The Penitent Man Will Pass
Bonus points for the first person who can tell me what movie that line is from.I asked my class on Sunday morning what the first thing was that came to mind when I mentioned David. Almost half the class said, "Bathsheba."
Not psalmist. Not Goliath. Not shepherd, or warrior, or king. Bathsheba.
David wrote that his sin was always before him. It lives long after him as well. David was a man after God's own heart. How sad that so many of us think first of his sin. There are some lessons there, of course. One is that our reputation is very important, and the more important (or prominent or noticeable or whatever adjective you choose) we are, the more important our reputation becomes. People in leadership in the church not only have to remain above impropriety, they must remain above even the illusion thereof.
Another lesson is how God sees our heart, not our sin. We mortals may view each other through sin-stained eyes, but God sees us only through the blood of his son which covers us completely.
The biggest lesson I learned on Sunday (and ooohhhhhhh how I love teaching Lee Smith's class...I learn SO much from those guys) was not about David's sin but about his penitence. Here are some verses from Psalm 51:
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
4 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.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
You think David's sin is always before US? Imagine how it was for him to live with what he had done. And yet his repentence seems to have gotten him past it. He was able to turn the page because he was truly sorry. David had a relationship with God that allowed him to pour out his heart and soul to his Master and, day after day, come away clean.
posted by Thurman8er @ 12:39 PM
6 Comments:
Your class Sunday was so good. It's refreshing to hear some good Bible Study. I don't have an opportunity for that often enough...and as we've said, our Sunday morning assembly isn't the best place for it. Part of what makes it good is the way you draw out the thoughts of the other wise folks in that class.
By the way, I had my gucci (yes, GUCCI) wallet stolen from the church building during a work day...and, a keyboard stolen from my music room during COMMUNION on a Sunday morning. (it's the reason we now have a "security team" on Sunday...I'm so sorry to be responsible for that!)
I know it was during Communion because there were people in and out of the music room and we were able to pinpoint the time it was stolen. During Communion of all things!
Love you
Hey Steve, that line is from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - it was the clue to get him through the first of three tests to get to the Holy Grail.
So, what do I win? :)
Wendy:
A HA! You ARE reading! I KNEW it! I also knew you couldn't resist the lure of answering such an easy question with the chance of winning fabulous prizes.
Having said that, you win EITHER this beautiful lounge suite...orrrrr...what's behind Door Number 3 (to be revealed when you come over in a few weeks and/or when I figure out what it is).
I always thought it was interesting that Indy had to bow low and then roll forward. How could a penitent man know he has to roll forward after bowing before getting sliced in two? And even more important, how can I use THAT in a sermon?
Good thoughts Steve. I have a sermon series in the works based upon the song "Create In Me A Clean Heart." Send me your notes!
What's Sandra doing bringing a gucci wallet to church? Forget that, what's she doing admitting that she brought a gucci wallet to church?
www.lemonparty.org has a decent rendition of the Indiana Jones test you speak of.
How on Earth this story and image can be used without being misconstrued
is beyond my realm of knowledge and understanding. I do however
believe someone will depict such imagery favorably in future texts.
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