Confrontation!, Part 3

On confrontation person is confronted long time driven deeper into their wrong because thoughtless Christians went off in a hurry to do something because of the spirit of emotion.

They were concerned.

You wait until you are confident it's God's timing your sensitive to the Lord and you are walking with him.

He will let you know now is the time we handle those awkward moment when should we step forward and break the silence on the other. When is it wise to stay silent today on insight from Chuck Swindoll will answer these sensitive questions as together we look at second Samuel chapter 12 it's here we read about the classic showdown. When Nathan stood before the king and spoke the truth about David's private life, Chuck titled today's message confrontation the Lord sent Nathan to David no profit was ever given a more difficult commission. He was to stand before the most powerful man in the nation and tell that man what the man had denied for a year and no one else around. The place would tell David that what you observe as he was on his way to David's presence.

He thought through how he would present this confrontation.

Verse one continues. He came to him and said there were two men in one city. The one rich of the other poor.

The rich man had a great many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb, which he bought and nourished, and it grew up together with him and his children. It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup line in his bosom was like a daughter to David's on the edge of his chair listening.

He's thinking he's telling the story of something happening in the city of Jerusalem. He's moved over the story. The traveler came to the rich man he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him rather he took the poor man's ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who would come to him.

David was in a most vulnerable spot as a result of the wise words of Nathan moved with compassion over the situation. He struck like lightning. David's response is a declaration of his own sentence.

David's anger burned greatly against the man and said to Nathan as the Lord lives, the man who has done this deed deserves to die sentence number one.

He must make restitution for the land sentence number two. He had no compassion number three pieces sure the man is, says the Lord, who anointed you king over Israel.

It is I delivered you from the hand of Saul, that God didn't have his heart on David why you despise the word of the Lord by doing evil in his sight you have struck down your why the Hittite with the sword you taken his wife to be your wife and appealing with the sword of the sons of Ammon. Now therefore mark this, the sword shall never depart from your house because you have despised me, behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household.

From this time on you can't believe what happens in his whole turmoil tragedy rate. There's uncontrollable son, there's another one that actually drives his father from the throne.

David standing absolutely condemned that I've seen and I've sinned against the Lord. Verse 13 Nathan said to David, the Lord is taken away your sin, you shall not die look at that restoring comment. David, I agree it's all you've admitted it, you've attended of it and God will kill you, David, tremendous support right there. However, verse 14. However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord, to blaspheme that does happen when the Christian of this caliber stands. The child also that is born to you shall surely die. So Nathan went to his house. And of confrontation.

As you hear the truth in David's life.

You will only hear part of the message. If you don't personalize you might be the one this next week who is called upon by God to go and pay that kind of visit to a friend. Maybe a roommate.

Maybe a fellow student that a fellow faculty member is a man in our church this wrestling right now with the pastor friend of his, whom he knows is compromising his life just shared with me recently but do I do whom I to face this longtime friend with the truth of his sin. I tell you it is the is the least desirable of all commissions.

Some of you need to do that.

And God is sending you.

It is disobedient not to go on to say two things as I wrap up our thoughts with regard to this application. What we've heard.

One has to do with confrontation itself and the second has to do with true repentance, then I will tell you a story that unfortunately doesn't doesn't end like this one, though it is equally true. First of all with regard to confrontation, to be effective as a confronted you need four things in your equipment. Please remember these things. I would hate for you to go off half cocked and run by emotions, up to a person and face them with something and do more damage than is already having to deal with. Please take with you these four pieces of equipment number one absolute truth don't go on hearsay. Just the facts. It may take you time. You may have to investigate and out of love. You will do that kind of thing for your friend. You want investigate and spread the word all around you just check it out until you have the facts down pat absolute truth.

Do not go if you don't have the truth.

Second, right timing, many a person is confronted at the wrong time and they are driven deeper into their wrong because thoughtless Christians went off in a hurry to do something because in the spirit of emotion. They were concerned.

You wait until you are confident it's God's timing.

I cannot spell it out any further.

You will know you are sensitive to the Lord and you are walking with him.

He will let you know now is the time you do it either to deal with some things in my ministry that acting in the flesh I would've loved it dealt with earlier but it wasn't the time and when it finally came to a head. I had absolute green lights flashing all the way down and it was clear to move right in, painful but clear. This is the time third wise wording.

I'm impressed that Nathan didn't just go up to David and say you are in sin, he went about it in a wise manner.

