Confession Is Good For Our Souls

CONFESSION IS GOOD FOR OUR SOULS (Outline)

J

uly 5, 2009 --

PENTECOST 5 --

2 Samuel 12:1-10; 13-15

INTRO: The problem with mankind in this world is sin, sin, and sin. Not many want to hear about sin. Mankind cannot solve the problem of sin. Everyone sins. Everyone will continue to sin. Thankfully the Lord provides the solution to sin in this world. The Lord’s solution is his divine forgiveness. Daily we confess that we are sinful. Daily we confess sorrow over our sins. Daily we confess that it is the Lord and the Lord alone who forgives our sins. "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death" (2 CORINTHIANS 7:10).

CONFESSION IS GOOD FOR OUR SOULS.

I. Human desire completely corrupts.

II. God’s forgiveness completely cures.

I. HUMAN DESIRE COMPLETELY CORRUPTS

A. Verse 1a. Nathan is God’s prophet. David is God’s king. Nathan was sent to bring David to repent.

1. Verses 1b-3. Nathan tells about a rich man and poor man. One has everything, one very little.

2. Verse 4. When a traveler comes the rich man steals from the poor. The rich take and take.

B. Verse 5. David is visibly very angry. The rich man is to pay back four times for his greed, verse 6.

1. Verse 7a. Nathan’s words condemn, “You are the man!” David was that wicked, rich man.

2. Verse 7b, 8a. David had been given everything: protection, a palace, wives, and kingdoms.

3. Selfishly David lusted after more. Worse he allowed his lust to turn into evil deeds, verse 9.

C. Verse 9a. WHY?!? This was the difficult question that David would have to answer.

D. We, too, question David’s sinful desires and actions. Why? We direct our accusations at David over and over. Pretty soon we see ourselves reflected in the face and life of David. Over and over the Lord accuses us because of our own wicked works. The Lord asks us, “Why?” We have very little to say in response to that question. Sin is a part of our lives. Sin has been a part of lives since our conception. We cannot escape the effects of sin. We dare not think ourselves any better than anyone else. "Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death" (JAMES 1:14,15). Just as none can escape death so none escape sin. We are all dragged away and tempted by our own evil desires, corrupt

E. The desires that lurk in our hearts are evil. This is the truth none of us can escape. Oh, we might try to justify ourselves by thinking that we are not as bad as others. After all, there are far worse people who have done far worse things than I have. Thus we try to justify sin away. But the Lord looks at our hearts. We like to think that our dark hearts have evil safely tucked away and out of sight. True, man cannot see the evil that lurks within. God does. God considers man’s desires to be just as sinful as our words or deeds. "For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly" (MARK 7:21,22). We shudder at this list of our shortcomings. Our every human desire completely corrupts us.

F. There is no escape from sin. We have inherited sin and sinfulness from our very first parents, Adam and Eve. They lived in a perfect world. Yet they still sinned. By the next generation brother was already killing brother. Cain killed Abel. Sin is powerful in its effect. Sin is powerful in its reach. We never want to underestimate the consequence of sin in each and every one of our lives. "The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time"(GENESIS 6:5). Our desires completely and utterly corrupt us.

CONFESSION IS GOOD FOR OUR SOULS. Our desires corrupt us. Our sinful desires spill out into our lives with wicked words and evil actions. There is no escape by our own doing. Thankfully…

II. GOD’S FORGIVENESS COMPLETELY CURES

A. Nathan used the story of the cold-hearted rich man to touch the cold heart of King David.

1. We have Nathan’s chilling condemnations: “Why?” and “You are the man!”

2. Verse 8b. David had everything. He could ask for even more. But he did not.

3. Selfishly David took what was not his to take. (Please READ Chapter 11, for this affair.)

B. Verse 10. David’s actions would result in personal consequences. Absalom was a rebellious son.