Today on The Verdict with Pastor John Monroe. I want us to think with a backdrop of the terrible sin of David, to think and to learn about temptation, about what it does and how it's to be resisted so that we will not fall as David did. Welcome to The Verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe. We are all imperfect people. No matter who you are, you can fall into sin, and David is no exception.
Today on The Verdict, we're taking a closer look at the infamous fall of King David, and we'll learn some very important lessons about temptation and God's faithfulness.
So continuing our study on the life of David, here's Pastor John Monroe. When we first meet David as a young shepherd, we then see him defeating Goliath, being anointed by Samuel and becoming a mighty king. But we learn that David, the man after God's own heart, had a fall, and a very dramatic fall. He should have been out leading his men against the Ammonites. But for some reason, he's at home.
Perhaps he's a bit bored. And when he sees the beautiful Bathsheba, he invites her over to his palace, and immorality takes place. One sin leads to another and another, and eventually David is responsible for the death of Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba. David's fall may be a great shock, but it provides a warning about the reality of sin. If a man after God's own heart can fall into serious sin, what about you and me?
1 Corinthians 10, verse 11.
Now these things happened to them, Israel, as an example. But they were written down for our instruction. On whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore, let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.
God is faithful and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability. But with the temptation, he will provide the way of escape that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. What's Paul saying? What's Scripture saying?
You will be tempted to sin.
Now, temptation to sin is not a sin. Jesus Christ, perfect God and perfect man, was tempted. For 40 days, we read, Jesus was in the wilderness being tempted by Satan.
So be prepared for temptation. Turn over to James. James tells us about temptation. James 1 verse 13. Let no one say when he's tempted, I'm being tempted by God.
For God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one. Verse 14. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin. and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
To be lured and enticed by your own desires. Lured and enticed are fishing or hunting terms. That's what sin does, doesn't it? It lures us. It entices us.
It attracts us. It deceives us. And James is saying, be careful. there's a hook. And when you bite on the lure, when you bite on the temptation, then you are caught.
And the consequence, when it's fully grown, brings forth death. The wages of sin is death.
Now, temptation comes in very subtle and pleasurable forms. If it didn't, it wouldn't be a temptation. The fish is not going to bite on something it doesn't think is tasty, it is lured, it's deceived. And temptation comes in all kinds of shapes and sizes to you. And the temptation seems very, very tempting.
And the lure, the bait is often spectacularly fascinating, beautiful, alluring. But in every case, the lure is hiding the hook. and if you bite, you like the fish will be hooked, will be captured. Sin and the devil always, always promise the best now. Satan, sin, hides the painful consequences, hides the hook, but the hook is always there.
Think of the painful consequences to David. for a start, the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, the Bible says, died. Oh, and the consequences of David's sin were not just personal to him, they certainly were devastating to him, but also devastating to Uriah's family. A man is killed. The other soldiers are killed who were with Uriah in the fierce point of the battle.
They were killed. David's family are impacted. The whole nation is impacted through his selfish, self-centered, self-indulgent sin.
So first we have to understand that there are many, many temptations. But here's the promise. Back to 1 Corinthians 11. Surely this is one of the best promises in all of the Bible. In your temptation, God is always faithful.
1 Corinthians 11, Verse 13, no temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. All of us are tempted. God is faithful. And what way is God faithful in temptation Here it is He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape that you may be able to endure it. How wonderful.
However severe the temptation, however discouraged you may feel, however lonely and vulnerable, you can rely on the absolute integrity and faithfulness of God. Here is a great promise that in the temptation, whatever it is, however alluring, God is faithful. And in your temptation, a faithful God is always there to give you all of the help you need. Isn't that a great promise? Isn't that good to know as you go forward in your Christian life?
Yes, there will be temptations. I'm going to be tempted. You're going to be tempted. But in every single case, God is faithful. He's so faithful and he knows you and he knows the extent of the temptation.
He will not allow you to be tempted, the verse says, beyond your ability. That's good. There is a limit on the extent of the temptation. No temptation is bigger or harder or greater than you can bear. You will never encounter a temptation which is so, so powerful, so alluring, so fierce that you must yield to it.
No, that will never happen. God never allows you to be tempted beyond your ability. 1 Corinthians 10, verse 13. God is faithful. Did David have to send for Bathsheba?
No, no. David knew better. and God provides, verse 13, the way, he will provide the way of escape that you may be able to endure. In the fiercest of temptations, God will always provide a way of escape. You say, what kind of escape?
There's all possibilities there.
So when you're tempted, there is a way out. First, I'm to recognize the temptation. I'm to realize I see the lure, I see the temptation, but I realize that there is a hook. That if I yield to the temptation, I've committed a sin.
