YOU ARE “THE MAN,” AND SO AM I, AND SO ARE YOU - Psalm 51 and 2 Samuel 12

This week I still was pondering this David story a bit more and thinking: this is one wild story.  How in the world could you tell this story to children?    Someone told me last Sunday that there is a old song that many of us remember: O, be careful little eyes what you see.  O, be careful little eyes what you see.  For your Father up above is looking down in love…so be careful little eyes what you see.  David forgot the song.

And I thought, what are third graders going to do with this story.  We will soon give them their Bibles.  They can read it.

Veggie Tales to the rescue!!!   Many of you who are parents and grandparents have seen your share of Veggie Tales.  I will confess that I am not a great fan, yet I was tempted to play this today.  (I am certain some of you are very grateful I did not.)  Here it is: the story of David and Bathsheba on Veggie Tales.  Larry the Cucumber plays King George who is nuts over collecting rubber duckies.  King George looks out of the palace window and sees Junior Asparagus taking a bath with an irresistible rubber duck that George does not have in his collection.  George wants it so he sends Junior off to battle and he is “done in” by a barrage of blueberries.   So that means that King George gets the prized ducky.  But, as the story unfolds, Pa Grape comes in and tells King George…YOU ARE THE MAN.  Even when Veggie Tales tells it, this story makes us think. 

I am glad this story is in the Bible for it is a story of hope.  In the positive sense…David is “THE MAN”….the great and mighty King.  For a time, David saw himself as the supreme authority in everything, even to have the power to decide someone should die for his pleasure. 

The world needs this story.  This week I read about the new leaders of South Sudan just beginning at new government.  The people fought for independence and all over the world people were hoping for a new kind pattern.  But sadly, there is corruption, again.  I seems to be a legacy of colonialism.  Already, their leaders, who talked about how their leadership would be different, seem to be lining their own pockets, buying mansions and expensive cars, and setting up secret accounts in foreign banks.  People need electricity, roads, schools, water, sewers, and hospitals.  Powerful people are always tempted to define everything around them to benefit themselves only.  God values highly the powerless and if the powerful take undue advantage of the powerless…that is evil.  If the rich get even richer at the expense of the poor, God is angry.

The goodness of this story is in the turn that he made.  He discovers he is not God.  He cannot get everything he wants when he wants it.  I believe, along with the Biblical writers that God is above all institutions and that all are responsible to God to be fair and just to all.  There is a divine power at work in history that judges human uses and abuses of power.

I think it is the church’s responsibility to speak out.  For Nathan it helped because David was a person who loved God deeply.  Instead of killing Nathan too, David listened to God.   Kings are not always ready to hear criticism.  Jesus confronted the Empire and King Herod with a new kind of kingdom and that is part of the reason he was crucified.

It is so easy for Christians and for the Church to point fingers and name the sins of others.  It is important to remember that both David and Nathan were part of a covenant community that took God seriously.  David and Nathan both knew, when in their right minds, that God wants justice and fullness of life for all people, rich and poor.  We are required to be accountable to God.

Psalm 51 is the text that describes David change.  Judgment is often the way to renewal.  David was forgiven. 

He knew he was THE MAN…IN EVERY POSITIVE WAY.  HE WAS the Michael Phelps of the Kings.  He was THE MAN.  And now he know he is THE MAN who committed the crimes against God.    He would pay…others would pay…but life goes on.  God’s forgiveness is simple, but it is not easy.

How would you define sin?  Is it a silly notion from the past?  It is a thing that others do but not me? 

Sin is anything that keeps us from becoming all God wants.  The young American athlete Kayla Harrison who won the gold in the Olympic Judo competition told of her abuse by her former coach.  She said she would not wish that experience on her worst enemy.  But she did not let this awful thing defeat her.   She wanted to become what God wanted her to become.  David did the same.  David was on the mat for a while…but he got up.

I am grateful for the church.  The church reminds me that God is ultimately in charge of it all.  If I keep worship and education in my life it helps me stay away from what God does not like. 

And the church can be that Nathan I need, caring enough to tell me about a new direction.

Taking responsibility

One pastor I know of does a lot of pastoral counseling for couples having marriage troubles.  After listening to each person tell what is wrong, he asks them “How did it get this way?”  Then he asks them the important question: “What are you willing to change about yourself to help your marriage?

I know that I have plenty of weaknesses that I need to confess.  Staff Parish Committee is part of my Nathan here at the church and the District Superintendent: I do not always take a day off.  I do not know how to say, “no” very well.  I do not do conflict very well.  I listen to persons and I do respond to concerns, but I do not always communicate back very well as to what I have done. 

The medical profession works on illness.  The law community works on crime.  Schools work on our lack of knowledge.  But who works on sin.  That is our job.  The church: we work on sin.  It is a concept to help us look at what is wrong and how God can help us make it right.  Confronting sin is a hopeful way for restoration. 

Who teaches our children life skills…the church does.  Our nation and often churches are hijacked by polarized views and we cannot seem to get to common ground.  At the same time I do think that conflicts are ways that we get to spiritual growth. 

There is a television show called Restaurant Impossible.  Robert Irvine comes in and tells owners what is wrong with failing restaurants.  He looks at the décor and tastes the food.   He watches the cooks.  He interviews people eating there.  And then he lets them have the truth.  He puts people on an emotional roller coaster.  But he puts them again on the right path.  He tells the owners that that restaurant is nothing without the passion they have to make it work and make it right.  When someone like Nathan or Pa Grape or Robert Irvine dares to tell us the truth we ought to be thankful; he or she is doing us a great service.  We must welcome that voice for ourselves.  We must cultivate it without our church.  Truth tellers offer hope and new beginnings.  If they can change the hearts of kings, they ought to work well on us.

Jesus began this meal and still welcomes all.  This meal invites our participation without our perfection.  It is a meal of blessing and forgiveness.  It is for people hungry for goodness and compassion.  It is one way the church renews each of us and in turn renews the world.  When you come for communion…where you have been and what you have done are focused on who you are…a Child of God and where you are going for God.