2 Samuel 11:1-17 – The Fear of Sin – Bible study

2Samuel 11:1-17, 26-27 The Fear of Sin On the surface, to have no fear of anything seems like it might be a gift, a good thing. I could see where, in certain situations and for certain people, having your fear mechanism temporarily turned off or disabled, would be a benefit. Doing just that might be an option for us in the near future. I read an article the earlier part of this year entitled, NO FEAR. Let me read a portion of the article to you. NO FEAR Sub-title-Woman lacking basic brain structure isnt scared of anything. Published in Science News; January 15th, 2011; Vol.179 #2 (p. 14) Written by Laura Sanders. A middle-aged woman known as SM blithely reaches for poisonous snakes, giggles in haunted houses and once, upon escaping the clutches of a knife-wielding man, didnt run but calmly walked away. A rare kind of brain damage precludes her from experiencing fear of any sort, finds a study published online December 16 in Current Biology. SM has an unusual genetic disorder called Urbach-Wiethe disease. In late childhood, this disease destroyed both sides of her amygdala (ah-mig-du-la), which is composed of two structures the shape and size of almonds, one on each side of the brain. Because of this brain damage, the woman knows no fear, the researchers found. http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/67690/title/No_fear Of course research is on-going. You can imagine how turning off someones ability to fear might have applications-military personal, anyone with fighting ambitions, or perhaps even as a medicine for those with phobeas. The Bible discourages fear. 1John 4:18 teaches us that "perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. However, there are somethings that even Christians near to fear. The story before us demonstrates one of them. We should be afraid of sin. Sin is all around us today. It is so common, that most people no longer fear it. 1. immodesty 2. vulgarity 3. adultery and fornication 4. pride, arrogance, lust, hatred, rage These are all the cornerstones of the most popular television shows and reality TV series. Even worse, most of them are practiced by most people we know. To preach a message on the need to fear sin would seem to most to be like preaching against eating or breathing air. But we should fear sin. Why? Let me give you some reasons. I. We should fear sin because of who it can reach. A. Sin can reach from the highest to the lowest. 1. Everyone knows who King David is. a. King David is the king. b. That is exactly the point. c. Sin reached all the way into the most powerful man in the kingdoms heart. 2. It is sad that in this day and age, sin is looked upon as the leisure of the rich and powerful. a. It is the mindset of most people today that if you have enough money and power, you can (and do) get away with almost anything. b. However, that is not the way it should be. 3. God actually intended that the rich and powerful set examples of godly behavior for us. a. As you read through the Scriptures, you see that God holds those in positions of leadership to a HIGHER standard not a DOUBLE standard. b. Now, whether very men leaders ever lived up to that expectation is a mute point because in this country, most all of us can find the money and the where-with-all to commit any kind of sin we want. (1) view porn-Go to the nearest convenient store. (2) engage in fornication-A few phone calls and a few minutes will provide you with an opportunity. (3) drugs-Just find a group of teenagers hanging out and someone will know someone who is connected. 4. The truth is that sin can reach into the home of the most powerful and into the home of the most humble. 5. Anything with a reach like that is to be feared. B. Sin can reach to those who are already allowed the most. 1. I really cannot find a term to express what I want to express here. 2. David was a man who lived in a time period where God winked at the sin of multiple wives. a. I am not saying that God condoned that sin. b. I am not saying that God was pleased with that sin. c. I am not saying that it was not sin. d. I am saying that God allowed it. 3. In fact, after this sin of adultery, God told David that he could have had just about anything he wanted. 2Sam 12:8 And I gave thee thy masters house, and thy masters wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. 4. So David had a harem of wives and concubines and if none of those were to his liking, he could have gotten more; yet even with so much allowance in his lust, David still wanted the one woman in the kingdom that he could not have-the wife of another man. 5. What is it about sin that drives us to want what we cannot have? 6. Eve could have eaten from every other tree in the Garden, but she had to eat the one that was forbidden. 7. Anything that can make us need the one thing that we cannot have is to be feared. C. Sin can reach the most righteous. 1. To me, this is one of the most frightening things about this story. 