We can be thankful that the Bible is brutally honest about the people whose stories it tells. Because of this, we are able to see the power of God at work in the lives of very human people. What's more, if this were not the case and instead the Bible whitewashed its personalities, we would begin to wonder whether it seriously addressed the very real brokenness and moral failures that can mark all our lives.

No question about it, the story of David and Bathsheba is an exceedingly human story. It easily qualifies as biblical soap opera. Alter it but slightly, and what it describes goes on all the time. When these circumstances are replayed in the life of a public official … like a president, a presidential candidate, a member of congress, a governor, or a public religious figure like a televangelist, we are apt to hear about them for months on end. Adultery is a hot news item these days! Unfortunately, this is not a rare topic or isolated incident.

No other story in the Old Testament better illustrates the abuses of power which make for brokenness than this tragic tale of David, Bathsheba, and Uriah. David is at the height of his power and is idly pacing on the roof of the palace when he sees a beautiful woman bathing on her roof (probably where she thought she had privacy). There is no hesitation … not a second thought that is recorded. David sees something he wants. DAVID IS KING. David seems to think he has a right to TAKE WHATEVER HE WANTS.

I find it interesting and one of the grave injustices of history that when Hollywood dramatized this story years ago and when folks tell the story, they insinuate that Bathsheba was a seductress … and that some great love affair took place between David and Bathsheba. Nowhere does the scripture imply this at all! It's a striking example of what we call today – "blame the victim." It grows out of a societal attitude that wants to make power and might RIGHT. We don't want our heroes to look bad … we make excuses … and we have been sub-consciously brainwashed over the centuries to accept that it is a man's world and that the powerful can somehow live beyond the bounds of moral integrity (especially sexual morality) and get away with it. But a careful reading of this story spells ROYAL RAPE. Sexual harassment is the current term. Bathsheba had no choice. She was "selected" by the king. As the story played out, her husband was eventually manipulated into a position to be killed to save the king's reputation. The bible tells us that Bathsheba "mourned" for her husband. But then David had her brought to the palace as his wife. I can't believe that this was a joyful union.

Let me speak to the women for a moment … Sisters, suppose a president saw you on the beach and said to one of the secret service agents, "Bring her to me!" And then suppose he had your husband murdered. Would that give you a thrill? Would you expect to live "happily ever after?"

To make matters even worse, David is TOLD BEFORE sending for Bathsheba that she is the wife of Uriah, ONE OF DAVID'S OWN VERY TRUSTWORTHY AND LOYAL COMMANDERS. This is not a pretty picture or an honorable situation.

Every day women and men encounter individuals who are attractive to them. We can acknowledge that attraction, but that's all there is to it. We don't bid goodbye to spouse and family and go off in pursuit … at least not most of the time, although many of us are painfully aware of the exceptions.

And David is one of those exceptions. What happened on the inside that led David from chance beholding of this beautiful woman to planned inappropriateness? After all, he didn't have to act on what he saw. Most people, even though they could steal a Rolex without ever being discovered, wouldn't do it; but a few would. Where is the difference? Why do you suppose that's so?

In today's story it gets STILL WORSE. A child is conceived and David indulges in further intrigue to try to cover up (Jerusalemgate?!). He brings Uriah home and tries to arrange it so that Uriah will be deceived into believing that the child is his. Ironically, this doesn't work because of Uriah's faithfulness to David and to the men he has left on the battlefield in danger. And David resorts to murder of an innocent man to protect himself. David, the greatest of Israel's kings, the royal line from which the Messiah will come, is now reduced to acts of violence in order to cover his own acts of greed, lust, and power. What has gone wrong in the life of that precious shepherd boy?

A small clue may lie in this observation. All through David's story it has been clear that God was at work. Even in his victory over Goliath when David was a young man, it was to God that David gave the credit. But there is no mention of God in this story. It is as if David had grown so powerful and successful that he left God behind. He believes that he is the source of his own power; therefore, he acts in his own interest. How often have we seen this happen?

