Centreville Presbyterian Church
Christians should be courageous in the face of the ugliness of life. As people who know the grace of Christ, we can be honest with how hard and painful this world can be. This Sunday we take a look at one of the most challenging passages in all of Scripture.
**Warning: this week's Scripture passage includes some adult themes. While we will be very careful in how we talk about them, if you have young children, you may want to consider attending the 10:30am service when the children's ministry occurs.
Psalm 51:1-9 ESV
Psalm 51:10-12 ESV
Galatians 6:7 ESV
Amnon's Sin:
Consumed By Desire: “Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar”
Scheming: “So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill.”
Filled with Shame/Guilt: “Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred”
2 mistakes David makes in dealing with his sin
1) David refuses to acknowledge the hurt that he and his son have caused
2 Samuel 13:1 ESV
2) David pushes away uncomfortable/hurting people
1 Kings 1:6 ESV
2 Samuel 14:24-28 ESV
2 Samuel 14:33 ESV
2 Samuel 15:3 ESV
3 Ways David does confront his brokenness (Dig into Psalm 51 – HOW approach brokenness redemptively)
1) Does Not Shy away from Brokenness.
Psalm 51:2-3 ESV
Jewish Funeral practice -- A whole year of mourning
Aninut: Death to Burial
Shiva: First Seven Days
Sheloshim: Thirty Days
Shana: Twelve Months
Yahrzeit: One Year
Jewish Rabbi - Shiva
We are there to be supportive, to visit, to listen, but not to place a burden by expecting false cheerfulness and plastic smiles from the bereaved. No mourner should, God forbid, feel obliged to put on a "nice face" for others.
Takeaways:
- Its about Presence
- It takes Time
- You don’t need to Fix them.
2) Realizes his sin/brokenness are a big deal
Psalm 51:4-5 ESV
Robert Downey Jr
“When I couldn’t get sober, Mel told me not to give up hope, and he urged me to find my faith. It didn’t have to be his or anyone else’s, as long as it was rooted in forgiveness. When I couldn’t get Hired, he cast me in the lead of a movie originally developed for him. And he kept a roof over my head and food on the table.
Robert Downey Jr
"Most importantly, he said that if I accepted responsibility for my wrongdoings, and if I embraced that side of my soul that was ugly – hugging the cactus, he calls it – if I hugged that cactus long enough, I’d become a man of some humility and that my life would take on a new meaning. And I did and it worked. All he asked in return was that someday I help the next guy in some small way. It is reasonable to assume that he did not expect the next guy to be him or that someday would be today."
3) Clings to Christ
Psalm 51:7-9 ESV