Our 2025 Theme: We Three Kings of Israel Are
Tonight’s Focus: from II Samuel 11-12
David: Greatly Blessed…
A Great Disappointment Receives Even Greater Mercy
A mother once approached Napoleon Bonaparte, seeking a pardon for her son. The emperor of France replied that the young man had committed a certain offense twice, and justice demanded his death. “But I don’t ask for justice,” the mother explained. “I plead for mercy.” “But your son does not deserve mercy,” Napoleon replied. “Sir,” the woman cried, “it would not be mercy if he deserved it….yet mercy is all I ask for.” “Well, then,” the emperor said, “I will have mercy.” He spared her son.
In a similar way, the LORD had mercy on King David – not just in connection with the sad episode of his life that we’ll be reflecting on this evening, but – every moment of every day of his entire sinful life. He extends that same mercy to you and me each day as well.
In the Bible David is referred to as the “man after the Lord’s own heart” (I Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22)…..and it’s true that David had a special, faith-relationship with the LORD. David loved God. And God loved David.
But God didn’t always love what David did (….just like He doesn’t love the things we do that are sinful). While David was greatly blessed by the LORD, he was also – on more than one occasion – a great disappointment to his LORD. (…..Does this sound familiar?)
So….if, as we recall from last week’s sermon, God eventually rejected Saul because he began disobeying Him and – in his arrogance – Saul refused to listen to the LORD’s Word spoken through the prophet Samuel……then what made Saul worse than David to the point that Saul was rejected, while David was not only given the throne, but promised that his descendants would continue to serve as Judah’s monarchs? “Man after the Lord’s own heart” or not, David wasn’t exactly a “saint.”
For example, in many ways Saul was the better father (raising an outstanding son, Jonathan) compared to the indulgent David — who let his sons literally get away with incest (Amnon) and murder (Absalom) without appropriately disciplining them. Saul’s sin of not obeying God by usurping Samuel’s priestly responsibility and making a sacrifice to God before the prophet arrived (I Samuel 13:8-15), seems “minor” compared to David’s subtle arrogance in ordering a census of “his” – David’s — kingdom (II Samuel 24)….apparently forgetting that David’s kingdom actually belonged to the LORD. This census cost 70,000 citizens of Israel their lives through a plague that God sent to discipline David for his pride, and he had to watch his subjects die, knowing their deaths were his fault! Similarly, Saul’s disobedience in his successful battle against the Amalekites, when he killed everyone but the Amalekite king Agag, and destroyed much – but not the best – of the Amalekites’ possessions (though the LORD had ordered the destruction of all the Amalekites and their possessions….as a special, devoted offering to Him – see I Samuel 15:3) seems bad, but not awful…at least compared to David’s sins of adultery, deceit and murder (II Samuel 11).
So…..why was Saul rejected and not David? Quoting the Lord from I Samuel 16:7, when He spoke to Samuel at David’s first anointing (of three), “man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” In other words, what we see and sense is not always accurate (God makes a similar point in Isaiah 55:8,9….”My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord, “for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”) God – in His omniscience – can read hearts, while we – as sin-limited humans – cannot. God knows and understands everything. We know very little, and understand even less. Consequently, in reading the respective hearts of Saul and David, the LORD saw Saul’s heart as “hard,” and so utterly impenitent and lost, while David’s heart – though surely sinful (as is ours) – was still a heart of faith in and love for God. Though all sin is damnable, it isn’t the amount or size of the sins that a person commits which damns him/her to hell……it’s unbelief (Mark 16:16; Hebrews 11:6). Saul – all to his fault – threw away his faith (Matthew 23;37; Acts 7:51; Acts 13:46). David, by God’s grace alone, remained faithful (Rom 9:15-18; Eph 2:8-9).
The lesson before us tonight is one of the better known Old Testament stories: that of David’s sins of adultery with Bathsheba; his deceit in trying to cover up – rather than repent of – his sin; and his ordering the murder of her innocent husband, Uriah. It’s a very appropriate lesson for the season of Advent, since Advent is a penitential time – one where Christians focus on repenting of their sins that necessitated Christ’s coming to earth as a baby, born to die as our sin-Substitute on Calvary’s cross. Examining David’s sin forces us to consider our many sins of deed, word and thought….sins so numerous that we cannot even recall them all, much less individually repent of them. Consequently, we desperately need God’s mercy both to overcome our sins and to keep us faithful to Him…..just as David needed – and enjoyed – that mercy. We have that mercy too, through the merits and sacrifice of Christ Jesus for us. May we never take it for granted, as Saul did. God-enabling, we will embrace it, enjoy it and be edified by it, until God’s mercy is no longer needed by us – when the LORD in His grace grants us faith’s goal…..an everlasting, perfect life in heaven.
