Introduction:
A. The story is told of a young child at a Catholic school who went to confession.
1. Because the younger children at the parochial school often forgot their sins when they entered the confessional, the teachers would have the students write down a list of their sins.
2. As the boy prepared himself in the confessional, the priest could hear him unfolding a piece of paper.
3. The youngster began, “These are my sins: I lied to my parents. I disobeyed my mom. I fought with my brothers and...”
4. There was a long pause. Then a small surprised voice said, “Hey, this isn’t my list!” (Rev. Douglas F. Fortner in Reader’s Digest)
B. Today we will see that confession is, indeed, good for the soul, but only if it is our sins that we are confessing.
C. Let’s review for just a minute.
1. We are engaged in a study of the life of David, king of Israel.
2. He is such a significant biblical person that 62 chapters of the Old Testament are devoted to his biography.
3. And not only that, there are more than 50 references to him in the New Testament, by far more than any other biblical character, except Jesus.
4. Nevertheless, this great man after God’s own heart committed a series of terrible sins that led to terrible consequences.
5. David was about 50 years old when he committed adultery with Bathsheba.
6. Then, rather than immediately face it and admit it, he covered it up with premeditated murder.
7. For the better part of a year, he lived a life of hypocrisy and deception.
8. Then in a marvelous move on God’s part He finally brought to David a man of great integrity, a man who told him the truth.
9. As we will see, I don’t think any other confrontation, in the history of confrontation, has ever been so brief and so effective.
10. Four three-letter words did the job…but we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves…let’s look at the story.
I. The Story
A. Last week we exited the story with this Scripture: “But the thing David had done displeased the LORD.” (2 Sam. 11:27)
1. What displeased the Lord 3000 years ago still displeases the Lord today!
2. To cheapen marriage with an adulterous relationship is still a willful sin, even though many people do it.
3. This very night, in secret places, people with wedding rings given by another person, will be with individuals that are not their marriage partners.
4. Yes, this is still evil in the eyes of the Lord.
B. David may have pulled one over on everyone else, but he didn’t pull one over on the Lord.
1. God designed a strategy to bring David to his knees – God certainly knows how to do that.
2. We must understand that God doesn’t settle His accounts at the end of each month or, for that matter at the end of each year.
3. But when God does settle them, we realize that Scripture is right when it says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” (Gal. 6:7)
C. Let’s consider for a moment what life was like for David between the time he sinned, and the time when he was confronted.
1. Was life enjoyable for David? Did he have long wonderful nights with his new wife, free from guilt?
2. Was David in a marvelous state of mind during that time?
3. All we have to do is take a peak at Psalm 32 to answer those questions.
4. David wrote: “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.” (Ps. 32:1-4)
5. No, life was not pleasant for David while he tried to live with the guilt of his sin.
D. Someone has described the way people handle guilt by illustrating it with the warning light on the dashboard of a car.
1. If you’re driving along, and the red light flashes on, it’s saying, “Take notice! There’s trouble under the hood.”
2. At that moment, you have a choice.
a. You can stop, get out of the car, open the hood, and see what’s wrong.
b. Or you can carry a small hammer in the glove compartment, and when the red light comes on, you can knock it out with the hammer and keep on driving.
c. No one will know the difference for a while…until you burn up the engine.
3. At that point, we look back and realize what a stupid decision it was to not pay attention to the light on the dashboard.
4. Some Christians carry imaginary hammers in the glove compartment of their conscience.
5. When the light of true guilt begins to flash, they take out the hammer and knock out the light.
6. Then somewhere down the road they look back and realize what a foolish decision it was to not stop and come to terms with what their conscience was trying to warn them about.
E. That’s what David was trying to do – He was trying to ignore his conscience, but it wasn’t working.
1. In the aftermath of the adultery and murder, David was struggling.
2. He no doubt wasn’t relaxing, taking life easy, sipping lemonade next to his swimming pool.
3. Rather, he was no doubt experiencing sleepless nights.
4. Everywhere he turned, he was reminded of it.
5. As paranoia set in, he likely saw his sin written across the walls. He saw it on the plate where he tried to choke down his meals. He saw it on the faces of his counselors.
F. Do you remember the short story by Edgar Allen Poe called “The Tell-Tale Heart”?
1. It is the story of a man who murders an old man with an ugly “vulture eye.”
2. The murder is carefully calculated, and the murderer hides the body under the floorboards of his house.
3. Ultimately the murderer’s guilt manifests itself in the hallucination that the man’s heart is still beating under the floorboards, and he’s afraid others will hear it as it beats louder and louder.
