The Rise and Fall of Absalom: Week 4 – Scarred but Still Standing
The Rise and Fall of Absalom: Week 4 – Scarred but Still Standing
Aaron Rios | Garden City Church | Aug 10th, 2025
Altered but Not Abandoned
Let’s begin with a truth that’s both weighty and full of hope:
David remained king—but his story changed. The crown stayed on his head, but the path beneath his feet shifted. Grace still covered him, but the legacy bore the scars. He was still anointed, but his journey was undeniably redirected.
Too many believers treat grace like a revolving door—walking in and out of sin like it’s no big deal...But what if it is a big deal?
What if sin, like grace, has the power to shape us—just in a very different direction?
Romans 6:1–2 (NIV):
“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?”
Grace isn’t just a reset button. It’s a holy invitation—one that demands a timely response.
Hebrews 3:15 (NASB):
“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts…”
2 Corinthians 6:2 (NIV):
“Now is the time of God’s favor; now is the day of salvation.”
God’s call doesn’t wait forever. It comes in windows and seasons—and when we ignore it, we don’t just delay the promise… we distort it.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NASB):
“There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every matter under heaven.”
Yes, the consequences of disobedience are real.
But so is the hope—because God is in the business of reclaiming stories.
Joel 2:25 (NIV):
“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten…”
Your story may be altered—but grace still has the final word.
You may be scarred—but you are not hopeless.
Psalm 37:23–24 (NIV):
“Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.”
Three Postures That Redirected David’s Path
1. Idleness Breeds Idolatry: 2 Samuel 11:1–5:
David stayed behind when kings went to war. That’s where it started. It wasn’t just lust—it was complacency. In addition to not stepping up to his kingly duties, we find that David also sent someone else in his place. When kings go to war, David sent his general. A general might be a great position, but a general cannot fulfill the role of a king.
Delegation isn’t sinful, but disengagement is dangerous.
When we stop depending on God, we open the door to everything else that is NOT of God.
This moment of disengagement opened the door to a moment that would forever transform Davids dynasty.
Maybe you’ve never pursued someone else’s spouse—but are envying someone else's platform, finances, lifestyle, gifting or calling? What are you letting steal your gaze from God? For David it was Bathsheba. For you and me... the options are limitless.
Colossians 3:5 (NIV):
“Put to death… evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.”
Idolatry doesn’t always look like a golden calf.
2. Power Misused Becomes Spiritual Abuse
David didn’t just sin—he sinned with power. He used his position to override someone else’s dignity. He had access—but no permission. Scripture tells us that it was from the high tower that David could spy out Bathesheba. Though Davids position granted his view point, it was not intended for indulgence but rather for for oversight.
God will raise people up and in that elevation, leaders will gain new perspectives and vantage points, but God gives those insights so leaders can be responsible. David was irresponsible. Just because he could see Bathesheba does not mean he should have watched.
Leadership isn’t about what you can do—sometimes it’s about what you won’t do.
Jesus had all the advantage any person could have hoped for - yet, he chose to remain low and humble, and not exploit his position or power.
Philippians 2:6 (NASB):
“Though He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped...”
In the Kingdom, elevation means more self-denial—not less.
1 Peter 5:3 (NIV):
“Not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”
Bathsheba was in a sacred space—but David twisted it. Some things are simply not yours to look at, no matter your title. And the higher you climb, the more sacred your restraint becomes.
3. Leader Postures That Last
Dr. Chris Green once described three postures of lasting leadership: The Rock. The Wet Nurse. The Eunuch. Each one reveals how a leader handles what’s entrusted to them.
a. The Rock – Steady Under Pressure
Moses struck the rock—but it still gave water. Even when mishandled, it released what God had placed within it.
1 Corinthians 10:4 (NASB):
“They were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.”
If you're called to lead, don’t let offense or exhaustion stop the flow. God still expects the output, even when you feel overlooked.
b. The Wet Nurse – Serve Without Possessing
The wet nurse feeds, changes, nurtures a child that isn’t hers. She loves it—but doesn’t own it.
John 3:30 (NIV):
“He must become greater; I must become less.”
1 Corinthians 3:6 (NIV):
“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.”
That church? That ministry? That breakthrough? It’s not yours. You serve it. You don’t possess it.
c. The Eunuch – Serve With Integrity, Without Agenda
Eunuchs were entrusted with guarding the bride—because they had no intention of exploiting her. Can God trust you with His bride? Are you near her for protection—or possession?
2 Corinthians 11:2 (NIV):
“I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to Him.”
Kingdom leadership isn’t about being seen. It’s about guarding what belongs to Jesus with no strings attached.
Finally... Scarred but Still Standing
David’s winning streak ended in a single moment. The worshipper who danced before the Lord got caught in temptation—and the consequences were deep.
2 Samuel 12:10 (NIV):
“Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house...”
But here’s the grace: David repented. He didn’t hide—he cried out.
Psalm 51:1–2 (NIV):
“Have mercy on me, O God... Wash away all my iniquity…”
Yes, grace covers. But it doesn’t cancel every consequence. Sometimes It redeems them.
Galatians 6:7 (NIV):
“A man reaps what he sows.”
Sin's ultimate cost—death—has been paid at the cross.
Romans 6:23 (NIV):
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life…”
But even if you walk with a limp, that limp can preach. It’s not a mark of failure—it’s a testimony of grace.
Genesis 32:31 (NIV):
“He was limping because of his hip.”
You may be scarred—but you’re still here. And that means God’s not done with you.
Final Reflections:
Your story isn’t over. It’s just being re-written by the same grace that held David.
Let that grace hold you, steady you, and carry you as you step into the next chapter.
