and we have a with regards to that. It's Christmas Carols. We've got a nativity scene that you might have seen on the way in and it's lovely and my wife saved the church 100 pounds. before but this year we have a building that could fit in and look very nice in at Costco and she said I wanted to go on offer and I wasn't so sure and I thought it might be sold out and we might not get one but last night I think it was we were at Costco and it said to be 140 pounds it was 4780 or something and so it's lovely it'll be there every year and so it's a good investment and it looks great and it's a pretty Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 12 and it's good to have Vincent and Christina with us and so if you haven't met them yet, they're up here. And Christina is here this week, Vincent's here for I think three weeks. And when he departs, he's gonna take Logan with him. And so they'll both be traveling back and it's good to have the boys here for a little while. Alright. 2 Samuel chapter 12 and Okay, so what we've been looking at, looking at the life of David, I think this is Lesson 75. Okay, so we've traveled a long ways and at times we've sat down in the back of it and things, but we've gotten High point of David's life, and things are going great, and then we get that low point in his life where David fails spiritually and morally, sins against God, commits adultery with Bathsheba, and then murders Uriah the Hentai, and a very sad time. So hard to wrap our brain around the idea that such a good man of God, that contains such a large part get right with God until a year later, approximately a year later, as Nathan comes and confronts him. So that's where we were last time that we came to this. I think, again, that was two weeks ago, so we're going back a little ways there. But Nathan came, God sent Nathan to confront David, and Nathan let David's heart condemn him by sharing a story that would But David thought it was a true story, and he had a deep interest in it. It's about a pet lamb that a poor man had, and then a rich neighbor that had all these flocks and things. and defeat the man that was there. He took the poor man's pet lamb and slaughtered it. Of course, David hears that story, gets irate, he pronounces judgment and says, you know, he's got to restore fourfold his life he's going to be given because and which was exactly right in the context of the story that Nathan was sharing. And then Nathan turns to him and says, thou art the man. God has incredibly blessed you. You've had all this prosperity that's of God, God has given you so much more, and yet you had this strange desire that came upon you, and instead of meeting the need that you had a truth that which God has given to you, you sought to satisfy that lust outside of God's love. And so David's finally So, in verse 13, he says, David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And finally, the truth is told. And it's a great thing to get out of the pattern of deceitfulness that David was in for a year. He had tried to hide his sin, and to get out of it by just coming clean, being honest, and facing what had happened. As a dad, as I confront sometimes our children and their disobedience, it's my responsibility to lovingly correct them and to, at times, bring consequences to them that are hard as a parent, but because I love them. even though they might be repentant, and even though they might apologize for whatever they did, there's still that discipline that takes place, because that's the right thing to do, justifiable consequences. And so, We accept this idea of justice being right in court of law and things like that. We expect that if somebody has done the crime, then the saying is that they do the time, that they are penalized for that. So there's a matter of penalization or restitution. Going back to this work, when David had judged the case himself and he looked at it, he had said that. He had said, well, here it is. He laid it out pretty clearly exactly what was going to take place. Now God's going to be merciful to David in that he's not going to kill David, but despite that there's going to be some kind David, the Lord also hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die, albeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. And Nathan departed unto his house, and the Lord struck the child that derides thy fear unto David, and it was buried. very severely with David and Bathsheba because of their sin, a child that was conceived in their sin would die and God said, the reason I'm going to do this is because this sin is not done in secret, though David had tried to conceal it, it was done apparently openly and that it was surely known in the palace because God said, this deed has given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. It's interesting about this thing. Sometimes things that we think are secret, I get out there and I'm laughing about it because our daughter lives in Virginia Beach and there was a rumor that took place there in Virginia Beach in service. That's something that happened that started this rumor that had no truth whatsoever. It was kind of humorous. And lo and behold, somebody in North Carolina contacts my daughter and says, is this true? And Kayla's like, what? in the day to David's day uh in that day, news was spread by word of mouth. That's the way information got