4. The police came to interview the murderer and the rest of the story goes like this: “No doubt I now grew very pale;—but I talked more fluently, and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased—and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound—much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath—and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly—more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. Why would they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men—but the noise steadily increased. Oh God! what could I do? I foamed—I raved—I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder—louder—louder! And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God!—no, no! They heard!—they suspected!—they knew!—they were making a mockery of my horror!—this I thought, and this I think. But anything was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die!—and now—again!—hark! louder! louder! louder! louder!—‘Villains!’ I shrieked, ‘dissemble no more! I admit the deed!—tear up the planks!—here, here!—it is the beating of his hideous heart!’”
G. So David was surely a man tormented by his guilt.
1. During this time he was a miserable husband, an irritable father, and a poor leader.
2. He lived a lie, but he couldn’t escape the truth.
3. He had no joy. He felt insecure.
4. He was a guilty man and the guilt was there oppressively and constantly.
5. But then Nathan came and confronted David with the truth.
H. It is worth noting that Nathan didn’t come on his own – He was sent by God.
1. The Bible says, “The LORD sent Nathan to David.” (2 Sam. 12:1)
2. And when did God send Nathan?
a. Was it right after the act of adultery? No.
b. Was it right after Bathsheba said, “I am pregnant?” No.
c. Was it right after David murdered Uriah? No.
d. Was it right after David married Uriah’s pregnant widow? No.
e. Was it right after the birth of the baby conceived in sin? No.
3. God waited until just the right time.
a. To be honest with you I must tell you that there are times when I question God’s timing.
b. But the truth of the matter is that God is always on time.
c. God not only does the right thing; He does it at the right time!
4. And God not only chooses the right time, He chooses the right person.
I. God chose Nathan.
1. He was a man who had earned David’s respect over the years.
2. Nathan the prophet needed no introduction – David knew him well.
3. But try to put yourself in the sandals of Nathan – can you imagine what he was thinking and feeling when God gave him this assignment.
4. “You want me to do what, to whom?”
5. So God said to Nathan, “Go to David and confront him about his sin.” Nathan immediately obeyed God’s command.
J. Surely Nathan sought the Lord’s guidance while on the way to his confrontation with David.
1. Nathan was wise enough to speak in parabolic form – this was the most potent mode of expression used in primitive societies.
2. We note that it was a powerful method employed by Jesus.
3. With this story-approach, David was drawn in and disarmed at the same time.
K. The touching story Nathan told is well known.
1. There was a poor man who had a tiny pet lamb which was his most precious possession.
2. He had reared it lovingly by hand along with his own children until it was like a member of the family.
3. In the same town there lived a very wealthy man.
4. When unexpected visitors came to his house he refused to take even one lamb from his huge flocks.
5. Instead he cruelly and arrogantly took the pet lamb of the poor man and served it up to his guests.
6. The parable sent David into a rage. The Bible says: David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.” (vs. 5,6)
L. And then with unflinching eyes the brave prophet looked at David and said: “You are the man!” (4, 3 letter words did the trick!)
1. It was as if this mighty monarch had been struck between the eyes with a sword.
2. And indeed that was the case, but it was the sword of the Spirit and it stabbed David deep into his soul.
3. Clearly, sharply and painfully, he saw himself and all the awfulness of his sin.
4. In his arrogance and lust, David had selfishly exploited Bathsheba and stole her from Uriah.
5. In his covetousness and cold-blooded callousness, he had planned the death of Uriah.
6. In his self-centered preoccupation, he had deliberately implicated Joab in his crime.
7. In his sin against God and man, David had brought blasphemy upon God’s honor.
8. For any single one of these offenses David deserved to die, as was clearly stated in the Mosaic Law.
M. Then before David could interrupt, Nathan went on, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ’I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’
“This is what the LORD says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ ” (12:7-12)
1. Can you imagine how devastating these word must have been?
2. In his sin, David had despised the God who had loved and blessed him.
3. Now, as a result, for years to come, David was going to experience all kinds of grief.
4. A glance ahead reveals the turmoil, tragedy and heartache that would come upon his family.
5. It is hard to imagine any worse consequences that could have come upon him.
6. It would have been far easier to die than to have to face the consequences that lay ahead.
N. So try to picture David sitting there in the wake of this pronouncement.
1. Picture him sitting there with his mouth still open in shock.
2. Picture him staring into space as the weight of the punishment settles upon him.
3. I wonder if there wasn’t an eerie silence that hung in the air for the moments between when Nathan finished and when David spoke.
