YOU ARE THE MAN 2 Sam 12:1-15
- Nathan comes to David- tells him a parable- Rich man had a lot, poor man had nothing but one lamb. Rich man took this poor mans one lamb. David is upset! What kind of guy does this? He should be punished! You david- You’re this kind of Guy. Then Nathan give him a prophetic word- why did you kill Uriah after I had given you everything? You messed up now. I still love you- but you’re going to be aking of war. Your own son is going to be a problem for you. David admits his fault- but there is going to be consequence.
- Special window- we have psalm 51 so we can see David’s response and heart in this
- This is a story of redemption- From sinner to forgiven- It’s the story of our faith- How do we get there? The bible and its stories are meant for US not others- Its to change US
Step one- You Have to see yourself
- David hears the parable and assumes its about someone else-
- The parable is quite simple- the rich man takes what the poor man has and pays him no mind
- David’s initial response- someone shows deeds of someone else- they scorn that person,shame them (Its like- why is the Prez on SM- just causes problems- let it go-but they dont)
- 5 So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this [a]shall surely die! 6 And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.”
- Typical for people- they can see the problems with other people easier than they can see them in themselves. (Notice what people complain in others is usually what they struggle with)
- David even goes so far to decide a judgment against the man- Death, and 4 fold payback. AND how his heart SHOULD have been- with pity for the one who didn’t have enough
- David could easily see what was wrong with this other man- but missed the point completely-
- 7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! THIS STORY IS ABOUT YOU
- He couldn’t see himself because he assumed that he was good-
- THIS HAPPENS IN CHURCH- YOU’RE thinking about who should hear this instead of LISTENING
- In his eyes he was perfect, had nothing to work on- even AFTER murder against Uriah-
- How do you murder someone and see no problem with it? (People murder people with their tongues, hearts and actions and have no problem with it, so I can understand it)
- He eventually saw himself- Psalm 51:5-6 READ Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
- David eventually saw himself- but here- he didn’t immediately- thought it was someone else
- What does it mean to you?
- Where is the first place you look when you’re having a problem? Others? Or do you start with yourself? If the list of the problems in your life are all connected with everyone else- wrong
- Using your parents, past job, pastor, church, friend, etc etc as scapegoat is a recipe for disaster
- Lamentations 3:40 Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the Lord;
- Its easy to sit up here and say “every problem in your life is yours” but that’s not true-
- But only YOU can choose how you are going to respond and deal with it-
- The TRUTH is that often times- the problem IS you- For me- My thoughts, feelings, how I feel about myself. What I want, think I deserve. How I slept, my weight, what I’m doing.
- But the path to repentance and spiritual discovery lies in HONEST assessment of yourself.
- Gal 6:3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
- 1 Cor 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
- Romans 12:3 READ
- The path to redemption- First or continually is to always start with yourself- HONESTLY
- Luke 18:9-14 READ Favorite parable- ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—
- Pr 26:12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
- And if you don’t have the ability to be honest with yourself- find someone who will be
You have to have no excuses
- Nathan puts David in his place- Tells him the problem is him and what he needs to do
- READ v 7-12 Tells him his business- what he’s done wrong, what God did for Him
- Now at this point- many people will come in and state their case- Hey– Remember Goliath? Remember Saul? Remember the wars I won? She was unclothed! SHE DID IT-
- Nope- David gets a hard rebuke from Nathan- and then simply admits his sin-
- 13 So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
- Interestingly enough- David didn’t push back- He didn’t make excuses- he accepted his contribution to his demise- echoes it in ps 51
- Psalm 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. 4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight—That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.
- True repentance has no demands, makes no excuses, gives no clarifications- It just owns it
- Prodigal- Came back with no demands- Just willing to eat the slop of the pigs.
- Ps 32: 5 I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
- What does it mean to you
- If you’re not a Christian- you need to become one today- and your beginning is to just come to God and admit that you’re a sinner that needs a savior-
- 1 John1:8-10 READ
- Jesus is ready to forgive all of your sin- No matter what it is or where you have come from
- There is nothing you have done that he wont or cant forgive- but you have to ADMIT IT
- Proverbs 28:13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
- But here’s a freebie- in your relationships- this works for redemption as well
- The people that you have hurt do not need to hear your excuses or reasons- they need to hear your acknowledgement- This is what I did, I’m asking for forgiveness no Deny, deflect defend
- Lk 16:15 And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
- Justifying yourself will not get you the restoration of your relationships
- This is why you can’t have restoration without repentance- Sorrow and admittance
- Our God is a God of reconciliation, but you can’t reconcile if there’s no repentance
- Forgiveness can be one way- you can forgive people- but you can’t reconcile with someone who can’t see their contribution to the destruction of the relationship
- God doesn’t forgive us without repentance. That would be universalism. We must repent!
- The definition of an abusive relationship is where someone receives someone back into their life when the abuser makes no concessions of wrong- expects full relationship and never changes
- Don’t do that to God- Don’t do that to others.
God DOES Forgive- but You have to accept forgiveness
- And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.
- READ 51:12-18
- The scriptures we are in today doesn’t address it specifically, but in the 51st Psalm we see it-
- Moving from sin, to confession to acceptance is key- You have to walk in the forgiveness that Christ provides. Its not enough to believe it- you have to walk in it- be forgiven. Act like it
- Ps 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
- When God forgives- he FORGIVES- Its not a somewhat forgiveness- it’s a TOTAL Forgiveness
- That’s what so great about Davids sin- Murder and sexual immorality- and he’s forgiven.
- And THEN he’s listed as a man after God’s own heart in Acts 13:22- AFTER GODS OWN HEART
- What do we see in his heart after he’s forgiven?
- Restoration of Joy v 51:12 Desire to share Gospel of forgiveness v13 Singing of praise- V14-15
- Desire to live a holy life– 51: V16-19
- If you are NOT seeing these fruits in your life – I’d question if you’ve taken hold of forgiveness
- What does it mean to you?
- Are you walking in the forgiveness Christ provides? Have you admitted w no excuses to God?
- We’ve all been there- we’ve all done bad- There’s stuff we wish we hadn’t done
- But if you’ve repented- you’ve asked for forgiveness- its time to move on. WALK IN IT
- Joy, Desire to share the gospel of forgiveness, singing of praise, desire to live holy
- This forgiveness is a PROMISE of Scripture- over and over and over its declared.
- Hebrews 10:17 then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
- Christ Doesn’t remember your sins Jer 31-:34 says it too!
- 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
- You are FULLY cleansed- you are a NEW MAN
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
- But you must PUT ON the NEW MAN Eph 4:20-24 READ put on the NEW MAN
- You can walk tall- You don’t have any guilt or shame- You can stand up and be proud
- Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who[a] do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
- John 3:18 Gal 3:13 1 Corinthians 1:30 Jeremiah 33:8 Hebrews 10:23 John 5:24 Philippians 3:9
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