Listen to this proverb is apples of gold in pictures of silver.

So, as a wise reprove her upon an obedient ear have the right words. If you don't have your wording worked out. Don't go along with being wise, be brief.

By the way, is no reason to prolong that fourth fearless courage Nathan remember was sent by the Lord and that's where the courage comes from. You will have nothing to lose if you walk in the strength of the Lord, don't fear the loss of a friendship if the Lord is really added in the long run you will be perhaps one of the best friends. This person ever had.telling of the truth. Faithful are the wounds caused by the bruising of one who loves you one who doesn't love doesn't confront. That is, he doesn't confront God's way. Second, repentance itself. How can we know that it's really genuine you go in you face a person with it. How can you tell if God's really in it. I have drawn from Psalm 51 again.

Four characteristics that will help me in my observation that this is true repentance and I have sort of woven together these four thoughts out of this 51st Saul, first of all, when there's true repentance. There will be open unguarded admission. Everything will be told everything David says I have not hidden my sin against the and of the only I've sanded I've done evil, and he spells it out when a person restrains the truth or tells you part of it is not repentant tell it all in its unguarded. Second, when there is a desire to make a complete break. Repentance is going in one direction and turning around on the basis of truth and going in the other making a complete break with what has been. He that covers essential not prosper, but whoso confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. So Solomon the forsaking of sin is part of the repentance turning around and going the other way desire to make a complete break third spirit that is broken and humble why, but I have a number of people that have struggles with this because they say well that's just for the that's just in the flesh to display that well. David says the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit of broken and a contrite heart of God.will not despise.

And I've seen very few really break that habit with you. Don't break with the grim face you break with tears when there is a great emotion of the light down inside, you don't stand stoic you laugh out loud when there is absolute repentance in the breaking of a hard thing that God is giving you tear ducts in the flow spirit that is truly broken and humble fourth, claiming God's forgiveness and reinstatement turning around going in the other direction means I claim that he has forgiven and has reinstated me.

That's the very first thing Nathan does with his friend David. You will not die, but there will be consequences. It is woeful to tell an individual because you have repented everything is cleared up, never have anything to handle wise some sins bear tremendous ramifications tremendous consequences. David died hating the day he fell into the arms of Bathsheba because of the constant conflicts and consequences.

The team, but he knew down inside the, the father of heaven had forgiven him, and it dealt with him in grace.

There were consequences want to be careful as I relate to you this story because I do not want in any way to reveal the identity of the people involved. I am personally acquainted with a particular ministry that was characterized for a number of years by a father and a son who worked arm in arm with one another, mainly in the work of evangelism and somewhat in the Ministry of education God's hand was for many years before the sun on the life of the father and the son got his life squared away. They begin to work a sort of a team together.

The mother was involved in the ministry and along with her other members of the family. God uniquely chosen to use this. This team of people in a particular area of our world is the passing of time occurred began to be obvious to some of the members of the family that the father, the patriarch of this ministry was living in some kind of compromising situation and understand that the that the ministry of these people, but was notoriously successful. In fact, the notoriety is her head had reached over the entire country where they were ministry. But the boy became concerned about his father and noticed that too much time was being spent with a young woman and if nothing else, it was indiscreet at best. That was the problem, and so the boy got along with his dad and faced him with the indiscretion said that I don't know what else is happening, but I do know this is what you are doing is bringing reproach on the testimony of our work and II think it's unwise and very carefully and and respectfully confronted his father.

Father rejected: there was no truth to it whatsoever. Boy was out of bounds off base it off his back. So the boy became quiet, let it go. Didn't press it, but was unconvinced.

Time passed. There was increasingly more involvement with this young woman more and more, even though it was secretly done From the public.

Some of the family members knew it was happening. By now, a brother-in-law was concerned, his wife and yet another person to finally have reached such a proportion that the son told his dad.

We got to talk got in the car together and took a drive out in the distance. That night they set alone and the son said to the father. Dad, I know that you are in sin. I know it now for a fact, and I come to you pleading, please, please stop. Please give this up, it will hurt the name of Christ. It will hurt our ministry. It already is taking its toll on our relationship and our unity in the father with tightlipped grim face looked at the boy and again denied it.

The boy reached into his pocket and drew out a cassette tape said dad I didn't want to tell you this but I will because you won't face it tape-recorded a tape recording was made. As you were in the room with the girl and this is the recording. If you want to hear and I will play it for you. Very few words were shared as the father started the car, drove back, packed his bags left his wife and went off to live with the girl outside marriage and brought reproach to the name of that particular ministry and there still working hard and recovering from.

