Today we continue our studies from the life of David. We're calling the series slaying your giants. David's giants included more than Goliath. We can learn from every giant he faced. Sometimes we look at David as a hero and we are motivated to emulate his courage. Other times, like today's story, we can't believe that someone would stoop so low. We can learn from him in these cases also.

Not many would recognize the name Rogers Cadenhead. However, the Vatican might recognize it. Rogers is a self-proclaimed domain hoarder. He buys up web domain names and then sells them. When Pope John Paul II died in April of '05, Rogers registered www.benedictXVI.com before the new pope's name was announced and before Rome knew they needed it.

The web domain business can be lucrative. On E-bay the domain www.popebenedictxvi.com surpassed $16,000. But Cadenhead wasn't interested in the money. He was a Catholic himself and certainly didn't want to make his family and 1.1 billion Catholics angry. But he would like something in exchange. He stated three things. First, he wanted one of those hats. Second, a free stay at the Vatican hotel. Third, he wanted complete absolution with no questions asked for what happened on the third week of March, 1987.

It's that third request that's got me wondering. What in the world did he do during the third week of March, 1987? It must have been pretty bad. He must have experienced a gigantic fall.

I have a feeling that most of us have probably had certain days or weeks that we'd just as soon have marked off our book of life records. If God laid before you a box of video tapes that recorded every second of your life, you'd probably like to go through that box and remove some of them, wouldn't you?

I know David wishes he could have done that. David, giant slayer, a man after God's own heart, promise keeper, stronghold conqueror, and…adulterer and murderer? Can you think of a fall more gigantic than his? He seduces Bathsheba, gets her pregnant, murders her husband, deceives all the military, and then marries her quickly. She has the baby, and everyone believes the father is David.

On the outside David probably felt confident that the cover-up was secure. But don't you know inside his heart, he was dying under four tons of guilt? Later he would pen a song that described what was going on inside. "When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat" (Psalm 32:3-4, NLT).

David can't get the "third week of March" out of his mind. As hard as he tries, he can't escape the guilt. He feels like vultures are circling over his head. Why can't he just forget it? Because God keeps bringing it up. He won't let him forget it.

The story of the king's gigantic fall can be found in 2 Samuel 11. Read through the whole chapter and you will see the main characters on the stage—David and Bathsheba. You will also see two of the minor characters—Joab and Uriah. But one character is conspicuously absent. But he shows up in the very last sentence of the chapter. "But the thing David had done displeased the Lord" (11:27b). God shows up. And He's not going to let this gigantic sin slide.

Several weeks ago we talked about David slaying Goliath. We talked about how his focus on God was four times more than his focus on the giant. And that's what brought him the victory. Now here we are at another intersection in his life. You read this whole story of his sin with Bathsheba and not one word is mentioned about God…that is, until the last verse. Do you get the hint?

It was the season when kings were out to war, but David wasn't. No mention of God. He sees a beautiful woman bathing. No mention of God. He seduces her. No mention of God. She gets pregnant. No indication that David went to God for wisdom. He plots to kill Uriah and the plan is successful. No mention of God. He covers everything up and marries Bathsheba. Still no mention of God. In fact, the first part of the final verse lures you into thinking that he has successfully covered this thing up and we have a beautiful family portrait being unveiled. Bathsheba's husband is buried and the mourning period is over. Then we read, "After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son" (11:27a).

But what he had done had displeased the Lord. David was in control in chapter 11. But if you scan through chapter 12, you will see that God is in control. In this chapter we learn that God sent Nathan to David. Nathan was a prophet and was very close to the king. He had no clue how David would respond. But confront he must.

Instead of immediately confronting him with the sin, he tells a story. Read verses 1-4. David's blood begins to boil. How dare this rich man behave like that! He ought to be hung from the highest tree. Read verses 5-6.

David has no clue that the noose is being prepared for him. Nathan pulls the chair out from under the king by saying four three-letter words in verse 7: "You are the man!" Busted. Immediately he knew that he had been totally exposed. He is silent. No excuses. No defense. Just pale white with a zillion thoughts going across his mind. Then God speaks through the prophet. Read verses 7-9.

God wasn't angry. He was hurt. He had done everything in the world to pour out blessings in David's life. Victory over Goliath. Safety from Saul. Material things. In fact, the whole country was his. So why would he take something that didn't belong to him? Why would a wealthy man steal?

