April 26
1 Chronicles 20:1; 2 Samuel 11:1-12:14; Ps 51; 2 Samuel 12:15-25, 5:14-16; 1 Chronicles 14:3-7, 3:5-9
God alone is to be worshipped. Man should never be worshipped. When you worship man you make him into a god (little "g"). We know from the first commandment in Exodus 20:2-3, " “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me." But elevate man we do. Whether it be a political figure, a sports celebrity, a member of our own family, or even someone who is known for his/her devotion to God. It is natural, but what happens when that elevated person falls in one way or another. There are a number of reactions when this occurs. A number of years ago one of the local and fairly well known pastors was found to be having an affair with another woman from the church. I knew a number of their congregants, and they were despondent. They began questioning everything. But I explained that they should not question matters of faith, since God did not let them down. I also explained that this man was a sinner, no different than me or you, as we desire grace and mercy, so should this man be shown this. Another common reaction when a man of faith falls, is to question everything about him or her. Whether they were ever really anointed. Whether they can trust what they have previously written or spoken on podcasts. We read in Matthew 7:1-3, "“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?" This does not mean we should not judge sins according to God's word as some misapply this, or even to judge wrongful behavior in an individual according to God's standards. But we should be very careful making wide sweeping insinuations about that sinner. It means that we should respond, not pointing our finger, not in a spirit of contempt, but in love.
David was, and continued to be "a man after God's own heart". He had quite a highlight reel of amazing instances when his faith in God was revealed. But this is not one of those times. He falls, and falls mightily. Mistake number one is seen in 2 Samuel 11:1, " In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem." This sounds innocent enough, but David was not where he was supposed to be. Being idle is a very dangerous place to be. He goes on to see Bathsheba, requests her, sleeps with her, gets her pregnant, then attempts to cover up his sin by killing her husband, Uriah (who happens to be one of David's trusted mighty warriors (2 Samuel 23:39). It actually seems like a successful cover up, until the prophet, Nathan, comes on the scene, and with a message from God, given in the form of a story, reveals David's sin, with the stinging words in 12:7, "..."You are that man!" Though there were earthly consequences for his actions, David repents and is forgiven. We read his beautiful and moving heartfelt repentance in Psalm 51.
David was certainly elevated in the eyes of the people. Did God fail? No! David did. Does that mean David was never anointed, or that God made a mistake in choosing David? No! Does that mean if we never had David's plea for forgiveness in writing in 2 Samuel 12:13, and Psalm 51, that he never confessed and sought God's forgiveness? No! We would never have known that, as we are not present in those quiet times between any person and God. Does that mean that if we never had verification of David's heartfelt repentance that we should question his motives in the battle with Goliath, or disregard all of the Psalms that he had previously written because of his sinful behavior surrounding Bathsheba and Uriah? No! David's anointing can not be missed. The truth is God and God alone is to be worshipped. When people fall, God doesn't. So, no matter who it is that publicly falls into sin, our faith should never waiver. Concerning whoever that person is who falls, they are in good company, for they, like us, are all sinners. Just as we desire God's mercy and grace, may we be quick to extend it to others, no matter what the particular sin may have been.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: