Three Part Sermon Series on the Story of David and Bathsheba,  2 Samuel 11-12:25; 1 Kings 1-2 Part 1:  King David in the Palace   Part 2:  Nathan’s Story    Part 3: What about Bathsheba? August 5, 2018   “ Part 1- King David in the Palace”  by Rev. June Fothergill Scripture:  2 Samuel 11: 1-15 Wow.  Can we be outraged?!  David, the hero of our Sunday School bible stories; that boy who trusted God and defeated the giant Goliath; David, the warrior who united the people and defeated the Philistine threat ; David, the one who God chose when he saw his heart as a young shepherd boy.  David, who mourned even those who had been his enemies, who loved Jonathan, who honored the anointed nature of King Saul, who was kind to Saul’s crippled grandson, who already had at least 4 wives and  6 sons.   David who has been given so much- God’s favor,  wives, children, a kingdom, adoring followers, faithful generals and fighting men, a beautiful house in his own town Jerusalem.  David, the greatest leader and beloved king. Yet, sitting in that beautiful house or palace, no longer out on the battlefield, David changed.  The David we see in this passage is a transformed person.  He is King now.  And being king means he can take what he wants!  Samuel long ago warned the people that the office of king would bring  oppression. That kings take what they want ( 1 Sam. 8:11-17). Biblical scholar,  Walter Brueggeman  points out that David just acts. He takes no time to consider, to ponder.  He sees the beautiful woman and wants her.   He asks who she is. And even when he discovers that she is the wife of one of his most loyal fighting men, likely a man who had been with him from the beginning of the journey to become king; a man whose house was next to his own;  a man who even now was out fighting David’s battles.  David doesn’t stop.  He wants and he had the power to take and he does.   There is no hint of conversation or affection or tenderness.   He gets her, he lays with her,  and sends her home.  He is the king.   Bathsheba says nothing. But then, we hear the last verb of the sequence-  she conceived. And we hear her voice for the first time. She sends word to David simply saying, “ I’m pregnant”.   Whoops.   His kingly power and control are shattered by such a simple reality.   He knows it is his ( for she had been purifying herself after her period) .   What will he do?  Well, he is the king after all. ...