Sow What You Want To Reap

Galatians 6:1-10

I think that most of us know the laws of sowing and reaping, that whatever type of seed you plant, that is what is going to grow.  If you plant a watermelon seed, you are going to get a watermelon, not corn.  If you plant an acorn, you are going to get an oak, not a rose bush.  This isn’t just true with gardening, as it also holds true for our life, as well.  What we sow in our life is what we will reap later on.  Our Scripture today has two lessons that it teaches.  One is about sowing and reaping, and there is another lesson, as well.  Let’s look at what God teaches in His Word.

As our Scripture begins, the Apostle Paul was coming to the end of his letter to the Galatian believers.  He had two final thoughts, final teachings he wished to impart.  The first was the need for spiritual restoration of believers who had fallen into any type of sin (vs. 1).  Now we know that everyone sins now and then, some people more than others, and this includes Christians.  Ideally a Christian who has committed a sin is to confess and repent from that sin right away.  When we do, our fellowship with God and other believers remains intact.  Sometimes, though, it takes another person to come along and point out to the brother or sister where they are in fault.  Sometimes they either don’t see that fault, or they willfully don’t want to acknowledge it.  A godly fellow believer needs to take them aside and gently, with prayer and a great deal of love and compassion, speak to them about the sin they are in.

Unfortunately, this is rarely done in churches today, not because there are few who continue in ongoing sin, but because others are too afraid to be labeled as “judging”.  Perhaps a believer has fallen into adultery and in an ongoing affair.  Speaking to the sinner about that is not judging, as everyone knows adultery is a sin, but no one wants to say anything.  Paul here instructs the church that a godly believer is to seek to restore the fallen one.  The key phrase here is to “restore”, not to condemn them if they are repentant.  This is to be done with gentleness, with meekness and humility, being careful that they not fall into sin themselves.  Confrontation in love and humility is constructive, not destructive.

Lest anyone continue to say that we are not to judge, there are other Scriptures that back this up - Matthew 18:15 and James 5:19-20.  Jesus loved and accepted people, but He also confronted people when they were wrong.  We see this when He boldly and openly confronted Simon, a Pharisee who had invited Jesus to dinner (Luke 7:36-50).  He never glossed over people’s sins.  Jesus loved them enough to confront them.  Genuine love dares to confront and correct.

The second teaching of St. Paul in this Scripture passage is that of sowing and reaping (vs. 7-8).  Some people think that their behavior and lifestyle will never generate judgment from God.  They’ve been living their sinful ways for years, and nothing has happened.  However, they are wrong.  God promises that they will eventually reap what they sow.  In the same manner, godly believers who have toiled and toiled for the Lord year after year, sometimes feel that God has not taken any notice of them.  Likewise, they will eventually reap what they sow, too.  There are some seeds that sprout very quickly after planting, and others that take a long, long time.  Paul encourages us to not grow weary, because we will eventually reap God’s blessings, even if we see nothing right away (vs. 9).

God’s justice is immutable.  What we sow in our life, whether spiritually or carnally, will yield eternal consequences.  Whatever we sow will produce its own kind (Genesis 1:11).  We need to turn away from earthly pursuits, and instead sow into the Kingdom of God.  Don’t sow seeds of corruption.  Instead, sow seeds that will reap eternal life.

We cannot rebel against God and not reap the fruit of that choice later.  We also cannot obey God without eventually receiving blessings.  We plant seeds and they determine the kind of crop we will harvest in the future.  Plant carnality and sin, and that is what we eventually reap.  Plant for God and His Kingdom, and we reap His blessings, if not in this life, definitely in the next.  Don’t become weary or give up hope.  Our choices in life are important, and our blessings will come.

In closing, ask yourself what you want to reap.  A gardener will be selective of the seeds he plants.  We need to be, as well.  Do you want to reap the results of a life of sin?  If that is what you plant in your life, that is what you will get.  We cannot fool God and plant sin, and get blessings.  It is only when we plant with God and eternity in mind that we will reap those blessings.  Remember, sow what you want to reap.