out. So, uh there he was for the case that that would take place. So, it was known and if David could sin with impunity and if there wasn't judgment, then that would mean that anybody could violate god's law and get away with it and that would set a bad precedent. I was just reading uh even about um I've got a book written from the 1800s about a missionary that is serving God in the New Hebrides. And one of the last chapters I read was about how they set up a legal system there on the island and how they enforced law so that the natives would recognize that there's a penalty for stealing, that there's a penalty for crimes that take place, so that it would prohibit future failures. And so in the same sense, God's gonna deal with this severely because it would impact the lives of his people. If he didn't, he had to, in a sense, make a proper example of David and show that he couldn't sin with impunity. So tonight, we see David's correction and begin to see his restoration. Okay, so let's go to work. There's some interesting things I would bring out as we study this tonight. Father, we thank you for the grace that you've given us. We've looked at the life of David. It's been very instructive. the life of a man in the Bible, a good man, a Godly man, be shown with all the all the good things and sadly the bad things as well, but appropriately the bad things and finally benefit in seeing this even today uh we're warned and and uh we're challenged in our own walk with you uh to consider our ways and not to sow less than we reap uh and so I I pray tonight that the spirit of god speak to each one of our hearts help us realize that we deal with a holy god uh that is an all-seeing god uh and uh that there is mercy but there are times where there's correction and chastening and uh rightly so and uh may the spirit of god just give us insight into some of these truths tonight and help us in our walk with you. Thank you for each one that's here and father, we're praying for the kids in their class tonight. Ask that the spirit of god give liberty to miss as sure as she shares the bible with them. Thank you that she's got her voice back and able to instruct them tonight. I just pray that the spirit of god give grace that taking the truth of the word of God, and that God's gonna be blessed in my voice here, and Father, that you give us ears to hear, and Father, I can't speak without your enablement, I do ask that the spirit of God would help me to speak biblically, practically, lovingly, and powerfully the truth of the word of God, and I thank you for your help in the house of Christ, we do pray, amen. Okay, so again, we saw David's correction in that Nathan came and confronted, and now we see the correction that God gives her, Chase, And as we begin, we look at David's intercession in verse 16. It says, David therefore sought God for the child, and David fasted, and he went in and lay all night upon the earth, and the elders of his house arose and went to him to raise him up from the earth, but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. Okay, now as an intercessor, David is a premier David. So, I mean, the Psalms, if you want to build your prayer life, go to the Psalms that David wrote about seeking God, finding God, and the emotions that he felt as he was in prayer. I mean, it just speaks to our hearts because David was a man of prayer. So, we're not surprised to see him go to his knees. This is often his posture to get on his knees and to seek the face of about this, I don't know what to do. Would you intercede for me? Ask God and go to God, because he was such a man that in having walked with God, very sadly, he had gotten away from God, but now he's got a correction and he gets back on his knees seeking God. In this instance, he's getting on his knees to plead for the little baby boy that God said is going to die. And so David pled with God, verse 16. So David therefore besought God, for the child. You know, it's interesting to think about David praying in this instance, there are things that David knew, and yet David, by faith, went to God in prayer. He knew that God was in control of the situation, though he allowed the sickness. And so as David goes to prayer, he knows the child is ill. Why? Because God said, to God even though God was moving in this direction. He goes to God in faith even though he knows that God has said the child's going to die. And that God providentially is allowing this child to die, yet in faith he goes to God about that. He knew that God could be petitioned Uh, you know, in saying that, David believed that his intercession could make a difference with God. Think about tonight, do you really believe that when you go to prayer, petitioning God? Even, I mean, think about it, as far as David's concerned, everything's stacked against him. It's just, he deserves it, he's guilty, it's God's wrath, yet despite that, he's going to God in faith and he's praying about it in faith. It's really a powerful testimony to what prayer. Hebrews 11 says, but without faith it's impossible to please him. For he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. You know, do you think as you go to prayer, I'm going to prayer because God is a rewarder of those that pray. God is going to answer. God is going to be in tonight as we go to prayer. expectation that god is really going to do something but to think tonight that we can go to god and and petition him uh by faith and that is a reward that that diligently secret. James 516 says, confess your faults unto another great one for another and that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of much, that statement of failing much. So, if you look at it, you might think that it's impossible, but God is able to do something about it, just like Jesus said about people getting saved, Mark 10, 27, Jesus looking upon themselves with men, it's impossible, but now with God, all things are possible. So, David's going to God, God has said the child's gonna die, he gets on his knees before God and says, God, I've been asking that I basically pray for mercy. That though you've said it, though you've planned it, though you say it, it will be asked of God to intervene. So David pled with God. Secondly, David fasted before God. David fasted before God. So a great way to demonstrate a desire for God is to set aside things that might be things that we would normally have in our life that we could fast from, whether food or water, things like that. hear about God's judgment and say, well, I'm just going to live my life like normal, I'm just going to continue on. He sets aside and shows some self-discipline. He failed by losing self-discipline. He shows some self-discipline, sets some things aside, and begins to seek God. There are sometimes things in life that we view as outdated, things that I grew up with, or I have to look around to see who's my age or older, that I might have grown up with, that they're just not here anymore. Some of you saw at high school, the pagers went off, and some kids might go, what's a pager? I think my kids might have asked me, what's a pager? Because why, we have texting, so that's outdated, outmoded a lot of times. Typewriters. I saw a typewriter at a charity shop. You know, again, that's going back almost to my childhood, you know, that we had those. Record players, MP3 players, cassettes, floppy disks, things like that. They're outmoded, outdated. So, you know, if you tell a child that we had that as a kid, you're like, what is that? And you have to explain it to them. Is fasting like that to you? Is fasting something that you look like at and you say, well, you know, I read about that in the Bible or that was the case with, you know, churches in the past, maybe in the 1800s they fasted. Or do we recognize as a church that, you know, that's something that at times as a church we ought to do, we ought to go to God and show our heart before God by setting aside food, setting aside know, maybe nice drinks just to say, I'm just gonna have water today or whatever just so that I can see god and show god that I'm serious about seeking you. You know, Jesus said, when he fast, remember that, you know, he didn't say, if you fast, he said, when you fast, be not as a hypocrite. So, the sad countenance, you know, just figure your faces that you may be seeing a man who fasts but but he but he said, when you fast and then he said, this coming both not forth but by prayer and And so it's appropriate for us at times, and I'll just tell you, it's time. I mean, we've got to recognize that as a church and as a people that we've really got to seek God. And there are times that we've got to set some things aside so that let's just really pray for our families. Let's really pray for our church that God would intervene. Let's really pray for our community. So David prayed to him fast. Then David humbled himself before God. It says, and he went in, and he lay all night upon the earth, and the elders of his house from the earth, and he would not, neither did he eat bread with them." Okay, so David couldn't be persuaded to get up. He's there as king, and other people look at him and say, what are you doing? You're the king. But David couldn't be persuaded by them to get up from the place where he's seeking God. Again, I think that David would have been just there, not moving, not leaving, because he's earnestly seeking God. You know, have you ever seen someone who is intently earnest about something? Like that child in the sweetie shop. A little child goes into the sweetie shop and, I mean, a mom knows if he's earnest about something. I mean, he sees something there and he's just passionate about it or it's in a toy shop or something like that. And I mean, he's pleading and pleading and maybe crying and kicking and other things that a child will do just because he's going to get that across that I really, really desire this. Again, when it comes to God, is there ever that time where it's just like, God, I'm going to show that I am dead set on this, I'm burdened about this, really seeking you about this. You know, many times in our day, in our churches, it's become like a fast food mentality. It's just that idea that, well, I mean, Very short prayer times, little to no expenditure of energy, make it to enough church just to kind of appease whatever there is but not really demonstrating to God that, you know, I'm here because I'm really seeking. I'm here because I really need you. And David was showing God that he really desired God. James 5.16, again, that verse I think we've already looked at, the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availed much. David was getting right with God, and we have to be right with God, but that being the case, is there anything