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.
1. Worse, David represented God’s people. Other nations knew of David’s adultery and murder.
2. There would be more consequences, verse 14, 15. (Please READ the rest of chapter 12.)
C. Verse 13a. David makes no excuses for his actions. David does not try to justify himself for Nathan.
1. David confesses, “I have sinned against the Lord”. His visible, earthly sins were against God.
2. Verse 13b. The Lord takes away David’s sin. This is God’s free, divine forgiveness.
D. Sin is our problem. Forgiveness is God’s cure. When God forgives he also forgets. We mighty forgive but it is much harder for us to forget. When God forgives he removes the punishment for sin once and for all. God’s forgiveness is almost beyond our human comprehension. We do not deserve to be forgiven. We cannot buy God’s forgiveness. In spite of our daily sinning much God daily forgives even more. "’Come now, let us reason together,’ says the LORD. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool’" (ISAIAH 1:18). Our bright, shining sins (red, crimson) are made as white as snow and wool. God’s forgiveness covers sins.
E. Jesus paid the price for the sins of the whole world. It is just as important to know, believe, and confess that Jesus paid for the sins of each one of us. Individually our heavenly Father forgives our sins. Our heavenly Father knows our needs. Our heavenly Father cares for us perfectly. Jesus told of the shepherd who would leave ninety-nine sheep to recover one lost lamb. The woman would diligently search and sweep the entire house to find one lost coin. "In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents"(LUKE 15:10). God always searches for us.
F. God’s forgiveness comes only in one form. God’s forgiveness is given through the life, death, sacrifice, and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior. Jesus shed his holy, precious blood to cover up all of our wickedness and sin. This is the blood theology that the Bible clearly teaches. It is not the prettiest picture. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. All of the Old Testament sacrifices pointed ahead to that perfect sacrifice of Christ, the Lord. "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin" (1 JOHN 1:7). Though completely corrupt Jesus’ blood makes us clean from ALL sin.
CONC.: Who can truly, fully comprehend and appreciate the boundless grace and mercy of our loving Lord? We are corrupt, completely, all of our lives. We sin and sin and sin some more. God’s answer to our problems and the solution for our sins is to sacrifice his Son in our place. This is God’s great love. Consider David. His life with Bathsheba began with lust, adultery, and murder. Their first son died. But – their next son – was Solomon. Who can figure out the mind of God? It is the same with his forgiveness for us corrupt, contemptible creatures. "The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities" (PSALM 103:8-10). CONFESSION IS GOOD FOR OUR SOULS. We confess that our every desire completely corrupts our entire life. We also joyfully confess God’s forgiveness completely cures us. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
SERVICES: 1:00pm @ NCF Min. (Sat) / 12:00pm @ NCF Medium (Sun) / 9:30am @ Redeemer (Sun)
BIBLE STUDIES: TUES. -- 6:00pm (Min) + 7:30pm (Med) @ NCF / 10:55am @ Redeemer (Sun)
/ Sunday radio broadcast @ 9:05am on KQNK 106.7FM or 1530AM
PENTECOST 5 readings:
JOB 38:1-11;
2 CORINTHIANS 5:14-21;
MARK 4:35-41;
(PSALM 46)
