Our sermon is entitled God of Restoration and is taken from [esvignore]2 Samuel 12:15b-23[/esvignore]. Here we find a David we have truly missed for a while, and the theme, though a repeated theme, is encouraging. God is in the business of making all things new. He is a God of restoration. It might take a while, it may hurt for a long time, but God’s promises are true and His agenda is to purify and sanctify His church. We have much to hope for even when we can hardly believe there is any good that will come out of the messes we live with. It should encourage us.[/esvignore]

1. Intro – Black and White, Day and Night
2. Evidence 1 – Prayer with faith
3. Evidence 2 – Prayer with the lost practice of fasting
4. Evidence 3- Response to the Death of Child?
5. Evidence 4 – Grace to the ill-gotten marriage
6. The Great Lesson – A God of Restoration

[esvignore]Our Public Reading was from Isaiah 61:1-4.[/esvignore]

[esvignore]2 Samuel 12:15-23[/esvignore]
And the LORD afflicted the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he became sick. [16] David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. [17] And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. [18] On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.” [19] But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.” [20] Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. [21] Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” [22] He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ [23] But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” (ESV)

[esvignore]Isaiah 61:1-4[/esvignore]

[1] The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
[2] to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
[3] to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
[4] They shall build up the ancient ruins;
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations. (ESV)