David & Bathsheba 29 Nov 2018

The Failure (David’s great sin) 2 Samuel 11:1-6 Then it happened in the spring, 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 sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king’s house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. So David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” David sent messengers and took her, and when she came to him, he lay with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house. The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, “I am pregnant.” Then David sent to Joab, saying, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” 2 Samuel 11:27 When the time of mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house and she became his wife; then she bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord.

Is there deeper meaning to failure? Jeff Bezos « I knew that if I failed I would not regret that, but I knew that the one thing I might regret is not trying. » This is not an encouragement to stealing wives! Is failure just one unavoidable aspect of trying for sucess, and does failure have a place in a relationship with God, called Grace

Hope in failure Psalms 102:19 For He looked down from His holy height; From heaven the Lord gazed upon the earth, To hear the groaning of the prisoner, To set free those who were doomed to death Have you ever felt doomed in failure? I definitely have. Who likes failure?! Who is willing or happy to admit it? MESSAGE OF GRACE Behind this story there is a wonderful message of Grace. Because though we fail at times, God is aware of that. He knows that while we are fallen, He is wonderful and perfect, and He offers us a relationship with Him.

Stories of (light) failures « success is on the far side of failure » IBM CEO, Thomas J. Watson Dyson: developed 5,127 prototype designs for a new vacuum cleaner between 1979 and 1984.

More serious failure Failure as failing to do what God requires of us, and so doing evil since God is perfectly good But is failure just the flip side to success (like the other side of the same coin?) God’s grace has it’s place in the story of our failures The story of fruit: Eden and Canaan. Life does not exist without failure so don’t fail to live! Greatest regrets of elderly people is not taking enough risk.. So strive to live to God’s glory, doing great and good things!

Conversations... (1) How would you describe David's failure. Was it laziness or something else that led to this? Do you think David could have avoided following his natural desires, since he also had so much power as King? Does our strength sometimes lead us to our downfall? Is weakness and failure a bad thing or does it lead us to progress?

Sin, Grace and mercy…

Conversations... (2) In which areas of life is this generation particularly afraid of failure? (students) What is the most wonderful story of forgiveness I could share? Did I experience God's help once, which meant I could celebrate God's power and love after a failure or a weakness that made me feel I had failed ?

Wrap-up and encouraging word (a As it is written in Psalm 102, Psalms 102:12 But You, O Lord, abide forever, And Your name to all generations. You will arise and have compassion on Zion; For it is time to be gracious to her, For the appointed time has come.

Wrap-up and encouraging word (b And also : Psalms 102:18 This will be written for the generation to come, That a people yet to be created may praise the Lord. And we are this generation that can enter this relationship, praising the Lord because God met us in our failure.

End Word, prayer God has offered us life and acceptance in His presence by Jesus Christ His glory Psalms 102:16 For the Lord has built up Zion; He has appeared in His glory. He has regarded the prayer of the destitute And has not despised their prayer.

A prayer… Lord you know my failure. You know where I am destitute. Where I have failed and I am miserable or under a heavy burden that makes me sad or angry with others, or with myself. I believe that you have appeared in your glory in Jesus Christ your Son, and that you offer me freedom in a relationship with you. You have met me in my failure, and instead of rejection, you have given me joy so that I praise you now. I trust you to show me the way.