The Art of Confrontation
Proverbs 27:6 (NLT) — 6 Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.
A confrontation is a meeting between two __________ for the purpose of ____________ ______________.
The first lesson we can extract from the life of Nathan is:
1. Follow ______ _____________ carefully.
Here are a few questions you can ask. You can jot these down in your notes.
A. Is the sin _____________ to God?
B. Is it __________ your relationship?
C. Is it ___________ others?
D. Is it __________ the offender?
When God speaks to you about confronting another person:
2. He requested a ________ _____________.
2 Samuel 12:1 (NLT) — 1 So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor.
3. Prepare to tactfully _________ your __________.
2 Samuel 12:1–3 (NLT) — 1 So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. 2 The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. 3 The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. ……
2 Samuel 12:3–4 (NLT) — 3 The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. 4 One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.”
4. State the truth ______________ and _______the spirit.
2 Samuel 12:5–6 (NLT) — 5 David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! 6 He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”
2 Samuel 12:7–12 (NLT) — 7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. 8 I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. 9 Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. 10 From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own. 11 “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. 12 You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.”
2 Samuel 12:12 (NLT) — 12 You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.”
2 Samuel 12:13 (NLT) — 13 Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin.
That leads us to step five:
5. What did Nathan do when _________ __________?
Romans 12:15 (The Message) — 15 Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when they’re down.
2 Samuel 12:13 (NLT) — 13 Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin.
Hebrews 12:5–6 (NLT) — 5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. 6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”