The time for the Weekend Sermon is here again, and I am glad to be with you this week. I hope and pray that all of you have had a good week.
I don't have too much new to report. I would ask you to pray for me that my breathing would improve. It has been so humid where I live that it is affecting my asthma. We need some cooler and less humid weather.
Please pray this week for peace in the world. Conflict seems to be besetting this planet on every hand. Continue in prayer about the situation in Gaza, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Ukraine. Also, continue to pray for the spread of the love of Jesus around the world.
Last week, we looked at a prophet by the name of Micaiah who wasn't afraid to speak boldly for the Lord in spite of persecution and ridicule. Today, I want us to look into an incident in the ministry of another man who was a bold and faithful prophet of the Lord.
King David is recorded in Scripture as being a man after God's own heart. However, David certainly didn't do everything that was pleasing to God. In fact, in our text today, we see David at the lowest point in his ethical life.
David saw Bathsheba and was consumed with lust. They had an affair, and Bathsheba became pregnant. Eventually, David would arrange to have Bathsheba's husband killed during the course of a military engagement.
David married Bathsheba, and the pair thought they had gotten away with their misdeed. This was not the case.
On to the scene came Nathan the prophet. Nathan was known in the court of David. On this day, Nathan came to tell the king a story.
Nathan said that a poor man had a lamb that his family treated as a pet. Next door to him was a rich man with abundant flocks. When guests came to the rich man's home, instead of serving a lamb from his abundant flock, the rich man took the poor man's pet and killed it for his banquet.
David was outraged that something so unjust could occur. In fact, David said that the rich man deserved to die for what he had done.
At this point, Nathan said, "You are that man."
David had many wives and concubines, yet he took the wife of another man. David used his power to have her husband killed.
There is a lot to learn from this story.
First of all, Nathan had a lot of courage. It takes boldness to go into the presence of a powerful man and tell him that he is wrong and that God is going to punish him for his wrong deeds. Nathan was unafraid. I also think that Nathan went about confronting David in a very good way. By telling the story of the man and the lamb, Nathan was able to get David to condemn himself.
Just as I said when we looked at Micaiah, I hope that I can have the boldness of a man like Nathan. I know that I often don't share the Gospel with others like I really should because I lack the courage, and I am sometimes filled with fear. What I need to do is pray that the Lord will fill me with the power of His Holy Spirit that I might share the truth of God's Word with those who are within the circle of my influence.
Another thing that strikes me in this story is David's concern with justice which is also God's concern with justice. The Bible is quite clear that the Lord does not look favorably upon the exploitation of the poor and weak by the rich and powerful. The Lord expects those who are in authority to bring justice for the poor and afflicted and to not take the side of the rich and powerful.
In our world today, many corporations are afflicting the poor by paying substandard wages and by providing their workers with unsafe working conditions. The people of God need to speak out against the exploitation of the poor. We must not be among those who are the exploiters.
This story also is interesting to me because of David's reaction about the loss of the poor man's pet lamb. Pets are important, and they should be treated with respect.
The overarching lesson that I get from this passage is that the Lord who made Heaven and Earth sees all that is going on. He will bring justice. Nothing escapes His notice, and the Lord will make all things right ultimately. Even a powerful man like King David could not escape the justice of a just God.
Everyone of us has sinned against the Lord at sometime or another in our lives. The Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We all deserve punishment for our sins. But, thanks be to God, the Heavenly Father provided a way of mercy and forgiveness. Jesus Christ came into this world to satisfy the just demands of a just God. All of our sins were placed on Jesus while He was on the cross. The Bible says that He bore our sins in His body.
In order to receive forgiveness for our sins and receive God's mercy, we must ask Jesus to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We must accept Jesus as Savior and Lord.
Next Wednesday, I will post a cat book review. I will post the Weekend Sermon on either Friday or Saturday. May God bless you. Amen.
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