2. This is the story of one of Gods greatest saints falling. a. David had walked with God intimately since his youth. b. David had communed with God. (1) David knew God better than most humans will know Him. (2) God spoke to David. (3) God used David to write His Word. (4) David received and believed the promises of God. c. David had already held a high office for God for years. 3. Yet, David sinned and sinned horribly. 4. If David was not immune, neither am I and neither are you. 5. I believe that sin gets its greatest hold on us when we think we have it licked. 1Cor 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. II. We should fear sin because of Who sin is against. A. Sin, no matter who else it hurts, is always first and foremost against God. 1. There is no doubt that sin hurts the sinner. 2. There is no doubt that sin hurts and wrongs other humans. 3. But let there never be any doubt, sin is a spiritual crime against God. B. By its very definition, sin is against God. 1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law (Gods law): for sin is the transgression of the law. 1. Sin is not defined by mans philosophy, culture, opinion, acceptance, or even his law. 2. Only God can define sin for all sin is against God. C. David sinned against God. 1. David flatly broke five of the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife. Exodus 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery. Exodus 20:15 Thou shalt not steal. Exodus 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness. Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not kill. 2. David can be said to have broken at least three others. a. He wasnt working when he should have been. Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: b. I imagine Jesse, Davids father, had taught him better. Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: c. I suspect that David continued to invoke the Lords name for blessings and justice during his year of sin, even though he knew he was sinning. Exodus 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; D. While we may not take the matter of breaking Gods commandments seriously, God does. E. Friend, if you are knowingly, willingly breaking Gods commandments, you had better be afraid. Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Luke 12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. III. We should fear sin because of what it can do. A. Your smaller sins can become large sins. 1 Corinthians 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 1. David didnt start out marrying another mans wife. That was last. 2. David didnt start out murdering his friend. 3. David didnt start out laying with a woman. 4. David started out by staying home when kings go out to battle! 5. I count at least 10 steps in his sinful downfalleach one being worse than the last! a. \#1\ David stayed home. b. \#2\ Then, David lusted after an unknown woman. c. \#3\ Then, David inquired after the identity of the woman. d. \#4\ Then, David sent for the woman. e. \#4\ Then, David lay with the woman. f. \#6\ Then, David hid his sin from Uriah. g. \#8\ Then, David deceived Uriah, trying to get him to go home. h. \#13\ Then, David made Uriah drunk, trying to get him to go home. i. \#15\ Then, David had Uriah killed. j. \#27\ Then, David took Bathsheba for his wife. k. Then, David thought the matter to be done. 6. When you cut yourself lose from the compass of truth and obedience, you have no idea where your ship will land! B. Your sins can become your childrens. 1. David and Amnon a. \#2Sam 11:1-17\ David lusted after a woman and acted on his lusts. b. \#2Sam 13:1-17\ Amnon lusted after a woman and acted on his lusts. 2. Abraham and Isaac a. \#Gen 12:13, 20:2\ Abraham lied about Sarah calling her his sister. b. \#Gen 26:7\ His son, Isaac, liked about Rebecca calling her his sister. 3. Isaac and Jacob a. \#Ge 25:28\ Isaac preferred one son over another. b. \#Ge 37:3\ Jacob loved Joseph above his brothers. 4. Your children will be an exaggerated mirror image of you. a. What you have done in moderation, they will do to excess. b. What you have done in secret, they will do in public. c. The sin that you condemned while you did it, they will praise while they do it. d. What you thought was beyond the line, they will think is within the line. e. What you thought was wrong, they will think is right. C. Your judgment can become your familys. 1. Verse Numbers 14:18 The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. 2. \#Joshua 7:24\ Achan, his sons, his daughters, his lifestock, and all that he had were stoned and left buried in the field of Achor for his sin at Ai. Let me close by telling you three truths to remember about sin. 1. All sin offends God. 2. All sin causes some painful backlashes. 3. Sin allowed to run its course will always end in death. What is the point of this message? It is to warn you that sin is not a toy. It is a deadly plague. No matter to what degree of seriousness you may think your sin is, you cannot handle it and escape unharmed. It will inflict you with remorse, regret, and sorrow. So turn from it right now.