Good morning. Would you turn
to 2 Samuel chapter 12? This is about the 5th or 6th
lesson we've had in this 12th chapter, but I want to read the
verses 13 and 14, and we're going to be considering verse 14. 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. How be it? Because by this deed, thou has
given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. The
child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. Let's pray together. Lord, we come into your presence
in Christ's name, pleading only his merits and
the power of his blood and the power of His intercession, we
pray that we might be enabled to hear from You, not from a
man, but from Thee, the living God, from Your Word. Speak in
power to each heart here according to Your will. Lord, we confess
our sins. We pray for forgiveness. We pray
for cleansing. We pray that we might be found
in your son. We pray that he would be glorified and exalted
and that we might be enabled to sit at his feet and hear his
word. Lord, we pray that you would
be pleased to save us. We pray that you would be pleased
to make yourself known to somebody for the first time, even this
day. We wait on Thee. In Christ's
name we pray. Amen. Now last week, we considered
David's confession and the Lord's promise when he confessed his
sin. And then we read, the Lord hath put away your sin. But look
in verse 14. After he told him he would not
die, verse 14 says, how be it by this deed? And what's the deed that he's
speaking of? He's speaking of Cold-blooded, premeditated murder. He's talking about adultery.
He's talking about implicating other people in his sin. What
a horrible thing David had done. He says, how be it because by
this deed thou has given great occasion to the enemies of the
Lord to blaspheme. The child also that is born unto
thee shall surely die. Now you go on reading in this
passage of scripture, David lay on the ground seven days and
seven nights, fasting, weeping for this child before the Lord
took the child's life. Now can you imagine how he must
have felt when he knew that it was his fault? That child was
gonna suffer and die, and it was his fault. And I can see
him beseeching the Lord that this wouldn't take place, and
indeed he did. But the Lord said, because of this deed, he said
this through Nathan, because of this deed, you've given the
enemies of the Lord a platform upon which they could blaspheme
God. I can hear what people would say. So this is the conduct that
Jehovah's followers have. I mean, they can kill people,
they can commit adultery, they can do anything they want. So
this is the conduct of grace believers and they would blaspheme
God. because of this conduct. This is what the doctrine of
their God produces, this kind of conduct from David. I was
thinking about this sometimes. I go out when I'm here by myself
in the study and I'll go back, I'll go into the auditorium and
I'll sit on the back row and I'll think, what do people really
hear when they hear me preach? What is it they're really hearing? And then I'll think, after that,
I'll think, what do they see? What do people see when they
see me? They hear me preach. What do they see? Do they see
a, well, I don't want to know really, so. But still, I think
that, what do they see? And I thought about myself, I
don't, in hearing somebody preach, first of all, I want to hear
the truth. I want to hear the truth of God's
word. That's all I want to hear is
the truth of God's word. But if they don't live what they
believe, I don't want to hear them. I don't care how orthodox
they are. I don't care how sound they are. If they don't live what they
hear, what they say is meaningless to me because I know it's meaningless
to them. So with those two things in mind,
what is it people hear and what is it that people see? I can't emphasize enough the importance
of what men see in us. Now we have a message. Listen
real carefully. We have a message that is not
loved by the natural man. Not loved at all. We stand for
God's absolute sovereignty in salvation. We stand for the fact
that the scripture teaches that men are completely and totally
dead in sins, unable to do anything to save themselves. We stand
for the glorious truth that God elected who would be saved before
time began. And we stand for Christ's successful
death in the room instead of his elect. He actually accomplished
their salvation. And we stand for the fact that
God's grace is invincible and irresistible. It always works.
And we stand for the fact that God's people will persevere all
the way to the end. Now, this is just the gospel.
