Confessing
Passages (NIV): Psalm 32: 1–5 and 2 Samuel 12:1-10
Preacher: Laura Nelson
This Sunday we continued our Staying Close to God series by exploring how confession and forgiveness are not meant to weigh us down, but to set us free.
We used the image of a small backpack slowly filled with unnecessary weight, to show how unconfessed sin - things like bitterness, poor choices, hidden failures, or unhealthy attitudes, can quietly weigh us down over time. Confession, rather than adding burden, is like cleaning out the backpack. Scripture reminds us that when we bring these things honestly to God, He is faithful to forgive and restore us (1 John 1:9).
The story of King David vividly shows both the cost of carrying sin and the freedom that comes through confession. Psalm 32 describes the physical and spiritual toll David experienced when he kept silent, while 2 Samuel 11 - 12 reveals how deeper issues like idleness, entitlement, lust, pride, and abuse of power, led to devastating actions. When confronted by the prophet Nathan, David responded with simple honesty: “I have sinned against the Lord.” God’s forgiveness came immediately. Out of this flowed Psalm 51, a prayer not for reputation management, but for heart renewal and restored joy.
Confession is not about obsessing over sin, but about making space to receive God’s grace and live freely. Sin steals joy, but forgiveness restores it. As we came to the communion table, we were invited to confess the garbage we have accumulated in our backpacks, and receive Christ’s forgiveness. In confession, we discover again that we are welcomed by mercy, healed by grace, and invited into the abundant life God desires for us.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
The Weight We Carry
What stood out to you from the backpack image, and what kinds of weight tend to build up in our lives?Why We Hold Back
Why does confession often feel hard or intimidating, even though it is meant to bring freedom?What’s Beneath the Surface?
In David’s story, what deeper heart issues were at work, and where do we see similar patterns in ourselves?Joy and Freedom
How does unconfessed sin affect our joy, our freedom, and our closeness with God?Living Lightly
What helps you regularly “empty the backpack” and keep company with Jesus?
