A Clean Heart

Temple Baptist Church - 8-31-2014

 

2 Samuel 12:15-25; Psalm 51

 

Introduction:

A. 2 Samuel 11 is the great chapter dealing with David’s sin with Bathsheba. 2 Samuel 12 is David’s exposure and chastening. It is in chapter 12 that we find David fasting and praying before the Lord for seven days before the death of his child. Psalm 51 is David’s great penitent prayer to God and I personally believe that this prayer took place as David fasted and lay before the Lord for seven days.

B. There is so much to this story that I will only deal with a few things so as to get the message across this morning.

1. The Progression and Product of a Dirty Heart. We often hear the phrase that someone “fell into sin” but I believe that the opposite is true. People “walk into sin” on step at a time! David’s Sin Was Great! A man after God’s own heart failed God so miserably in 2 Samuel 11 in committing multiple sins with two of the following sins unto death! 1 John 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. (A “sin unto death” is any sin that God placed under the sentence of death.)

a. The sin of being out of the battle or Spiritual Inactivity – 2 Samuel 11:1 “at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.”

b. The sin of lust - 2 Samuel 11:2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

c. The sin of adultery - 2 Samuel 11:4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.

d. The sin of lying and covering - 2 Samuel 11:6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

e. The sin of murder - 2 Samuel 11:14-15 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. (15) And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

2 Samuel 11:27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

2. The Mercy And Grace Of A Loving God! Though David’s Sin Was Great, God’s Forgiveness and Restoration Was Even Greater! Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

a. The Lord did not let David continue in sin - 2 Samuel 12:1 And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

b. The Lord exposed David’s sin - 2 Samuel 12:7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

c. The Lord spared David’s life - 2 Samuel 12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

d. The Lord chastened David - 2 Samuel 12:10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

e. The Lord restored David - 2 Samuel 12:24-25 And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him. (25) And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.

3. The Purging and Product Of A Clean Heart. Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (In Psalm 51, we find several requests that David made of the Lord while on his face before Him that brought about both a Clean and Productive Heart.)

a. David asked for mercy and forgiveness based upon God’s lovingkindness - Psalms 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. (Only God can be merciful in sinfulness and God is certainly better to us than we deserve.)

Psalms 51:9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

b. David asked for cleansing based upon confession - Psalms 51:2-4 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. (3) For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. (4) Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. (The result of confession is cleansing according to 1 John 1:9. Confession is honesty and agreement with God about sinfulness.)

Psalms 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

c. David asked for peace in spite of chastening - Psalms 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

d_. David asked for the restoration of salvation’s joy - Psalms 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. (Sin separates from God while walking with God brings about fullness of joy!)

e. David asked for a clean heart and a right spirit. Psalms 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. (Only God can forgive, give mercy, and remove the guilt of sin.)

Psalms 51:14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

f. David asked for the continued fellowship that comes through walking with God - Psalms 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. (David was a man after God’s own heart and knew the wonder of walking with his Lord. “The sweet psalmist of Israel” was one of his titles.)

g. David asked for the Lord to open his lips - Psalms 51:15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. (Sin will close the lips in both worship and witness!)