So I'm to realize I'm being tempted. Secondly, I am, through the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, I'm to resist the temptation. James says, resist the devil and he'll do what? He'll flee from you. Isn't that amazing?
Have you ever experienced, I hope you've experienced it. You say, but Satan is so powerful and you don't understand my situation, John. You know, I'm so vulnerable and I just can't help myself. Oh, no, no, no, don't say that. That's an attack on the faithfulness of God.
God will never allow you to be tempted beyond your ability no resist the devil and he will flee from you also take run through the way of escape and a very common way of escape is mentioned in verse 14 of 1 Corinthians 10 flee flee Paul has said in 1 Corinthians 6 verse 18 flee from sexual immorality you're tempted for some immorality, flee get away from the situation don't see how near you can get to the fire every drop of poison is poison every bit of fire is fire every bit of sin is sin remember the young man Joseph poor Joseph betrayed by his brothers sold into slavery falsely accused and he's given a position of responsibility in Potiphar's house and Mrs. Potiphar looks at Joseph who's a very handsome man the Bible says a young man probably in his late teens and she looks on Joseph and she wants to have sex with Joseph here's what Joseph says in Genesis 39 verse 9 he is not greater in this house than I am nor has he kept back referring to Potiphar neither has he kept back anything from me except you because you are his wife how then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God and what does Joseph do just stay along and have a little coffee with Mrs. Potiphar no he runs out what's he saying to Mrs. Potiphar Listen, I can't do this because your husband has put me in a position of responsibility.
Furthermore, he's entrusted everything to me apart from you. You're his wife. You're a married woman. And then he says, most important of all, how then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? Can I say that's part of our problem in today's culture?
We've redefined sin. We call things an affair and indiscretion. Joseph got it right. Great wickedness and sin against God. Do you see that immorality that way?
There is a grace, wickedness, and a sin against God. Yes, against Potiphar. Yes, against his wife. but above all, a sin against God. That what the prodigal did when he came to his senses and he came back and he in Luke chapter 15 he realized I have sinned against heaven and in your sight God miraculously will always prepare a way of escape.
So the next time you're tempted and you're going to be tempted, ask God what is the way of escape and God will reveal that to you and take that and God is also faithful when we do sin he's faithful in providing us a way of escape so that we do not sin but when we do sin 1 John 1 9 if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness God never ever says, I'm tired of your coming and confessing your sin. He is faithful to forgive us our sins based on the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ that forgiveness is offered through the death of our Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary, as we'll think of David's restoration. No sin is too bad. Please hear me.
Some of you say, this is a tough message to hear, John. I've fallen into grievous sin. I'm just like David. Can I say to you, no sin is too bad, no situation too horrible, no backslider is too far away from God's love and God's forgiveness. A holy God sent his holy son into this unholy world to save and to forgive unholy people like you and me.
What does God require? Confess our sins, repent before him, Avail ourselves of the wonderful redemption and forgiveness that is found in Jesus Christ. If you've never done that, if you've never trusted Christ and never had the wonderful experience of all of your sins forgiven, how wonderful. It's only in the gospel of Jesus Christ that all of our sins can be blooded out. That there is total, total redemption.
People talk today about redemption. It's a common thing. Oh, they can get redemption. It's only through the blood of Jesus Christ that there is total redemption, redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. There are four things as I conclude.
Four things to remember so that you can endure temptation. Here they are, four things. First of all, keep looking to the Savior. Every day, look to Christ. that's why worship is so important that's why communion is so important to keep looking to the Savior Hebrews 4 15 reminds us that our Savior in every respect that has been tempted as we are yet without sin in fact our Savior knew temptation in a way that none of us know because he resisted all temptation.
Oscar Wilde said the best way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.
Well, that's not the biblical way, is it? Our Lord Jesus was tempted. No one was tempted as fiercely as our Savior. And the greater he was tempted, the more beautiful shone through his moral excellencies and his sinlessness. And he did not sin.
So keep looking to the Savior. Keep following Jesus. Remember the Christian life. It's following Jesus. Every day, look to him.
Secondly, know the word of God. You've heard me say this before, and I'll keep saying it. Know this book. Read this book. You say, John, I do.
I don't get from it all that you get from it.
Well, the reason for that is you're not spending as much time in it as I am. But even when you don't understand everything you're reading, this I guarantee the Word of God is so powerful, it has a cleansing effect on us. It cleanses us. It's supernatural. And when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, how did he endure temptation?
Three times we read in Matthew chapter 4, verse 4. it is written. Verse 7, again it is written. Verse 10, for it is written. What is Jesus doing when he is being tempted by the devil?
