Confession Is Good For The Soul

CONFESSION IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL (Outline)

August 29, 2021 - Pentecost 14 - 2 SAMUEL 12:1-13

INTRO.: Sin is serious. Deadly serious. Dangerous. Sin is soul-destroying. Our Savior Jesus is soul-restoring. Do not be deceived by the devil. Misled by the world. Or fooled by our own sinful nature. Sin is still sin. “But each person is tempted when he is dragged away and enticed by his own desire. Then when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin. And sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death.” (JAMES 1:14, 15) We have sinful desires. Our desires give birth to sin. Sin to death. Every soul that sins is the soul that dies. We all sin. We all die. Thankfully we have a Savior. CONFESSION IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL. I. Recognize wretchedness. II. Forgiveness, full and free.

I. RECOGNIZE OUR WRETCHEDNESS

A. Verse 1a. “So the Lord sent Nathan to David.” Unpleasant task. Necessary and needed truth.

1. Verses 1b-3a. Rich man had everything. Poor man had one little ewe lamb.

2. Verse 3b. Lamb was treasured possession. Treated like family. Very special.

B. Verse 4. Traveler came. Rich man - selfish. Stole ewe lamb from poor man. Despicable.

1. Verses 5, 6. David angry. Condemned the rich man. Demanded four-fold repayment.

2. Verse 7a. “You are the man.” This was the Lord’s message to David. Wretched sinner.

C. Verses 7b, 8. Lord made David king. Saved from Saul. Gave him Israel and Judah to rule.

1. David had everything. Not enough? Lord would have given David even more.

2. Verse 9. “Why have you despised the word of the Lord by doing evil in his eyes?”

a. David had Uriah the Hittite killed (friend). b. Stole Uriah’s wife (Bathsheba)

D. Once a shepherd. Now king. The Lord had done all this for David. What more could anyone ask for? But it was not enough. What about us? Are any one of us lacking anything? Sure, there may be lots of things we want. Do we really, truly need all those things we want? Our sinful nature says, “More. Bigger. Better. Newer.” We live in a land blessed with more than enough stuff. Some small towns have built more storage units than dwellings. Advertising appeals to our sinful nature. Sinful desires. Godliness and contentment is our greatest gain. Stinging words: “You are the man (or person).” We are greedy. Guilty. Wretched sinners. “Then he said to them, ‘Watch out and be on guard against all greed, because a man’s life is not measured by how many possessions he has.’” (LUKE 12:15)

E. Our sinful world is very dangerous. The worldly constantly oppose the truth of God. The truth of God’s word. Experts warn us about climate change. Man has destroyed the world. The Lord God created this world. Still preserves the world to this day. People think they can change the atmosphere. All too many even think and teach that genders can be changed after being born. Emotions rule. Feelings prevail over truth. All this sinfulness and deception is simply putting mankind first. The Lord second. “Such people have traded the truth about God for the lie, worshiping and serving the creation rather than the Creator, who is worthy of praise forever. Amen." (ROMANS 1:25)

F. Pride is a powerful delusion. Adam and Eve gave in to pride. They sinned because they want-ed to become like God. The man who harvested much built bigger barns. His soul was demanded from him that night. What do we bring before the Lord? What do we have to offer at God’s throne? Not all our possessions. Not all our stuff. Only our sins. Wickedness. Wretchedness. “You say, “I am rich. I have become very wealthy and need nothing.” But you do not know that you are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.” (REVELATION 3:17) Miserable = wretched. Recognize our sinfulness.

CONFESSION IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL. We see our sinfulness – wretchedness.

II. FIND FORGIVENESS FULL AND FREE

A. Nathan boldly stood before King David with the Lord’s message: “You are the man.”

1. David was as detestable as the rich man who stole the one loved lamb from the poor man.

2. Verse 10. David despised God’s word. The Lord. Sword not depart from David’s life.

B. Verse 11. There were consequences for David’s sins of adultery, murder, greed.

1. David would be publicly humiliated. Others would openly sleep with his concubines.

2. Verse 12. David thought his sins done in secret. God saw. Knew. Everyone knew.

C. Verse 13a. Now even David saw and knew his sins. “I have sinned against the Lord.” Confessed.

1. Verse 13b. “The Lord has himself has put away your sin.” David’s sin forgiven fully, freely.

2. Law reveals sin. Wretchedness. Gospel reveals Savior. Forgiveness.