2 Samuel – The Word That Keeps Us

2 Samuel Week 4 – The Word That Keeps Us

1 Kings 15:5

“For David did what was right in the Lord’s sight, and he did not turn aside from anything he had commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hethite.”

Introduction

• How do you want your story to be told?
• 1 Kings 15:5
• Gives us what should have been one of the most beautiful summaries of a godly life:

“For David did what was right in the Lord’s sight, and he did not turn aside from anything he had commanded him all the days of his life…”

• But then it ends with a haunting phrase:
  “…except in the matter of Uriah the Hethite.”
• That one exception
• Tells the whole story of David’s greatest failure—
• His sin with Bathsheba,
• The murder of her husband Uriah,
• And the fallout that nearly wrecked his life and legacy.
• And it leads us to ask:
• How do we avoid that kind of ending in our own story?
• How do we keep from having that
• “except in the matter of…” moment—
• That spiritual asterisk that marks where things went off the rails?
• Last week,
• We looked at how sin finds a foothold in our lives
• And how desperately we need God’s grace to restore us.
• But what now?
• What comes after the fall—
• Or better yet,
• How do we keep from falling in the first place?
• Before I show us what I believe is the answer
• Let me give a few points of clarification
• Today is not about your past before Jesus
• We were all born in sin
• This is not meant to cause anyone to look back before they had Jesus with regret
• Today is about “what we do with our sin now that we are with Jesus”
• Because whether before or after Jesus
• We are all still naturally sinners
• We are going to struggle with sin until the day we are with Jesus in eternity
• Now the good news tells us
• That Jesus died for ALL of our sins
• Past, Present, and Future
• How do I know?
• Two reasons
• First, were any of us born yet when Jesus came and Died?
• Second

Romans 5:8

⁸ But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

• Today God has given us grace
• And the freedom of the work his Son did to help us fight sin
• Yet even with that amazing grace we still chose to sin
• As we saw last week God can and does restore
• But even restoration does not erase the fallout and consequences of our sin
• In our story with David and Basheba,
• God eventually gave her Solomon
• And as we read in

2 Samuel 12:24
“She gave birth to a son and named him Solomon. The Lord loved him.”

• But before Solomon
• The baby that was born to Bathsheba Died
• As a tragic consequence of Davids sin
• Today we face the same possibility of devasting consequences
• As a result of Sinful choices
• Consequences that can affect
• You and I,
• Our family,
• The church
• And the Lost world around us
• So, then

How do we avoid that kind of ending in our own story?

• How do we keep from having that
• “except in the matter of…” moment—
• As your pastor
• I have been leaning in and asking questions about this subject for some time
• It seems not a week goes by that some public Christian leader falls
• Or that I hear of another family ripped apart by an affair or some other tragic sin
• I have first prayed Lord Help me…Keep me from such a path
• But I have also prayed for each of you
• “God How do I help those you have placed in my care to avoid these sinful traps.”
• So, as I was preparing this week
• I came across that verse in 1 Kings about David’s Asstriek
• How he did it all things right…except…
• And I asked the Lord to give me clarity as to how it happens
• And how to avoid it
• The answer was simple
• And yet profound at the same time
• The answer is His Word!
• If sin is the disease,
• Then the Word of God is the remedy.
• Not just because it gives us truth to live by
• But because it connects us to the God who gives life.
• Scripture isn’t just spiritual instruction
• It’s a divine conversation.
• It’s not merely ink on a page
• It’s the voice,
• The heart,
• And the presence of God made available to us day by day.
• Much later in David’s life after he had walked through all of this and more
• As we will see in the next few weeks
• It is believed by countless scholars and historians
• That he wrote Psalm 119
• Psalm 119, Is the longest chapter in the Bible,
• It is a heartfelt song of devotion specifically to the Scriptures.
• It’s a declaration that the Word of God is not just information—
• But it’s protection.
• Not just law—but life.
• Though it is filled with language around the idea of God’s commands
• God did not have David pin it to overwhelm us with commands,
• But because He wanted to invite us into communion.
• It’s a song.
• A prayer.
• A love letter.
• And almost every single verse repeats one key word: “your.”

“Your word…”
“Your commands…”
“Your statutes…”
“Your decrees…”
“Your ways…”
“Your instructions…”

• That repetition tells us something important.
• The Word of God isn’t just about What—it’s about Who.
• David isn’t trying to impress God by how much Scripture he knows.
• He’s clinging to God
• Because he knows he can’t live without Him.
• Psalm 119 isn’t a checklist—
• It’s a cry:

“I need You. I need Your word. I need Your help. I need Your truth to keep me.”

• That’s why we’re spending time here today.
• Because if we want to live a life that ends with faithfulness
• Instead of failure—
• If we want to avoid having an “except in the matter…” in our story
• It won’t come by trying harder.
• It will come by walking closer.
• And the Word of God is what keeps us close.

John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

• Psalm 119 points us to the written Word,
• But even more—
• It points us to the Living Word: Jesus Christ.
• The Word who became flesh.
• The Word who walked without sin.
• The Word who went to the cross for our sin.
• The Word who now speaks life into our hearts through the Scriptures.
• So, let’s look at five short verses from Psalm 119—
• Not to master them,
• But to let them lead us back to Jesus.
• Because if sin is the disease,
• Then His Word is the daily remedy
• That heals, redirects, protects, and restores.
• Here are the first 2

Psalm 119:9, 11 (CSB)

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping your word.”

“I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you.”

The Word Guards Our Heart from Sin — Because It Points Us to Jesus

• These two verses give us one of the most practical,
• Yet deeply spiritual truths in the whole Bible:
• God’s Word is not just a collection of commands—
• It is a shield for our hearts.
• It is a guardrail that keeps us on the path of purity.
• But it’s not just about following the rules—
• It’s about drawing near to the Living Word, Jesus Christ.
• David asks the right question:
• How do I stay pure in a sinful world?
• He doesn’t say, “Try harder,” or “Have more willpower.”
• He says, “By keeping your word.”
• In other words, purity is not accidental—it’s intentional.
• And it doesn’t begin with strength—
• It begins with surrender.
• We don’t stay pure by gritting our teeth and resisting evil in our own power.
• We stay pure by anchoring our lives in grace, in truth, and in Jesus—
• And the way we do that is by keeping His Word close.
• Look at verse 11:

“I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you.”

• The word treasured means
• To Hide, To Treasure, To store up, and to Hoard.
• I found that word Hoard interesting
• My wife loves this show hoarders…Makes her fell better about cleaning the house
• Often seen as a negative word
• But listen to how it is defined

Hoard- A Supply or Accumulation that is Hidden or Carefully Guarded for Preservation and Future Use.

• When we treasure the Word, in this way
• We are storing it up for future use
• So that when life hands us difficulties
• We are equipped to face them
• Including temptation
• But again, it’s more than just treasuring the written words
• We are treasuring the One who gave it—Jesus.
• And the more we treasure Him,
• The more we begin to reflect Him.
• The reason this matters so much is because Jesus Himself lived this out perfectly

Hebrews 4:15 says,

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.”

• Jesus walked the same roads of temptation we walk,
• But He never sinned.
• He didn’t just know the Word—
• He obeyed the Word.
• He was the Word made flesh.
• And in Matthew 4,
• When Satan came at Him with temptation,
• Jesus didn’t argue or rationalize.
• He said again and again, “It is written…”
• Jesus fought the enemy by trusting the Word—
• Not with willpower, but with truth.
• He showed us what it looks like
• To rely on God’s voice when the devil whispers lies.
• And here’s the key:
• The Word shapes not just our actions, but our affections.
• The longer we spend in the Word,
• The more we begin to want what God wants.

Psalm 37:4 says:

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.”

• That doesn’t mean He gives us whatever we ask—
• It means He changes what we want.
• He gives us new desires.
• He rewrites our cravings.
• And the more we see Jesus,
• The less sin will satisfy.
• It’s not enough to say “no” to temptation—
• We must say “yes” to something greater.
• And that greater is Jesus,
• Revealed through His Word.
• So, how do we guard our hearts from sin?
• We don’t look inward—we look upward.
• We don’t fight harder—we draw nearer.
• We treasure the Word
• Because in it
• We behold the glory of the One who loved us,
• Gave Himself for us,
• And leads us into purity through His Spirit.
• So, if the Word guards our heart by pointing us to Jesus,
• It also opens our eyes to see Him more clearly.
• Here is the third verse

Psalm 119:18 (CSB)

“Open my eyes so that I may contemplate wondrous things from your instruction.”

The Word Opens Our Eyes to What Is True — Because Jesus Is the Truth

• This verse is not a statement—it’s a prayer.
• And it’s one we all need to pray: “Open my eyes.”
• The psalmist knows something we often forget—
• That spiritual sight isn’t something we naturally have.
• We don’t just come to the Bible with clear vision.
• No, we come with spiritual blindness,
• With hearts and minds clouded by sin, pride, distraction, even bad spiritual teaching
• That’s why the Bible isn’t just a book we read—
• It’s a book we need God to reveal.
• The psalmist isn’t asking for more information.
• He’s not saying, “Help me study harder.”
• He’s saying,

“God, I need you to show me what I can’t see on my own.”