in our heart that says, God, I'm just going to seek you until I find you? And so David went to God, David prayed, David fasted, and David demonstrated to God that he really was seeking. But David, with the no, understands, like, I did everything I possibly could to go to God and say, God, I'm asking you to intervene in this situation. So that, as we move forward in the steps of what we're gonna see take place, David's heart is clear. He's done everything he possibly could to seek God. And so David's intercession. But then secondly, David's submission in verse 18. It says, and it came to pass on the seventh day that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, who spake unto him, and he would not argument or voice, how will he then vex himself if we tell him that the child is dead? Okay, so their logic is really good. They look at it and say, you know, when he heard about the sickness and things, he's fasting, he's praying, but now the child's dead. Now there's nothing that he could do by petitioning God good logic about that, but what they didn't think about was David's submission to God, that David would submit to what God was doing. And so David didn't get angry at God for taking the life of the child, verse 19. But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, Is dead. David takes it on board, and he takes it on board by faith, and he submits to what God has done. Job, as a righteous man, did the same thing. He suffered at the hand of God's providence. God allowed, if you know the story about Job in the Bible, Job lost his children, he lost his servants, he lost his livestock all in a day, and yet the Bible says in Job 1.22, in all this, Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. And so Job submitted to it and put himself under God and just took it as from the hand of God. David here rightly took it as punishment from God and submitted to it and responded correctly to it. You know, this is how we love to see a child respond to correction, that there's that submission to it that understands, okay, this is just, this is fair, and receives it. And that's what we desire. You know, the Bible says in Proverbs 29, one, He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. So, as God works in our life, or as authority works in our life, we can respond by stiff neck and get upset about it, or we can submit to it. And so, here, David's a bad example in sin, but he's a good example in getting right with God, in that, as God does that, he humbles himself before God and says, okay, God, Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped." So for seven days he had wrestled with God in prayer, and he'd been there in that position of prayer, but now the baby's dead, and David cleans himself up, he goes, he bows before God in the tabernacle, he begins to worship God, and it's so He's going to submit to God and he's going to please God through that. You know, it's a wonderful thing to watch a believer go through a very difficult trial and with God. We're watching it right now. We're friends of ours and I should have shared this. I'll share it tonight. I think it was, and Kate had a brain bleed, and she had an aneurysm that they found, and she's had surgery two days ago. She's in ICU for two days, but they've got her walking, and she's doing very well considered, and so we've been praying about that. But it's a wonderful thing to see Jim on Facebook, to see a believer go through a tough time and yet have the grace and the peace of God. I've shared before with our church that my father lost his wife and three kids in a car accident at the age of 26. And dad's testimony through that was he never was bitter. Dad shared his testimony many times talking about God's goodness and God's grace and how God went through that trial. But incredible trial that the world would look at It's a great thing when we go through a tough time. It might be a chase thing, it might just be a trial, but God's love to come through it and say, I'm just gonna rest in God, I'm gonna worship God, I'm gonna go hunt up for God, and praise God David did that. And so, and then David got himself back into normal life, verse 20. So as then he came to his own house, and when he required, they set bread before him, and little bit, he's not been eating, he's been fasting, the child's dead. If he goes to prayer, he worships God, he goes sits down at the table just like he used to always do and he gets a meal and he's gonna go ahead and get to eat. You know there's a scripture that says all scriptures given by inspiration of God is profitable for doctors that the man of God may be perfect, really furnished in all of the works. So it's great to go to the Bible, and sometimes you go to the Bible about science, you go to the Bible about relationships, you go to the Bible about economics and things like that. And here, the story is a great place to go to look at grief, and maybe even how to respond with grief. And we see David has gone through grief, and there's a process of coming back into normal life. He's grieved with the departure, but now he's going to get back and get back to life. You know, when my father passed away, I forget what day it was, and about a week later, we're back in Des Moines, and it was Sunday, and so it's time to go to church. and my mom's gonna have to go and sit, and dad's not there, and Charlie, my nephew, I