Sermon Seeds: For Mercy

Sunday, August 4, 2024
Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost | Year B
(Liturgical Color: Green)

Lectionary Citations
2 Samuel 11:26 – 12:13a and Psalm 51:1-12 • Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15 and Psalm 78:23-29 • Ephesians 4:1-16 • John 6:24-35
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?z=p&d=67&y=382

Focus Scripture: 2 Samuel 11:26 – 12:13a in conversation with Psalm 51:1-12
Focus Theme: For Mercy
Series: Here I Am…Praying (Click here for the series overview.)

Reflection
By Cheryl A. Lindsay

Human beings have been created with so many gifts and endowed with such power that we often chafe at restrictions or limitations to do whatever we may want to do. Further, while we may desire and accept mercy for ourselves, we often withhold it from others. As a result, we may label actions, behaviors, and values as sinful when, in fact, they are not. We can weaponize mercy not only by denying mercy but also by manufacturing sin when God is not offended.

That weaponization and mischaracterization of some targeted behaviors and even identities as sinful has led many of us to be particularly careful and justifiably reticent about even evoking the word sin. In recitations of the Lord’s Prayer, we use transgressions, a word that has otherwise left the lexicon, or debts, which evokes an element of transactionalism that may detract from the need for repentance and cultivation of mercy as a spiritual discipline. The need for mercy recognizes that a wrong has been committed and forgiveness could be withheld. Seeking mercy requires a degree of humility.

The focus text narrates a disturbing story of one of the most pivotal and even beloved biblical characters, King David. Even the Holy One describes him as someone after God’s own heart. He was overlooked by his father when the prophet Samuel sought someone to replace the wayward King Saul. He slays the giant Goliath with modest weapons and bold faith. He leads the army in battle and the people in praise. There seems to be nothing that David cannot do well. He serves as a model for a leader and the standard upon which the messianic prophecy forms.

Then there is this story that is shocking as his character seems to disintegrate and morph into another person. That person is entitled and uses all of their privilege to execute a hideous, immoral, abhorrent, and violent operation to get what he wants. He is the object and subject of his attention. He not only fails to display the heart of God, David appears to turn his back to the Holy One. He does not pray or seek the counsel of the prophet. He develops a calculating, manipulative scheme to get what he wants. Normally, one might say who he wants, but the woman who captures his attention is objectified. There is no record of consent, and while some biblical scholars suggest that the original language choices that describe her actions reflect that she is a woman of power; there is no power that matches that of a king who has the power to ensure your husband is killed in battle. She is also identified as much by who her husband was as her own name, not only in this account, but in others, such as the genealogy of Jesus found in Matthew 1. Further, upon Uriah’s death, she mourns her husband.

David has all the power in the relationship, and he exerts that power monolithically. Before facing the consequences of his actions, his desires, his wants, his security, his reputation, and his loss are his sole concern. It’s all sinful and seemingly contradicts the character and nature of David portrayed throughout the rest of his part of the biblical narrative.

If this behavior stands as an aberration, then perhaps it also provides a cautionary tale toward glorifying the victories of war as if they have no cost. David trained to be a shepherd, one who cares for the sheep and only fights other animals in defense of his charges. War turns the shepherd into a predator who aggressively attacks his nation’s enemies. In order to do that, he has to believe both he and his cause are righteous. This story calls at least part of that belief into question.

The …chapter shows a kingdom that is not at peace but is now provoking wars on its own account. Second Samuel 11–12 is among the most extraordinary pieces of writing in the Hebrew Bible. Not only do they show a remarkable sophistication in their narrative technique, but they also tell a story that puts Israel’s greatest hero in an uncompromisingly unfavorable light. Here is a king who will resort to deception, adultery, and murder involving loyal members of his entourage without any reference to his God but who apparently also believes himself to be the arbiter of justice.
Hugh S. Pyper

David’s descent into depravity demonstrates how one can idolize themselves–how easy it may be to make the transition from employing power on behalf of God to justifying use of God given power for one’s own ends. David is not God; he is human. In the best of his humanity, he emulates and reveres the Holy One. In the worst of his humanity, he loses focus on the Holy One and, in turn, loses his way. He departs from his values and his character. He is adrift and righting his trajectory requires repentance, an internal decision aided in this case by the accountability of the prophetic voice.

In the traditional interpretation of David, this scene sets the seal on the depiction of David as the archetypal penitent. Convicted by Nathan, he repents of his sins in a way that becomes a model for later generations of Christians. This reading is strengthened by the penitential psalms, such as Psalm 51, that are also attributed to him. He thus becomes an endorsement of the sacrament of confession in Catholic and Orthodox tradition, and of the use of the Psalms in self-examination by Protestant readers.
Hugh S. Pyper

David’s self-examination is ignited by Nathan’s parable. The human king burns with justifiable anger over the fictional rich man’s duplicity and avarice. He cannot see himself in the story until Nathan plainly states that the story is about him. One of the reasons that community is a central part of the formation of the church is to facilitate accountability and support. Mercy often begins when we help one another recognize who we really are and what we have done in light of who the Creator has crafted us to be. The call to discipleship is also one to honest, transparent, and accountable relationships within the faith community.

Which makes one particular statement of David, the psalmist, problematic. The pericope concludes with his confession, “I have sinned against the Lord.” That is true, however, he also caused harm to countless number of people, including Bethsheba, Uriah, all of the soldiers involved in the contrived battle, Nathan, and a nation that trusted him to be an ethical and godly leader. Lest we think this was simply an incomplete declaration, he doubles down in writing Psalm 51:4, “Against you, you alone, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.” This perspective is particularly troubling as it suggests that one may confess and receive mercy from God without acknowledging and reckoning with the harm done to others and offering repair for the offense. What place can there be for mercy without reconciliation and restoration?

