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Sermon #22141 —— Miscellaneous Sermons
Title: Lessons from A Fallen Saint
Text: 2 Samuel 11:26-27 Subject: David’s Sin and God’s Grace Introduction:
God’s servant David was a man of remarkable character. Grace had made him a man of integrity, principle, and courage in the cause of God’s honor. He was a humble man, a believing man, a faithful man, and a holy and righteousness man. He stood head and shoulders above his peers. The Lord God himself tells us that David was such a man as I have described. He was no better than any other man by nature. But grace made him a new creature. God himself declares, “I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will” (Acts 13:22).
David was a man chosen of God, redeemed by Christ, born again and called by the Holy Spirit. He was a righteous man, greatly and mightily used of God as no other man in his generation. He was the man through whom Christ came into this world. Our Savior, who is the Son of God, came into the world as the Son of man through David. Jesus Christ, the Son of man, is the Son of David. Truly, David was a remarkable, remarkable man.
But how is David remembered? What do you think of when you hear David’s name? For most people, I suspect the first thought, that comes to mind when David’s name is mentioned, is adultery and murder. David took another man’s wife, committed adultery, and had the man whose wife he had taken killed. What a horrible blight upon the name of such a remarkable man! But it is written in the Scriptures for our learning and admonition, “that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4). So I want to talk to you very plainly about David’s sin and his righteousness. The title of my message is — Lessons from A Fallen Saint. — Let’s read 2 Samuel 11:26-27.
(2 Samuel 11:26-27) “And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. (27) And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.”
Now, keep your Bibles open at 2 Samuel 12.
Proposition: This chapter is not written to sully the name of God’s servant David, but to teach us both to be aware of our own sinfulness and to adore the marvelous grace of our God.
Once David had committed his horrible crimes, God left him alone for several months. The guilt of sin lay upon his heart for nine long months (at least), unrepented of. I am sure that during those long months of darkness his soul was heavy, his heart smote him, and he lamented the evil he had done. I have no doubt that he went to bed many nights with the face of his faithful friend, Uriah, before his eyes. How many sleepless nights he must have spent, trying to silence the tormenting accusations of his conscience. God left David alone for nine long, torturous months to seethe in his sin.
During those nine months he found no comfort for his soul; he penned no psalms; his harp was out of tune; his soul was like a tree in winter, the sap of life was still there in the root, but he appeared to be dead. Indeed, David himself said, “When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer” (Psalm 32:3-4).
Then after nine long months of barrenness, desolation and isolation from the Lord his God, after nine months without hearing from God or being heard of God, God intervened in mercy — “And the Lord sent Nathan unto David” (12:1).
As we look together at David, this man after God’s own heart, this righteous, godly, sanctified man, I want us to learn these seven things. May God the Holy Spirit be our Teacher.
The Word of God
First, this Book, the Bible, is the Word of God. If this Book were only a book of religious morals, compiled by men, it certainly would not record the most wicked deeds of its most eminent examples of grace and faith. One of the greatest evidences of inspiration is the fact that the Bible makes no attempt to conceal the sins of God’s most eminent servants. Rather, it plainly exposes them and makes no excuse for them.
· Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord; but one day, while he lay in a drunken stupor, one of his own sons defiled him. · Abraham was the friend of God; but he lied to Abimelech, subjected his wife to adultery, and took Hagar. · Moses was the meekest man who ever lived; but he once smote the Rock, the token of God’s presence, which typified Christ, in a fit of anger. · Aaron was God’s high priest; but he once led Israel in idolatry. · Peter was a chosen apostle of Christ; but he denied his Savior three times in one dark, dark night. · Paul was, it appears, the most widely used, most influential of all the apostles. Yet, even Paul fell into the snare of legalism briefly at Jerusalem.
Why has the Holy Spirit so plainly recorded the sins of God’s saints upon the pages of Holy Scripture? Why is there no attempt made to cover, minimize, or in some way excuse their sins? I can give you three reasons.
