From Regret to Restoration

App: The story speaks to the issue of lust- men and women both have responsibility here. Sometimes women know what they are doing, but regardless, it is on us men to watch ourselves. We all answer for ourselves. Following Jesus is no complicated but it is hard. I don't think it's usually a matter of us not knowing as it is a matter of us choosing Jesus. We must each deal with our sin before God.

Spurgeon "You say that you can handle your secret sins, that there is no one hurt by them. But you may as well ask the lion to let you put your head into his mouth. You cannot regulate his jaws: neither can you regulate sin. Once done, you cannot tell when you will be destroyed. You may put your head in and out a great many times; but one of these days it will be a costly venture. "

Trans: We know that between the end of chapter 11 and the beginning of chapter 12 there was a period of months, most authorities putting it somewhere between 6 and 12 months (based primarily on the information that the child was not born - ).

2. Repentance (Confession)

Repentance (Confession)

Nathan puts David sin in perspective.

-The truth can be suppressed, but the word of God shows reality.

Consequences

-Bathsheba’s father

ILL: Alan Carr offers us an automotive illustration of David's heart condition… The “check engine light” in your car. When it comes on, you can ignore it, you can break the light, or you can get the problem fixed. If you ignore it or break the light, eventually, you will harm the engine. If you fix it, everything goes back to normal. The same is true with guilt. It is the check engine light of the soul. When it comes on, do not ignore it, but take the problem to Jesus and get it fixed. (THOU ART THE MAN)3. Renewal (God still loves David)

Renewal (God still receives David)

Alan Carr offers us an automotive illustration of David's heart condition...

The “check engine light” in your car. When it comes on, you can ignore it, you can break the light, or you can get the problem fixed. If you ignore it or break the light, eventually, you will harm the engine. If you fix it, everything goes back to normal. The same is true with guilt. It is the check engine light of the soul. When it comes on, do not ignore it, but take the problem to Jesus and get it fixed. (THOU ART THE MAN)3. Renewal (God still loves David)

App: Who is your Nathan? I think we have to give permission to people to be this in our lives. To challenge us with what they see that we may not. --“It's amazing how awful our sins look to us when someone else is committing them.. We seek to justify our own actions. We so graciously excuse in ourselves the things we condemn in others.. This should teach us to be careful how we judge others. "Thou art inexcusable O man." Chuck Smith —> Who is calling you out?

“It's amazing how awful our sins look to us when someone else is committing them.. We seek to justify our own actions. We so graciously excuse in ourselves the things we condemn in others.. This should teach us to be careful how we judge others. "Thou art inexcusable O man." Chuck Smith

3. Renewal through brokenness

Where David is…pleading for mercy (1) desiring cleansing (2-3; 7-8, 10) asking for the presence of God (9,11), requesting joy (12). Realizes his sin is not just against people, but a holy God who knows his heart (4-6)

“The loneliest moment in life is when you have just experienced that which you thought would deliver the ultimate & it has just let you down.” ~ Ravi Zacharias

51:title–19 In —an individual lament psalm—the psalmist, in anguish because of his sin, confesses and prays for mercy. He suffers from broken fellowship with God rather than physical affliction. He petitions God for mercy and cleansing (vv. 1–2), then acknowledges his sin (vv. 3–6). He asks God to purify and restore him (vv. 7–12), describing how he will respond to God’s forgiveness (vv. 13–15). After stating that God prefers a contrite heart over sacrifice (vv. 16–17), he concludes by petitioning God for national restoration (vv. 18–19). is one of the early church’s penitential psalms (or psalms of confession; ; ; ; ; ; ).

“The loneliest moment in life is when you have just experienced that which you thought would deliver the ultimate & it has just let you down.” ~ Ravi Zacharias Where God is… ready to restore. Does God accept David’s repentance? Does he accept yours? What David asks for is available because it is the heart of God.

Where God is… ready to restore. Does God accept David’s repentance? Does he accept yours? What David asks for is available because it is the heart of God.

(10-11) Will God create in me a clean heart and restore sinners to his presence?

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;

(ESV) Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit!

(ESV) be transformed by the renewal of your mind,

(12) Can my joy of salvation be restored? Can I again have a spirit willing to follow the Lord? David asks…does God honor the requests?

(NIV) 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

(NIV)19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

(ESV) 19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

(ESV) 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

(ESV) 22 And the Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the Lord, and he will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them.

(NIV) This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength...

(NIV) 15 This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength,

15 This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength,

(ESV) let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

“In repentance and rest is your salvation,

and the unrighteous man his thoughts;

let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,

(ESV) “Return, O faithless sons; I will heal your faithlessness.” “Behold, we come to you, for you are the Lord our God.

in quietness and trust is your strength,

(ESV) Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord!

I will heal your faithlessness.”

and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

“Behold, we come to you,

(ESV) “But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

and return to the Lord!

for you are the Lord our God.

(ESV) From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts.

(ESV) 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

(ESV) 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

( From web) Comment: Beloved of the Lord, do you feel like you have sinned so greatly against God that He could never use you in His kingdom work? This beautiful psalm in itself provides encouraging proof that God can restore and revive and use a repentant sinner. He will not despise your broken spirit, your broken and contrite heart (-note), but will renew a steadfast spirit in you, will not cast you away from His presence, will restore the joy of your salvation and will sustain you with a steadfast spirit, (-note, -note, -note). Hallelujah. Thank you Jesus! Amen

Comment: Beloved of the Lord, do you feel like you have sinned so greatly against God that He could never use you in His kingdom work? This beautiful psalm in itself provides encouraging proof that God can restore and revive and use a repentant sinner. He will not despise your broken spirit, your broken and contrite heart (-note), but will renew a steadfast spirit in you, will not cast you away from His presence, will restore the joy of your salvation and will sustain you with a steadfast spirit, (-note, -note, -note). Hallelujah. Thank you Jesus! Amen

Closing prayers:

God, show me where I am hard hearted and calloused to sin.

- God, show me where I am hard hearted and calloused to sin.

- God, send people into my life who love me enough to be honest, help me humble enough to receive it.

- God, I am broken and repent of my sin, based on the promises of your Word and on your character, restore to me the joy of your salvation.

extras

Mark Twain encountered a businessman from Boston who said to him, "Before I die, I will go to the Holy Land, climb Mt. Sinai, and from its summit shout the Ten Commandments at the top of my voice!" Unimpressed, Twain responded, "I’ve got a better idea. Stay in Boston and keep ‘em."

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From Regret to Restoration

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1. Regret (Adultery/ Murder)

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2. Repentance (Confession)

2. Repentance (Confession)

Repentance (Confession)

Renewal (God still receives David)

3. Renewal through brokenness