He's doing what you must do and what I must do. He's quoting the word of God. Do you ever think of it like that? Temptation. Psalm 119 verse 11 Your word I have treasured stored up in my heart that I might not sin against you Psalm 119 verse 9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
Do you say it's impossible? We live in such a sleazy world It's impossible for a young man a young woman to be at UNC Charlotte and live a clean life No, it's not. How can a young man, how can an older man, how can a middle-aged man keep his way pure? Answer, Psalm 119, verse nine, by guarding it according to your word. That's it in this book.
Knowing the word of God. Read it every day. Memorize it, study it, obey it. In the armor of God, what am I to take? I'm to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
That's what Jesus did. That's what wise men and wise women have done down through the centuries, to know and to obey and submit to and apply the Word of God. Do you believe that Third pray The Lord as he taught his disciples to pray says lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil Pray that each day. Lord, deliver me from evil. In the garden of Gethsemane, our Lord said to his disciples, Mark 14, verse 38, watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.
We have a dangerous enemy. The snake is there. I'm to be vigilant. Why would I dabble with the snake of sin? I'm to pray so that I may be aware of the lure, that I may see the hook, that I may think of the consequences, that I may remember Christ has called me to live a holy life.
We are to pray, we're to watch, we're to be vigilant. Do you do that every day? Do you pray? that you will not enter into temptation? That's a good prayer, isn't it?
Get my eyes on Jesus, time in the word of God, praying and watching. Fourth, claim the promises of God. The promise of 1 Corinthians 10, 13. Always look for and always take the way of escape. God is faithful.
Then you will be able to endure temptation. Paul says in Galatians 5, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. I preached through Romans 6, 7 and 8 about our sanctification. Saturate yourself with the teaching of Romans 6, 7 and 8. A life in the Spirit, being dead to sin and alive to God.
Study Galatians 5, the work of the Spirit and how the flesh and the Spirit are at war. But if I walk by the Spirit, if I'm controlled by the Spirit, I will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. All that you need and all that I need in this battle as we face temptation is given to us. Avail yourself of it. Hear then from the life of David as a warning, a man after God's own heart.
All of us are tempted. All of us have sinned. we hear the word of God from Psalm 130 verses 3 and 4. Here are two verses for it. If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
There is not one of us here who could stand if God was marking our iniquities. But with you, verse 4, there is forgiveness that you may be feared. This is the wonder of God's grace, isn't it? That he sees us in our darkness, in our sin, in our willful sin, in our deception. And he sends his son, our Lord Jesus, to rescue us and to deliver us.
That's why the gospel is such a message of hope, a message of transformation. Today, will you confess your sins? God is faithful and just to forgive your sins and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. And this week, live a holy life, looking to Christ, praying for his help, in the word, claiming the promises of God so that you and I will live a pure life in a very, very impure world. This is The Verdict with Pastor John Monroe.
Today's message is titled, David's Fall, and it's part of our current series in the life of David.
Now, as we continue this fascinating study, we want to make sure you get your copy of the special listening guide John has put together to go along with each of these daily lessons. In this free printable workbook, you'll be able to explore the biblical themes, key takeaways, and real-life applications of every lesson we cover on the life of David.
So don't miss out on this helpful resource. Reach out and download your copy of the Life of David Listening Guide today by visiting us online at theverdict.org. While you're exploring the site, join our monthly email community to stay connected with John's latest ministry insights and updates. Here's something exciting you won't want to miss. When you subscribe to The Verdict Podcast, found on every major platform, you'll also gain access to John's exclusive weekly feature called Avisandum.
Every Tuesday, John provides his thoughtful biblical perspective on current events and relevant topics, giving them the careful deliberation that Scottish law terms Avisandum. It's a great way to stay engaged throughout the week. And speaking of growth, we'd like to invite you to come experience worship with our church family here at Calvary Church, home of The Verdict, located right in Charlotte, North Carolina. Whether you visit us in person or join our live stream online, you'll find a community committed to biblical truth and authentic fellowship. Learn more about service times and directions at theverdict.org.
And now here's Pastor John Monroe with today's closing remarks.
Well, what's your verdict? What do you think of David? Does his sin surprise you? Where did he go wrong? And what did these sins cost him?
And what about you? Where are you being tempted? And how are you handling these temptations? Are you becoming tangled in a web of sin? Don't be easy on yourself.
Don't say that because David sinned, you also can sin. Think of the faithfulness of God. In what way is God providing for you a way of escape? Will you take it? Yes, take it.
And live a life of holiness and usefulness in the master's service. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict. I'm Michelle Davies. Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
