(Read 2 Sam 12)
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing.” On Fridays I sometimes provide reflective messages, where we can recap what we have learned throughout the week, and this is one of those Fridays. A few months ago I told you that the three major contributors to scripture (Moses, David and Paul) were all murderers, and I set out on a journey to see the Grace of God in operation in all three of their lives. We looked at Moses already, we will be finishing up with David soon, and we will then transition to Paul. Before we leave David we certainly need to learn from his episode with Bathsheba, because it was clearly the low point of his life and it shows the Grace of God.
This week’s recap:
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God was not pleased with David’s actions – Grace does not mean that God will overlook sin.
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God sent someone to David to highlight the wrong in order to bring him to repentance.
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Before Nathan told David anything else, he told the King that he was forgiven.
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The Love of God forgave David when he was clearly wrong, but that same love did not exonerate David from paying the price for what he did.
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Grace, love and forgiveness were all present, but there was still a price to pay.
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David attempted to get God to change his mind about the penalty, but God would not.
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A seven-day-old baby paid the price, with his life, for what his parents did.
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Both David and Bathsheba went on to be used of God after this low-point in their lives, not because they were so good, but because God is.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. God is not in the business of looking for perfect people, because He knows Jesus was the only perfect man.
2. When we accept Jesus as Lord, Jesus’ perfection is imputed to us; meaning God sees us as perfect, not because we are, but because Jesus is.
3. God is looking to use righteous people in the earth. He knew we were not righteous, therefore He sent Jesus (the only truly righteous man to walk the planet) to die in our place, to take on our sin, and to give us the opportunity to take on His righteousness.
4. We are not righteous because we do righteous things, we are only righteous because of what Jesus did. Jesus made us righteous.
5. When Born-Again believers sin (and we all do), the sin does not cancel out our righteousness. We are righteous through our faith in Christ, not through our works.
6. Acts of sin often lead to unpleasant results. Grace does not means you will not reap what you sow. It just means that even if you wind up reaping a bad harvest from bad seed, God is still willing to use you for His glory, because you are covered by the Blood of Jesus His Son.
7. When you sin the devil will attempt to get you over into condemnation, so you can wallow in your sin. If you feel condemned you will be stripped of all your confidence and you will run away from God. The Holy Spirit will not come to condemn you, but to convict you; not to convict you of your sin, but rather to convict you of your righteousness. When you are reminded of who you are in Christ you are able to get up, after being knocked down by the results of sin, and keep going. Not because you are so good, but because God is. You passionately pursue God, not because You are perfect, but because He chooses to use you in spite of your failures and flaws. That my friend, is the message of Grace!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for Your goodness and amazing Grace towards me. Like David, I am not perfect. And also like David, I am committed to getting up from my sin and mistakes, and continuing on in the pursuit of my purpose. I declare by faith that I am a man/woman after Your own heart. I am committed to getting out of me everything You placed in me before the foundations of the world. You called me from my mother’s womb. You predestined me by Grace. You put purpose down inside of me before the world began and along with the purpose, You gave me the grace to fulfill it. You incrementally reveal to me what I am supposed to be doing. You lead me in the way that I should go. And as You reveal my purpose to me, I pursue it with all my might, and with Your grace. Your grace empowers me to do it and I believe it shall get done. Not because I am perfect, not because I am flawless, and not because I am righteous in and of myself. I am only righteous because Jesus made me righteous. Jesus was made sin, when He had no sin in Him, so that I could be made righteous, when I had no righteousness in me. I am now in Christ, He is in me, I put on Christ and I clothe myself in His righteousness. I am righteous by faith and I seek to be used of You for Your glory. Not because I am so good, but because You are. Not because I am perfect, but because Jesus was perfect for me. I am Your son/daughter, called by Your name, here to accomplish Your purpose, and by Your Grace I declare that I will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
