I. The ACTUAL story highlights a CONTRAST. (11:1-27)
A. The CORRUPTION of the POWERFUL. (v.2-25)
B. The INTEGRITY of the WEAK. (v.9-13)
This is one of the most tragic personal stories in the Old Testament. We see David, the beloved king, make mistake after mistake with what appears to be no remorse. It’s hard to watch, especially as Uriah does everything right and still suffers.
1. Kid’s Question: When have you made a mistake that you wish you could go back and undo?
2. Do you see yourself as one of the weak or one of the powerful? Why?
II. The PROPHET’S story brings CLARITY. (12:1-7)
A. It’s easy to see the FAULTS of OTHERS. (12:5-6)
B. It’s easy to FORGET our OWN. (12:7)
Nathan enters the presence of David knowing that he may not come out alive. He wisely uses a story to illustrate and bring clarity to what has transpired in David’s life. Sometimes a story can sneak past our defences and expose what is really going on in our lives. This is one of those times.
3. When have you had a realization of something about yourself that you had not realized before? What prompted that moment of epiphany? How did it impact you?
4. What are some things that we can do to help us not fall victim to our own blindspots in regards to our character and integrity?
III. There’s ALWAYS the BIGGER story… (12:7-10)
A. We’ve HEARD this BEFORE. (12:7-10; 2 Sam.7:8-9)
B. ACTIONS have CONSEQUENCES. (12:10; Gal. 6:7-8)
C. Yet GRACE comes to us as we ARE. (12:5-6,13-14)
Remember last week? We need to keep looking for the larger story and not get trapped in just what we see about us and our lives. David loses perspective and pays for it dearly.
5. What is your reaction to the things that happened out of David’s sin? Was it God implementing judgment, the natural consequences of sin, or a combination of both?
6. God had more grace with David than David had with the fictional rich man in Nathan’s story. What does that say to you?
IV. Seeing OURSELVES in David’s STORY. (Rom. 15:4)
A. Beware the TEMPTATIONS of/to POWER. (Gen. 3:5; Deut. 17:14-20; Mt. 4:8-10)
B. Focus on PLANKS before SPECKS. (12:5,6,13; Mt.7:5)
C. Sin DESTROYS, but grace will WIN. (I Pet. 2:11; 5:8; Rom. 5:20-21; 2 Cor.12:9)
What are the take aways in a sad story like this? How can it speak into our lives today?
7. What ways might you be tempted by power in your own life? How can you resist those?
8. What does it look like to live taking both sin and grace seriously? How might that change your own life?