It made the news.

Needless to say it took its toll.

Divorce followed in another marriage to this girl but it was also wrong. I tell you that story because I don't want you leaving thinking that all confrontations in like Nathan's with David.

The boy was God's man.

He was the Nathan of the family, and he faced the David of the family, but in this case there was not repentance and it has been an awful awful thing to live with terrible wants to bow together just for a few minutes, please. Not like you to close your eyes and I'd like you to be alone with your own thoughts.

The work of purging in the local church is the most severe work of the Holy Spirit. Tonight your life is clean or it is dirty you are living, keeping short accounts with your heavenly father is his child or you are living a lie, maybe not as extensive as David's ally this evening, I confront you with the truth of Scripture and for God's glory only deal with the wrong in your life. I promise you restitution and forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ. I cannot promise you a relief from all the consequences, but I promise you a turning around and a relief that only the Spirit of God can give. If you are this night knowingly and willfully living against the truth of Scripture.

Your life is bringing reproach on the name of Christ, and it is taking its toll on the Fellowship of this church. Those are serious words. That's quite a charge.

But that's the truth and I charge you before God to come to terms with the sin if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we confess what you do that tonight before the Lord. If the tentacles of your sin have touched other lives, won't you be man or woman enough to go and make restitution. Please, I plead with you openly acknowledging the wrong to whomever it might have offended and I mean immediately. I don't suppose our father that there is a more serious message for the Christian to hear no there isn't.

For this is this is really dealing with that which leads to the sin unto death ultimate divine discipline because of a stubborn waywardness. That's not dealt with our focus has been on the sexual sins. But there are so many others that can take a toll on ministry that can hurt a relationship. This stubbornness itself.

This absolute rank carnality. The refusal to change and to submit to the hand of God on one's life. I pray that wherever this message is heard.

It might bring repentance to those who hear it need to heed the message. Should there be sustained stubbornness. I pray that you will break that will bringing whatever is necessary upon the life until there is true total open confession. I ask this through Christ our Lord.

Today were reminded that God's word is timeless.

This dramatic encounter between Nathan and David helps us understand how to expose a friend who's living in sin.

It's also a convicting lesson on dealing with our own sin your listing to the Bible teaching of Chuck Swindoll and this is insight for living. To learn more about this ministry, we invite you to visit us online@insideworld.org. Perhaps God is stirring in your heart to take your next steps toward him maybe have come to realize the value of deepening your spiritual roots in order to be prepared for the kind of issues Chuck address today. If so, let me point you to a helpful resource that will guide you one of Chuck's hallmark books is called strengthening your grip. The subtitle is how to be grounded in a chaotic world were living in a culture that is openly defied God's moral code were often rubbing shoulders with friends and family who don't share our values well. This book from Chuck address is 16 timely issues and is designed to help you hold on tightly to biblical truth again.

His book is called strengthening your grip and you can purchase a copy right now by going to inside.org/offer if you're listening in the United States, call 800-772-8888 were deeply grateful to all those who financially support insight for living streams because of the generosity of those who give were able to bring Chuck's message to your station every day, plus insight for living is heard around the world in English +8 other languages. In fact, it's our long-term goal to make disciples of Jesus Christ in all 195 countries. We call this mission, vision, 195.

You can partner with us in reaching vision 195. By getting a donation of any amount if you're listening in the United States, call 800-772-8880 or go online to insight.org/donate the harbor for Alaska all the time, but there's only one that's hosted by Insight for living ministry, you're invited to travel with Chuck Swindoll this summer. Every moment of your vacation is thoughtfully prepared and protected so that you can enjoy the perfect balance of rest adventure relaxation, sightseeing, just plain fun old in the company of those who share your respect for God's word and God's creation may vary by the mountain of my life point. All my life I wanted to see ablation when I stepped out on the deck of our ship and witness the massive wall of ice. How it was truly breathtaking escape with insight for living ministries to the great frontier. July 1 through July 2023: 1-888-447-0440. That's 1-888-447-0444 or learn more insight.org/events the tort of Alaska is paid for, made possible by only those who choose to attend Bill Meyer inviting you to join us.

When Chuck Swindoll presents the next chapter in David's life trouble at home. Listen Tuesday to insight for living. The preceding message confrontation was copyrighted in 1978, 1988, 1997 and 2009 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2009 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. all rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited