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11 5 Bible Story Picture

This week in Children at IBC, we told a well-known story about David, and probably a story that gives a lot of parents some great nervousness in teaching to children. In our previous four weeks learning about David, we have talked about how he did things that were reverent and honor God and showed good character. But he didn't always behave well, especially when you read the story of David and Bathsheba.  If you already know the story of David and Bathsheba, then you know that David messed up. And messed up and messed up. He made mistake after mistake. Sin after sin. This story comes out of 2 Samuel 11-12. 

Knowing that this content is sensitive and parents should have some insight and control as to how it is discussed with their children, I have included the text of the summarized bible story that we shared this morning. For the youngest preschoolers, you will find that only the words in bold were the story told. Of particular importance, the reference to David's specific sin of adultery is addressed very delicately and without specificity in the bible story. Should you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

David was fallible, and he messed up big time. Our target, however, this morning was not to outline the specific sins, but to characterize the fact that even the biggest of sinners could be restored. Psalm 51 is David's prayer for restoration after his sin. Every sin, big or small, past, present, and future, was forgiven by Jesus. We cannot outsin the love of Jesus. There is restoration in him. This week, remind your kids about your fallibility and your need for Jesus' forgiveness. Our kids need to know that their heroes need Jesus too. 

Here are some starter questions:

Elementary

  1. Do you think David meant to mess up so badly? Why do you think one sin led to another?
  2. Have you ever found yourself caught in a cycle of messing up? Maybe one lie leads to another? Maybe jealousy leads to taking something that is not yours?
  3. How does the cycle of sin break? (Think about David's prayer in Psalm 51)

Preschool 

  1. David messed up. Does that mean that God stopped loving him?
  2. How many times can you ask for forgiveness when you mess up or sin? Will God get tired of forgiving you?

The BIBLE Story 

  David Sinned and Was Restored

2 Samuel 11-12; Psalm 51


David was the king of Israel. One spring, David sent out the army to fight. He put another man in charge of the army, and David stayed home.

One evening, David was walking on the roof of his palace. He looked out and saw a beautiful woman named Bathsheba. Bathsheba was the wife of Uriah, one of the best men in David’s army. David made up a plan. He told the leader of the army to send Uriah into the hardest part of the battle. David hoped Uriah would be killed. David’s plan worked. Uriah was killed, so David took Bathsheba into his house to be his wife.

God knew what David did, and He was not happy with David. God sent Nathan the prophet to talk to David. Nathan told David a story: A traveler came to a rich man who had many animals. The rich man did not give the traveler his own animal. Instead, he took a poor man’s lamb—the only lamb the poor man had—and gave it to the traveler to eat.

This story made David feel angry. “The rich man should be punished!” David said.

“You are the man!” Nathan said. God had made David king and given him more than he needed, but David took what wasn’t his. David realized he had sinned against God.

David wrote a psalm. He told God he was sorry and asked God to forgive him, and God did. David wrote, “God, change my heart.” David realized he could try to please God with sacrifices, but that would not be enough to pay for his sin. David’s heart needed to change so that he would not want to sin again. 

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