2 Samuel 11 & 12
Theme: David was “a man after God’s own heart”. What a thing to be known for. Keep that in mind as we read about the fall of this very same man. David loved the Lord and yet we see sin characterize his heart. As we walk through 2 Samuel, notice how sin presents itself in David’s life, the way he embraces it, and the results of these actions. Also, keep in mind that this story points to a much bigger picture than sin. Remember that we see Christ on every page of this story.
Major Points:
(The Fall of David)
David underestimated not only the power of sin but also the result of it. Much like David, many of us treat our sin as if it isn’t hurting anyone. As long as no one knows it’s not a big deal, or maybe the thought “well i need to work on that” all the while continuing to walk in the very same sin. The truth is, our sin will always lead to destruction. Even the smallest sin will chip away at our hearts and minds until it ultimately drives a wedge between us and Christ. It also has consequences on those around us. For example, David’s action led to the destruction of a marriage and the death of an innocent man. This should remind us that sin has an incredible amount of power over us and those around us. If we are not actively killing sin it will be killing us. Part of addressing this issue is recognizing the pattern of sin. The way we see it in this particular story of David is:
Idleness
Temptation
Action
Conceal (Cover-up)
David grew to be complacent. When he should have been on the battlefield, he stayed back in comfort. In his idleness he was tempted by sin. In his neutral state he was susceptible to acting upon that temptation. His first response was to conceal or cover up his actions so that others wouldn’t know the terrible things he had done. Destruction was the result of all of this. We have to recognize these characteristics in our life before we can begin to kill the sin that is killing us.
(The Response of David)
Although David’s natural response was to cover up his sin, he was shown grace by God in sending Nathan to him. Nathan (as a tool being used by God) brought David’s sin to light. David’s response was much different at this point. There was no more denial, blame shifting or justifying, only confession and repentance. We find an amazing picture of repentance in PSALM 51. David had a change of heart, mind, and action which ultimately led David to turn from his sin and towards God. The grace and forgiveness shown to us by God allows us to move past our sins because we know the debt for them has been paid by Jesus. Much like David, we need someone in our life that we give access to the intimate places of our lives in order to bring sin to light. If left to ourselves our sin will almost certainly be kept in the dark.
(The Hope of a Better King)
David was a big deal to the people of his time. The greatest king the people had ever hoped for. The king they thought they needed to sustain in the world. But as we’ve seen up to this point, even someone as amazing as David couldn’t even keep himself from sin and destruction. David’s shortcomings remind us of the coming of a better king, a perfect one. His name is Jesus Christ. Not only for David, but all Christians have hope in this world because Christ has destroyed the barrier between God and man by satisfying the debt owed for our sin. Jesus not only suffered a physical death, but also took the sin of man onto himself and bore the punishment for it. In doing so, he took away the separation between us and God allowing us access to the creator and sustainer of all things not just here and now, but for all of eternity. This hope should be plenty of reason for us to want to kill sin in our life in response to what HE has accomplished on our behalf.
Question Bank:
How has your week been spiritually? / What is God teaching you?
What sins are you struggling with that you need to confess?
Where do you see the pattern of sin at work in your life?
Of all the sin mentioned in Billy’s sermon, explain how a few of them are currently destroying your life.
What have you been keeping in the dark?
Why is the natural response to sin to hide it?
How do you handle your sin being brought to light?
Who in your life have you given access to the dark places in your heart, and do they feel like they can speak truth in your life even when you won’t like it?
What was God trying to teach his people by appointing David king and what does he want his readers to learn from that?
Most christians know that Christ is a better king and that he will return. How does that convict you to change today?