Give A Testimony For God

Psalm 66

Have you ever given a personal testimony to a group of people about what the Lord has done for you?  Perhaps at a church prayer meeting there is the opportunity to speak up.  Maybe after announcements are made during Sunday worship the pastor or priest might ask if anyone has something to say or share, you are able to stand up and share a testimony for the Lord, something that He has done for you or your family.  Today’s psalm is one of giving praise and public testimony for what God has done, both for the psalmist personally, and what He has done for the nation, as well.

Psalm 66 was written by an unknown psalmist, but one who wanted to give public testimony, praise, and worship, both for what the Lord had done for the nation of Israel, and also for what He had done for himself, as well.  As the psalm opens, the psalmist gives a call for people to worship the Lord, and bring Him praise (vs 1-4).  This call to worship went out, not just to his own people, the nation of Israel, but also to the whole world, the Gentile nations as well.  This aligns with many verses throughout the Old Testament where Scripture states that the Gentile nations will come to worship Yahweh.  It also anticipates the millennial reign of Jesus Christ when all nations will worship Him (Zechariah 14:16).  As believers, we should be the ones leading in joyful praise of our Savior.

Next the psalmist focuses on giving public praise and testimony of what the Lord has done for the nation as a whole (vs. 5-7).  The Lord God had done so many things for them, that there was no way he could list them all, so he spoke of the greatest one.  If one asked the people of Israel what was the greatest thing that God had done for them, most would probably speak of His deliverance of them from slavery in Egypt, and His parting of the Red Sea for them to cross and escape the armies of the Egyptians.  This is the miracle that the psalmist highlighted in his testimony.

Over the years many have said that the miracle of the parting of the waters of the Red Sea for the Hebrew people to cross on dry ground did not happen, and that it was just some allegorical message of encouragement in difficult times, but never literally happened.  That is not so.  God’s works are not allegorical.  They are real, historical events that demonstrate His intervention in human affairs.  This miraculous event that the psalmist spoke of was a literal miracle that the Lord gave His people, affirming His power and faithfulness to them.  We can take hope and comfort from that, that as the Lord delivered His people then, He will also deliver all those who trust in His Son in their time of need.

The psalmist continued to give testimony of how the Lord is faithful during the times that we go through trials and periods of refinement (vs. 8-12).  We learn as we read through the Bible, that trials are part of God’s refining process.  We learn to trust in God and His love and care for us as we go through various trials and tribulations.  God also uses these as a means to refine us, clear out the bad habits and sins out of our life, just as silver and gold is refined by going through the fire.  It may be a difficult process and hurt, but if we allow God to do His work, and trust in Him, we will come out the better for it, just like that bar of gold or silver.

The psalmist next turns to his own personal life.  First he gives personal worship to the Lord (vs. 13-15).  He also recounts how he will keep the vows that he made to God.  Perhaps during a very difficult and trying time, maybe one of those periods of refinement mentioned earlier, the psalmist made a promise, a vow to the Lord.  Now he wants to keep that vow, and brings his sacrifices to the Temple, showing his gratitude and obedience.  Today we don’t make animal sacrifices to God, but we can offer spiritual sacrifices to Him, sacrifices of praise, service, and holy living (Romans 12:1; Hebrews 13:15).

The psalmist continues to give his personal testimony (vs. 16-20).  One verse here that many should be familiar with is verse 18 where we are warned that keeping unconfessed sin in our heart and life will hinder our prayers to the Lord.  When a believer has unconfessed sins, God will not respond to their prayers.  Before coming to God in prayer, we need to take a good, thorough look in our heart, and sincerely confess and repent of any known sin.  When we have done that, we can then pray with full confidence that God hears our prayers.

In closing we see that there are many opportunities and occasions for giving a public testimony for the Lord.  The Scriptures are full of accounts of the Lord intervening and working in the lives of His people.  And these are not just made up tales to make us think He’s a great God.  These are genuine, real accounts showing that He is a great God!  We should look in our own past and reflect on past deliverances to help strengthen our faith in our present trials.  Make sure we have examined our heart for any unconfessed sins in order to maintain full fellowship with the Lord.  Finally, be sure to share your testimony to encourage others and to bring glory to Jesus!