Next, God levies His sentence on David. Read verses 10-12. God forgave David and spared his life. But from this point on David's family was one tragic story after another. Even the child from the adulterous affair died. Why so harsh a punishment? Because King David was a representative of the true God Jehovah. Outside nations would now question the holiness of David's God. David's sin was public. His punishment would be public.

The book of Numbers haunts us with these words: "You may be sure that your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23). Have you found this to be true in your life? Have you discovered that your third week of March keeps on hounding you? You're probably far enough along in life to understand that your gigantic falls will not leave you alone.

It's like the pain of a deeply embedded splinter. The discomfort nags you a little. But if you leave it alone, soon you will see some redness and swelling and you will feel a lot more pain. And what is really painful is when you, your "nurse" family member, or your doctor with sterilized needle starts digging into your skin to get the splinter out.

That's what God does with your unconfessed sin. That sin has infected your soul. And the longer you wait to deal with it, the more sin-sick you become. The guilt gets worse and worse. God keeps digging in and squeezing. He keeps applying the pressure until you come clean. He keeps you up at night. He makes you miserable inside. You have no peace in your heart.

The reason God is like that is that He wants to take away your sin. Like your mom who won't let you run around with an inch splinter infecting your hand, your heavenly Father won't let you keep running around with sin poisoning your whole life. He doesn't sit idly by. Things won't get better until you do what David did. He confessed in verse 13, "I have sinned against the Lord" (12:13).

It took him a year to finally fess up. A surprise pregnancy, a conspiracy that resulted in the death of an innocent military captain, months of deceit. David's heart was hard. One year probably made up of sleepless nights, extreme mood swings, mental anguish, sickness in his stomach, and spiritual aloofness from God. But God finally broke him. Yes, he had to use a trusted friend to bring him to his knees. He may have gone to his grave carrying this load of guilt had it not been for Nathan. But God finally began to soften his heart and in his brokenness David confessed, "I have sinned against the Lord."

Notice the next words from Nathan: "The Lord has taken away your sin" (12:13). Remember the imaginary rich sheep stealer. David thought he deserved the electric chair. What's worse? What the sheep stealer did or what David did? God forgave David. He took his sins away and cleansed him. He didn't remove the consequences, but He did remove the sin. In another Psalm David writes, "He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him" (Psalm 103:12-13).

He could write these words because he had experienced firsthand the removal and taking away of the sins that resulted in his gigantic fall. God could have struck him dead. He could have removed the crown from him. He could have let enemy nations come in and ransack all of Israel. Instead, God took the role of a tender, caring Father. He loved him through his period of brokenness.

What God did with David's sin, He will do with yours. Whatever your gigantic fall was, He stands ready and willing to forgive you and cleanse you. Whatever you did during the third week of March, it is not beyond the grace and forgiveness of God. But here's the deal. You must come clean before Him. You've got to let Him soften your heart and break you. That part is not fun; but it is essential. And once you travel the road of brokenness, you will come out on this side of it delivered, set free, forgiven, cleansed, and with the promise of a fresh start.

Do you remember when Jesus was hanging on the cross after having been brutally beaten with metal-studded straps? In pain and agony, yet fully conscious and aware of what was going on. He spoke a prayer to God and said, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." If Jesus was willing to forgive those who nailed Him to the cross, don't you think He is willing to forgive you? But you must let Him. Maybe, you've never had a third week of March. Or maybe you have already worked through your gigantic falls and been forgiven and cleansed. It's in the past. Great! But maybe now it's the small stuff that you've allowed to build up. And now you know your walk with Christ is not what it should be. Gigantic fall, small stuff—in God's eyes, all sin.

I have a feeling there are many of you here today who need to have some confession time with God. Even as I'm speaking right now, God is revealing some things in your life that need to be cleaned up. For some, it is the gigantic fall. For others, it is the bad attitude, the apathetic spirit, the gossip, the lying, or the neglect of spending time with God.

We've planned an extended invitation time for you to come clean before God. No stand up and sing. Just some quiet music and an opportunity for you to pray and confess. Here is how I want you to start, every one of us. Pray this: "Lord, search my heart right now and show me anything in my life that is hurting my relationship with you." Then you listen and you confess and you let Him begin the process of cleansing you. The altar is open. And I am available to pray with you if you so desire.