took a picture of him sitting by my mom with his arm around grandma, you know, and, but she's there, you know, because life goes on, and there's a process, yes, we agreed, but there's also a process of getting back into life and going forward in life, you know. With David, God didn't take David's life, and so what do we know about David's life? Could he enjoy it? Yeah, you know what I'm saying? I mean, though God had punished David, God's taken him through it, and that's right, there is also the right aspect that God has spared his life, so therefore, David could go on with life, and we're gonna see that very much in the life of David, that David's got a great life ahead of him, so though God takes us through that difficulty, that chasing, that we can come through that and go on up. And so God did that with David there. You know, as a parent, when we discipline, it's not our desire with discipline to break a child. Our desire is to humble them and then to build them up and get them back going and encourage them. So we see that there with David, 1 Peter 5, 10. says, but the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make ye perfect, established, strengthened, and settled. So sometimes God will take us through that, that valley that is just, and there's discipline there, and chastening there, because whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth. And if you're without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you illegitimate, not children? And so that's right, it's gonna happen to each one of us at times, God takes us through to that and then get back in there and worship God and get back in there and continue to go on for God. And so if you know how to go from chasing back into walking with God, a good spirit and a humble spirit, and there's a good example there to bounce back from grief into life, you know, and not be overly sorrowful. And there's a grieving process, but then let God heal us from that and get back into the joy of life. And then the third thing. gave his expectation. Verse 21, Then said a servant unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? Thou hast fasted and weeped for the child while it was alive, but when the child was dead, thou mayest rise and eat bread. Okay, so the servants are looking at him going, you know, I got the whole weeping thing. like, hey, where's the food? You know, they just didn't understand what was taking place there in David's life as he submitted to what God had done. You know, there's times in life where unbelievers are going to look at us with confusion. They're not going to get it. And I'll just say this, my father's funeral was a, I wish our church could have been there. Some might have seen of the presence of God here. It was a celebration of life. It was a funeral, but it wasn't a funeral, in a sense. And there was laughter several times, and Dad had a great sense of humor. We had some fun appreciating that and things. But unbelievers look at it and say, what's going on here? And a couple people, I think, said, this is the best funeral that I've ever been to. And I get how they meant that, because it was just testimony, the grace that God gives to a believer in a situation like that, that's very, very difficult. After my dad's car accident, my dad didn't weep a lot about it. He lost his whole family. And some people would have thought, well, Pastor Short hit really hard, you know. He don't care, you know, or something like that. But it wasn't that at all. In fact, Dad had been given a verse by God in his devotions. Uh, Ezekiel 24, 16 says, Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire thine eyes with a stroke, yet neither shall thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down. And he's going through it, and it's tough, but he had the grace of God, he had the strength of God, and unbelievers look at you, I don't get that. but it's an opportunity as a believer to be able to testify of the grace of God. Now, again, David's going to chase things, so there's a humbling by God, but it's still a very difficult situation that you can go through the grace of God and come back from it and have a testimony of the grace of God. And at times like that, we need to be ready to answer people that ask us, hey, how can you go through that and still have joy, still have peace? Uh and the Bible says in 1 Peter 3 15, but saying the Bible regarding hearts, be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh of you a reason of the nurses are gonna be saying to Kate and to Jim, how can you have strength like this? Because Jim's very difficult to speak about the strength that he's got and appreciating prayers that are coming from around the world for them, but it's a testament that Weber has and that's a great time to maybe have that opportunity to speak about it. Now specifically though, with regard to David, he's gonna answer his servants. And so David's expectation was that while there's life, there's hope. So verse 22, he said, while the child was yet alive, I fasted and I wept. For I said, who can tell whether God would be gracious to me that the child may live? Okay, now again, that's a great passage to memorize. Yeah, that would be a great one to memorize and say, I'm gonna pray about this while this, whatever it is is still alive, while there's still a possibility that God afford with that. And so David, as