The application of David’s and Saul’s stories to our lives is twofold: first (and most obvious), don’t harden your heart as Saul did, but repent of your sins (and we all sin) just as David eventually did; and second, God is abundantly merciful to sinners – and deserving of our devotion and praise for calling us all to repent and enjoy His mercy (God called Saul to repentance through Samuel…though Saul refused to truly repent; He moved David’s heart to confess his sin through the words of Nathan and even Joab!).
Last week we began our 2025 midweek Advent service and sermon series called “We Three Kings of Israel Are.” The first of the three “official” human monarchs of Israel that we examined was King Saul, “the man who wouldn’t listen to the Lord.” Next Wednesday (December 17), we’ll consider Solomon’s story of on-again, off-again, on-again faithfulness to the LORD. And – once more – tonight we ask that God would bless us as we study and apply to our lives the story of King David……”Greatly Blessed…And A Great Disappointment, but Someone Who Received Even Greater Mercy from God.”
The portions of God’s Word used in this worship flyer have been taken from The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version
Copyright 2019, The Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
Used with permission. Music and lyrics, as needed, are used with permission via OneLicense.net #A712831
Pre-Service Prayer – Lord God, merciful Father, I thank You that You have safely brought me to this hour of worship. Through Your Holy Spirit open my heart to the wondrous truths of Your salvation which I will hear this evening, and through the same Spirit grant new strength to my faith and greater confidence in You to my soul. Bless the preaching and teaching of Your Word both in our congregation and throughout Your Church on earth. Give power and conviction to Your ministers here and everywhere, that their testimony to Your holiness, sovereignty, and grace may be clear and true to Your revealed Word. Grant me the grace to bring all my sin-burdens before Your altar and leave them there at Your feet. Keep me from mere formalism in my worship, from praying with my lips while my heart is far from You, and from failing to personalize Your words of rebuke, instruction and comfort that I will soon be hearing. Receive my offerings — humble though they are — for the extension of Your kingdom. And, after this service closes, enable me to live according to Your Word and for Your glory throughout the course of my life. All this I ask, in the name and for the sake of Your Son, my Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Second Midweek Advent Worship Service
Pre-service prayer Pre-service music
We ask the Lord to join us
Pastor’s Greeting and Introduction to Tonight’s Worship
after which the Congregation will rise
The Invocation
We begin this worship service…..
In the name of the Father,
by Whose word the world was formed
and by Whose power all things are sustained. And…
And of the Son,
by Whose suffering and death we have been redeemed,
and by Whose resurrection we are assured of heaven. And…
And of the Holy Spirit,
Who – through the Means of Grace – has both brought us to faith
and keeps us in the one true faith.
Amen.
The Evening Prayer
In the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
I thank You, my heavenly Father, + through Jesus Christ Your dear Son, + that You have graciously kept me this day. + Forgive me all my sins, + wherever I have done wrong, + and graciously keep me this night. + Into Your hands I commend my body and soul and all things. + Let Your holy angel be with me, + that the wicked foe may have no power over me. + Amen.
After which the congregation will be seated for
Opening Hymn Hymn 19 “O Lord, How Shall I Meet You?”
2nd Tune, vv 1, 3 & 5
1 O Lord, how shall I meet you,
How welcome you aright?
Your people long to greet you,
My Hope, my heart’s Delight.
O Jesus, let your word be
A lamp to light my way,
To show me how to please you,
To guide me ev’ry day.
3 Rejoice, then, you sad-hearted,
Who sit in deepest gloom,
Who mourn o’er joys departed
And tremble at your doom.
Despair not; he is near you,
He’s standing at the door
Who best can help and cheer you
And bids you weep no more.
5 He comes to judge the nations,
A terror to his foes,
A light of consolations,
And blessed hope to those
Who love the Lord’s appearing.
O glorious Sun, now come,
Send forth your beams most cheering,
And guide us safely home.
