The Gospel according to David: David's Repentance

And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, "There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him." Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity." Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the Lord , the God of Israel, 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. Why have you despised the word of the Lord , to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.' Thus says the Lord , 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.'" David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord ." And Nathan said to David, "The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord , the child who is born to you shall die." Then Nathan went to his house. And the Lord afflicted the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he became sick. - 2 Samuel 12:1‭-‬15 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

The man after God's own heart fell into lust, adultery, and murder. This should give us pause. No one of us should say, I would never do that. Like we can do any better. This is the man after God's own heart.

But even so, God did not turn away. Through David, we have the lineage of Jesus. God continues his work. God's grace is greater than any of our sins.

In the last chapter, David was the active party. He sent for Bathsheba. He sent for Uriah. He sent Uriah to his death. This chapter sees God act. God sends Nathan, the prophet, to David. Sin is deceptive. It appears life-giving, but it is life-threatening. From giving into anger, unhealthy relationships, and disordered priorities for success, comfort, & things other than God... They all can feel so right, but are killing us.

The things that need to change are the things we see the least. The arrogant person does not think they are being prideful. They are just "being truthful." David was deceived. He thought he was okay, until Nathan came. God sent the prophet to wound, so that David could be healed.

True repentance

Worldly repentance has sorrow and shame, but never moves on from there. Self centered repentance only focuses on our image before others. We were caught.

True repentance is God centered. When we break the first commandment, we break the rest. Our relationship with God first breaks before the other commands. We fail to keep God first and everything breaks down from there. God's judgement is right and true.

We see not just that sin, but rather we grasp that we are sinners. Therefore we, Christians, must live our lives in perpetual repentance. How does this look? To turn and go back in God's direction. Some are like a pedestrian turning around, others are like bicyclists turning around, finally since sins are like oil tankers slowing to a stop and turning around... It can take forever.

Repentance comes to change our understanding and perception of sin, to change our understanding of ourselves, and to change our understanding of God. We will learn to recognize and stop sinning. We will know that we are sinners to be in perpetual repentance. We will know that God is gracious and just. How? Jesus is God incarnate. He was just, but He also hung out with the dregs of society, tax collectors & prostitutes. Radically holy and radically gracious.

David sinned, but his son died. The baby was innocent. But remember that God too lost a son. A son who was innocent.

Repentance comes from God's kindness. The grace of God seen in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. This is what drives us to change. The love of God seen in the one who sacrificed it all for us. That is what will drive us to change from our sin and filth.