1st, these things are written to teach us that God’s saints in this world are sinners still.
Illustrations: Paul – “I am the chief of sinners!” William Huntington, S.S. John Newton
“I am a poor sinner and nothing at all; But Jesus Christ is my all in all!”
2nd, these things are written to teach us that salvation is by the grace of God alone (Ephesians 2:8-9).
(Ephesians 2:8-9) “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
We all stand before God as guilty sinners upon the footing of free grace alone!
(Psalms 37:23-24) “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. (24) Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.”
(Proverbs 24:16) “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”
3rd, These things are written to teach us that the whole of our acceptance with God is the Person and work of Christ. — “Accepted in the Beloved!”
A Warning
The second thing we must learn from David’ sin is this: — You and I must never cease to be aware of our personal weaknesses arising from the depravity of our own hearts.
How often have you thought to yourself, or said to others, “I do not understand how a true believer could do such a thing?” What you are really saying is, “I would never do that!”
I know that doctrinally we all believe in total depravity; but by some proud, foolish imagination we all think we are the exception. We would never say so, but we all naturally think more highly of ourselves than we ought.
The great cause of Peter’s fall was his pride (Luke 22:31-33).
(Luke 22:31-33) “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: (32) But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. (33) And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.”
He had to learn that he did not love Christ more than the rest of his brethren. There was no difference between him and James, John, and Thomas; and he had to learn it.
The secret of steadfast commitment and consecration to Christ is a genuine awareness of personal depravity (Romans 12:1-3).
(Romans 12:1-3) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (3) For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
That person is in grave danger who imagines that he or she is above committing some sin that would bring reproach upon the Gospel of the grace of God, the name of Christ, and the Church of God.
Illustration: Peter walking on the water — As we walk across these troubled waters we must never cease to look to Christ! As soon as we take our eyes off him we begin to sink.
Blind to Ourselves
Thirdly, learn from David that — We are all naturally blind to our own faults, but quick to see the faults of others.
(2 Samuel 12:1-4) “And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. (2) The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: (3) But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. (4) And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.”
When Nathan illustrated David’s sin by telling him the parable of the rich man who had many lambs, but stole the only lamb his poor neighbor had (vv. 1-4), David was enraged and quickly judged that man to be worthy of death, never imagining that he was the man! (See Matthew 7:1-5.)
(2 Samuel 12:5-7) “And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: (6) And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. (7) And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;”
(Matthew 7:1-5) “Judge not, that ye be not judged. (2) For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. (3) And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? (4) Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? (5) Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”
· Indian saying — “Don’t judge another man until you have walked a mile in his moccasins!” · This is my prayer — “Lord, teach me to be lenient, merciful, and forbearing toward my brethren. If I have any severity, let it be directed against myself. Teach me to forgive, overlook, and excuse the weaknesses and failings of my brethren.”
Prophet Needed
Fourthly, this sad event in David’s life teaches us that we are all need a faithful preacher (12:1). — “And the Lord sent Nathan unto David!” What a blessing! Blessed is that man to whom God sends his Nathans!
When God has grace to convey to his elect he sends a messenger to speak for him. “How shall they hear without a preacher?” God always sends a preacher to…
For wise and holy reasons known only to himself, God allows his saints to fall into sin. Sometimes he leaves them to themselves for a long time; but he will not leave them forever! (Isaiah 57:17-18).
(Isaiah 57:17-18) “For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. (18) I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.”
“He sends after us before we seek after him, else we would certainly be lost.” (Matthew Henry)
Nathan was the prophet by whom God had promised many good things to David (2 Samuel 7:13-17); but now he must speak to David a word of stern reproof.
Nathan was a faithful prophet. — Having received the word at God’s mouth, he spoke it faithfully. He was David’s truest friend, for he spoke to David the Word of God. Joab was only a pretended friend.