The Lord Vindicates His People

Isaiah 66:10-16

The city of Jerusalem is a very old one, with some estimates stating that it goes back to around 3,000 BC or so, with its beginnings being a settlement around the Gihon Springs which are at that location.  It has been ruled by many different peoples and religions over the millennia, including pagan Canaanites, Jews, Christians, and Muslims.  If its walls could talk, they would tell of the many, many wars and battles they have seen over the many centuries of their existence.  God’s plan for Jerusalem has not ended. In our Old Testament Scripture for this week, we read some of God’s final dealings with Jerusalem, His people, and the world.

Today’s Old Testament Scripture comes from the final chapter of the Book of the prophet Isaiah.  As our passage begins, the Lord renews His promise that He will abundantly bless Jerusalem’s future.  Those who love the city can rejoice in her future restoration.  God will fulfill His promises to His people.

The prophet Isaiah gives two vivid descriptions of the future of this city.  One is a picture of Jerusalem like a mother.  God’s people will be able to come to her and be figuratively held in her arms, just as a mother holds her little children in her arms (vs. 11-13).   Over the many centuries of its history, Jerusalem has often been under attack and under siege.  Her citizens and residents have often had to live in fear of attack, going about their day with the thought in the back, and sometimes at the forefront of their mind, whether they and their homes will survive to the next day.  However, now Isaiah foretold that the Lord promised they will be able to rest like a child sleeping in his mother’s arms or playing in her lap.

The second description that Isaiah gives here is that of a peaceful river stream (vs. 12).  This symbolic picture shows how the Lord will abundantly bless the City of Jerusalem and her people.  It also speaks of the inclusion of the Gentiles in God’s plan.  Though many of the people tried to deny it, it was always God’s plan to include the Gentiles for salvation and His blessings.

Both of these images show a tender portrait of God’s care, showing that He is both just and compassionate.  God promises to extend comfort to His children.  Just like a parent, He is tender, trustworthy, and diligent in His efforts to calm and comfort us.  When we are weary or upset, He carries us affectionately in His arms.  As our Father and Creator, He knows us intimately.  When the troubles of this world weigh heavy on our hearts, we can find comfort in the knowledge that God protects and fights for us, His children, as a loving parent.

The second half of this message from Isaiah concerns God’s visible blessing and judgment on mankind, and His fiery return is also briefly described (vs. 14-16).  In the future end times, God’s favor will be evident to believers, to the faithful, and our hearts can rejoice then.  But His wrath against His enemies is also evident.  There will be a clear distinction between the righteous and the wicked.  In God’s future plans, there will be a literal, future judgment of all unbelievers, along with the vindication of His people.  

Isaiah closes with a vivid prophecy of the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in judgment.  We are not the only ones who look out at the world today, seeing the terrible evil and sin that abounds, and are angry.  God is angry, too!  His judgment on those who continue to perpetrate such sin against Him and His Word will be done in anger and fury.  This brief description here is echoed in more detail in Revelation 19:11-21, where a greater description of Jesus’ return to judge the nations is given.  This is not just symbolic.  It is a literal event where Jesus will execute judgment, and fulfill His role as the righteous Judge.

In closing, we see that God is faithful to His plans.  He is faithful to His plans to bless Jerusalem, to bless, redeem, and vindicate His people, and to His plans to judge the wicked who mock Him and His Word.   We see here two pictures of God, one of a loving Parent who cares for His children, and one of the Righteous Judge who will come to judge and destroy evil and those who participate in it.  Into which hands would you rather fall?  Those of the loving Parent, or those of the Judge?  The choice is yours, but you should not delay in making that choice, as we do not know what day He will return.  It could be today.  Choose the Lord Jesus as your Savior, and come into His loving hands.