long as there was light, he had hope spiritually. As long as there's light, there's hope. anything for the dead, because the Bible says the point of it, wants to die, and after that, the judgment. It's either heaven or hell, okay? And so David, as he prayed about it, he knew that life is it, and after death, there's nothing to pray about for that person. Because, but secondly, with regard to his expectation for this child, he believed God had taken the child to heaven. He says in verse 23, But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. Now, I'll just say that word is silent on what some have called the age of accountability, that age where innocence is lost and man is accountable to God for what they've done, or this idea, and some of this idea comes from this text and scripture and what that it's just a tradition that has nothing to do with scripture or anything like that. But if you do want comfort at a time of loss, and I'll say this, my wife and I, between Nelson and Matt, had two miscarriages. And, you know, what's interesting about a miscarriage with regard to like abortion or things like that, I'll just tell you this, I knew that was a child. There's a wonderful sense that that is a baby. These babies are in heaven. And then I say that with confidence because of the text that we have in front of us, where David says, he can't come to me, but I will go to him. I know David was a righteous man. I know where David was going to spend eternity. David was going to go to that child, and that child is in heaven. I think for many reasons, practically speaking, that even as a human I can think of, I can think of reasons why God wouldn't give us a doctrine that has to do with this idea that we call the age of infertility. And let me say this, whether or not that's true, that all infants go to heaven, okay, if I can say it that way, is God just? Yes. Is God holy? Yes. Is God gonna make a mistake? No. And so, I don't have to have the scripture. Okay, you see what I'm saying? But there's a lot of comfort there for people that are grieving a stillborn baby, you know, or a child that dies. And it happens, sadly, that a child may die. You know, we do our best with children, always, to give the gospel as early as they can understand, and always to seek that but I think there is comfort there, especially as you think about these babies that have been killed in their mother's womb, and in their sin, no opportunity to ever repent of their sin, never put their faith in Jesus Christ, but murdered before they had that opportunity. But regardless, again, we know God will do what's right. So, some final thoughts as we conclude this evening. So, first of all, praise God, David admitted his sin. I just wanna get out right in front of God and say, God, hey, help me get right with you, and let's get back to walking with you. And then submitting to God's judgment. God's gonna bring pressure to bear upon us at times, and there's people that'll get bitter about that and say, why did God, I was doing what's right, who am I, I didn't deserve, but if we look at our lives, we'll understand that if I got what I deserve, I deserve what? Eternity in hell. God's goodness to me, so anything that God brings into my life that's not God, I submit to that and say, hey God, I don't deserve any better than that, and so I submit to that, and God, I'm just gonna stay faithful, I'm just gonna worship you, I'm just gonna go through this and get on with God. And so David endured God's chasing, still worships him, and then he got back into normal life with strong confidence in God. We're not gonna see David, you know, falter beyond what we see. He's gonna get back, he's gonna be a goblin king, He's going to lead his family correctly. Even his family that are going to see Bathsheba is his wife. That was Uriah the Hittite's wife. He murdered Uriah the Hittite. He committed adultery with Bathsheba. We're going to see in the very next passage, I think, that we look at that God in His incredible mercy is going to bless their union. We'll see how. And so God, and for our encouragement tonight, God's a restorative God. I'm just gonna go on with you. And like, bring me through it, chase me if you're right, and praise God for that. And so I hope that's an encouragement to you tonight. Let's go over to prayer. Father, thank you for this text of scripture that I've been able to look at tonight. It might be the Spirit of God spoken specifically to somebody's heart about from David's life and the scripture here at Hormuzin. And I pray tonight, Lord, if there's any sin that is hidden sin in our life, I pray that we very quickly Repent of that and find your mercy, find your forgiveness. Then I pray, Father, whatever circumstances you bring to bear in our life that is tough and oftentimes chastening us, may the Spirit of God who has graced us in that help us to pray powerfully and intercede while there's life, there's hope. petition you about something, help a staff of faith like David have and say, you know, God hears me, maybe God will be gracious about this, I'm just going to keep praying about it. And Father, may our faith be strong in you, and thank you for David, and we don't stand in judgment upon David because we see much in the life of David that's in our mind as well, and certainly we've often failed you as well. Thank you that you're a restorative God