You know, I've heard people call this reform doctrine. I hate
that term, reform. The truth never needed to be
reformed. It's always been true. It's always been perfect. It's
always been glorious. It's always had a people that
believe the truth. And if somebody doesn't preach
what I just said about God being sovereign, men being dead in
sins, God electing a people, Christ dying for the elect, God
the Holy Spirit's grace being irresistible and invincible in
the new birth, and God's people persevering all the way to the
end, they don't quit. If somebody doesn't preach that, they do
not preach the gospel, period. This is not a message that's
loved by the natural man. So how do men see us who believe
this message? How do men perceive us? We believe
this message. I hope everybody in here believes
what I just said. How do those around us perceive us? Do they see us as being condescending
and judgmental, murmuring and complaining, intemperate? Or
do they see us as gracious, merciful, kind? How do those that we're
around perceive us? Now, Nathan says to David, because
of what you've done, because of your conduct, you have given
the enemies of the Lord great occasion to blaspheme. Now, with
that in mind, I want us to consider a few things about ourselves.
And this is important. First of all, I think of the
golden rule. That's what people call the golden
rule. It's where the Lord said, well, let me quote it to you. Here's exactly what he said.
He said, therefore, all things whatsoever you would that men
do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets. Now what do men see in me in
that light? How do they see you? Do they
see you as someone who treats them the way you would want to
be treated? Now that's a perception, that's
a perception by men. How would they see us in that
light? Here's another scripture. Let
your light so shine before men. Let your light, this is found
in Matthew chapter Well, it's in the Sermon on the Mount. I
just quoted, and I don't remember. Matthew 5, verse 13, I think. Let your light so shine before
men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven. Not glorify you. Do you let your
light so shine before men that God gets all the glory? and none
goes to you. Turn with me to Matthew chapter
17 for a moment. Verse 24, And when they were
come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money, tax money,
came to Peter and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?
And he saith, Yes. And when he was come into the
house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? Of
whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? Of their
own children or strangers? Peter said unto him, Of strangers.
Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free, notwithstanding,
lest we should offend them. Now I'm not going to get into
what all this means, but notice the Lord said, why should the
Lord care whether there's anybody offended or not? But yet it says,
notwithstanding, Lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea,
and cast and hook and take up the fish that first cometh up.
And when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece
of money that take and given to them for me and thee. Now
he said, we're free from that, but I'm not going to offend them.
The Lord said that. That was his attitude toward those people. Philippians chapter 4, verse
5 says, let your moderation be known to all men. If there's something you want
to present to men, Let your moderation be known to all men. That's what we want men to see,
moderation. Now, moderation, what's that
word mean? Most people think that means you're moderate in
eating and drinking and you don't overdo it and so on. That's a
good thing, but that's not what this word means. This word, moderation,
that we're supposed to let people know because of the gospel we
preach means a gentle, mild, nonjudgmental, kind, humane spirit. That's what I want people to
see. And that's what we're commanded to show men, a moderation, a
kind, gentle, non-judgmental spirit. Paul said to the Colossians,
walk in wisdom toward them that are without. That's talking about
unbelievers, people you're around every day, when you go to work,
when you go to school, whatever the situation is. Walk in wisdom
toward them that are without, redeeming the time, making the
most of every opportunity to show them what grace looks like.
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without. You're familiar with this scripture?
The Lord said, by this shall all men know you're my disciples. What? by your love one toward
another, not by your orthodoxy, not by your stand for the truth,
although obviously that is of great importance. You know, I've
heard people say, I'd rather see a sermon than hear one. Not
me. I'd rather hear one. I'm not saved by seeing anybody's
conduct. I'd rather hear a sermon. But I want to see it too, don't
you? So he says, walk in wisdom toward them that are without.
By this shall all men know you're my disciples, by your love one
to another. That's what men are to see. We're all familiar with this
scripture, 1 Peter 3.15, always be ready, always be ready to
give every man that asks you a reason for the hope that's
in you with meekness. That's the way you would answer
that. But the point is, I don't reckon it's ever happened
with me. I wish it would. But people ought to look at me
and you and see the way we handle trials, difficulties, the way
we treat people, and say, what's the cause for the hope that's
in you? What's the reason? You have such
a hope that is affecting you in this way? What's behind that?
