Confession and Communion - 1/10/21

Call to Confession:

2 Samuel 12:1-14

In a new year, We tend to jump to resolutions and forget repentance.

2020 is a great year to reflect on with the goal of learning where we need to repent.

David’s case was easy.  He had taken another man’s wife and killed that man to cover it up.  Who do you have in your life like Nathan, to confront you if you go off the rails?

And do you respond like David here, or like Saul?  David admits it and accepts the consequences of his sin.  Saul makes excuses and tries to control the damage.

And the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds, 3 but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. 4 Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” 5 Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, 6 and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” 

7 Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. 8 And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. 9 Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’ ” 13 David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.

Communion Exhortation

You have before you the Old Testament equivalent of the peace offering, or the fellowship offering, a sacrifice given and eaten to remember, and thank God for, His blessings. Because Saul was trusting in horses and chariots and not remembering the Lord His God, he never got to the peace offerings. Samuel showed up and stopped the masquerade. The peace offering was never offered.

 

Don’t let this happen to you. What we do now, blessing God, breaking bread and eating it, we do by faith. It brings to God’s mind, and to our mind the once for all sacrifice of Christ. We do this by faith.  We believe that Jesus Christ died to take our guilt on Himself, so that we could be restored to PEACEFUL fellowship with the Father. In that faith, come and remember the God who restores peace between us through His Son Jesus Christ.

 

If you know you don’t believe this, then stop the masquerade. Do not bring God sacrifices and offerings that you know are worthless in His sight. Only what is of faith pleases Him.

 

And if you find yourself crying out for God to help your unbelief, then remember with the Psalmist that “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” Do not shrink back. This supper is for you. This supper not only remembers the blessing of salvation through Christ’s body and blood, it also seeks and provides the blessing of nourishment for our souls. And a weak faith needs nourishment, not to be sent to bed without supper.