• He’s asking for illumination—
• A supernatural unveiling of what’s really there.
• Because without Jesus, we can’t see what matters.
• And when God opens our eyes—
• Do you know what you begin to see?
• JESUS!
• The Word of God always points to Jesus
• After Jesus rose from the dead,
• He walked with two disciples on the road to Emmaus and did the greatest Bible study in history.

Luke 24:27 says:

“Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted for them the things concerning himself in all the Scriptures.”

• All of Scripture—every book, every chapter, every promise—whispers the name of Jesus.
• So, when we pray, “Open my eyes…”
• We are praying not just for insight—
• We are praying for an encounter.
• This isn’t about mastering the Bible.
• It’s about being mastered by the One the Bible reveals.
• And when we see Jesus, everything changes.

2 Corinthians 3:18 says:

“We all… are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

• You become like what you look at.
• And when we look at Jesus in the Word,
• The Spirit transforms us into His likeness—
• Bit by bit, moment by moment.
• This is why we say the Bible is not cold—it’s alive.
• But sometimes, it doesn’t feel that way.
• Sometimes it feels dry, even distant.
• That’s why we need the Holy Spirit to open our eyes.
• Because when He does,
• What once felt cold becomes convicting.
• What once felt boring becomes beautiful.
• We don’t need a new message—
• We need new eyes.
• The truth is already written.
• We just need God to help us see it.
• And when our eyes are opened to see Jesus clearly,
• Something else begins to happen:
• Our eyes turn away from the things that don’t matter.
• Because seeing the truth of who Jesus is
• Also reorients (Or turns) our hearts toward what truly satisfies.
• Let’s look now
• At how the Word redirects our eyes away from what is worthless,
• And back to what is eternal.
• Here is the fourth verse

Psalm 119:37 (CSB)

“Turn my eyes from looking at what is worthless; give me life in your ways.”

The Word Redirects Our Eyes to What Matters — Because Jesus Is Our Treasure

• This is more than a verse about moral choices
• It’s a cry for help.
• The psalmist isn’t offering a statement of strength;
• He’s offering a confession of weakness.
• He knows his heart is prone to wander.
• He knows he’s easily distracted.
• He knows that if left alone,
• His eyes will naturally drift toward things that are worthless—empty, fleeting, hollow.
• And he also knows he can’t change that on his own.
• That’s why he doesn’t say, “God, help me try harder.”
• He says, “Turn my eyes.”
• This is a prayer of dependence,
• Not a declaration of discipline.
• The psalmist isn’t asking for motivation—
• He’s asking for redirection.
• We need the same help today
• We live in a world that’s constantly pulling at our attention
• Constantly telling us to fix our eyes on what’s temporary:
• Status.
• Possessions.
• Image.
• Likes.
• Follower counts.
• Career ladders.
• Streaming platforms.
• Comparison traps.
• The world markets the worthless with a sparkle.
• But the Word of God lovingly steps in and says, “Turn your eyes.”
• Not just away from sin—
• But toward something better.
• Someone better.
• Jesus!
• Jesus is the only One worthy of our gaze.

Hebrews 12:2 says:

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.”

• When we look at Him,
• We stop chasing shadows.
• His beauty makes lesser things lose their appeal.
• What you look at shapes what you live for.
• Our vision determines our direction.
• If our eyes are fixed on Jesus,
• Our lives will begin to look more like Him.
• Let’s look at the 5^th and final verse

Psalm 119:105 (CSB)

“Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.”

The Word Lights the Path in a Dark World — Because Jesus Is the Light

• This is one of the most beloved verses in all of Scripture—
• And for good reason.
• Life is not always bright and simple.
• Sometimes it’s complicated, foggy, and even frightening.
• And in those moments,
• We don’t need a spotlight for the future—
• We need a lamp for the next step.
• Without the light of God’s truth,
• We are stumbling in spiritual darkness.
• The Word gives light for each step—
• Not the whole map.
• Notice what the psalmist says—
• It’s a lamp for my feet,
• Not a floodlight for the whole journey.
• God often gives us just enough light for obedience,
• Not control.
• He’s not interested in giving us a blueprint for the next 10 years.
• He’s interested in walking with us for the next 10 minutes.
• In view of this
• Here is a question we often neglect to ask when we have drifted away from his word
• “God, do you want me to do that”
• Fill in the Blank…
• For example:
• Before you make a purchase
• “God, do you want me to make this purchase?”
• Before you take a trip
• “God, do you want me to go on this trip”
• I believe this was a key component to Davids Failure
• Over in over throughout 1 & 2 Samuel
• We have seen David “Inquire of the Lord”

1 Samuel 23:2

“So David inquired of the Lord:

1 Samuel 23:4

“Once again, David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him…”

