Messy-er | ADDRESS THE MESS

A Fresh Wind

Address the Mess • Sermon • Submitted 6 years ago

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Welcome

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Wrapping up series

Intro

Poll: Who has taken a mess from “Messy” to “Messy-er”?

Joy can’t stand when I clean

Funny messy-er story

Tackling runaway student

Poll: Who has taken a mess from “Messy” to “Messy-er”?

Make this personal - Real life messes. Might feel like I’m tackling you and have you in a choke hold, laying in a ditch, on the side of the road.

Prayer: Not preaching at you — for you. Not point fingers — putting arm around your shoulders.

“Ouch, that helps.”

Some don’t even refer to it as a mess anymore—just life. Relegated yourself to, “Life is always going to be this way.” But if we were honesty, it wasn’t always like this.

The thing with messes: Every mess that we encounter comes with its own set of bad options.

When we are underwater financially, relationally, academically, or professionally, there’s always going to be some bad options.

These options present themselves as quick fixes, but in the end they almost always make things worse.

Believe: God has more for you.

Thought about sharing a portion of Scripture where the person could have made a mess, messy-er, but instead choose to do the right thing.

God has more for you.

But that’s not most of our stories.

Instead, we’re going to look at man who’s mess got exponentially worse. This is what we can relate to—maybe not to this extent, but...

Finished, we’ll all leave depressed.

Not really. My prayer is that we’ll leave here today with a clear understanding of how to address our mess—what to expect and how to move forward.

>>> Pastor Tim has done a great job of preparing us for today. He’s taught us that Jesus is sitting on the box in the garage waiting for us to quit moving our mess around and begin following Him out of the mess. Today I want to help us do that. To take the first step.

David’s Mess—The Mess that keeps on Giving/Taking/Growing

Context: Samuel Series [Turn to 2 Samuel 11]

David anointed as next king of Israel as a teenager

Kills Goliath and becomes overnight sensation

Runs from King Saul, until finally Saul is killed and David becomes king

2 Samuel 11:1 NLT

So many of our messes begin because we were in the wrong place at the wrong time--often on purpose.

2 Samuel 11:2–5 NLT

2 Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 3 He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4 Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. 5 Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.”

2 Samuel 11:1–5 NLT

1 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem. 2 Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 3 He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4 Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. 5 Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.”

2 sam 11:1-

The Mess Begins...

Troops at war; David stays home.

Wakes up from afternoon nap, how nice… See’s Bathsheba bathing and pays a little too much attention.

Finding out she is married, David does the noble/virtuous/moral thing and completely disregards the information and sleeps with her anyways.

Finding out she is married, David completely disregards the information and sleeps with her anyways.

Doesn’t keep her in the palace, but sends her back home.

Breaking news: Bathsheba is pregnant—far from fake news.

“Dad, tell me the story of how you and mom met again...”

Consider your messes and the choices/decisions you made or are currently considering. Are these the kinds of stories you want told about your life?

Too many of us leave so short-sighted. We sacrifice legacy and influence for momentary pleasures.

We forfeit godliness and righteousness in order to pursue our lust and selfish desires.

>>> David doesn’t know this yet, but this decision will be the turning point of his life, his leadership, and the nation he was anointed to lead. Faced with a mess, David must now consider what steps he is going to take. Remember, every mess comes with a set of bad options.

2 Samuel 11:6 NLT

6 Then David sent word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent him to David.

2 sam 11:6

David has a chance to come clean. To tell Uriah what he has done. To beg for his forgiveness.

2 Samuel 11:7–11 NLT

2sam11.

2 Samuel 11:7–13 NLT

7 When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the army were getting along and how the war was progressing. 8 Then he told Uriah, “Go on home and relax.” David even sent a gift to Uriah after he had left the palace. 9 But Uriah didn’t go home. He slept that night at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard. 10 When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he summoned him and asked, “What’s the matter? Why didn’t you go home last night after being away for so long?” 11 Uriah replied, “The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents, and Joab and my master’s men are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife? I swear that I would never do such a thing.” 12 “Well, stay here today,” David told him, “and tomorrow you may return to the army.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. But even then he couldn’t get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard.

Tries to cover up affair by bringing Uriah home from war to sleep with his wife. He refuses.

Troops at war; David stays home.

Wakes up from afternoon nap, how nice… See’s Bathsheba bathing and pays a little too much attention.