Half An Effort

Luke 9:51-62

I am writing this particular blog entry two days before it will be put online.  As I opened my computer this morning, I saw a notice that today is called “Halfway Day”, that it marks the day when we are halfway through the year.  It also mentioned that today some people like to only put in 50% effort in what they do, only half an effort.  Really?  Only half an effort?  How could people feel good or satisfied with themselves if they only put in half an effort in what they did?  In our Scripture for today we read about how committed, how much effort, the Lord wants us to put in to be a follower, a disciple of His.  Would a halfway person with half an effort qualify?  Let’s take a look.

As our Scripture opens, Jesus and His disciples had been in Galilee, which is in northern Israel.  He was on His way to Jerusalem, which was in Judah, southern Israel (vs. 51).  This wasn’t a pleasure trip.  Jesus was headed for the cross, where He would be the sacrifice for our sins.  Though this was something that was awful for anyone to contemplate, and He could have turned away at any time, Jesus “steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.”  As Isaiah prophesied centuries earlier, Jesus set His face “like a flint” (Isaiah 50:7).  He was giving all, not a halfway effort.

This journey would take them through the territory of the Samaritans, which was between Galilee and Judah.  The Jewish people and the Samaritans despised each other, and usually Jews traveling to Jerusalem would go miles out of their way to avoid Samaria, but not Jesus.  However, this day the Samaritans made it plain they did not want Jews to stay in town (vs. 52-53).  So what did the brothers James and John say?  They asked Jesus if they could bring hell-fire down on the village! (vs. 54).  They had been with Jesus for almost three years, and they still did not understand His message.  Jesus did not want to destroy them (vs. 55-56) .  His mission is not judgment (yet), but salvation.  He did not come to condemn but to save (John 3:17).  The best way to defend Jesus is to live like Him.

The second half of our Scripture passage gives the account of three individuals who expressed an interest in following Jesus, along with what was holding them back from a full commitment.  The first of the three came to Jesus, and excitedly told Him that he wanted to follow Him (vs. 57-58).  Jesus reminded the young man that he needed to count the cost of discipleship (Luke 14:25-33).  During His ministry, Jesus did not have His own home or bed, had few clothes or belongings, and either slept in friends’ homes or outdoors.  Following Jesus means denying our selfish goals in life (Matthew 16:24).  It means embracing discomfort and sacrifice.  There is no promise of earthly security, only eternal reward.

The second person who claimed he wanted to follow Jesus, said that he first wanted to go bury his father.  Jesus told him to let the dead bury the dead, and he should preach the Gospel (vs. 59-60).  This young man wasn’t simply asking to bury his father.  If his father had just died, why was he there in the crowd to begin with?  In that day, in that culture and climate, burial was usually done quite quickly.  He was focusing on “dead” worldly desires.  This is not a dismissal of family duty, but a call to prioritize the eternal over the temporal.  Spiritually “dead” people can handle earthly matters.  The spiritually alive must proclaim life.  We can’t pursue worldly goals and still follow Jesus (I John 2:15-17).

The third want-to-be disciple told Jesus he first wanted to go back and tell his family good-bye (vs. 61-62).  This man was hesitant.  Jesus lets us know that half-hearted, lukewarm faith is unacceptable (Revelation 3:14-16).  Discipleship demands undivided loyalty.  Looking back implies divided affections.  We see this in the example of Lot’s wife who looked longingly back at Sodom, and the early Christian Demas (II Timothy 4:10).  We need to count the cost, give up worldly goals, and come wholeheartedly.

These three must have thought it was Halfway Day, as they were only giving half an effort.  Jesus gave fully, 100%.  After the resurrection, eleven of the twelve disciples gave all of their effort, too.  What about you?  Are you willing to commit to giving Jesus 100% of your effort, or do you have more in common with the three men in today’s Scripture, who only wanted to give partial effort?  Faithfulness to God often invites rejection, even from those close to us.  The call to proclaim the Gospel outweighs all earthly concerns.  True followers must count the cost and forsake all for Jesus Christ.

Who Are You Feeding?

