蒙神赦免的仆人
撒母耳记下十二章1至10节
1耶和华差遣拿单去见大卫。拿单到了大卫那里，对他说：“在一座城里有两个人：一个是富户，一个是穷人。
2富户有许多牛群羊群；
3穷人除了所买来养活的一只小母羊羔之外，别无所有。羊羔在他家里和他儿女一同长大，吃他所吃的，喝他所喝的，睡在他怀中，在他看来如同女儿一样。
4有一客人来到这富户家里，富户舍不得从自己的牛群羊群中取一只预备给客人吃，却取了那穷人的羊羔，预备给客人吃。”
5大卫就甚恼怒那人，对拿单说：“我指着永生的耶和华起誓，行这事的人该死！
6他必偿还羊羔四倍，因为他行这事，没有怜恤的心。”
7拿单对大卫说：“你就是那人！耶和华以色列的神如此说：‘我膏你作以色列的王，救你脱离扫罗的手；
8我将你主人的家业赐给你，将你主人的妻交在你怀里，又将以色列和犹大家赐给你；你若还以为不足，我早就加倍地赐给你。
9你为甚么藐视耶和华的命令，行他眼中看为恶的事呢？你借亚扪人的刀杀害赫人乌利亚，又娶了他的妻为妻。
10你既藐视我，娶了赫人乌利亚的妻为妻，所以刀剑必永不离开你的家。’
信息分享
大卫说：「黑夜白日，你的手在我身上沉重，我的精力耗尽，如同夏天的干旱。」每日每夜，他灵的深处，正经历我们所言的「深深懊悔」。
主怎样对付大卫呢？先知拿单来到他的面前，讲了一个比喻，令大卫醒觉自己的罪。这还不足够。拿单更直言指斥大卫，说他就是那个罪人：「你就是那人。」（十九7）
拿单指出大卫所犯的罪（9节）。他藐视神的话，杀了乌利亚，夺了他的妻。圣灵借着拿单的话，揭破大卫的诡诈和掩饰。
大卫在诗篇五十一篇痛悔地说：「我向你犯罪，惟独得罪了你；在你眼前行了这恶。」他祈求神的怜悯，最终在神的恩典中得着怜悯。
大卫认罪之后，拿单对他说了一句非常重要的话，留意第13节下：「耶和华已经除掉你的罪，你必不至于死！」神早已赦免他，但神却希望他认罪，以至他们的关系得以复和。
有些时候，罪要被公开，才能胜过罪的捆绑，关系才能得以重建。公开认罪有时是必须的，但一般而言，只需向被罪所伤及的人认罪。
神的赦免会不会有极限呢？不会，只要人是真心认罪悔改，神就必定赦免。只有一种罪是神不能、也不会赦免的，那就是坚持不信神。
经文反思：
「他儿子耶稣的血也洗净我们一切的罪。」（约壹一7）
DAVID, GOD'S FORGIVEN SERVANT
2 Samuel 12:1-10
1 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.
2 The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds.
3 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.
4 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.”
5 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!
6 And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.”
7 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.
8 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!
9 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.
10 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.’
Message
David said, “Day and night your hand was heavy upon me, my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.” He knew what we call “deep conviction” in his soul day and night.
How did the Lord deal with David? Nathan the prophet came with a parable which caught David's attention. Then when something more was needed, Nathan gave the direct blunt words identifying David as the sinner, “You are the man.”
Nathan pointed out what David had done (v.9). He had despised God's Word. He had killed Uriah and he had stolen his wife. The power of the Holy Spirit through Nathan broke through David's deceit and cover up.
David's confession is in Psalm 51. “Against you, you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.” He pleaded for mercy and found it in the grace of God.
Nathan's reply to David's confession is remarkable. Notice it in the same verse (v.13). “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.” God had already forgiven him but God wanted his confession so that fellowship could be restored.
There are times when sin has to be brought out in the open before victory can be gained and fellowship renewed. Public confession is sometimes needed but usually confession should only be made within the circle where sin has been committed.
Is there any limit to God's forgiveness? Not when there is genuine repentance and confession. The only sin God cannot and will not forgive is continual unbelief.
A VERSE FOR TODAY: “The blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)