2 Samuel 12:1-15
THOU ART THE MAN
Intro: 2 Samuel 11 tells us about the darkest moment in the life of King David. After being blessed by the Lord in many ways; after reaching the pinnacle of success; after leading his nation to peace, prosperity and power, David fell into sin with Bathsheba!  He committed adultery with a married woman and got her pregnant; and then in an effort to cover up that sin, David had her husband put to death.
God did not punish David immediately for his sin. The bible says that when a person sins "their sins will find them out"!  David found himself in a place in life that he never thought he would occupy.   In the midst of this tragedy, God speaks to David. God comes to him in his sin and exposes David for what he is. God come to him and says, “Thou art the man!”

I. 11:27 THE CHASTISEMENT OF DAVID’S SIN
(Ill. Between 11:27 and 12:1 there is a gap of some twelve months. During that time there is no mention of David’s sin by David, by God or by anyone else for that matter. But, this does not mean that those twelve months were a peaceful time for the troubled king. Sometimes what is not said speaks just as loud as what is said!
A. It Was A Time Of Silence – For nearly a year, David kept his sin hidden within his heart. There is no record of him telling anyone about it. Joab knew. Some of the servants knew. Worst of all David knew and he knew that God knew!
(“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper…” Pro. 28:13.)
B. It Was A Time Of Sorrow – It seems that this episode in David’s life prompted him to write at least two different Psalms. One of these is Psalm 32 and the other is Psalm 51. These Psalms were apparently written after David had confessed his sin, been forgiven by God and been restored to fellowship. They tell us that the months following David’s sin with Bathsheba were not a carefree time of love, happiness and peace. No, those days were days of suffering for David. 
(The “check engine light” in your car.).... When it comes on, you can ignore it, you can break the light, or you can get the problem fixed. If you ignore it or break the light, eventually, you will harm the engine. If you fix it, everything goes back to normal. The same is true with guilt. It is the check engine light of the soul. When it comes on, do not ignore it, but take the problem to Jesus and get it fixed.
II. v. 1-9 THE CONFRONTATION OF DAVID’S SIN
(Ill. We may wonder why the Lord waited to deal with David’s sin. One answer may lie in the fact that David probably was not ready to be confronted when the sin was first committed. He might have rebelled at that time, caught up as he was in his pleasure and the cover-up. God confronted David and He did so at the perfect time to secure the right response. 
A. v. 1-7a The Shock Of The Confrontation – Ill. The context and the story Nathan told. Then David hears words that he never thought he would hear. Nathan looks at him and says “Thou art the man! It’s you David! You took the only thing Uriah had in this life and then you took his life. You had it all, but you wanted more! Thou are the man!” 
Never think for a minute that sin can be successfully hidden away forever. God knows exactly where it is buried, Heb. 4:13, and when the time is right, he will place His finger right on the sore spot and He will press. 
B. v. 7b-9 The Shame Of The Confrontation – Now David is reminded of all that the Lord has done for him.  Surely it melted the heart of the King!
C. v. 9a The Sorrow Of The Confrontation – You can almost hear the sadness in the voice of Nathan as he asks that pitiful question in verse 9. “Why did you do this? After the Lord has been so good to you! How could you!?”   (Your sin hurts others around you!!!)
III. v. 13 THE CLEANSING OF DAVID’S SIN
A. The Sin Is Confessed – When David hears the charges, suddenly his mind is clear. For the first time in months he can see the situation just as it is and he makes a full and honest confession.
B. The Sin Is Cleansed – As soon as David confesses He is told that his sins have been forgiven and that he will not be put to death as the Law demanded, Lev. 20:10. Instead of justice, David has received mercy and grace. 
IV. v. 10-12; 14-15 THE CONSEQUENCES OF DAVID’S SIN
(Ill. The fact that sin was forgiven and cleansed away did not mean that there would not be some fallout from what had taken place. The next few verses teach us the truth that David paid dearly for his sins!)
A. v. 10-11 There Were Permanent Consequences – Because David had seen to it that Uriah had been killed with violence; violence would never depart from David’s family. 
The sin David committed affected him and his family for years to come. He would see his wives treated with the same contempt he had shown for Bathsheba. His own son, Absalom, would go in to his father’s wives in public view, 2 Sam. 16:21-22! 
No one sins in a vacuum. You might think that what you do affects no one but yourself. You are dead wrong! When you sin, your sin and the ripples it causes touch everyone around you. When you sin it touches your family, your church, your work, your school, your community, your friends, everything! 
B. v. 12 There Were Public Consequences – What David had done in secret, the Lord would do in the open. Everyone would know what David had done and he would pay the price in full view of the world.
C. v. 14b-15 There Were Painful Consequences – As part of David’s punishment, God allowed the baby born of David’s adulterous affair to become sick and die.
We may sow our wild oats and pray for crop failure, but I cannot stress too strongly the truth that we always reap what we sow, Gal. 6:7. 
D. v. 14a There Were Profound Consequences – Of all the horrible things that came out of David’s sin with Bathsheba, perhaps the worst is the fact that it dishonored the name of the Lord among the unbelievers who were watching.  One of the worst outcomes when any believer sins is the ammunition it gives to unbelievers.
Conc: Once there was a little boy who had a bad habit of lying. He just couldn't seem to stop telling lies. Fed up, his father said to him, "I have to teach you that you are not to lie. Every time you tell a lie I'm going to tell you to take a nail to the post in the backyard and drive a nail in that post." It wasn't long until the post was just about full of nails. The little boy's heart was touched and he said, "Oh, Daddy, I see what you're talking about. I'm so sorry I've been lying. What can I do?" The father said, "Son, ask God to forgive you of your lies and then start telling the truth. Son, every time you tell the truth, I'll pull a nail out." The little boy started telling the truth and nails started coming out. It wasn't long until all the nails were out. The father came out and the little boy was sitting at the post crying. He said, "Son, don't be crying. It's so wonderful. All the nails are out of the post." He said, "I know daddy, but the scars, the nail prints, are still there." 
Sin is horrible, it destroys everything and everyone it touches; but sin can be forgiven. Thank God!