Galatians 5:14-17

If you’ve ever seen two people fighting, and if you’re not inclined to break up the fight, or if there are two people wrestling, you might wonder who is going to win.  If they are about the same size, one not markedly bigger than the other, either one might stand a chance.  Of course there are other factors besides size.  Has either one had any sort of training in fighting or wrestling?  Are they physically fit, or is one sickly, weak, or malnourished?  If so, then that one is at a disadvantage.  The other fellow is more likely to win that fight.  We are in a fight in our Christian life, a fight between our two natures.  Which one is going to win?  Let’s take a look today at what the Apostle Paul has to say to us about this matter.

St. Paul wrote his letter to the churches in Galatia in response to the false teachings that were being spread among the believers that one needed to keep the Old Testament Law in order to be truly saved, which is false doctrine.  Some people had come into the churches there stating that in addition to accepting Jesus as Savior, one needed to be circumcised in order to be saved, one needed to eat a kosher diet, strictly keep the Sabbath, etc.  Paul countered that by stating that was not true teaching.  Salvation is strictly by faith in the Lord Jesus, not by keeping the Law, not by any works we do.  Now, as his epistle is drawing to a close, Paul states that our showing love to each other is the fulfillment of the Law (vs. 14).

Jesus had taught that the greatest commandment is loving God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourself (Matthew 22:35-40).  This echoes what we read in Leviticus 19:18.  The moral heart of the Law is not abolished by Paul’s teachings, but is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and expressed through Spirit-led love.  This is not to teach that keeping the Mosaic Law will save anyone.  It won’t.  Believers who are already saved by faith in Jesus, if they are walking in the Spirit, will show love to others.

Paul continued his teaching by addressing the internal fighting and squabbling that the Galatians had among each other (vs. 15).  False teachings need to be corrected, but done in love.  And fighting about minor issues needed to stop.  In churches today there are legalists who want to live by a bunch of laws, from what clothes one should wear to how long or short one’s hair should be.  Then there are those who say that we should live and act any way we want, any way that feels good.  Both legalism and fleshly living lead to strife.  Very soon they are biting and devouring one another.  Often this leads to pride and self-righteous thinking on the one hand, or doctrinal compromise along with living and thinking like the world on the other.  Such fighting starts to tear the church apart.

Now, God’s Word commands, not suggests, but commands the believers to start walking in the Spirit (vs. 16).  This means daily submitting to the Holy Spirit’s leading, and being grounded in the Word of God, the Bible.  When we are living like that, we are much less likely to start following the desires of the flesh.  We will separate ourselves from sin, not by our human efforts which will fail, but by yielding to the Holy Spirit.

The only cure for a self-focused life is to walk in the Spirit.  We cannot live a godly life apart from the Holy Spirit, but instead let Him guide our life (vs. 17).  Then we won’t do what our sinful nature craves.  There is a constant battle in believers between the old nature and the new one.  Our flesh or old nature was not eradicated when we were saved.  The old nature is active and uses all the weapons in its arsenal against the newly saved Christian.  That old nature needs to be crucified daily (Galatians 2:20).  The new nature will use what it has, such as prayer, faith , hope, and love to cast, to resist, and destroy evil.  These two opposing natures will never stop struggling as long as we are in this world.

The flesh cannot be changed or tamed.  We must stop “feeding” our flesh nature, stop accepting what the world says is right and going along with what they do.  Instead we “feed” and exercise our Spirit nature by reading and obeying God’s Word.  Like mentioned above, which fighter or wrestler do you want to win?  That is the one that you feed, that you exercise and train.  Do we spend time in prayer and Bible reading, or in listening to the world and its evil philosophies?

In closing, we need to start each day by asking the Lord Jesus to help us walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh.  Remember, the flesh and the Spirit are in opposition.  Victory comes through submission to the Spirit.  We need to be careful who we are enabling in this fight.  Are we feeding the old flesh nature by following what the world tells us, and giving in to temptations?  Or are we feeding the new nature, the Spirit in our life by being in the Bible daily and by prayer?  Feed which one you want to live!

