Returning Home

It was my brother Lloyd who told me that ‘idleness is the mother of all sin’.

David was idle when he should have been in service, he should have been at war leading his army yet here he is taking time off. What is the result? He is given over to lust when the flame that should have ignited his soul been service for the King. When we don’t follow the impulses that God places in our soul, sin cannot help but transpire.

Psalm 51 is a reference to one of the largest scandals in the history of the great Kings of the Bible. This chapter is David’s response to the conviction and pain of his own sin.

We will look at the road back home to where we our hearts are able to feel again. We will discover the path that leads us through spiritual bankruptcy, past our own failings and excuses and brings us back to the heart of God.

For those who are not familiar with the story, it is told in 2 Samuel 11, about a battle in which the people of Israel were engaged, but here is the beginning of the downward spiral, ‘David remain at Jerusalem.’ From there he found himself out on the roof of his palace and then he saw Bathsheba bathing. He sent for her, had sexual relations with her and then the unexpected, she became pregnant. He then sent for her husband, Uriah, to come home, to be with his wife, but he would not and slept with the servants at the gate of the palace. So, in frustration, David asks him why won’t you go and be with your wife? Uriah’s responds by telling him how can I go and be with my wife when my fellow soldiers are sleeping in tents and fighting for our country. ‘I will not do such a thing.’ So, after another attempt on David’s part to loosen him up of his convictions by drinking with him and having no luck, he does the unthinkable. He tells Joab, the commander in chief, to put Uriah on the front lines and then withdraw the rest of the troops.

Returning home begins with a recognition of God’s character. v1,2

When you have lost your confidence, your way, your direction, where do you begin? In David’s case, it was blatant ‘black and white’ sin, but this isn’t the only kind of sin or situation that puts us in this place. Doubt and disappointment can easily rise up when there is sickness, pain and death.

What frames David’s view of God?

The mercy of God – claiming His forgiveness and the fact that we don’t get what we do deserve. In David’s case, he knew he deserved death. His mercies are new every morning.

His unfailing love -

His great compassion

Psalm 91 framed our view of God in Mexico and it didn’t take very long for that view to be tested.

David also reflects on God’s ability alone to deal with our sin (NLT)

blot out the stain of sin

cleansed from guilt – the aftershocks

purified from sin –

Returning home calls for a ruthless position on self v3-5

Repentance – The beautiful 180 degree turn

Until we really come to grips with the emptiness within our own hearts, strategies and plans, we will not really seek or treasure God’s hope

David comes to grips with God on the full extent of his sin, his offense against God

‘For I recognize my shameful deeds – they haunt me day and night’ v3 NLT

Sin fills us with shame and shame overwhelms us with a sense of inadequacy and unworthiness

Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge. V4

Yes it was a sin against Bathsheba and Uriah, but it was first and foremost a sin against God, a sin against his perfect way, against his ultimate design.

In being ruthless as well, he takes full ownership of his sin and accepts God’s judgment.

When we sin hopefully most of us get to the point that we acknowledge it and accept me. I think what is most difficult is the realization that there will be consequences for our actions. That is often a place where many will lose their way and not make it home.

In David’s case, God allowed the son that Bathsheba was pregnant with to become deathly ill and die.

David’s judgment was swift and severe, but remember it was David who wrote of God,’ that He does not treat as our sins deserve’ in Psalm 103:10 David was the king of the nation and leaders always come under more strict judgment. The sin was no secret, every soldier in his army knew exactly what went down. They knew what happened to Uriah and they saw what happened to Bathsheba. I’m sure many if not all of them had lost their respect for him and quite possibly their respect for God so that is why we read, ‘you have given enemies of the Lord great opportunity to despise and blaspheme him’ in 2 Samuel 12:14

Being ruthless with self is a recognition that we are not born innocent. As beautiful as Sarah McLaughlin might sing it, it is just not true. David clearly identifies the fact that we were born into sin.

Being ruthless also means that we don’t try to rationalize, excuse, defend, justify, explain. With David there it is clear that his inner spirit is crushed and he recognizes his rebellion against God

It is more than just shedding of tears or feeling bad. Being ruthless does not seek to blame others or circumstances but know where the issue squarely sits...on my shoulders.

