1. 2 Samuel 12:5-13a 5 David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the L ORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 6 He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”

2. 7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the L ORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah.

3. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. 9 Why did you despise the word of the L ORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.

4. 10 Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’ 11 “This is what the L ORD says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you.

5. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. 12 You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ ” 13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the L ORD.”

6. Secrets 2 Samuel 11 - 15 Secrets are interesting They rarely stay secrets They effect us They show up in strange places

7. David had a secret He thought it was a secret and… He was so important, he never thought it would affect him

8. 2 Samuel 11 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war… But David remained in Jerusalem. 2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing.

9. 3 and David sent someone to find out about her… 4 Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. 5 …“I am pregnant.”

10. 9 But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master’s servants and did not go down to his house.

11. 15 In it he wrote, “Put Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.”

12. 27 After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the L ORD.

13. 1.Successful and confident 2.Bored 3.Seeks out 4.pursues 5.Acts out 6.Consequences 7.Cover-up 8.Destroy the evidence 9.Take and celebrate

14. 2 Samuel 12 5 David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the L ORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 6 He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”

15. 7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the L ORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.

16. 11 “This is what the L ORD says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. 12 You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ ” 13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the L ORD.”

17. David is caught He has no excuse He has everything anyone could want Now he will begin to lose First he loses the baby

18. 2 Samuel 13 In the course of time, Amnon son of David fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of Absalom son of David.

19. 20 Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has that Amnon, your brother, been with you? Be quiet now, my sister; he is your brother. Don’t take this thing to heart.” And Tamar lived in her brother Absalom’s house, a desolate woman.

20. 23 Two years later… “Listen! When Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Have not I given you this order?

21. 38 …he stayed there three years. 39 And the spirit of the king longed to go to Absalom, for he was consoled concerning Amnon’s death.

22. David’s sin is seeping out through the cracks of the palace walls David does not address any of the issues The more he does nothing, the worse things become

23. 2 Samuel 14 21 The king said to Joab, “Very well, I will do it. Go, bring back the young man Absalom.”

24. 28 Absalom lived two years in Jerusalem without seeing the king’s face. 32 Absalom said to Joab… “Why have I come from Geshur?”

25. 33 So Joab went to the king and told him this. Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came in and bowed down with his face to the ground before the king. And the king kissed Absalom.

26. David can fight battles Defend and wage war against countries But he cannot address his own sin and the sins of his children The secrets of his life have brought him to his knees

27. When we do not address those secrets They fester They ooze out They affect us They take up precious time and energy

28. Putting it all together A secret begins as simple little harmless thing Successful, powerful, or entitled Bored Seek out pursue Act out Consequences Cover-up Destroy the evidence Take and celebrate

29. Putting it all together Secrets are harmful Even when we think we have guarded the secrets, they infect those we love Unaddressed, secrets tend to reveal themselves in the next generation

30. Putting it all together Secrets are not secrets Secrets tend to create harm They take up time and energy Secrets are often associated with shame Often the shame of a secret can make us forget that we can be forgiven

31. The secrets, the fears, the guilt and shame we experience Rather than holding onto it or passing it onto the next generation We give it to God, share it with appropriate and safe people Accept forgiveness and move forward