Always be ready to give every man that asks you. People ought
to be asking, shouldn't they? By the way we're treating them,
people should be asking. Turn with me to 1 Corinthians
6. I'm gonna turn to the next several scriptures because they
have to do with kind of a public kind of thing. Look in chapter six, verse one. Dare any of you, having a matter
against another, go to the law before the unjust and not before
the saints? Do you not know that the saints
shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged
by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matter? Know ye
not that we shall judge angels? And how much more things that
pertain to this life? If then you have judgments of
things that pertain to this life, set them to judge which are least
esteemed in the church. I speak this to your shame. Is
it so that there's not a wise man among you, not one that shall
be able to judge between his brethren, but brother goeth to
law with brother, and that before the unbelievers? Now therefore
this is utterly a fault. This should never happen under
any circumstance." That's what he means when he says it's utterly
a fault. Why do you not rather take wrong? Why do you not rather
suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Turn in 1 Corinthians 14. This is what people see. Verse 23, if therefore the whole
church be come together into one place and all speak with
tongues. And this is that ability they had in those times to speak
in other languages. Now that ability was with the
early church. Somebody says, is it good today?
No. No. It only came through the apostles,
the laying on of the apostles' hands. The scripture says this.
Only the twelve could lay hands on somebody and transfer this
gift to speak in tongues. But a bunch of these people had
this gift to speak in tongues. You know what they'd do? In church,
they'd start speaking in tongues. Different languages. Maybe somebody
would be speaking in Aramaic. Somebody else would be speaking
in Hebrew. Just all the different languages. As a matter of fact,
when you read about it in Acts chapter 2, seventeen different languages
were being spoken. The church at Corinth was abusing
this gift. They were showing off. Look what
I can do. Look what I can do. I can speak with tongues. Now
look what he says. If therefore the whole church come together
into one place and all speak with tongues, and there come
in those that are unlearned or unbelievers, will they not say
that you're mad? You're crazy. But if all prophesy,
preach the gospel, and there come in one that believeth not
or is unlearned, he's convinced of all, he's judged of all, and
thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest. And so falling
down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is in
you of a truth." Now, what do you want people to see? You telling
the truth or showing off your speaking in tongues? How will
people respond to that? Next scripture is 1 Peter chapter 3. Verse 1, likewise ye wives, be
in subjection to your own husbands, that if any obey not the word,
they may also without the word be won by the conversation of
the wives, while they behold your chaste conversation coupled
with fear. Now he says this unbelieving
husband is going to be totally impressed with the conduct of
the wife and say, there must be something to this. Now, does
that always happen? Of course not. The husband may remain evil
and hard-hearted, but the Lord may use that to speak to somebody. And that's what he's saying.
Turn to 2 Corinthians 8. I'm just reading these. There's
a bunch of them. I just want us to see the importance of our
conduct before men. And that's what happened with
David. Nathan said, because of what you've done, you've given
the enemies of the Lord great occasion to blaspheme. And I
don't want to do that, do you? I do not want to do that. Look
in chapter 8, verse 21. Paul's talking about financial
integrity in bringing this gift. And he says in verse 21, providing
for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also
in the sight of men. I don't want to give any man
the idea that I'm being dishonest with money in any way whatsoever. It's all got to be above board. Ephesians chapter five. And this is just a sampling of
a bunch of scriptures that deal with this. Ephesians chapter
five. Verse 3, with fornication and
all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not be once named among
you as becometh saints. Don't let anybody ever say, well,
those people are doing this. neither filthiness, nor foolish
talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient, but rather giving
of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean
person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance
in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you
with vain words, for because of these things cometh the wrath
of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers
with them." Look at Ephesians chapter six, verse 19. He's asking
the church at Ephesus to pray for him. And he says in verse
19, and for me, that utterance may given unto me that I may
open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel
for which I'm an ambassador in bonds, that therefore I may speak
boldly as I ought to speak. Now, when men hear us stand for
the gospel, they ought to see boldness, shouldn't they? Boldness,
because we believe. We really believe what we're
saying. I love that scripture in Acts 4.13. It says, when they
perceived the boldness of Peter and John and saw that they were
unlearned and ignorant men, they took knowledge of them that they
had been with Jesus. Now that's what we want, isn't
it? Titus chapter 2. The book of Titus chapter 2. Verse 9. Exhort servants to be
obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all
things, not answering again, not talking back, not having
a problem with authority, not purlorning or loafing, but showing
all good fidelity and faithfulness in what you're doing, why? That
they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. Now, every representative of
the gospel ought to be the very best employee in the place you
work, the very best one. Why? To adorn the doctrine of
God our Savior in all things, because people are going to speak
ill of our doctrine. You can just write that down. They say,
well, that'll lead to sin. Show them it doesn't. Show them
it doesn't, that this is Glorious gospel. Look in chapter 3 verse
1 of Titus. "...put them in mind to be subject
to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready
to every good work, to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers
but gentle, showing, demonstrating all meekness unto all men. Let this be what men see in you."
