I recently completed a political survey. This could be true of me almost any week. I often struggle with the question, “what is the biggest issue facing the country today?” This week I finally got it right: “sin,” is what I wrote.

In Jesus’ own time, people wanted political change. Rome wanted to control the world, and the Jews wanted Rome to leave. The Jews wanted a savior that would rescue them from their government. Jesus came and told them that Rome was not their problem. The greatest problem was sin.

Jesus taught this central message his entire life. The problems of the world all have their beginning in sin. The most important thing we can do to make the world better is to repent of our sin.

• [Mat 3:2 CSB] and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near! “
• [Mat 4:17 CSB] From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
• [Mar 1:15 CSB] “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news! “

The clearest example of repentance in the Bible comes from one of Jesus’ ancestors: King David. 1000 years before Jesus was born, David had to learn a lesson in repentance.

David had committed a series of horrible sins. The story is long, but …summarize…. He had committed adultery and murder.

What is worse is that he did not admit that he had sinned until a prophet named Nathan came to him to confront his sin. David immediately realized that his actions had been horribly wrong.

David then finally does what is right, he repents of his sin. He prays deeply from his heart. He writes out his prayer for us to read in Psalm 51.

[Psa 51:1-19 CSB] 1 Be gracious to me, God, according to your faithful love; according to your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion.  2 Completely wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin.  3 For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me.  4 Against you — you alone — I have sinned and done this evil in your sight. So you are right when you pass sentence; you are blameless when you judge.  5 Indeed, I was guilty when I was born; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.  6 Surely you desire integrity in the inner self, and you teach me wisdom deep within.  7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.  8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.  9 Turn your face away from my sins and blot out all my guilt.  10 God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  11 Do not banish me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.  12 Restore the joy of your salvation to me, and sustain me by giving me a willing spirit.  13 Then I will teach the rebellious your ways, and sinners will return to you.  14 Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God — God of my salvation — and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.  15 Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.  16 You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it; you are not pleased with a burnt offering.  17 The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God.  18 In your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper; build the walls of Jerusalem.  19 Then you will delight in righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

1. Admitting sinfulness
   • We have sinned. (1)
     • [Rom 3:23 CSB] 23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
   • Our sin is against God. It is our relationship with him that is broken. (4)
   • We have been sinning all our lives. (5)
   • Trans: David does not stop with sadness about his own action, but continues focusing on God’s action.
2. Requesting forgiveness
   • God will teach us his wisdom (6)
   • He will Cleanse us and forgive us (7,10)
   • His presence will remain with us (11)
   • Repentance per Ezekiel:
     • [Eze 14:6 CSB] 6 “Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: Repent and turn away from your idols; turn your faces away from all your detestable things.
     • [Eze 18:30, 32 CSB] 30 “Therefore, house of Israel, I will judge each one of you according to his ways.” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD. “Repent and turn from all your rebellious acts, so they will not become a sinful stumbling block to you. … 32 “For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death.” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD. “So repent and live!
     • [Eze 33:11 CSB] 11 Tell them, ‘As I live — this is the declaration of the Lord GOD — I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked person should turn from his way and live. Repent, repent of your evil ways! Why will you die, house of Israel? ‘
   • Trans: Accepting God’s forgiveness, David commits his life to obeying God.
3. Committing to positive action
   • Praising God (15)
   • Humbling our hearts (17)
   • Trusting in the spiritual healing of the sacrifice of Jesus (19)
     • [Psa 40:12 CSB] 12 For troubles without number have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me; I am unable to see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my courage leaves me.
     • [Mat 10:26, 29-31 CSB] 26 “Therefore, don’t be afraid of them, since there is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered and nothing hidden that won’t be made known. … 29 “Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s consent. 30 “But even the hairs of your head have all been counted. 31 “So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

What did David do?

Fasted & prayed

[2Sa 12:16-17 CSB] 16 David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted, went home, and spent the night lying on the ground. 17 The elders of his house stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them.

Married Bathsheba

[2Sa 12:24 CSB] 24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba; he went to her and slept with her. She gave birth to a son and named him Solomon. The LORD loved him,

Honored Solomon

[1Ki 1:16-17, 28-30 CSB] 16 Bathsheba knelt low and paid homage to the king, and he asked, “What do you want? ”  17 She replied, “My lord, you swore to your servant by the LORD your God, ‘Your son Solomon is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne.’ … 28 King David responded by saying, “Call in Bathsheba for me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him. 29 The king swore an oath and said, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every difficulty, 30 “just as I swore to you by the LORD God of Israel: Your son Solomon is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne in my place, that is exactly what I will do this very day.”

Seeing how David responded to this horrible sin, we see how we should respond to our own sin.

Anytime we sin, we must admit it to God. It is also good to admit it to another person when the time is right. We ask God to forgive us. We should also ask the person we have sinned against to forgive us. Finally, we need to change our way of thinking. We need to make specific plans to do something good. This includes praising God, praying with humility, and growing our faith in Jesus.