11/11/2015 King-Size Failure! The Bible (2 Samuel 11) documents the - PDF document

11/11/2015 King-Size Failure! The Bible (2 Samuel 11) documents the untouched-up story of David's embarrassingly awful sin. In the aftermath, David writes a song or two about it! Psalm 51 (opening title before verse 1) For the choir director: A Psalm of David… after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. Human Beings Sin! We sin because we are sinners. Our failures are not freakish! For I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. Psalm 51:5, NLT 1

11/11/2015 Sin Synonyms Psalm 32:1-5; Psalm 51:1-3  Transgressions: We go beyond the line!  Sins: We fall way short of the line!  Iniquities: We twist straight lines into crooked ones! The Effects of David's Cover-Up A stubborn refusal to own up to his own sin brought upon him a spiritual depression. Psalm 32:3-4, NIV When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. David's Uncovers His Cover-Up! Tired of God's heavy hand, David opens his mouth in confession! Psalm 32:5, NIV Then I acknowledged my sin to you and DID NOT COVER UP my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord." Psalm 51:1-4, NIV Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin…I have sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so YOU ARE RIGHT in your verdict and justified when you judge. 2

11/11/2015 An Old Testament Beatitude When David stopped trying to cover up his sins, God covered them with his forgiveness! Psalm 32:1-2, NIV Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are COVERED. Blessed is the one whose sin does not count against them… Psalm 32:5, NIV I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord." And you forgave the GUILT of my sin. True Confessions! David was sincerely sorry for his sin—sorry enough to want transformation as much as a pardon! Psalm 32:2; Psalm 51:10 & 12, NIV Blessed is the one IN WHOSE SPIRIT IS NO DECEIT…Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a STEADFAST SPIRIT within me…Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and grant me a WILLING SPIRIT to sustain me. "Let's Sing About My Failures!" David wrote these penitential psalms to remind God's people that it's much better to have God cover our sins than covering them ourselves! Psalm 51:13, NIV Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. Psalm 32:11, NIV Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart. 3

11/11/2015 Prayer of Confession Most holy and merciful Father: We confess to you and to one another that we have sinned by our own fault in thought, word, and deed; by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven. Have mercy upon us, Lord. Prayer of Confession We have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us. We have not been true to the mind of Christ. We have grieved your Holy Spirit. Have mercy upon us, Lord. We confess to you our unfaithfulness: the pride, hypocrisy, and impatience of our lives. We confess to you, Lord, our self-indulgent appetites and ways, and our exploitation of other people. Prayer of Confession We confess to you, Lord, our hurtful angry outbursts, our unbridled lust, and our envy of those more fortunate than ourselves. We confess to you our greedy love of worldly goods and comforts, and our dishonesty in daily life and work. We confess to you, Lord, our negligence in prayer and worship, and our failure to share our faith with others. We confess to you, Lord. Accept our repentance, Lord. 4