Nathan did not say, “I will not go to David, for he has sinned.” He counted him not as an enemy, but admonished him as a friend (2 Thessalonians 3:15). — He did not say, “David is the king. I dare not reprove him and expose his sin!” He was faithful to God and faithful to David. He told him the truth. He was true to his soul.
· He reminded David of all the great things God had done for him and was willing to do for him (12:7-8).
(2 Samuel 12:7-8) “And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; (8) And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.”
· He plainly exposed David’s sin for what it was — Contempt for God and his authority as God (12:9).
(2 Samuel 12:9) “Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.”
· He frankly told David what the consequences of his sin would be (12:10-12).
(2 Samuel 12:10-12) “Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. (11) Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. (12) For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.”
And David bowed to and received the Word of God (12:13).
(2 Samuel 12:13) “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.”
Here is a mark of grace, a mark of a true believer. When David was confronted with his sin, he confessed it and repented of it. He bowed to the Word of God. · He was not angry with Nathan for delivering God’s Word. —— “I’ll get another prophet!” —— “I’ll just change churches!” · He was not angry with God for judging his sin. · He frankly confessed his sin. This is the essence of repentance (1 John 1:9; Psalm 51:1-17; 32:1-5).
(1 John 1:9) “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
(Psalms 32:1-5) “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. (2) Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. (3) When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. (4) For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. (5) I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.”
(Psalms 51:1-4) “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. —— Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. (2) Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. (3) For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. (4) Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.”
Our Influence
The fifth lesson to be learned from David’s fall is the fact that our lives affect a lot of people and a lot of things. — None of us live unto himself. Everything we say and everything we do affects other people. Our companions, our children, our brethren, our neighbors, our friends, and our enemies are watching us. What we say and do does affect them!
The scandalous lives of people who profess faith in Christ and the scandalous actions of people who possess faith in Christ are matters of grave concern, because they give men occasion to blaspheme the name of our God. The more prominent and influential a person is the more severe the consequences of his sin are (Romans 2:23-24). — Lot was a righteous man, but he led his family to destruction!
Though God did not punish David for his sin personally (His sin was punished in Christ!), he did chasten him publicly. He had to vindicate his honor and show his displeasure with David’s sin. Notice the consequences of David’s sin.
(2 Samuel 12:14) “Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.”
(2 Samuel 12:18) “And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?”
(2 Samuel 12:10) “Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.”
(2 Samuel 12:11-12) “Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. (12) For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.”
(2 Samuel 16:22) “So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.”
Beware, my friend, your sin will find you out. You cannot take fire to your bosom and not get burned. You cannot sin against God and get by. Your sin and mine has its consequences…
Our Merciful God
The sixth lesson to be learned from this sad story is the fact that the Lord our God is merciful and gracious to forgive sin (12:13). (See Psalm 103:8-14).
(2 Samuel 12:13) “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.”
(Psalms 103:8-14) “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. (9) He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. (10) He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. (11) For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. (12) As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. (13) Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. (14) For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.”
David was so overwhelmed by the goodness and grace of God in forgiving his sin that when he wrote about it he could not extol the grace of God enough (Psalm 32; 51).
It is still true, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity?” (Micah 7:18). Our God is God “who delighteth in mercy!”
What a picture we have here of God’s mercy in forgiving sin. This is what God does for sinners. He forgives them! — The Lord God forgave David of his sin (12:13).
(2 Samuel 12:13) “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.”
· It was an immediate forgiveness. As soon as confession was made pardon was declared. God never upbraids where sin is honestly confessed; but by the power of his omnipotent grace, through the merits of Christ’s shed blood, he casts the hell-born thing behind his back (John 1:29).
· It was a complete forgiveness (Psalm 32:5). The Lord God forgave David’s iniquity, his transgression, his sin, and the iniquity of his sin! David was not charged with sin. God would not impute sin to him, ever! (Romans 4:8).