Have Confidence in the Lord

Psalm 16

Today we are looking at Psalm 16.  There are several different questions that we can ask ourselves, questions which David gave the answers for in his own life in this psalm he wrote.  One question is, is there anyone whom we have unwavering trust in?  Another is, in whose company do we delight in?  David gives his answers in this psalm, along with stating his confidence in the resurrection, centuries before the coming of the Lord Jesus.  Let’s take a look at this psalm, and also see how answers to these questions compare in our own life.

Psalm 16 is one of the several psalms which were written by King David.  There is no real indication as to when the psalm was written, whether it was earlier in his life when he was fleeing the deadly attacks from King Saul, or later when he was king, and battling foreign nations.  Either way, David needed God’s protection, and knew he could trust in Him.  David prayed for God’s protection, but he wasn’t crying in fear and panic (vs. 1).  Instead, in Psalm 16 he was praying from a place of faith in his heart.  He knew that he could trust in the Lord for His help and protection.  He often had good reason to be afraid, as sometimes we do, but instead David put his faith and trust in God.

The king also knew that he had no goodness, no righteousness on his own (vs. 2).  The doctrine that man is inherently sinful is taught throughout Scripture.  The Apostle Paul clearly taught this in Romans 3:10.  Though he was king, and could demand the obeisance of the people, David knew that any good in him, apart from God, was nothing.  Years later the Prophet Isaiah would clearly state that all of our righteousness is as filthy rags in God’s sight (Isaiah 64:6).  Our only refuge is to cling to the Lord and accept the righteousness that He offers through His Son, Jesus Christ.

David continues by stating that he gets great delight from being around and with other believers, the “saints”, others who have put their faith and trust in the Lord (vs. 3-4).  He wants nothing to do with those who worship other gods.  His was a life set apart for God.  This is a principle that we also find in the New Testament.  II Corinthians 6:17 instructs us to separate ourselves from the ungodly.  In a world of spiritual compromise, we are called to stand with the saints, and reject all forms of idolatry, whether literal or modern, including the mixing of Christian worship with practices of pagan, Eastern, and false religions.

Continuing on, we read how David was satisfied with his life, and content with what the Lord had provided for him (vs. 5-6).  True, he was king, but that was not until after having spent many years in the wilderness, sleeping on the hard ground, running for his life.  And there is a chance that this psalm was written during those years.  David saw God, Himself, as his inheritance, which he felt was better than any land or riches.  He also knew that his future was not a matter of chance or luck, like casting lots (similar to rolling of dice).  The Lord held his lot, just as He holds ours.  God already knows the future of our life.  He holds it in His hands.  True contentment comes not from possessions, but from knowing the Lord as our portion.  Unlike things in life, He never changes.  When all you have is God, you have all you need!

When he needed guidance and counsel, David sought the Lord first of all, before that of any person (vs. 7-8).  His confidence was rooted in God’s presence, which he knew was right beside him, at his right hand.  When we keep God’s Word in our life, looking to it for guidance, we can have His peace and direction (Psalm 119:105).

As our psalm closes, David speaks a prophecy of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus (vs. 9-11).  As the Apostle Peter spoke centuries later, these words did not speak about David, as when he died, he remained dead and buried.  This spoke of the resurrection on the third day of Jesus from the dead (Acts 2:25-31).  Because Jesus rose, we have the hope of resurrection ourselves, and eternal joy in God’s presence.

In the final verse we read that in God’s presence there is fullness of joy (vs. 11).  In order to be filled with one thing, everything else needs to be gone.  We cannot fill a glass with one thing if it is already filled with another.  We must become an empty vessel for God to pour His anointing into.  We need to refill our tank of joy.  The best way to do that is to spend time in the presence of God.  Pray constantly, read His Word daily, and get to know Him intimately.  The level of our joy is determined by the level of our closeness to Jesus.

The Consequences We Pay

II Samuel 11:26-12:15

Consequences. Whether we like it or not, every action we take will have some sort of consequence. Sometimes there are good consequences. We study hard, pay attention and do our work, and we get good grades in school and ultimately we can get a good job.  Practice hard and we learn a sport or musical instrument.  However, when we do wrong, there are bad consequences.  We might not see them right away.  We may cover our wrongdoing up and think we’ve gotten away with it, but eventually there are the consequences.  Sometimes they are quite severe.  Our Scripture today tells of a grave sin, a cover-up thinking they got away with it, and then the judgment, the consequences.  Let’s take a look.

