Looking at Chris' message from Sunday 3rd November...

2 Samuel 12:1-13

Being a mouthpiece for truth and justice

God’s person, God’s place, God’s timing

King David had done well – he was God’s anointed and he had become king – Saul was deposed and King David had defeated his enemies.

God was clearly on King David’s side – but David had lost sight of how he was called to be.

David had viewed Bathsheba bathing and was drawn by her beauty – David knew that she was married not to David but to Uriah – he was not ignorant of the truth but his lust and desires took control of his reason and he slept with her – she became pregnant.

David attempted to cover up what he did by getting Uriah to head home and sleep with Bathsheba so that it could be claimed it was his child – yet Uriah stayed and eventually David sent Uriah to the front line where the fighting was fiercest and Uriah was killed.

In modern terms the deaths were collateral damage to avoid David having to confront the wrong he had done. David had abused his position and authority to get what he wanted – it was all about David and what he wanted – David had lost sight of his calling to be king and to serve his people.

David – God’s anointed one – had displeased the Lord.

But if you are God’s person, in God’s place in God’s timing, what can you do against someone who is so powerful – who has been proven ruthless has engineered the death of someone who gets in your way.

Nathan was that person in that place and at that time. Nathan was sent by God to speak out. To challenge and to provoke and to convict.

Nathan as a man close to God’s heart was not put off by the daunting situation confronting him – and he tells the story of a man who abuses his power and gets David to condemn before turning the story onto David – “you are that man”

It would have been easier for Nathan to have stayed quiet – it would have been safer – the day would have begun without that knot in your stomach that says is this wise. It would have been easier but it would not have been right.

As people after God’s heart we are called to be mouthpiece for truth and justice – we are called to speak up for those who are being oppressed even when it is tricky - Philippians 2:1-4 –

“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

This sometimes means sticking our head above the parapet and speaking out on issues of justice and fairness – it seems odd when people criticise church leaders for speaking out about issues in the political sphere – now I agree it is not the place for leaders to advocate a particular political party or view but there are times when it is right for Christians to speak out on issues of fairness and justice. Last week Arch Bishop Justin spoke out about the language that is used in the political discourse of our country on all sides – it is his place to speak out about issues of justice – the Church of England was also at the forefront of the campaign against lenders who charge exorbitant rates of interest on pay day loans – this is an issues of justice and fairness – it could be said that the market has created these conditions but by speaking out and challenging injustice things change.

Looking back further into history we see that when William Wilderforce became a Christian, he dedicated his life to working in Parliament to bring about an end to the slave trade. It would have been easy for him to have kept his head down, said his prayers, gone to church, sung good hymns but Wilberforce knew that he was God’s person, in God’ place and God’s timing and working alongside others he worked to see the abolition of the slave trade. It took a long time – but Wilberfoce knew what he was called to do – to make a difference.

What are the injustices and the unfairness we are called on to challenge in our place and this time. Could it be the way that we function in our work – perhaps there are things that are not fair or right that we see – perhaps it is how some people are treated, or the way things are done where you work. Perhaps it something that seems relatively simple like fair trade.

We are called to be a mouthpiece for truth and justice on our front lines – ask God to reveal to you what you are called to say and how to say it.