1 Samuel 30:8

“And David inquired of the Lord:

2 Samuel 2:1

“Some time later, David inquired of the Lord:

2 Samuel 5:19

“Then David inquired of the Lord:

2 Samuel 5:23

“So David inquired of the Lord, and he answered,

• But then it stopped
• David didn’t inquire of the Lord
• The scripture tells us that David stayed home
• Instead of going to battle
• When over and over in the Past he would ask
• “Do you want me to go to battle”
• This time he did not ask
• And it resulted in sin
• Why should we ask?
• Is it Because God is trying to control what we do?
• No! Because he is the light for our path
• He can see what we can’t see
• He can prevent us from falling
• All too often we leave God out of these decisions
• Because these are things are flesh want
• And after all, “Doesn’t God want us to enjoy life and be happy”
• Yes, but not at the expense of our soul

John 8:12,

“I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”

• Through His Word,
• We don’t just find direction—we find Him.
• And he keeps us from falling in the dark

Psalm 36:9 says,

“For the wellspring of life is with you. By means of your light we see light.”

• So far, we’ve seen what the Word of God does—
• It guards our heart from sin,
• It opens our eyes to truth,
• It redirects our gaze,
• And it lights our path.
• But all of those things are not ends in themselves.
• They’re all arrows pointing in the same direction—
• Toward Jesus.
• Let’s close by turning to the final and most important truth:
• The Word doesn’t just guide us—
• It became flesh and dwelt among us.
• Let’s end where all of Scripture leads:
• With the Word made flesh.

Jesus Is the Living Word Who Walked the Path We Couldn’t

• Everything we’ve seen in Psalm 119—
• Every prayer, every cry, every longing—
• Is ultimately fulfilled in a person: Jesus Christ.
• He is not just the One who speaks the Word.
• He is the Word.
• God didn’t just give us a book.
• He gave us His Son.
• And that changes everything.
• Jesus is the Living Word.
• He came to dwell with us,
• To walk among us,
• And—hear this—to walk the path we couldn’t.
• We’re the ones who wander.
• We’re the ones who forget.
• We’re the ones who read the Bible one day and ignore it the next.
• We’re the ones who sin and fall short and,
• Like David, risk writing our own “except in the matter…” story.
• But here’s the good news: Jesus never failed.

Hebrews 4:15 says,

“He was tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.”

• Jesus is the only one who perfectly treasured the Word.
• The only one who never turned His eyes toward what is worthless.
• The only one who kept His way pure.
• The only one who delighted in God’s commands at every step.
• And then He went to the cross—for us.
• Jesus, the Word made flesh,
• Took on our failures.
• He bore the weight of every “except in the matter” moment.
• And in His death and resurrection,
• He secured for us not just forgiveness, but new life—
• The kind of life that walks in light, in grace, and in truth.
• When Jesus met two disciples on the road to Emmaus after His resurrection,
• He opened their eyes to see: the entire Bible points to Him.
• The law? Fulfilled in Him.
• The Psalms? Foreshadowing Him.
• The prophets? Preparing the way for Him.
• And now, every time we open the Word,
• He meets us there again.
• He speaks.
• He restores.
• He leads.
• Jesus doesn’t just give us the Word—
• He is the Word,
• And through Him,

Conclusion:

• And here’s what I want you to hear as we close:
• You don’t stay faithful by trying harder.
• You stay faithful by walking closer—
• And that closeness comes from abiding in His Word.
• I hope you have heard my repetitive hearts cry today
• It’s All about JESUS, JESUS JESUS
• So, what do we do with what we have heard…
• I want to give you two next steps:
• First right now in this room before you leave
• Talk to Jesus the living word
• Ask for his help to go to his word
• Ask for grace to commit to prioritizing his word Over every other voice in your life
• The second step is practical
• Today as you leave,
• You’re going to receive a bookmark—
• Something simple, but powerful.
• On one side, it has the “Seven Arrows” Bible reading tool—
• A way to help you ask questions that draw the truth from any passage of Scripture and apply it to your life.
• On the other side, it introduces a rhythm we call “Eat the Word.”
• Because the Word isn’t just something we study—
• It’s something we feed on.
• Something we savor.
• Something that satisfies.
• This is more than a reading plan.
• It’s a relational pathway—
• A way to grow in your love for Jesus through His Word, every day.
• My challenge for you is to:
• Take the bookmark.
• Open the Word.
• Ask God to meet you in it.
• Let His Spirit guide you.
• And watch what happens as you treasure the Word—
• Not as a rulebook, but as a revelation of Jesus.
• Let the Word of God be more than background noise in your life.
• Let it become the voice you follow,
• The light you trust,
• And the daily reminder of whose you are.

Let’s pray.