(Psalms 32:5) “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.”
(Romans 4:8) “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”
NOTE: This is the strongest argument under heaven to promote holiness (1 John 2:1-2).
(1 John 2:1-2) “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
· It was forgiveness accompanied by a promise – “Thou shalt not die!” Wherever God grants pardon he promises life, eternal life (Acts 13:37-38; John 5:24).
(John 5:24) “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
(Acts 13:37-38) “But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. (38) Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:”
God forgave David freely, but an innocent victim must die in his place (12:14, 18).
(2 Samuel 12:14) “Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.”
(2 Samuel 12:18) “And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?”
Grace is free, but it is not cheap. Forgiveness comes to us freely, but someone had to pay for our sin! Look at the illustration before us…
God’s justice must be vindicated, and must appear to be vindicated. Therefore, seven days after it was born that baby, who was altogether innocent of David’s crime, died, as it were, in his stead, because of his sin. God killed it.
Even so, the Lord Jesus Christ, who was altogether holy and innocent, died as our Substitute, the Just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. There is no other way for God to be just and yet justify the ungodly. God killed his Son for us!
David and the innocent one who died in his place, who died for his sin, will someday be reunited (12:23).
(2 Samuel 12:23) “But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”
David found great comfort and satisfaction for his heart in the hope that one day he would go to be with his son in heaven. Is this not the joy of your heart? When our pilgrimage here is over we shall go to be with Christ in heaven! We shall see him who loved us and gave himself for us! (Isa. 33:17).
(Isaiah 33:17) “Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.”
“What a day that will be When my Jesus I shall see! When I look upon His face, The One who saved me by His grace!”
God’s Faithfulness
The seventh lesson to be learned from this fallen saint is the blessed fact that the Lord our God is faithful, even to, no, especially to his fallen saints (12:24-25; 2 Timothy 2:13; Mark 16:7).
(2 Samuel 12:24-25) “And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him. (25) And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah (BELOVED OF THE LORD), because of the LORD.”
The faithfulness of our God is nowhere more evident than in the way he overrules the sins of his people to do them good (Psalm 76:10; Romans 8:28). Though David’s act of taking Bathsheba greatly displeased the Lord, God gave him a son by her through whom his covenant promise and gracious purpose was fulfilled.
No doubt, Bathsheba was greatly distressed with the sense of her sin and the tokens of God’s displeasure. So, when God restored to David the joy of his salvation, he comforted her with the comforts God had given him.
Application
1. Let us ever beware of and confess our sin. 2. Adore God’s grace. 3. Trust God’s Son. 4. How great, how gracious, how faithful, how forgiving God our Savior is!
(Mark 16:7) “But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.”
(1 John 1:9) “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
(1 John 2:1-2) “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Amen.
Don Fortner
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Pastor Fortner’s
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1 Reading: 2 Samuel 11:26-27 and Psalm 51
Tape # X-33a
Danville (AM 09/27/92)
Danville (AM 11/24/02)
Danville (PM 06/03/07)
Danville (PM 06/05/11)
Danville (AM 04/05/15)
Todds Road Grace Church, Lexington, KY
Sovereign Grace Church, New Castle, IN
Bethel Baptist Church, Spring Lake, NC
Millsite Baptist Church, Cottageville, WV (All in 1992)
Lealman Church, St. Petersburg, FL (03/19/95)
Hampton, VA (10/25/95)
Victory Chapel Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, NC (12/01/95)
Kitchens Creek Baptist Church, Ball, LA (01/07/96)
Wichita Falls, TX (01/10/96)
Rescue Baptist Church, Rescue, CA (01/27/96)
Zebulon Baptist Church , Pikeville, KY (Thursday 09/28/06)
Fairmont Grace Church, Sylacauga, AL (SUN – 02/23/14)
Readings: Lindsay Campbell and James Jordan
Tape # AA-21