David and Bathsheba and Big Brother

This talk can also be given after the drama below, instead of before.

David, greatest and probably the best known king of the Old Testament, but he had overstepped the mark!

He had wives of his own, but had fallen for another man's wife, so he arranged to have him sent to the front line of battle, where the fighting was the fiercest, knowing that he would die, and his wife would become his.

He had come to think that he just had to snap his fingers and the world would come running. He wanted to have it all, and more. He had abused his power as king, the position that God had given him.

He succumbed to temptation, having seen Bathsheba, taking a  bath one evening, and rather than put her from his mind, he allowed his desire to take hold, and those desires eventually culminated in murder.

He thought he could hide hid sin, but he couldn't fool God, and it fell to Nathan , God's prophet to confront him, rather like some Big Brother voice.

David brought judgement upon himself…

his sons eventually lost their respect for him and rebelled against him.

there were squabbles over succession.

he was to endure public humiliation,

Civil war,

the decimation of his family.

His short term pleasure….resulted in long term disaster.

As soon as his sins were pointed out, only then did he realize what he had done. God could not be messed with, and he feared God, and knew that he had to repent. And his remorse was real, his words of repentance still move us today; Ps 51, the one we all said earlier as our confession, is thought to be David's own words.

By the confession of his sin, he begins to see that all is not lost .

That God is merciful, and he begins to see that God still values him, even when he no longer values himself.

£20

I have in my hand a £20 note, no doubt you would all like to have this, if I were to offer it for free, to anyone who wants it.

If I crumple it up like this, you would still want it as yours.

If I were to grind it into the dust like this, or even tear it a little, it would still be very much in demand, because even now it still has not lost its value.

God looks at us, crumpled, and torn, and ground down by all that life has to fling at us, and still he values us, still he loves us

He calls us too , to live lives worthy of our calling.

At this point in our family service, a drama was performed…to add to the short talk.

(see drama link Big Brother))

Drama based upon 2 Samuel 11.26-12.13a

Big Brother

BB: Would King David please come to the diary room…King David, please come to the diary room…

D: Hello Big Brother,

BB: Hello David would you like to say anything about your relationships with the other team mates with you now? How are you getting on with them?

D: Well Bathsheba and I get on really well, She's a really lovely person, very beautiful, with a good sense of humour, own home, loves to go walking, visiting the theatre, game for a laugh. We've really hit it off.

BB: We realize that. We can't help but notice the friendly cuddles on the sofa, the stroking of the arms, the giggles when you're both together, …but what about the others?

D: What others? Oh you mean the other house mates, …fine, fine!

BB: O.K…David, you have been leader in the house for a little while now, and last week you gave us your three nominations as to which housemate should be evicted. You nominated Uriah to be evicted, did you not? Are you not aware that you cannot vote for the same person three times. It ought to be three separate names. Is there something you are keeping from us?

D: No not really.

BB: You gave us your reason for voting for him out, but Big Brother thinks that you were not being absolutely honest. And even though we're not supposed to tell you what is happening in the outside world, we can inform you that something very unpleasant has happened to him. It's thought that he's been killed by a contract killer!

D: (tries to appear shocked) No!!!!!!!!!

BB: It's strange isn't it, that Uriah and Bathsheba were actually married to each other.

BB: Would it have anything to do with the fact that you have been seeing a lot of his wife Bathsheba, the house mate you are flirting with at the moment?

D: I shouldn't think so?

BB: again we don't think you're being honest.

(BIG PAUSE)

BB: David , Big Brother has a special task for you to do as leader today. You are to watch this video and give us your honest judgement as to what should happen next. Do you feel able to take up the challenge?

D: Of course, just run it past me. Let it roll!(Video, in the from of a mime appears at either side of him)

BB: There once were two people who lived in the country, one was rich and the other was very poor.

(two people enter dressed as such, the poor man has a lamb with him)

The rich man was very wealthy and owned vast acres of fields and his many flocks of sheep filled them all.

(pretends to smoke cigar and count his money)

However, the poor man had only one little lamb, (lamb skips around) which he had bought. He brought it up, it grew up with him, and with his children. This lamb was a very much loved pet. The poor man used to feed it with his own meagre food. It would be allowed to drink from his cup, and lie on his chest and go to sleep. It was like a real daughter to him.(enter someone holding a  card…Aaaah!)

Now one day a traveller came to the rich man's house, and he was loathe to part with any of his sheep in order to feed his guest, so when the poor man was not looking , he stole his dear little lamb and killed it in order to feed it to his guest.(enter someone holding a card…Boooo !)

David what should be done to the rich man

D: That is a terrible story!!  He should be shamed in front of everyone. I would have him killed, he deserves to die! (he gets very worked up)

BB: (awkward pause) David, YOU ARE THE MAN!!!!!! It is you who has had Uriah killed, this week and you have taken the wife he loved, when you thought the cameras were not on you. But we saw everything.

You are now going to be removed from Big Brother house. Go to your room immediately and pack your clothes. We have never had to do this to a housemate before. You are in disgrace, your own wives, your children are dumbfounded..! The whole nation has turned against you. You have five minutes in which to leave the house.

D: Big brother, I'm really sorry, it will never happen again, and I would like to apologise…

BB: You have four minutes left.(David goes out, collect a suitcase; ) ……

Reader: 'Thus says the Lord God, I gave you your master's house, and your master's wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel, and of Judah, and if that had been too little, I would have added much more. Why have you despised the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight?

Go Now!…( he comes back in expecting to see crowds, but there is no-one to greet him, and he walks down the aisle wiping his eyes with a handkerchief, as the story is finished off) Play short piece of Moody Blues, You Betta Go Now…

Notice is held up which invites everyone to shout 'Boooooo !'