4. I can’t help but picture David dropping to his knees at this point, with his face buried in his hands; with tears running from his eyes, and in a shameful utterance saying, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
5. And with that admission, the restoration began.
M. Nathan immediately responded, “The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will die.” (12:13,14)
1. At that point, Nathan’s mission was complete. End of the confrontation.
2. Nathan, turned and walked to the door, opened it, stepped through, and closed it behind him and David is left alone.
3. Can you imagine how hard it must have been for David to then go tell Bathsheba what Nathan the prophet had just told him?
4. Perhaps it was that same evening that David wrote Psalm 51:1-4, 7-12
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”
II. Application:
A. From the example of David we see what true repentance looks like.
1. First, we see that true repentance begins with an open, unguarded admission.
a. When a person holds back the truth or tells you only part of it, he or she is not repentant.
2. Second, we see that with true repentance there is a commitment to make a complete break from sin.
a. True repentance is a turning around. A going in the opposite direction from sin, making a complete break with what has been.
3. Third, we see that with true repentance the spirit is broken and humble.
a. Psalm 51:17 says, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”
4. Fourth, we see that with true repentance the person claims God’s forgiveness and reinstatement.
a. All sins are forgivable when they are confessed and forsaken, but some sins carry tremendous ramifications and lingering consequences.
b. When we repent, God promises forgiveness and restoration through the blood of Christ, but God does not promise relief from any and all consequences.
c. 1 John contains this promise: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
B. Perhaps you are here today and are suffering under a load of guilt because you are continuing to live in sin.
1. You are participating in secret sin and are living with such duplicity that you feel like you will be torn in two.
2. Please hear the message from God through the prophet Nathan, “You are the man…You are the woman.”
3. And if you, like King David will confess, “I have sinned against the Lord,” then you will hear, “The Lord has taken away your sin.”
4. What a relief will come crashing over your soul!
C. Perhaps there are others among us today who are suffering under a load of guilt, but not because they are continuing to live in sin, but because they have sinned in the past and are resisting God’s forgiveness and reinstatement.
1. The guilt and shame may be causing you to feel too unworthy to be forgiven.
2. Please understand that nothing could be further from the truth.
3. None of us are deserving, and that is not the basis for the forgiveness God offers.
4. God’s forgiveness is a gift of God’s grace and love.
5. It is given on the basis of our great need, and our willingness to admit that need.
6. It is not God’s will that we refuse His gift of grace, but it is His will that we receive it with both sorrow and joy.
7. Sorrow that we need it, and joy that it is freely given by God and that it brings such relief.
D. I want us to end with a prayer of confession, and I hope and pray that it will unleash within us the healing grace of God that takes away our sin because of what Jesus has done for us.
1. If you are a Christian today, then all you need to do is pray a prayer of confession and God will forgive.
2. So let us bow our heads and cry out to God.
3. “Oh Lord Almighty, the God of this universe, creator of heaven and earth, maker of human kind, we humble ourselves before you.
We come today with broken and contrite spirits.
We know that our sin is ever before you. Some of us need to come clean before you today, Oh Lord. Some of us have been continuing in sin. We have been caught in Satan’s trap and we want to break free. Oh Lord, please break us free today. Open wide the trap and release us from its awful grip on our lives.
What guilt we feel from this sin; what sorrow. Please forgive us, Oh Lord for the things we have been doing. Thank you for Jesus who died for our sins. Thank you for your grace.
Father, please give us the ability to accept the forgiveness you offer. We know we don’t deserve it. We don’t’ feel worthy to even reach out and accept your gift of forgiveness. Help us to get beyond this reluctance, and allow your forgiveness to wash over us like a refreshing wave of the sea.
Father, please help each of us to leave here today with all our burdens of sin and guilt and shame lifted from us. Restore to us the joy of your salvation and grant us a willing spirit, to sustain us.
We praise you for your mighty power and your unfailing love.
Thank you for hearing our heartfelt prayers. In Jesus name. Amen”
4. If you are not a Christian, then you have to do something more than pray to receive the forgiveness of your sins.
5. God’s instructions for you are found in Acts 2:38, which says, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
6. Are you ready to take that step towards salvation if you are not a Christian?
7. If you are a Christian, are you ready to take that step toward restoration?
8. God is waiting and He will welcome you with open arms.
Resources:
David – A Man of Passion and Destiny, by Charles R. Swindoll, Word Publishing, 1997.
David I, by W. Phillip Keller, Word Books, 1985.
I and II Samuel, David F. Payne, The Daily Study Bible Series, Westminster Press, 1982
First and Second Samuel, J. Carl Laney, Everyman’s Bible Commentary, Moody Bible Institute, 1982.
First and Second Samuel, Eugene Peterson, Westminster Bible Companion, Westminster John Knox Press, 1999.
First and Second Samuel, Walter Brueggemann, Interpretation, John Knox Press, 1990.
