It's Complicated (S2): WK 4 - THU
2 Samuel 12:5-10
David was furious. “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such
a thing deserves to die! He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he
stole and for having no pity.”
Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The LORD, the God of Israel, says: I
anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. I gave you your
master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had
not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. Why, then, have you
despised the word of the LORD and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered
Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. From this time
on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking
Uriah’s wife to be your own.
Psalm 51:12-15
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
and they will return to you.
Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;
then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
Unseal my lips, O Lord,
that my mouth may praise you.
We’ve reached a point in our story where David is overwhelmed with guilt. He has taken what isn’t his, betrayed his family, ruined neighbors’ lives, shed innocent blood, and become a cautionary tale of power and entitlement. Tomorrow’s lesson will examine the consequences of wrongful actions that are never completely avoided, no matter how much we repent. But today, we see the grace and salvation Jesus offers to everyone who confesses.
Before we go further, I have to admit that part of me feels relieved to read this story. Some Christians jump between Biblical success stories, skipping the troubling ones, in a way that makes following God seem impossible. In contrast, between the stories of Moses crossing the Red Sea, David slaying Goliath, and Peter preaching the resurrected Christ, we have opportunity to read about their failures and flaws, allowing space for me to follow Jesus despite my imperfections.
The book of 1 John clearly states that no one has walked so far from Jesus that salvation is impossible if they choose to repent. It says, “If we confess our sins to [Jesus], he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (v9), and, “if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.” (v7)
Guilt and shame are not the same. While these two words are often used interchangeably and have similar meanings, understanding their difference is important. Guilt means feeling remorse for a specific action or behavior. Shame is a feeling that you are beyond redemption. When responded to correctly, guilt reminds us of our need for forgiveness and draws us to Jesus. Shame, on the other hand, makes us believe we can’t be forgiven and creates a barrier between us and Jesus. Guilt is about what you did. Shame is about who you are.
So, if you feel guilty about something you've done, that is likely the Holy Spirit prompting you to confess at the feet of Christ, where forgiveness is abundant. But if you believe your only option is secrecy and silence, while an inner voice torments you with shouts of God’s rejection, I encourage you to let Jesus remove the shame, listen to His voice of compassion, and immerse yourself in the pardon of His grace.
1. What words would you use to describe your typical inner voice's commentary? Where
do you think this originates from?
2. When is a time someone showed you unexpected grace? How did it make you feel?
3. What word of encouragement would you like to receive from Jesus today? Is there a
passage of scripture you can turn to for this message? What is it?
David was furious. “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such
a thing deserves to die! He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he
stole and for having no pity.”
Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The LORD, the God of Israel, says: I
anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. I gave you your
master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had
not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. Why, then, have you
despised the word of the LORD and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered
Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. From this time
on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking
Uriah’s wife to be your own.
Psalm 51:12-15
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
and they will return to you.
Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;
then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
Unseal my lips, O Lord,
that my mouth may praise you.
We’ve reached a point in our story where David is overwhelmed with guilt. He has taken what isn’t his, betrayed his family, ruined neighbors’ lives, shed innocent blood, and become a cautionary tale of power and entitlement. Tomorrow’s lesson will examine the consequences of wrongful actions that are never completely avoided, no matter how much we repent. But today, we see the grace and salvation Jesus offers to everyone who confesses.
Before we go further, I have to admit that part of me feels relieved to read this story. Some Christians jump between Biblical success stories, skipping the troubling ones, in a way that makes following God seem impossible. In contrast, between the stories of Moses crossing the Red Sea, David slaying Goliath, and Peter preaching the resurrected Christ, we have opportunity to read about their failures and flaws, allowing space for me to follow Jesus despite my imperfections.
The book of 1 John clearly states that no one has walked so far from Jesus that salvation is impossible if they choose to repent. It says, “If we confess our sins to [Jesus], he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (v9), and, “if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.” (v7)
Guilt and shame are not the same. While these two words are often used interchangeably and have similar meanings, understanding their difference is important. Guilt means feeling remorse for a specific action or behavior. Shame is a feeling that you are beyond redemption. When responded to correctly, guilt reminds us of our need for forgiveness and draws us to Jesus. Shame, on the other hand, makes us believe we can’t be forgiven and creates a barrier between us and Jesus. Guilt is about what you did. Shame is about who you are.
So, if you feel guilty about something you've done, that is likely the Holy Spirit prompting you to confess at the feet of Christ, where forgiveness is abundant. But if you believe your only option is secrecy and silence, while an inner voice torments you with shouts of God’s rejection, I encourage you to let Jesus remove the shame, listen to His voice of compassion, and immerse yourself in the pardon of His grace.
1. What words would you use to describe your typical inner voice's commentary? Where
do you think this originates from?
2. When is a time someone showed you unexpected grace? How did it make you feel?
3. What word of encouragement would you like to receive from Jesus today? Is there a
passage of scripture you can turn to for this message? What is it?
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