Sermon Central
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Things That Are So Easy To Do
Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Dec 12, 2010 (message contributor)
Summary: David was a man after God’s own heart yet he sinned on many occasions. His most grievous sin was probably his affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah. David found out just how easy it is to sin and to displease God.
Intro: The Bible is quite honest in its record of great men and women. It not only records their good deeds and testimony worthy of our example, but also their failures and sin which were written for our admonition and warning. Take one of the finest kings of Israel – David, a man after God’s own heart yet sinned on many occasions. His most grievous sin was probably his affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah. David found out just how easy it is to sin and to displease God.
1. IT’S SO EASY TO BE LAZY IN DUTIES (v. 1)
Instead of going off to war with his soldiers, David stayed behind. He was careless in his responsibilities. One of the great problems we have as Christians is that we get negligent in our commitments to the Lord. If we do not continue to fight the world, the flesh, and the Devil, we become lazy (I Pet. 5:8; Matt. 22:37-40: Eph. 6:10-11). When we are lazy and idle, we will become open targets to temptation. David was relaxing at home when he should have been fighting the Lord’s battle!
2. IT’S SO EASY TO LUST AFTER THE FLESH (v. 2)
A lust is a natural physical appetite taken to the extreme. We have healthy natural desires like hunger, thirst, the need for rest and relaxation, and even sex. However, when these natural needs have gone out of control, they can lead to lust and sin. Our enemies – Satan, sin and the flesh – work through our fleshly nature to make us lust after the flesh and fall into sin (I John 2:15-16; Rom. 8:5-6, 13; Matt. 5:27-28).
3. IT’S SO EASY TO LOSE SELF-CONTROL (vv. 3-5)
Lust in the heart and mind is sin, but it also leads to the actual act of sin. Instead of resisting sin, David let go of any remaining control he had and committed adultery. It is easy for us to give in to our lusts as well if we are lax. When we do, it leads to trouble (Jas. 1:13-15). This is an inescapable law!
4. IT’S SO EASY TO LOOK FOR A COVER-UP (vv. 6-13)
David was looking for a cover up to his sin. As a result, he tried to make it look like Uriah had gotten his wife pregnant. David then had Uriah murdered so that he could marry Bathsheba and make the whole thing look legitimate. We can do low things just to keep others from discovering our sins.
5. IT’S SO EASY TO LET SIN MULTIPLY (vv. 14-18)
First it was lust, then adultery, then MULTIPLE murders (for surely other brave soldiers died along with Uriah in David’s plot!). Like an evil tree, sin never stops growing and bearing its evil fruits. Look around society and notice how many miserable individuals, couples and families there are just because one person started sinning and brought along God’s judgment upon all. When you sin and reap its evil consequences, you are not alone. Like a deadly epidemic, sin is spread by its first victim to others unless quickly put to an end. Think about that!
6. IT’S SO EASY TO LIVE A LIE BEFORE MEN (vv. 19-26)
David pretended to be living right, when in reality he was living in sin. It’s so easy and convenient to play the role of the hypocrite but we will only deceive others and ourselves not God who sees and knows everything. Many people pretend to be godly when they are not. Instead of repenting they live comfortably in hypocrisy! Needless to say, God hates hypocrisy!
7. IT’S SO EASY TO LACK GODLY CONSCIENCE (v. 27)
The Bible says, “But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.” It is so easy to please ourselves while all along displeasing God! It is important to note that in all of this the God who LOVED and BLESSED David was so offended. We are hurt most by those whom we love so much! It is hard enough to offend and provoke the wrath of sinful man, how much more of a holy God!! (Prov. 28:13; 13:15b).
Conclusion: The easiest things to do in life are not always the right things. What often seems to be practical, convenient, profitable, enjoyable, and right in our sight is outright sin and rebellion before God. There is one easy thing that you can do today as an unsaved person. That is, you can come to the Lord Jesus, repent, and believe in Him and you can receive forgiveness and eternal life TODAY. The Lord suffered, bled and died on the cross so that salvation can be EASY for you!
