You Are The Man!
Have you ever had someone tell you, “You are the man!” Or “You’re the man?” Obviously, people mean this is in a good way. Maybe you’ve done a really good job at work or your department has performed really well and people at work will tell you, “You are the man!” Or maybe you were really good at sports in high school and people called you “the man or the woman”. Again, we typically hear this as being a good thing. But did you know the Bible talks about a person being the man and it’s not in a good way?
The Bible tells us that at the time when kings typically went out to war, King David stayed in his palace. One day he was walking on the roof top, looking around and he saw a beautiful woman taking a bath. He told one of his servants to fetch her and they did. Then David committed adultery with the woman. The woman’s name was Bathsheba and she was married to Uriah the Hittite. Well, Bathsheba became pregnant from their sexual encounter, so David thought no problem, he’d just have her husband brought back home from the war. Uriah would sleep with his wife and the problem would be solved.
David Had Uriah Killed
But Uriah was a very honorable man. King David brought him back from the front lines and got him drunk and expected Uriah to go home and sleep with his wife. But Uriah wouldn’t do so. When questioned about it, Uriah responded by saying how could he go home and sleep in his own bed with his wife while the general and his fellow soldiers were still at war? So King David sent a message back to the general named Joab and told Joab to set Uriah at the hottest spot in the battle and then pull the troops away from him so the enemy would kill Uriah.
Uriah the Hittite died in battle shortly after that. Then after Bathsheba mourned the death of her husband, King David took her as one of his wives and later on the child was born. The Bible says this thing displeased the Lord. So God sent Nathan the prophet to confront David and he did so by telling David this story. And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:
But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveler unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.
Nathan Says “You Are The Man!”
And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord lives, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said to David, You are the man (2 Samuel 12:1-7). You are the man! Notice how indignant David was over the story of the rich man killing the poor man’s lamb, while at the same time, David had committed adultery and had a man killed to cover up his sin. Nathan told David, “You are the man!” but obviously this wasn’t a good thing.
David could see the sin of the rich man in the story that Nathan told him, but he could not see his own sin. The child was born, so we know that David had lived with his sin for at least nine months, if not longer. He was going about his life just like nothing had happened. Yet, he had committed adultery and caused a man to be murdered by the Israelites’ enemy.
Before You Do The Same Thing
Now you may be thinking how awful this is and it is awful. But before you do the same thing David did (by his being indignant with the rich man in the story), I ask you to examine yourself. Do you have any deep dark secrets that you don’t want anyone else to know? The Bible says it is appointed unto men once to die and after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). There is a Judgment Day for all unbelievers – for everyone who dies without Jesus Christ being their Lord and Savior. The Bible also says that unbelievers will be judged before all humanity (Revelation 20:11-15).
So I want you to imagine that you are sitting in a movie theater that is overflowing with more people than you’ve ever seen before. Everyone is there. Your parents, grandparents, friends and strangers alike. But instead of a movie being played on the big screen, it is a replay your life. The good, the bad and the ugly. Can you imagine if every sin you’ve ever committed in your life flashed up on the screen?
Every curse word, every wicked thing you’ve ever done? Not only every sin that you’ve ever committed, but even your thoughts. How many times have you smiled at someone or said Hi to them while secretly you were saying to yourself “I wish that person were dead” or you wished them some type of harm?
You Are The Man Or You Are The Woman
Folks, I’m trying to get you to visualize this because on Judgment Day, there won’t be a large screen, but everything you’ve ever said or done will be brought out into the open. In Matthew 12:36 Jesus says: But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. Every idle word. You will give an account. All your sins will be laid bare in front of all to see. Jesus is going to remind you of all your sins, even the ones you’ve tried to forget or tried to hide. Jesus is going to tell you that “You are the man!” and just like when Nathan said this to David, this is not going to be a good thing.
You are the man or you are the woman. I am the man. We’ve all sinned against God. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23). We all deserve to die in our sins and we all deserve God’s everlasting punishment in a very real place called Hell. This is what we deserve. But God… But God commends (demonstrates) his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
Don’t Continue Being The Man
You don’t have to continue being “the man” which again is not a good thing. Don’t be the man that dies in his sins and splits Hell wide open. No, instead, turn from your sins and turn to Christ Jesus. Turn to Christ and live. Jesus gave His life as a ransom for many. He took the punishment that He did not deserve. Jesus walked this earth 2,000 years ago. He lived a perfect, sinless life. Jesus never lied, stole anything, never lusted or coveted. The Lord Jesus always did the will of God the Father.
Yet, He was bruised for our iniquities; by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). Jesus suffered, bled and died on the cruel cross in the place of guilty sinners. He was buried and rose victoriously from the grave on the third day. God offers eternal life to everyone who repents of their sins and puts their faith in Jesus. Oh, come to Jesus and be saved. Your sins can be forgiven. Your slate can be wiped clean. Your guilty conscience can be cleared. Come to Jesus. Confess and forsake your sins. Repent and trust Jesus.
Turn To The God-man
Instead of being the man, the guilty man, turn to the God-man Jesus Christ the Lord. He is the only way of salvation. There is no other way. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him, and he in God.
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us (1 John 4:14-19).
The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. True believers confess that Jesus is the Son of God. God dwells in us and we dwell in God. These verses also say that we have boldness in the day of judgment. Not because we are the man (even though we are the man like David in that we have sinned against God), but because we have put our trust in Jesus – the God-man and He has taken away our sins. We no longer have to fear Judgement Day.
Stop Being “The Man”
Folks, we want you to know perfect love too. The perfect love of Jesus that casts out fear. Jesus is the Prince of peace. He gives His followers a peace that surpasses all understanding. Oh, we are asking you if you are tired of waking up lonely after one-night stands? Are you tired of being hung over or coming down after being high? We are asking if you are tired of seeking relief in temporary measures that never work out? The devil is a thief and a liar. He may entice you with immoral living that sounds good at the moment, but he cannot deliver on true joy. True joy is found in Christ Jesus alone.
Come to Jesus and be saved. Repent of your sins and surrender your life to the Lord Jesus. Stop being “the man”, the guilty man who’s spiritually dead in your trespasses and sins. Repent and put your trust in the God-man, Jesus Christ and be saved. Receive forgiveness for your sins. Receive peace, joy and a clear conscience. Oh, receive everlasting life. Repent and believe the Gospel and be saved. Do this today.
Instead of being “the man” the guilty sinful man, become a new creature in Christ Jesus. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 2:17). Oh, today is the day of salvation. Repent of your sins and trust Jesus for your salvation. This could be the first day of your being a new man, a new creature in Christ Jesus. Turn to Christ and live.
This message was proclaimed in downtown Springfield, MO on May 13, 2022