Sinners and Kings

[The Midweek Encounter is a ministry of Encounter Church in Kentwood, MI. These posts are reflections on Sunday's message, which can be heard here each week: http://myencounterchurch.org/#/messages-media]

When I think of King David, my thoughts turn to a story that many of us were told as children: David and Goliath. As a young shepherd, David had the courage of a well-seasoned soldier; he fully trusted in God’s power to conquer Goliath the Philistine in battle with only a sling and five stones.

“David said to the Philistine, 'You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.'” (1 Samuel 17:45)

David is often remembered as a soldier and courageous warrior of God, but the genealogy of Jesus points to him for another reason. While Jesus did come from the line of a King, he also came from a line of sinners just like us. The genealogy in Matthew specifically pointed to characters in the Bible with not-so-noteworthy pasts such as Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth. Their stories, like David’s, are ones that contain points of shame, deceit, and pain. 

Photo Credit: Flickr User trainjason, Creative Commons

As we anticipate Christmas this week, it’s easy to look at the line of Jesus and see that he was a descendant of courageous King David, obedient Father Abraham, and his loving mother Mary. While these traits and people certainly reflect Jesus’s character as the Son of God, maybe we should also focus on the shameful pasts that arise in His genealogy.

David was an adulterer, a murderer, and a liar. He sacrificed the friendship and life of Uriah in order to cover up his mistakes involving Bathsheba. David went to all lengths to maintain a false sense of honor and dignity as King, even when his actions were directly sinning against God. Instead of confessing before God and before his friend Uriah, he decided to move forward in secrecy. His diligence to hide his discretions was in vain because the prophet Nathan discovered his sins.

It was at this point, when he had nothing to hide, that David finally confessed his sins and penned the beautiful Psalm 51, including this famous verse, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).

Just as David confessed his sins before God and in the presence of the prophet Nathan, we must also confess our sins. While God is the only One who can offer ultimate forgiveness, our fellow believers can offer help in the process of healing. Our brothers and sisters in Christ can help us find a reason to change and act differently in the future.

As James 5:16 says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

As we celebrate Christmas this year, let us remember that Jesus came from a line of Kings, but also from a line of sinners. He encourages us to confess our sins before Him and before our fellow believers in order to live fully in accordance with His plan for our lives. Let us pray for one another this Christmas—that we might recognize our own limitations and rely fully on the power and grace of Jesus to be healed. God brought peace to earth through His Son on Christmas—let us pray that we are open to fully receive that peace through His forgiveness and the power of the Holy Spirit that brings change in our lives. What secrets are you holding onto? Prayerfully consider sharing these with family or a close friend this holiday season; confess your sins, share your secrets, and invite Jesus to begin change in your life.

*If you are looking for a song that is relevant to this week’s message, check out “Healing Begins” by Tenth Avenue North: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe1yKciSlT4

[Megan Stephenson is a recent graduate of Grand Valley State University and works for a private education group in Grand Rapids as an Assistant Registrar. She loves spending time with her husband, Ben, trying out new breweries, restaurants, and local attractions. She also self-identifies as a crazy cat lady, despite owning no cats of her own, thanks to her loving and allergic husband.]