October 2024 – Relentless Redeemer

Dear Friend in Christ:
Have you ever been betrayed by someone close to you? Most people would answer, “yes.” A much harder question would be, “Have you ever betrayed someone close to you?” The tragic truth is most people have but would never admit it. Certainly, most of us can honestly say we have, at times, betrayed ourselves, or even the Lord Himself.

This doesn’t seem to be the happiest way to begin this Pastoral Letter, but, believe me, it will get better! Please stay with me as I set the stage.

King David, “a man after God’s own heart,” was a man well-acquainted with betrayal, for he had been grievously betrayed … and he himself had grievously betrayed others. That’s right: David, one of the greatest heroes of the Bible was also a vile and crafty traitor to his people, to his calling, and to his God. I hate to say it, but it’s true, and we must understand how great his sins were before we can appreciate how great his repentance and restoration were.

This next part is “rated R,” but do not close your eyes and don’t miss it.  2 Samuel 11 tells us David visually stalked Bathsheba, the wife of one of his valiant soldiers named Uriah. David lusted after Bathsheba so badly that he took her and raped her. This was not a consensual “affair.” When Bathsheba became pregnant, David concocted a heinous scheme, first to make it appear as though Uriah was the father of the baby, and then to murder Uriah. The scheme involved using his power as king to send Uriah into “the hottest part of battle” and certain death.

Sadly, David’s plot succeeded. Uriah died heroically in battle. Bathsheba was widowed.  David then took Bathsheba once more into his house and made her his wife–among many wives. The closing verse in 2 Samuel 11 says simply and ominously: “But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.”  Of all of the things a person doesn’t ever want to do, displeasing the Lord is right at the top of the list.

God sent His prophet Nathan to confront David with a parable.  We read about it in 2 Samuel 12, which is a harrowing passage of Scripture for anyone who rightly reverences the Lord …Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds.  But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”  

So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.”

Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more! Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.  For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.’” So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” (2 Samuel 12:1-13).

The enormity of his own sin hit David like a ton of bricks. He had no choice but to confess his behavior. Nathan told David that God would spare his life–though he deserved death and hell–but Nathan said that David’s sin had “given great occasion for the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme.” Dear God, how often have we who identify as Christ followers given the enemies of the Lord great occasion to blaspheme? Selah.

The child born to David and Bathsheba became sick and died.  There was great mourning in their house.  Once again, David had blood on his hands.  In this dark season, David poured his heart out to God in anguished prayer. David was prepared to take the full and just punishment for his sins, with one exception:  he couldn’t bear the thought of being separated from God’s presence. Here is part of David’s prayer, recorded in Psalm 51 …Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight—That You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge.

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise (Psalm 51:1-17).

God had mercy on David.  In fact, he and Bathsheba later conceived another baby, who was King Solomon. Amazingly, in God’s redemptive providence, Jesus Christ is of the lineage of David and Bathsheba. But there were still consequences to be faced by David. The prophecy of Nathan came to pass.  Absalom, one of David’s other sons by another wife, was a vain, arrogant, and impetuous young man.  Absalom betrayed David and turned the hearts of the people against their king.  David was overthrown had fled for his life from Absalom and Absalom’s army.

After all of these years, David remembered his own weakness and sin.  His heart was broken by his son. The lives of his men were also in danger. In this low moment, as he had before, David encouraged himself in the Lord. He gives this declaration of faith to God in Psalm 3…Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say of me, “There is no help for him in God.” Selah

But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill. Selah I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah(Psalm 3:1-8).

After all that had happened, after reckoning with his own wretchedness and receiving God’s mercy, David could confidently call upon the Lord and declare God’s salvation. David had seen both his own failures and the infinite redemptive purpose of God.

Oftentimes, when trouble comes our way, the Devil reminds us of our failures and convinces us that it is too late for God to intervene in our lives.  “We’ve blown it. We are unworthy.  We deserve every bit of hell we get. There is no hope.” Accusation is a major part of Satan’s job description.

But the Good News of Jesus Christ tells us otherwise: “…if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:7-9).

I heard our friend Bruce Longstreth say, “God is a relentless Redeemer.”  I love that! Don’t accept the condemnation and hopelessness of the Devil. That is not your inheritance. God is still at work. He hasn’t forgotten you. He will not forsake you. Receive your redemption and new hope, in Jesus’ name.

I’m looking forward to more personal fellowship with you. With my father’s sickness and passing, and with my own physical issues, my travel has been very limited in the past year. I’m praying and believing God for healing and strength to continue doing what God has told me to do. My hope is in Him; I’m excited about the future and what we will be offering.

Thank you for walking with us in our own difficult season here at CSM. Some have told us their journey with us is over; new friends are coming on board and accessing our resources for the first time. Your prayers and friendship mean so much. If you can support us this month financially, it would help us greatly in our mission. But if you cannot right now, we’d still love to hear how you are doing and how we can serve you … especially in prayer.

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:3-6).

In Jesus,
Stephen Simpson
President