The relationship between justice and mercy in the OT is an interesting one. The importance of the law, and the necessity of obedience to the law, is clear. However, punishments are not always carried out in the way the law requires, and sometimes God allows or encourages such mercy to be exercised. In this instance it could be argued that although David had committed murder morally, he had not done so legally and therefore the death penalty does not apply. However, the text has no indication that this line of argument is being followed. As far as the writers were concerned David had killed Uriah, but he was not to die. G. W. Coats (“2 Samuel 12:1–7a,” Int 40 [1986], pp. 170–73), sees God’s compassion to David as a deliberate contrast to the lack of compassion shown by the rich man in the parable and by David in relation to Uriah.
Mary J. Evans

There is no tidy ending to this text. David was wrong and nothing changes that. The good news is that while disappointed with David, God does not abandon him and does not withhold compassion. God is merciful and therefore extends mercy. Yet, the lack of resolution invites us to recognize how our own wrongful actions may be left unsettled when repair does not happen or is not possible. We are reminded that mercy and justice are not the same even if they may be blessed companions when they connect to make brokenness whole. Psalm 51 may be a wonderful expression of a repentant heart longing after God yet something makes it incomplete.

What would it be if David longed for the heart of his neighbors and his enemies? What would it be if we sought the mercy of one another in the same way we sought it from the Holy One? What if we embraced the accountability found in authentic community and recognized that sins against God and sins against humanity and even creation all have damaging consequences?

Just before the confession, David receives warning that God will allow the progression of consequences to take place. While David attempted to conceal his motives and schemes, the results will be displayed in public. God does not cause it, David is responsible for his actions and their outcomes. God will not allow him an easy escape from those consequences. Is that punishment or is that a warning that repentance is more than a matter of the heart, it is also the work of the hand?

Could God’s mercy toward David expand beyond mere forgiveness and an invitation to pursue a different way? God warns David that his household will be filled with strife as an outcome of his actions. It could be read almost as a curse, but if it’s actually a warning, that means the predicted future can change.

Mercy rests on the belief that people can change. Second chances are worthwhile even if they are unmerited. The future holds hope because while impacted by the past, the future is not hostage to the past. When we accept mercy fully, we accept not only forgiveness, we receive the opportunity to forge forward in the path of righteousness and justice. When we extend mercy, we present the gift to others to do the same.

Here we are, Holy One, praying for mercy.

Reflection from Voices of People of African Descent
The 33rd General Synod adopted a Resolution to Recognize the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024). As part of its implementation, Sermon and Weekly Seeds offers Reflection from Voices of People of African Descent related to the season or overall theme for additional consideration in sermon preparation and for individual and congregational study.
I’ve also represented people who have committed terrible crimes but nonetheless struggle to recover and to find redemption. I have discovered, deep in the hearts of many condemned and incarcerated people, the scattered traces of hope and humanity—seeds of restoration that come to astonishing life when nurtured by very simple interventions.
Proximity has taught me some basic and humbling truths, including this vital lesson: Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done. My work with the poor and the incarcerated has persuaded me that the opposite of poverty is not wealth; the opposite of poverty is justice. Finally, I’ve come to believe that the true measure of our commitment to justice, the character of our society, our commitment to the rule of law, fairness, and equality cannot be measured by how we treat the rich, the powerful, the privileged, and the respected among us. The true measure of our character is how we treat the poor, the disfavored, the accused, the incarcerated, and the condemned.
We are all implicated when we allow other people to be mistreated. An absence of compassion can corrupt the decency of a community, a state, a nation. Fear and anger can make us vindictive and abusive, unjust and unfair, until we all suffer from the absence of mercy and we condemn ourselves as much as we victimize others. The closer we get to mass incarceration and extreme levels of punishment, the more I believe it’s necessary to recognize that we all need mercy, we all need justice, and—perhaps—we all need some measure of unmerited grace.
Bryan Stevenson, Just Mercy

For Further Reflection
“Rats and roaches live by competition under the laws of supply and demand; it is the privilege of human beings to live under the laws of justice and mercy.” ― Wendell Berry
“The world will give you that once in awhile, a brief timeout; the boxing bell rings and you go to your corner, where somebody dabs mercy on your beat-up life.” ― Sue Monk Kidd
“there is a God, there always has been. I see him here, in the eyes of the people in this [hospital] corridor of desperation. This is the real house of God, this is where those who have lost God will find Him… there is a God, there has to be, and now I will pray, I will pray that He will forgive that I have neglected Him all of these years, forgive that I have betrayed, lied, and sinned with impunity only to turn to Him now in my hour of need. I pray that He is as merciful, benevolent, and gracious as His book says He is.” ― Khaled Hosseini

Works Cited
Evans, Mary J. 1 and Samuel. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2000.
Pyper, Hugh S. “1 and 2 Samuel.” Gale A. Yee, Ed. Fortress Commentary on the Bible: Two Volume Set . Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2014

Suggested Congregational Response to the Reflection
This sermon series invites us to explore the call to Christian discipleship and to examine our response. Invite the congregation to explore how the community practices mercy, repair, and justice among one another and as public witness.

Worship Ways Liturgical Resources
https://www.ucc.org/worship-way/after-pentecost-11b-august-4/

The Rev. Dr. Cheryl A. Lindsay, Minister for Worship and Theology (lindsayc@ucc.org), also serves a local church pastor, public theologian, and worship scholar-practitioner with a particular interest in the proclamation of the word in gathered communities. You’re invited to share your reflections on this text in the comments on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SermonSeeds.

A Bible study version of this reflection is at Weekly Seeds.