Solomon said, "He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion." Proverbs 28:13

There was no glossing over sin here.

Where do we go from here? We go home!

We have had a recognition of God’s character and we have been ruthless with self.

What is true of David was true in the story of the prodigal son and is true with us. You get to the place where you remember who your Father is and what you have lost.

The way home is revealed. v6-19

What are the signposts along the way?

1. Honesty – I really admire those who are really honest with where they are at. During our debrief times Rick showed a powerful message on being lukewarm by Frances Chan. It was at our final fireside with one of the groups where one girl just openly admitted that is where she was at, she was lukewarm, but knew there was so much more.

2. Purity

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. v7

This hyssop was a small plant that could be easily used for a brush. In the Temple ceremonies, the priests used it to sprinkle blood. It was in Exodus 12 where the people of Israel were commanded to paint their doorways with the blood of a lamb in order that the angel of death would pass over their house and their firstborn would be spared. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. ‘Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world’

3. Joy - Sin robs of our joy and what brought Jesus the greatest joy. It is when the 72 returned in Luke 10 and realized the power they have found in the name of Jesus. The opposite of idleness

4. Clean heart or conscience

5. A right spirit - the ability to sleep soundly again at night, to know that your past will not be brought back up again to your account. It is settled.

6. The Holy Spirit – If we are truly a child of God, the Spirit will not leave us, but His work can be grieved by what we do in sin and quenched by what we don’t do when prompted by the Spirit.

7. Telling others the way home

V16,17 David finishes with one of his greatest ‘a ha’ moments. He tells us the way home.

We cannot quench our own guilt, we cannot cope with it alone. You can’t attend enough worship services, go to enough altar calls, you will never be good enough to deserve your own forgiveness

We get to the place of spiritual bankruptcy , that is what a broken and contrite heart is.

He realizes God isn’t interested in just empty apologies that offend again. The attitude that thinks oh yes, confess, confess and go right back out and do it again.

He is looking for a willing mind, wholehearted devotion

In closing...

I want to return to where it all began to unravel for David. He allowed himself to become idle. There is a real danger here for the church especially in the summer months when programs and ministry are stripped down to become just that....idle. As I mentioned that when we are idle, sin can’t help but transpire.

The last time I checked my Bible it said this in Ephesians 4:29

²⁹Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Maybe I should feel glad that some things have fallen apart in my absence, but I have to admit my heart was very heavy until a wonderful time of prayer and intercession with some of our people gathered informally. It was so difficult for me that I could barely focus and have the ability to write a message this week.

Now I want to also add that I know that there are new things that are happening, a new small group has formed in the summer and we are gearing up for another amazing soccer camp.

However...

I also want to say that being idle in the church is the fastest tickets out of here. We will never be able to do enough to make you happy. One pastor I listened to likened the idle or consumer mentality in churches to being in a stroller.

Here is a stroller for your babies, another one for your children, for your youth, your young adults, your young marrieds....etc

We need the church to get out of the stroller and be ready to do the work of the ministry. Now is the time to start praying and ask God what have you got in store for me at Southside?

The blueprint is that we are all to grow up to be the hands, feet and mouth of Jesus. Individually we can’t do it, but together, we can look like Jesus and that is what happened in Ensenada.

One pastor on a short term team from New Jersey, Stephen, had an incredible tooth infection. Together, over 40 of us laid hands, anointed and prayed for him before he went to the dentist. When he got there, the dentist was amazed to tell him that it had completely drained itself which seldom if ever happens.

To the families that we blessed homes with we looked like Jesus. At one of the homes that we gave away, it was Teresa who said she saw how much we sweat for her and it moved her to tears.

We all need to play our part in the church, there is no room for any of us to be on the sidelines. That is only for the really big churches. You have a much better chance with getting away with it there, but we need everyone here.

Some of you have been attending Bible study and Bible study and it is time now for you to lead one and better yet invite people who aren’t presently going to church to your Bible study. We need more ‘in lab’ assignments!

The Takeaway

If you keep yourself pure, you will be a utensil God can use for his purpose.

That is right out of 2 Timothy 2:21,22 and it goes on to say, ‘Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work. Run from anything that stimulates youthful lust. Follow anything that makes you want to do right. Pursue faith and love and peace, and enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.