After which the Congregation will rise as
We join in the confession of our sins
Pastor Brothers and sisters in Christ: the Word of God urges us to confess to our Lord all our sins of thought, word, and action. This is something that ought to be daily part of our
spiritual lives, and should come forth from every heart that is humble and penitent. But we should especially do this when we meet together in His house to thank God for all that He has done for us, to praise Him, and to hear His life-giving Word. Therefore, come with me now, to our Heavenly Father’s throne of grace, and let us confess our sins together.
Congregation Miserable person that I am, + I confess and lament to You, O most holy God, + that I am a weak and sinful creature, + guilty of every sin, of unbelief, and of
blasphemy. + I also confess that Your Word has not brought forth good fruit in me. + I hear it, but do not receive it earnestly. + I do not show works of love toward my neighbor. + I am full of anger, hate, and envy. + I am impatient, greedy, and bent on every evil. + Therefore my heart and conscience are heavy. + Lord, I ask You, free me from my sins, + strengthen my faith, + and comfort my weak conscience by Your divine Word, + that I may obtain Your promised grace.
Pastor Having humbly and sincerely confessed your sins before Almighty God, now be strengthened in your faith, mindful that our Lord is not willing that anyone should perish
eternally, but that everyone should come to repentance, turning from their evil ways and receiving from Him everlasting life. God has commanded His ministers to declare His forgiveness of sins to all who are penitent. Therefore, rest assured that your sins have been fully covered by the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ your Savior. May the peace of God rest upon all of you. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Order of Vespers
Pastor O LORD, open my lips.
Congregation (sung) And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
Pastor Hasten, O God, to deliver me.
Congregation (sung) Hasten to help me, O Lord
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
And to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning
Is now, and ever shall be
World without end. Amen.
We Share God’s Word
The Psalm for this Evening Psalm 51
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; + according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions. + Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, + and my sin is always before me. + Against You, You only, have I sinned + and done what is evil in Your sight, + so that Your are proved right when You speak + and justified when You judge.
Surely I was a sinner from birth, + sinful from the time my mother conceived me. + Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; + You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; + wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. + Let me hear joy and gladness; + Let the bones You have crushed rejoice. + Hide Your face from my sins, + and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, + and renew a steadfast spirit within me. + Do not cast me from Your presence, + or take Your Holy Spirit from me. + Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, + and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.
after which the Congregation may be seated for
The Evening Lesson Luke 1:26-56
26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.”
29 But she was greatly troubled by the statement and was wondering what kind of greeting this could be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, because you have found favor with God. 31 Listen, you will conceive and give birth to a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will never end.”
34 Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Listen, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age even though she was called barren, and this is her sixth month. 37 For nothing will be impossible for God.” 38 Then Mary said, “See, I am the Lord’s servant. May it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
39 In those days Mary got up and hurried to the hill country, to a town of Judah. 40 She entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 Just as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 In fact, just now, as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy! 45 Blessed is she who believed, because the promises spoken to her from the Lord will be fulfilled!”
46 Then Mary said, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, 47 and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior, 48 because He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is His name. 50 His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with His arm. He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their hearts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones. He has lifted up the lowly. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things, but the rich He has sent away empty. 54 He has come to the aid of His servant Israel, remembering His mercy, 55 as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and His offspring forever. 56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned to her home.
The Sermon Hymn “We Three Kings of Israel Are”
sung to the tune of “We Three Kings of Orient Are”
cwh 2025
“We three Kings of Israel are Just like you,
We’re sinners, by far….
Vain and selfish, stubborn, foolish
Needing God’s grace each hour.”
Saul and David, Solomon too
Started well, but each was untrue
To the LORD Who loved, forgave them
As He does me and you.
David – man after God’s own heart –
His great courage set him apart.
Slew Goliath with a slingshot
Trusted God from the start.
Handsome, strong, God’s grace manifest….
Spared Saul’s life, though by him oppressed.
Shepherd, Soldier, Singer, Sov-ereign
David was truly blessed.
Yet his heart became discontent.
Saw Bathsheba, and for her sent
Sired a child. Killed her husband.
Sinned but did not repent.
Until Nathan to the king came,
Bringing God’s Word: “David, the shame
Of your sin….it’s reached to the heavens.”
Humbled, he took the blame.
