Intervening on behalf of David's kingdom, Joab conspired with a wise woman to resolve the conflict between the king and his son Absalom. When David acquiesced, Absalom returned to Jerusalem unpunished, unforgiven, and unashamed-and the saga of alienation and disruption within David's family and kingdom continued. Reminding us that sin always ends in tears, Alistair Begg directs our gaze forward to the cross, where, with open arms, King Jesus graciously welcomes believers out of the chaos and shambles of rebellious lives.

In the latter part of his reign, David became easily manipulated, and sin's corrosive effects continued to erode his kingdom. Two years after Amnon violated Tamar, her brother Absalom took matters into his own hands by vengefully killing him. Examining the tragic events of 2 Samuel 13, Alistair Begg reminds us that just like David's sons, we're all sinners, and judgment and vengeance belong to God alone. Jesus is the only King who can truly set things right. In Him, mercy and justice are perfectly executed.

Sin wreaks havoc in human lives. In 2 Samuel 13, we see the ripple effects of King David's sin extending to the next generation of his lineage. Consumed with lust, David's son Amnon schemed to have his way with Tamar, his half sister. Alistair Begg looks at the lessons we learn from this disastrous event that devastated many lives. Although David let down his family and kingdom, his story points forward to a perfect kingdom full of sinful people whose lives have been wiped clean by Jesus.

The Christian father has a special, God-given role within his family to lead his wife and children. This responsibility, explains Alistair Begg, involves not provoking one's children but instead reflecting the unmerited love and grace that our heavenly Father displays to us in Jesus. With the help of the Holy Spirit, Christian fathers can lead and discipline with grace in order that the beauty of the Gospel may captivate their children and be shown to a watching world.

God created men and women to flourish within the family structure. As those who are in Christ, we are called to live in a way that is pleasing to Him-and part of God's design for family life, explains Alistair Begg, is parents' responsibility to instruct their children in the Word of God and to accompany this teaching with discipline motivated by love. When children respond in obedience, the Christian family adorns the Gospel before a watching world.

The lordship of Christ should be on display in a Christian marriage. But how can spouses live this out- Expounding on the husband's leadership role in a godly marriage, Alistair Begg explains how a bridegroom should love his bride sacrificially, exclusively, and gently. This kind of selfless love is critical for a healthy marriage. Not only that, but it is also an example to a watching world of Christ's perfect love for His own bride, the church.

Marriage is not a cultural invention. Rather, it is a union between one man and one woman, as God designed from creation. But sin disrupted God's plan, causing us to rebel against the marriage roles that He established for our good. As Alistair Begg explains, only Jesus can reverse the effects of the fall, restoring relationships so that our lives reflect what is fitting in the Lord and proclaim the Gospel's transforming power to a lost and broken world.

We can only understand the Christian family within the context of the church family-and that begins by understanding the church itself. The local church is the community in which our identity as followers of the King is best expressed. Alistair Begg helps us understand the church's role and importance by pointing us to the biblical context of Colossians 3, our present cultural setting, and the Gospel solution for our lonely and fractured world.

The ripple effects of sin-even forgiven sin-often extend far beyond the original offense. Examining the consequences of David's transgression with Bathsheba, Alistair Begg explains that the king's story illustrates what happens when we resist God's rule in our quest for moral autonomy. Thankfully, though, no one is beyond the reach of God's amazing grace and love. By confessing our sin, we can rejoice in God's provision of a Savior and confidently proceed with our lives in light of His mercy.

The account of David's repentance in 2 Samuel 12 is complemented by Psalm 51, where the king recognizes that sin is a matter not of what he has done but of who he fundamentally is. Alistair Begg reminds us that repentance like David's is evidence of God's grace at work in our heart. Through Christ, we can come to the Lord humbly yet confidently, trusting in His compassion and knowing that He who has provided reconciliation in His Son has also justly and mercifully dealt with our sins.