When we appreciate grace, we show it to others! Last week: Reacting well to grace

Everyone takes advantage of grace, but no one should take advantage of grace!

John 1:14-15 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’”

John 1:16-18 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace (upon) grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

It may appear at first strange to talk about this passage during the Christmas season. But, in reality, receiving “grace upon grace” is exactly what Christmas is all about.

For centuries, He repeatedly forgave and restored Israel. When Israel was formed, God made clear what was expected and they agreed to His terms. For centuries, He repeatedly forgave and restored Israel.

The reality of the OT history was not a vengeful, angry God. The reality was of forgiveness, mercy, and patience. In other words, “grace upon grace”.

Things could not be a lot better for David. 2 Samuel 10 As David enjoys military success, he encounters a massive force of Ammonites, Syrians, and mercenaries assembled against them. In spite of the odds, Israel realizes significant victories, after Joab’s encouraging words, “Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight.” Things could not be a lot better for David.

But David remained at Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 11:1 It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

When things are going well, we often become complacent. For whatever reason, David chose to remain in Jerusalem instead of where he would normally be. When things are going well, we often become complacent.

Trouble comes when we are not where we are supposed to be or not doing what we are supposed to be doing.

It’s not uncommon to misinterpret God’s mercy. The presence of God’s kindness does not mean permission to do whatever we want. It’s not uncommon to misinterpret God’s mercy.

2 Samuel 11:2-3 Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”

2 Samuel 11:4-7 Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.” Then David sent to Joab, saying, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah had come to him, David asked how Joab was doing, and how the people were doing, and how the war prospered.

2 Samuel 11:8-10  And David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah departed from the king’s house, and a gift of food from the king followed him. But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. So when they told David, saying, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Did you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?”

2 Samuel 11:11-12 And Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.” Then David said to Uriah, “Wait here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 

For David, this is terrible. Uriah is a Hittite. He is brave, loyal to David and the Lord, and he is noble. The bad news for Uriah is that he is also in the way.

Even after drinking, Uriah maintains his integrity. Most people use their loss of inhibitions from being drunk to give themselves permission to sin. Even after drinking, Uriah maintains his integrity.

2 Samuel 11:13-15 Now when David called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. And at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house. In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die.”  

Sin makes us desperate. He is so desperate to hide his sin, David feigns kindness, friendship, and concern for a noble man. But, his plot didn’t work. So, he has him killed.

It is common when we sin that our first thoughts are whether we will get found out. Like Adam who hid from God, we will do what we can to hide our sin rather than deal with it.

2 Samuel 11:16-17 So it was, while Joab besieged the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew there were valiant men. Then the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also. 

2 Samuel 11:18-20 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war, and charged the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling the matters of the war to the king, if it happens that the king’s wrath rises, and he says to you: ‘Why did you approach so near to the city when you fought? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall?

2 Samuel 11:21-22 Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who cast a piece of a millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall?’—then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’” So the messenger went, and came and told David all that Joab had sent by him. 

2 Samuel 11:23-24 And the messenger said to David, “Surely the men prevailed against us and came out to us in the field; then we drove them back as far as the entrance of the gate. The archers shot from the wall at your servants; and some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.”  

David’s sin was not only adultery. It was not only deception. It was not only murder. It was mass murder.

David turns God’s kindness into an opportunity to sin. Like so many of us, David has a more difficult time dealing with life when things are going well. Comfort led to temptation, temptation to sin, sin to a cover-up rather than to come clean. David turns God’s kindness into an opportunity to sin.

But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord. 2 Samuel 11:25-27 Then David said to the messenger, “Thus you shall say to Joab: ‘Do not let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Strengthen your attack against the city, and overthrow it.’ So encourage him.” When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. And when her mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.  

Sin makes us insensitive. Things we might not have otherwise have done now become acceptable.

Psalm 94:4-7 They utter speech, and speak insolent things; All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves. They break in pieces Your people, O Lord, And afflict Your heritage. They slay the widow and the stranger, And murder the fatherless. Yet they say, “The Lord does not see, Nor does the God of Jacob understand.”

Psalm 94:8-11 Understand, you senseless among the people; And you fools, when will you be wise? He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see? He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct, He who teaches man knowledge? The Lord knows the thoughts of man, That they are futile.

God sees it all. If we only live to please ourselves or other people, trouble is on the way.

Of all times of the year, Christmas should remind us of God’s grace. And, that grace should also teach us…

Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. 

I was convicted about my own life in studying this. If I’m unwilling to deal with issues in my life, how can I ask God to deal in mercy toward my family, America, and other concerns I might have?

I need to be willing to start with me! In the midst of all of our failures, Christmas should reminds us that we serve a God of grace and mercy. But, also One who sees.

Christmas should cause us to appreciate grace… not abuse it!

Everyone takes advantage of grace, but no one should take advantage of grace!