This whole event brought BIG TROUBLE for David and even greater trouble for others. Which is what happens when people take advantage of their positions, whether it is a minister in the parish, a teacher in the classroom, a Wall Street stockbroker, or an elected official in government. When we become the Devil's person, others get hurt, too.

So what's the lesson in all of this?

First, evil is close at hand. . . for all of us. That's true whether it is a young child who grows comfortable with lying or an adult who emotionally and/or sexually abuses another. There is a dark side and a light side to all of us … and to nations, too. We are all just one decision away from evil.

Second, Evil is a strange bird. It becomes recessive when we stand up and speak up to it (the reason for our language in the liturgy of baptism and church membership). That's why it is important to help our children develop a healthy sense of conscience and to impart positive values. Researchers have found that loosely permissive AND strongly dictatorial parents do NOT foster healthy social responsibility. Parents who can integrate the best of both styles, combining firm authority with warmth and clear communication, seem most successful in planting the seeds of concern and thoughtfulness toward others (U.S. News & World Report, Nov. 21, 1988, p. 68)---and of course, this needs to be modeled by the parents themselves. It's terrible to find persons without a conscience, and there are some.

We tend to see people as good or bad. But David reminds us that the matter is infinitely more complex. His lack of struggle with the Devil meant that many got hurt – seriously. But David was not without his laudable side. His early life was filled with honor; he was a courageous warrior; he was politically shrewd and astute; he was a gifted musician; he was a fine organizer – and remember his early shepherd days. But he had his Achilles' heel – his feet of clay.

There is no shortage of evil in our time. The temptation is to think that if we can just find the right program or the right security system or the right political initiative, we can neutralize evil in the world by our own efforts. The bible tells us that this is a false hope.

God is the true source of opposition to evil in the world. Those whose actions and words fail to acknowledge this are no better than fools (we read in Psalm 53:1). Yet we continue to mount program after program as if our crises had no spiritual dimension. If we think we can defeat evil without God we are fools!!

In our lives we often compartmentalize God into "church" activities and live the rest of our lives by the values of our workplace or our politics or our cultural settings as if God were not the source of true peace in ALL our doings.

Of course, we are to use our own resources to oppose evil in the world. But if we do not understand God as the source of power for wholeness standing behind and beneath our efforts, then we, too, are lacking in understanding.

Scott Peck, a Christian psychologist (who was once an atheist) wrote a fine book, "The Road Less Travelled", which talked about living in love. I heard Peck lecture one time and was very impressed by him. Another book he wrote, People of the Lie, deals with the reality of evil – living in human persons – often disguised as good. Time does not permit me to share what I would like to about his ideas, but he talks about proving scientifically what theologians have been saying since the beginning of time.

He talks about the person of Jesus and of examples where only love can conquer evil by absorbing it as Jesus did on the cross. He acknowledges that this is a mystical conception, but it is borne out by results.

Peck says that we CANNOT DESTROY EVIL BY BECOMING EVIL (in other words by committing evil in order to stamp out another evil … " two wrongs don't make a right"). Evil can only be defeated by goodness. Evil can only be conquered by love.

That is the Christian Hope … that goodness can succeed!

It will require pain and sacrifice on the part of those committed to working through love … just as it did for Jesus. But Peck says that "Whenever this happens, there is a slight shift in the balance of power in the world."

David repented … not just sorry … he changed his life. He was forgiven, but had to bear the consequences of his acts.

That's why we come here and gather around the Lord's Table. This table is a statement to the world. This is the sign of the ultimate triumph of Good over Evil. This is where we find The Power to Love and the Power to Resist the Evil that would defeat us.

(Note: The beginning of this sermon and core idea came from a sermon by Robert A. Noblett, "David and the Devil," Ordinary People, Extraordinary God, C.S.S. Publishing, 1990, p. 69.)

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