1. No One Is Immune to the Power of Greed

The first and perhaps most sobering lesson is that every person possesses the capacity for greed. Gehazi wasn’t just anyone—he was Elisha’s personal assistant, a minister in training, part of the prophetic school. The sermon emphasizes that even spiritual people face this temptation, noting that “Satan does not care how he gets us. He only cares that he gets us.”

Pastor Slagenweit shares a personal testimony from his college years when someone tried to lure him away from ministry with promises of financial success. This illustrates how greed tests everyone, regardless of their spiritual calling or maturity.

2. Greed Affects Your View of Ministry

When Elisha refused Naaman’s generous offer of payment (estimated at around $3 million in today’s currency), Gehazi couldn’t understand why. His greed clouded his perspective, making him see ministry as a profit-making opportunity rather than service to God.

This principle extends beyond full-time ministry. The sermon challenges laypeople who might ask “What’s the profit for me?” when considering church service or volunteer work. Greed can make us evaluate ministry opportunities based on personal gain rather than Kingdom impact.

3. Greed Affects Your Integrity

Gehazi’s pursuit of Naaman’s gifts required multiple lies: he lied to Naaman about why he needed the silver, deceived Naaman’s servants about where to store it, and then lied directly to Elisha about where he had been. The sermon traces this web of deception that greed necessitated.

The application extends to modern scenarios: falsifying time cards at work, dishonesty on tax returns, and family conflicts over inheritances. Greed doesn’t just affect our desires—it corrupts our character and destroys relationships.

4. Greed Will Mark Your Life for Destruction

The consequences of Gehazi’s greed were severe and permanent. Elisha pronounced that Naaman’s leprosy would cling to Gehazi and his descendants forever. As an Israelite and prophet in training, Gehazi understood the devastating implications—he would spend the rest of his life as an outcast, required to cry “unclean” when approaching others.

This demonstrates how greed’s consequences extend beyond the individual, affecting families for generations. The physical leprosy served as a visible manifestation of the spiritual corruption greed had already worked in Gehazi’s heart.

The Biblical Antidote to Greed

The sermon concludes with hope, presenting Jesus’s teaching as the cure for a greedy heart. In Matthew 6:24, Jesus declares that no one can serve both God and wealth. The antidote involves two key elements: contentment and generosity.

True freedom from greed comes through surrendering our hearts to Jesus Christ and trusting Him to provide. As Matthew 6:33 instructs, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all of these things will be added unto you.” This requires a fundamental shift in priorities—from accumulating earthly wealth to pursuing God’s kingdom.

The service closed with the congregation singing “Seek Ye First,” reinforcing the message that when we prioritize God’s kingdom above material possessions, He faithfully provides everything we truly need. This truth offers both a warning against greed’s destructive power and the promise of God’s sufficient provision for those who seek Him first.

The Price of Eternal Life

Introduction

Thank you so much, Wilson family, for that wonderful reminder. We have a friend in Jesus. And he’s a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Amen.

Recognizing Reformation Sunday

Well, this morning marks a pretty important day in the church. Anybody know what today is? It’s Sunday. Yes. Very good. Austin, you are right on top of it.

Understanding Reformation Sunday

We’re so glad. We give them a medal today, somebody. Today marks what we think of or know of as Reformation Sunday. We’re here today as, as a church in a large part, because of Martin Luther, in 1517, protesting against the Catholic church and some of the things that he saw were egregious errors that needed to be confronted. He went to the castle church door in Wittenberg, Germany, and nailed his 95 theses to that door, which began a revolution, a reformation within church history. And we’re a part of that reformation movement because of a man who stood up for truth.

A Defining Moment for Martin Luther

Now, I’ll tell you I’m not preaching from Romans chapter 1, which would be the typical place that you would turn to on Reformation Sunday, right? Because Martin Luther was so radically impacted by Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 1 when Paul wrote that “the just shall live by faith,” that was a defining moment in Martin Luther’s life.

Parallel to Martin Luther: The Rich Young Ruler’s Quest for Eternal Life

This morning, I want to look at a character from scripture that faced a defining moment. He was in many respects much like Martin Luther, a man who wanted to know how can I have eternal life? He wanted to know what it took for him to know that he could receive eternal life. But the scripture that we’re gonna read tells us a very sad story, not one that ended like Martin Luther.

Turning to the Gospel of Matthew

Inviting you to turn with me into the gospel of Matthew chapter 19. This particular account is actually recorded in the first three gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. We’re gonna look at Matthew’s account of it.

Reading Matthew 19:16-26

I would invite you to stand with me for the reading of God’s word as we look at what Matthew records for us amidst these words of Jesus. We’re gonna consider this morning. This is what we read beginning in verse 16 of Matthew chapter 19.

The Rich Young Ruler’s Question

And behold, one came and said unto him, good master. What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?

Jesus’ Response: Keeping the Commandments

And he said unto him, why call us thou me good? There is none good, but one, that is God. But if that will enter into life, keep the commandments. He sayeth unto him which one.

Listing the Commandments

Jesus said thou shalt do no murder, thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shall not steal. Thou shall not bear false witness. Honor thy father and thy mother and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

The Rich Young Ruler’s Confidence

The young man said unto him, all these things have I kept for my youth up? What lack I yet?

The Challenge: Surrendering Possessions

Jesus said unto him, if thou will be perfect, go and sell what thou hast, then give to the poor. And thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come and follow me.

The Rich Young Ruler’s Response

But when the young man heard that saying he went away sorrowful, for he had great possession.

Jesus’ Teaching on Riches and Salvation

Then said Jesus unto his disciples verily. I say unto you that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again, I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard this, they were exceedingly amazed saying, who then can be saved? But Jesus said unto them, and Jesus beheld them and said unto them, with men, this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.

Prayer for Revelation and Transformation

Let’s pray together, Father. This morning as we’re considering an account from scripture that probably many of us know by heart, I pray that your Holy Spirit would illuminate this truth afresh and anew to us. May we not just hear a story that we’ve heard over and over again, but may we hear your word afresh and anew in our hearts? And I pray Holy Spirit that you would take this word and that you would plow it deep into our hearts. Help us to see ourselves in light of this word and allow your word to bear forth fruit in us. I pray in Jesus’ name.

Conclusion and Blessing

You may be seated. This morning, I wanna talk to you about the price of eternal life. Last night, we as a church had an opportunity to share the gospel with some 2,500 to 3,000 people. Those are just estimates, but we had the opportunity to share that gospel, with those people.

Closing Remarks and Dismissal

The culmination of all of the trunks ended, with the story of what God is preparing for us, heaven. The reality that there is eternal life. I found it interesting as the groups made their way through last night, there was one little fellow that made a profound statement to me, something that just stood out to me. After I told about all of the trunks, what they had learned, how God had created all things, made it perfect, beautiful, and good, And then they had gone to the trunk that they had discovered what happened, why there’s pain and suffering and death in this world because of Satan and sin entering into the world. And I talked about how each