Let’s begin with a truth that’s both weighty and full of hope:
David remained king—but his story changed. The crown stayed on his head, but the path beneath his feet shifted. Grace still covered him, but the legacy bore the scars. He was still anointed, but his journey was undeniably redirected.
Too many believers treat grace like a revolving door—walking in and out of sin like it’s no big deal...But what if it is a big deal?
What if sin, like grace, has the power to shape us—just in a very different direction?
Romans 6:1–2 (NIV):
“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?”
Grace isn’t just a reset button. It’s a holy invitation—one that demands a timely response.
Hebrews 3:15 (NASB):
“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts…”
2 Corinthians 6:2 (NIV):
“Now is the time of God’s favor; now is the day of salvation.”
God’s call doesn’t wait forever. It comes in windows and seasons—and when we ignore it, we don’t just delay the promise… we distort it.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NASB):
“There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every matter under heaven.”
Yes, the consequences of disobedience are real.
But so is the hope—because God is in the business of reclaiming stories.
Joel 2:25 (NIV):
“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten…”
Your story may be altered—but grace still has the final word.
You may be scarred—but you are not hopeless.
Psalm 37:23–24 (NIV):
“Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.”
Three Postures That Redirected David’s Path
1. Idleness Breeds Idolatry: 2 Samuel 11:1–5:
David stayed behind when kings went to war. That’s where it started. It wasn’t just lust—it was complacency. In addition to not stepping up to his kingly duties, we find that David also sent someone else in his place. When kings go to war, David sent his general. A general might be a great position, but a general cannot fulfill the role of a king.
Delegation isn’t sinful, but disengagement is dangerous.
When we stop depending on God, we open the door to everything else that is NOT of God.
This moment of disengagement opened the door to a moment that would forever transform Davids dynasty.
Maybe you’ve never pursued someone else’s spouse—but are envying someone else's platform, finances, lifestyle, gifting or calling? What are you letting steal your gaze from God? For David it was Bathsheba. For you and me... the options are limitless.
Colossians 3:5 (NIV):
“Put to death… evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.”
Idolatry doesn’t always look like a golden calf.
2. Power Misused Becomes Spiritual Abuse
David didn’t just sin—he sinned with power. He used his position to override someone else’s dignity. He had access—but no permission. Scripture tells us that it was from the high tower that David could spy out Bathesheba. Though Davids position granted his view point, it was not intended for indulgence but rather for for oversight.
God will raise people up and in that elevation, leaders will gain new perspectives and vantage points, but God gives those insights so leaders can be responsible. David was irresponsible. Just because he could see Bathesheba does not mean he should have watched.
Leadership isn’t about what you can do—sometimes it’s about what you won’t do.
Jesus had all the advantage any person could have hoped for - yet, he chose to remain low and humble, and not exploit his position or power.
Philippians 2:6 (NASB):
“Though He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped...”
In the Kingdom, elevation means more self-denial—not less.
1 Peter 5:3 (NIV):
“Not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”
Bathsheba was in a sacred space—but David twisted it. Some things are simply not yours to look at, no matter your title. And the higher you climb, the more sacred your restraint becomes.
3. Leader Postures That Last
Dr. Chris Green once described three postures of lasting leadership: The Rock. The Wet Nurse. The Eunuch. Each one reveals how a leader handles what’s entrusted to them.
a. The Rock – Steady Under Pressure
Moses struck the rock—but it still gave water. Even when mishandled, it released what God had placed within it.
1 Corinthians 10:4 (NASB):
“They were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.”
If you're called to lead, don’t let offense or exhaustion stop the flow. God still expects the output, even when you feel overlooked.
b. The Wet Nurse – Serve Without Possessing
The wet nurse feeds, changes, nurtures a child that isn’t hers. She loves it—but doesn’t own it.
John 3:30 (NIV):
“He must become greater; I must become less.”
1 Corinthians 3:6 (NIV):
“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.”
That church? That ministry? That breakthrough? It’s not yours. You serve it. You don’t possess it.
c. The Eunuch – Serve With Integrity, Without Agenda
Eunuchs were entrusted with guarding the bride—because they had no intention of exploiting her. Can God trust you with His bride? Are you near her for protection—or possession?
2 Corinthians 11:2 (NIV):
“I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to Him.”
Kingdom leadership isn’t about being seen. It’s about guarding what belongs to Jesus with no strings attached.
Finally... Scarred but Still Standing
David’s winning streak ended in a single moment. The worshipper who danced before the Lord got caught in temptation—and the consequences were deep.
2 Samuel 12:10 (NIV):
“Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house...”
But here’s the grace: David repented. He didn’t hide—he cried out.
Psalm 51:1–2 (NIV):
“Have mercy on me, O God... Wash away all my iniquity…”
Yes, grace covers. But it doesn’t cancel every consequence. Sometimes It redeems them.
Galatians 6:7 (NIV):
“A man reaps what he sows.”
Sin's ultimate cost—death—has been paid at the cross.
Romans 6:23 (NIV):
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life…”
But even if you walk with a limp, that limp can preach. It’s not a mark of failure—it’s a testimony of grace.
Genesis 32:31 (NIV):
“He was limping because of his hip.”
You may be scarred—but you’re still here. And that means God’s not done with you.
Final Reflections:
- Grace runs deeper than your sin.
- Your calling isn’t erased by misstep—it may just be redirected.
- Leadership never means entitlement—it always demands selflessness.
- Scars can become hallmarks—if you let them be.
Your story isn’t over. It’s just being re-written by the same grace that held David.
Let that grace hold you, steady you, and carry you as you step into the next chapter.
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