Before we look at our Scripture verses, we need to get the background of what had happened, which we find earlier in chapter 11.  There was a war going on between Israel and the nation of Ammon, and King David was supposed to be at the battle, leading his troops.  However he wasn’t there.  He left that to his generals, and was taking it easy at his palace in Jerusalem.  David was peeping at his beautiful neighbor while she took a bath.  Since he was the king, he had her brought to his palace.  Bathsheba was married to Uriah, one of the king’s top soldiers, but David didn’t want to think about that, and proceeded to have an affair with her.  Then when they found out she was pregnant, David tried to cover it up by having Uriah recalled from the battlefield, hoping that he could pass the child off as his.  Uriah was too honorable, though, to spend the night with his wife while his fellow soldiers were on the battlefield, so then David arranged to have Uriah killed in battle (II Samuel 11:1-25).  The king then proceeded to take Bathsheba as another of his wives.

Now, about a year later, our Scripture begins.  The baby has been born,  and David continues to act as if nothing was wrong.  He doesn’t seem concerned that he has committed adultery, gotten a woman pregnant, and then had her husband murdered.  This, the godly man David, who had walked so close with the Lord for so long, who wrote so many of the psalms!  What is wrong with him?  How did he get to this terrible spot?  Isn’t his conscience bothering him?  If it is, he isn’t showing it.  So God sends one of His prophets, Nathan, to confront the king.

Nathan must have been a brave man, and one who is strongly obedient to God.  Confronting a king about his sins is dangerous, but Nathan obeys God.  He uses wisdom, and does it by telling a parable (vs. 1-6).  When David gets righteously angry at the situation in the story, Nathan turns around, pointing his finger at the king, and declares he is that man!  Nathan was not going to let David forget or brush aside his sins.

The prophet proceeded to tell of God’s judgment for his sins (vs 10-12).  Violence would plague his family, and his wives taken by other men, which was later fulfilled during his son Absalom’s rebellion (II Samuel 16:22).  Thankfully, David’s heart became tender again, and he repented (vs. 13).  Unlike so many who make excuses for their sins, David humbly acknowledged his guilt.  Though God forgave David, the child born from his sin dies, demonstrating that sin has consequences, even when forgiven.

Sin is a direct offense against God.  It begins with temptation, and leads to greater wickedness, resulting in judgment.  We see here both the justice and mercy of God.  He will not overlook sin, and sin does have consequences, however if we confess and turn from our sin, God will have mercy.

Today, confronting sin in others, including in fellow believers, is not popular.  Christians love to say that we should never judge others, however, sometimes that is exactly what we need to do.  Nathan saw that the longer David’s sin was left unconfronted, the more damage was being done, not only to David himself, but also to the faith.  The Apostle Paul urged the early church to confront sin in their midst (Galatians 6:1).  We are to confront fellow Christians about their sin, not to tear them down, but to restore them to fellowship.

If God reveals sin in our lives, His ultimate purpose is not to condemn us, but to restore us, and to help us reconcile with those we’ve hurt.  Repentance clears the way for renewed closeness with God through the power of His forgiveness and grace.

Another lesson to be learned from this Scripture is that any godly man or woman can fall into grave sin.  We might think that there is no way that we would or could ever do what David did, and he probably thought the same thing a short while before this all unfolded.  David, and others who have similarly fallen, don’t do it overnight, but one step at a time.  David didn’t go from godliness to murder in one day.  He warmed up to it over time.  One bad decision led to another.  That second glance led to a lustful stare.  Then adultery, then attempts to cover it up, then ultimately murder.  We are either moving towards Jesus or towards trouble.  Big problems don’t develop overnight.  They break upon us gradually, one step at a time.

In closing, let’s remember that sin has consequences, but God’s grace is sufficient for those who truly repent.