Meekness. Meekness. Humility. Brokenness. First Peter, chapter 2. Beginning in verse 11. Now you
see how prominent this is in the scripture. Dearly beloved, I beseech you
as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war
against the soul, having your conversation honest among the
Gentiles. that whereas they speak against
you as evildoers, and that's what people do when they hear
of the gospel of God's grace, they say, well, they think you
can live any way you want. You can sin all you want because salvation
has absolutely nothing to do with your works. I love the way,
I think it was Martin Luther who first said it, if you're
not accused of being an antinomian, you're not preaching the gospel.
And I believe that. I believe that. If we're not
accused of being an antinomian, it's because we've never preached
grace. If you preach grace, people will make that accusation. And
Peter realizes that. But look what he says. Verse
12, having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that
whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your
good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day
of visitation. Submit yourself to every ordinance
of man for the Lord's sake. Whether it be to the king as
supreme, or unto governors as unto them that are sent by him
for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that
do well, for so is the will of God that with well-doing you
may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. As free, not
using your liberty or freedom for a cloak of maliciousness,
a cover-up for sin, but as the servants of God, honor all men,
love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king, Servants, be
subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good
and gentle, but also to the fraud. For this is thankworthy, if a
man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if when
you be buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently?
But if when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently,
then this is acceptable with God. For even here unto where
you called, All that, because Christ, he talks about what Christ
experienced and suffered and so on. Now, I've read a whole
lot of scriptures that talk about our conduct before men. And our conduct before men is
of critical importance. And although David's sin was
put away, he brought such sorrow into his heart, into his house,
into his life, because of his sin that gave the enemies of
the Lord great occasion, a real platform to blaspheme. So this
is what grace does. This is what grace produces.
Okay. And that is blaspheming God. Now, what is the first thing
The Lord said to each of the seven churches, I know what? Your works. I know your works. What do people
see when they see us? What does our life before the
public's eye say about the gospel we believe? What do our coworkers
see when they see us? Do they see gracious, meek, gentle? kind, merciful, non-judgmental
people, or do they see people who are harsh and self-righteous
and judgmental? What do they see when they see
us? Now, here's the point. I want, and I know you want to,
I want to honor the Lord in the way I treat other people. That's
the bottom line. I want to honor the Lord by being
gracious, being kind, being interested, being gentle, on and on. That is the point behind this.
I want to not only be a grace believer, but a grace liver.
Gracious. If my belief in grace doesn't
make me gracious, it's not really believing grace, is it? I pray that the Lord will enable
us to live lives that adorn the gospel through our conduct with
the people that see us. Like when I go out to eat, What
does the person serving me think of my gospel by the way they
see I treat them or by the way I tip them? Grace believers ought to be big
tippers, big tippers. I hope that it just ought to
be that way. We ought to conduct ourselves
in such a way as speaks of grace. Now the Lord was displeased with
the thing that David did because the thing David did gave the
enemies of the Lord a platform to blaspheme God. Now I hope
each of us, I know we will by the grace of God, each of us
will want to be ambassadors of Christ in such a way as makes
His grace and His gospel look beautiful. in a gracious, kind,
and merciful attitude. May the Lord grant us that for
Christ's sake. Okay. Next week, we're going
to look at the end of the chapter where the Lord took David's child
and how David conducted himself.