Witnessing
But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed?[a] And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?
Romans 10:14 (NRSV)
and the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his meager fare, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was loath to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared that for the guest who had come to him.” Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” Nathan said to David, “You are the man!”
2 Samuel 12:1-7 (NRSV)
This biblical passage is an excellent example – one could almost say a perfect example – of how the prophet Nathan used a parable – a story – an illustration – to confront the sin of King David. It is a superb demonstration on how we can use a story in our witnessing to create a poignant picture of the message we desire to convey.
Nathan’s parable is one of the better-known passages in the Bible, but you could not retell this parable assuming the individual to whom you are witnessing will understand its message. In your presence you may have an individual who is not a Bible student, as he or she has not read the Bible or attended Sunday school or any other established organization for biblical learning. You may have a new convert to the faith, who is just now being introduced to the Bible. Even the most studious student of the Bible may require some refreshing of the setting for this biblical passage. This would be understandable since there are 66 books in the Bible containing 31,102 verses.
In order to include an individual in the story you need to provide sufficient background information for a full and complete comprehension of Nathan’s parable. This information should come from the scriptures, which is then complimented from other biblical resources.
The dwellings in Jerusalem were terraced so David, walking on the parapet of his palace on the eastern ridge of the city, was able to look down from his balcony and watch Bathsheba sunbathing. Many scholars think she was unclothed, and could have been purposely enticing the king. David, overcome by her beauty, lusted after Bathsheba. He invited her into his bed chamber and from that liaison Bathsheba became pregnant. This was an act of adultery since Bathsheba was married to Uriah.
Uriah was a general in the King’s army, and was one of David’s “The Thirty” mighty men. Uriah was a leader in the Ammonitish War being waged against the Ammonites. In order to keep his sinful act a secret David had Uriah called home. The pregnancy was still in its first term, and David hoped to cover up his adulterous act by having Uriah sleep with his wife, so it would appear that Uriah fathered the child.
Uriah was a Hittite, a pagan, who converted to Judaism. Therefore, he took very seriously the laws dictated by his new religion. Jewish Law forbade a warrior who had been consecrated for battle to sleep with his wife. Obedient to his adopted religion, Uriah chose to sleep not in his home, but in the field with his soldiers.
David still needed a cover-up, so next he invited Uriah to his palace for a banquet. At this banquet David got Uriah drunk, anticipating the inebriated general would sleep with his wife. Again, Uriah chose to remain obedient to the Law and slept outdoors with his soldiers.
David, now desperate to avoid a scandal, ordered that Uriah be killed in battle. The King ordered Joab, the commander-in-chief of the Israelites in the Ammonitish War, to place Uriah in the most hostile part of the battlefield, and then have the soldiers pull back exposing Uriah unprotected to the enemy. This would assure Uriah’s death, which did occur during the siege of Rabbah.
David now committed both adultery and murder.
With this introductory material, presented while reciting the prophet’s parable, an individual to whom you are witnessing can readily understand Nathan’s condemnation when he says to King David “You are the man!”
It is not sufficient to just tell the story, there must be an application of the story. You must demonstrate how we are all a King David in our own way.
At first the person to whom you are speaking would probably think beyond themselves, focusing instead on the prominent adulterers who had been previously in the news. Those listening to your witness will probably recall the onset of the #MeToo movement in 2017, and will focus on dethroned politicians, entertainers, and business leaders accused of sexual abuse. The listener to your witness would nod in agreement as these names raced through his or her mind: Bill Cosby; Harvey Weinstein; Kevin Spacey; Matt Lauer; Charlie Rose.
Though Nathan was speaking directly to David, as you must speak directly to person standing before you. You must be certain that you know that your listener knows that “You are the man!” The “man” is not Harvey Weinstein or Bill Cosby, or his neighbor, or her friend, or a co-worker, but it is he or she who is listening to your witness Every person to whom you are being an evangelist to must realize that “I am the man!” and not another individual.
Unless you are preaching at San Quintan, as Johnny Cash did on several occasions, there will be no murderers sitting in the pews before you. Those who are spellbound by your witness will never have committed physical murder, but they certainly are guilty of having committed emotional and spiritual murder. Your testimony must now accentuate that “You are the Man!” because those standing before you have murdered with gossip, jealousy, vindictiveness, anger, selfishness, insensitivity, insincerity, an uncaring attitude, a controlling disposition, and paralleling adultery by being unfaithful in so many other ways.
Then, as Nathan did, call for a commitment to live a God centered life.