Finding out she is married, David completely disregards the information and sleeps with her anyways.

Doesn’t keep her in the palace, but sends her back home.

Breaking news: Bathsheba is pregnant—far from fake news.

Tries to cover up affair by bringing Uriah home from war to sleep with her. He refuses.

Another slap in the face to David’s character.

The Virtue Factor

Ignore virtue and you will eventually make a mess.

You can’t clean up a mess caused by a failure of virtue with another failure of virtue.

Two wrongs don’t make a right.

2 Samuel 11:13–18 NLT

13 Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. But even then he couldn’t get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard. 14 So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. 15 The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.” 16 So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy’s strongest men were fighting. 17 And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers. 18 Then Joab sent a battle report to David.

2 sam 11:13-

Tries again by getting Uriah drunk—he still refuses.

Fed up, writes out Uriah’s death sentence AND then hands it to Uriah to give to Joab (what confidence/trust in Uriah!)

Uriah is killed, along with other soldiers in David’s army

David takes Bathsheba as his wife—looks like the hero. King marries widow of slain soldier.

Uriah is killed, along with other soldiers in David’s army

We’ve come a long way from the David who was filled with guilt and remorse over cutting the corner of Saul’s robe in the caves of En Gedi...

David takes Bathsheba as his wife—looks like the hero. King marries widow of slain soldier.

Defining Moments

>>> We’ve come a long way from the David who was filled with guilt and remorse over cutting the corner of Saul’s robe in the caves of En Gedi...

On the heels of every mess are some bad options.

We usually opt for a Quick fix = Quicksand

Every mess comes prepackaged with some bad options.

They make the mess messier.

One day your mess will be reduced to a sentence or two:

I went through a divorce.

I was fired.

I had an affair.

I flunked out of school.

I had to declare bankruptcy.

Your response to the mess is the real story.

This is why we love stories of underdogs.

Your response is a permanent part of the story of your life.

What story do you want to tell?

Which of your options do you want as a permanent part of your story?

I addressed my mess by doing the right thing vs I made my mess messier but doubling down on bad decisions?

David is compounding bad choices better than compounding interest. His mess continues to grow at exponential rates.

David’s Decision

2 Samuel 11:22–25 NLT

22 So the messenger went to Jerusalem and gave a complete report to David. 23 “The enemy came out against us in the open fields,” he said. “And as we chased them back to the city gate, 24 the archers on the wall shot arrows at us. Some of the king’s men were killed, including Uriah the Hittite.” 25 “Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged,” David said. “The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow! Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!”

2 sam 11:22-25

More men die than just Uriah.

NLT does not do this verse justice. Need to dig into the Hebrew.

- “And David saith unto the messenger, ‘Thus dost thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing be evil in thine eyes...” [Young’s Literal Translation]

Mark 9:42 NLT

42 “But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck.

Robert Young, Young’s Literal Translation (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 1997), .

Trying to get friend to cuss

“In his fear and anxiety, David has set himself against the whole moral tradition of his people. In this message back to Joab, David is either morally numbed, so that he cannot “discern between good and evil”, or he is incredibly cynical, because he no longer cares to notice what he can discern.” -Walter Brueggemann

2 Sam 11:16-27

2 Samuel 11:26–27 NLT

26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. 27 When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.

2 Samuel 11:6–27 NLT

6 Then David sent word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent him to David. 7 When Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the army were getting along and how the war was progressing. 8 Then he told Uriah, “Go on home and relax.” David even sent a gift to Uriah after he had left the palace. 9 But Uriah didn’t go home. He slept that night at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard. 10 When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he summoned him and asked, “What’s the matter? Why didn’t you go home last night after being away for so long?” 11 Uriah replied, “The Ark and the armies of Israel and Judah are living in tents, and Joab and my master’s men are camping in the open fields. How could I go home to wine and dine and sleep with my wife? I swear that I would never do such a thing.” 12 “Well, stay here today,” David told him, “and tomorrow you may return to the army.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 Then David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. But even then he couldn’t get Uriah to go home to his wife. Again he slept at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guard. 14 So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. 15 The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.” 16 So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy’s strongest men were fighting. 17 And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers. 18 Then Joab sent a battle report to David. 19 He told his messenger, “Report all the news of the battle to the king. 20 But he might get angry and ask, ‘Why did the troops go so close to the city? Didn’t they know there would be shooting from the walls? 21 Wasn’t Abimelech son of Gideon killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall? Why would you get so close to the wall?’ Then tell him, ‘Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.’ ” 22 So the messenger went to Jerusalem and gave a complete report to David. 23 “The enemy came out against us in the open fields,” he said. “And as we chased them back to the city gate, 24 the archers on the wall shot arrows at us. Some of the king’s men were killed, including Uriah the Hittite.” 25 “Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged,” David said. “The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow! Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!” 26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. 27 When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.