“I have sinned, have mercy on me.”
Gone the lies…..sincere in his plea.
“Your child dies, but you’re for-giv-en.”
God gave Him grace, so free.
LORD, like David, I have failed You,
Yet Your mercy to me is true.
Through Your Spirit, keep me faithful
Now and my whole life through.
after which the Congregation will REMAIN SEATED for
Our Meditation II Samuel 11:1-5, 22-27; 12:1-14
Springtime arrived, the time when kings go out to war. David sent Joab out with his officers and with all Israel. They ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed in Jerusalem. 2 One evening David had gotten up from his couch and was walking around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very good looking. 3 David sent to inquire about the woman, and he was told, “Isn’t this Bathsheba daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 David sent messengers to bring her. She came to him, and he lay down with her. (She had been purifying herself from her ceremonial uncleanness.) She then returned to her house. 5 The woman became pregnant, so she sent a message and told David, “I am pregnant.”……
22 The messenger set out. He came and told David everything that Joab had sent him to say. 23 The messenger said to David, “Their men gained an advantage over us and drove us back into the open country. But then we gained the upper hand and drove them back all the way to the entrance of the city gate. 24 The archers shot at your troops from the wall. Some of the servants of the king died. And your servant Uriah the Hittite also died.” 25 David told the messenger, “Say this to Joab: ‘Do not take this too hard, because the sword devours people at random. Strengthen your attack against the city, and overthrow it.’ Encourage Joab.”
26 The wife of Uriah the Hittite heard that her husband was dead, so she mourned for her husband. 27 When her mourning was completed, David sent for her and brought her to his house, and she became his wife. She gave birth to a son for him. But what David had done was evil in the eyes of the Lord.
12:1 So the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came and told him this: “There were two men in a city. One was rich and one poor. 2 The rich man had a large number of flocks and herds. 3 The poor man did not own anything except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He raised it so that it grew up together with him and his children. It ate from his food and drank from his cup. It slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. 4 When a traveler came to the rich man, the rich man was unwilling to take an animal from his flock or from his herd to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. So he took the lamb from the poor man and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
5 David’s anger flared up against that man. He said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this is as good as dead. 6 In place of that lamb, he will restore four lambs, because he did this and had no pity.”
7 Nathan told David, “You are the man. This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says. I anointed you king over Israel. I rescued you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave the house of your master to you, and I gave the wives of your master into your embrace. I gave you the house of Israel and the house of Judah. If this was too little, I would have added even more. 9 Why have you despised the word of the Lord by doing evil in His eyes? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword. You have taken his wife as your own wife. You have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 So now the sword will not depart from your house forever, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. 11 This is what the Lord says. Look! I am raising up disaster against you from your own house. Right in front of your eyes I will take your wives and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie down with your wives in the sight of the sun. 12 Because you acted in secret, I will do this in front of all Israel in broad daylight.”
13 David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan said to David, “The Lord Himself has put away your sin. You will not die. 14 Nevertheless, because by this deed you have treated the Lord with utter contempt, the child that is born to you shall surely die.”
David: Greatly Blessed
….A Great Disappointment Receives Even Greater Mercy
The Post-Sermon Blessing
And now may the peace of God which transcends all human understanding keep your hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus. Amen.
We Offer Our Gifts and Prayers to the Lord
Our Offerings of Love to our Lord
We will be passing an offering plate through our chapel at this point. For those unable to worship with us in person, if you would like to participate in this offering, we offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) You can send a check (no cash) in the mail to Grace Lutheran Church (415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
2) Or, go online to our website (www.gracelutherannwa.com) and use the giving option there.
As the offerings are brought forward, the Congregation rises
Our Evening Prayers
Any Special Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil; For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
We leave with God’s Blessing
The Benediction
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God, the Father,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.
The Closing Hymn Hymn 588 “Abide With Me”
verses 1, 2, 4, 5, & 7
1 Abide with me; fast falls the eventide.
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me!
2 Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away.
Change and decay in all around I see;
O thou who changest not, abide with me!
4 Thou on my head in early youth didst smile,
And though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me oft as I left thee.
On to the close, O Lord, abide with me.
5 I need thy presence ev’ry passing hour.
What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?
Who like thyself my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, oh, abide with me!
7 Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me!
Silent prayer
Announcements
Post-service Music