Confrontation and Repentance

Introduction:

We have been learning about David’s life and how it can help us to follow God. David has shown his humanity but has also been referred to as a man after God’s own heart. In fact, this is what God said of him.

None of us are perfect and God is a God full of mercy and unfailing love.

Today’s message is rich with meaning and practical direction. Let’s read the passage today. As we do, open your hearts and minds to what God may want to speak to you today.

2 Samuel 12:1–23 NLT

So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.” David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.” Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own. “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.” Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the Lord by doing this, your child will die.” After Nathan returned to his home, the Lord sent a deadly illness to the child of David and Uriah’s wife. David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground. The elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused. Then on the seventh day the child died. David’s advisers were afraid to tell him. “He wouldn’t listen to reason while the child was ill,” they said. “What drastic thing will he do when we tell him the child is dead?” When David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. “Is the child dead?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.” Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate. His advisers were amazed. “We don’t understand you,” they told him. “While the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. But now that the child is dead, you have stopped your mourning and are eating again.” David replied, “I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, ‘Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me.”

I would like to break today’s message down into two bite size pieces:

Nathan’s Rebuke

The Lord sent Nathan to go give David a message

This event is significant in the fact that God was still after David

God was interested in David’s life and how their relationship was going to be from now on

You might remember that at the end of the previous chapter where David had seduced Bathsheba and then murdered her husband, there was a very important statement about the situation.

“But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.” (2 Samuel 11:27c)

This here is totally amazing to me and reminds me of the great lengths that God will go to initiate a relationship with man and then work to foster that relationship.

When David went and destroyed that relationship, God sent someone by to confront David so that relationship could be restored.

The relationship that David once had with God was destroyed because David had broken almost all of the Ten Commandments.

God was not okay with that and He is not okay with the lives of many of us. But take heart, He often sends a servant by to speak a word of correction.

There are some who are ready at the drop of the hat to go and speak a word of correction, but let me caution you that unless, God is the one sending you, your words will just be offensive. Make sure your heart is right and that you actually love the person that needs the correction.

Nathan loved David and had been a faithful advisor to David and to all of Israel. He had delivered the goods many many times.

Now Nathan also had access to David, this visit would not have been anything out of the ordinary. It was customary for Nathan to come to the king and bring him the needs of the people.

Notice also that Nathan was slow and methodical in his approach. He waited about a year before he went to David with this parable about a little lamb.

Too often, we are moved with emotion and are ready to yell our thoughts at a world who has gone mad. Or even worse, we are ready to jump down the throat of a saint who has temporarily lost their way, making bad decisions.

Let’s not be too quick to jump out there and say “Thus saith the Lord!”

You must be sure you are sent and

You must be sure you are sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading

You must be truly concerned about the recipient and

Restoration must be the goal

If you just want to rant, sit down and be quiet and learn a lesson from the prophet Nathan.

David’s Confession

David hears this story that Nathan tells him and he is furious, casting a judgement heavier than the Law of Moses calls for.

According to Ex 22:1 the penalty for taking someone’s sheep is four times the amount. But David is ready to have this man killed. Exodus 22:1 ““If someone steals an ox or sheep and then kills or sells it, the thief must pay back five oxen for each ox stolen, and four sheep for each sheep stolen.”

One of the most poignant (moving) words in scripture are found right here in this passage when Nathan proclaims to David, “You are that man!”

I thank God for His Holy Spirit who has said that to me a time or two. Can I get a witness?

Nathan then proceeds to tell David about all that God has done for him and how faithful God has been.

Whether it was David’s conscience or the fact that Nathan appealed to his pride (Israel operated(s) in an honor society) does not really matter to me.

The fact is that David repented. That is he confessed to Nathan that he had sinned against the Lord. (2 Sam 12:13)

I do want to point out that this is not just a “feeling sorry that I got caught kind of thing.”

David repented of his sin, something God requires if you are going to have a relationship with Him.

Lets look at what Paul says about being sorry for what you’ve done:

2 Corinthians 7:10 “For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.”

David recognized what he had done and truly repented of his sin. Look at Psalm 51 and hear the anguish of this man who sees what he’s done:

Psalm 51 NLT

For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time Nathan the prophet came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there. Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you. Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you. You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit— with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.

This beautiful psalm is the heartbeat of true confession not a false, empty statement.

It was Nathan’s confrontation that brought David to a place of confession and repentance.

A few important elements that we see here are:

David took personal responsibility for his sin

Too many time people don’t take responsibility and give empty confessions.

Keywords are “If,” “But,” or “Maybe.”

They say things like, “If I hurt you, I am sorry.”

“I did this or that, but everyone else is doing it.”

“Maybe I did mess up.” This speaks to uncertainty.

The other important thing for us to see here is that the sin is against God.

Even though a sin might be committed against a person, murder; adultery; rape; lying; etc. all sin is against God

The sooner we realize that we have done God wrong, the better off we will be.

Notice that in all this God forgave David and He is wanting to forgive you and me too.

But be warned, without repentance there really cannot be a relationship with God.

Where are you today?

Do you need to get things right with God?

Is there something that you need to confess and ask God to help you with?

God is faithful!

The first thing to do is respond to His call to a relationship in the first place. You do this by:

Admitting that you are a sinner

Believing Jesus lived a sinless life, died for your sin, rose from the grave and is now in heaven praying for you.

Confess Jesus as Lord. Commit to following Him the rest of your life.

These altars are open, come and lets get things right with God.