Hallmark-y - “She became one of David’s wives.”

Yet, David looks like the hero. King marries widow of slain soldier.

No one left to argue for the legitimacy of the pregnancy.

We’ve come a long way from the David we studied this summer who was filled with guilt and remorse over cutting the corner of Saul’s robe in the caves of En Gedi...

Notice the final sentence in this chapter: “But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.”

Again, the NLT fails to capture the full weight of this moment.

The word used here to describe God’s displeasure is the same word David used when sending the messenger back to Joab telling him not to be discouraged.

David told Joab, “Don’t let this thing be evil in your eyes.”

“However, the Lord considered what David had done to be evil.”

Better translation: “However, the Lord considered what David had done to be evil.” -CSB

Defining Evil

By juxtaposing verse 25 and verse 27, the writer of 2 Samuel has shown us that David’s perception of reality are not congruent with God’s perception.

David may act. He may kill. He may be self-satisfied. However, he is not capable of revising moral reality.

In the end, there is the Lord with another moral vision.

The narrative leaves us no doubt that the eyes of the Lord will outsee the eyes of David.

David may not see clearly, blinded by fear, lust, and power, but that does not change the moral reality to which he is accountable. There is a perfect that no one, including David, is.

This is the root of so many of the messes we face in the world today. We have tried to define evil.

Holy Confrontation

2 Samuel 12:1–9 NLT

1 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. 2 The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. 3 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. 4 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.” 5 David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! 6 He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.” 7 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. 8 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. 9 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.

2 sam 12:1-

2 Samuel 12:13 NLT

13 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.

Just like David wrote out Uriah’s death sentence, he pronounces his own death sentence here in his response to Nathan.

Yet, Nathan declares that God has forgiven David.

Our minds have a hard time wrapping around this.

David’s Repentance

Psalm 51:1–4 NLT

1 Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2 Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. 3 For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. 4 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.

David’s heart is beginning to be recalibrated to align with his Heavenly Father’s.

This is why the Bible can declare that David is a man after God’s own heart.

psalm 51:1-

Psalm 51:7–10 NLT

7 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice. 9 Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.

How many are longing to have joy again?

ps51:7

It comes from a clean heart and a loyal spirit.

Psalm 51:12 NLT

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.

How many are longing to have joy again?

ps51.12

It comes from a clean heart and a loyal spirit.

Psalm 51:16–17 NLT

16 You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

ps51.

A sacrifice would be a quick fix.

>>> As David’s heart is realigned with God’s, he is able to see his mess from God’s perspective. If we are going to address our mess, we must do the same.

Taking the Long View

Don’t opt for something that makes you a liar for life.

Don’t opt for something that makes you a hypocrite for life.

Nathan’s Confrontation

David’s Repentance

Application

Our messes and the decisions we make leave consequences that God’s forgiveness and grace often don’t erase.

David failed here. He opted for momentary pleasure.

God forgave him, but he would pay the price the rest of his life.

The baby dies.

His sons begin rebelling against him.

His

Trouble phrases:

You too will be tempted to make your mess messier, because it seems easier. It seems like a quick fix.

I know I shouldn’t, but...

I just can’t help it…

The real story isn’t your mess. It’s how you respond.

Jesus, whose sitting on that box in the garage, invites you to follow.

Doing the right thing is more difficult. Doing the right thing doesn’t offer quick, simple fixes. But it results in a story worth telling, a story that glorifies God. That’s because doing the right thing begins with following Jesus.

When you do, He takes responsibility for the outcome of the journey. You mess will simply be context—the setup—for the real story.

That’s the way to address a mess.

Altar Call & Close

Closing song: Move

When You move, darkness runs for cover

When You move, no one’s turned away

Because where You are fear turns into praises

Because where You are fear turns into pra ises

Where You are, no heart’s left unchanged

Where You are, no heart’s left unch anged

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