Abundant Grace

Scripture Setting: 2nd Samuel 9

I. INTRODUCTION:

In the book of 2nd Samuel, we read of a time, when the news was spreading throughout the countryside, “Prince Jonathan and King Saul are both dead and David is now King!”

When the news of their deaths reached Jonathan’s home, it not only brought tremendous grief to his family, but it also sent fear and panic deep into their hearts.

Because in those days, it was common practice and even thought to be customary, that when a new king would take reign on the throne, he would have the family of the prior king eliminated.

Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth was only 5 years old, when the word came of his Daddy’s death.

It scared Mephibosheth’s nurse so badly, that she jerked him up to flee for his safety and in her haste, the boy fell and became crippled for life.

Mephibosheth would never forget that day.

He believed that there would never be a day that would impact his life and affect his future in the way that day had.

In his heart, he knew that he was destined for destitution and that he would live his life out as a beggar instead of a prince.

He felt that he was now nothing more than damaged goods and that he no longer had any value.

He had nothing to offer anyone, because he was now crippled and would forever be dependant upon others.

No one had anything to gain from Mephibosheth.

What a terrible day!

But he would soon discover that there was another day coming, which would affect his life in a far greater way than that tragic day of loss did.

It would be the day that Grace found him.

II. Grace… It’s a dirty word to the devil.

It’s what puts power in the gospel!

The gospel isn’t religion or philosophy, but it’s the gospel of GRACE!

It’s the wonder of the gospel, to think that God could and would reach somebody like me.

It’s what makes the gospel distinct, because there is no other religion in all the world based on such a concept.

GRACE: God’s favor, which is unearned, undeserved and it is not repayable.

III. Too often, we tend to limit Grace to the work of Salvation, but Grace is power for our lives.

2nd Corinthians 9:8 “And God is able to make all Grace {EVERY Favor & Earthly Blessing} come to you in ABUNDANCE, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient {possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation}.

Romans 5:20 – “But where sin abounded, GRACE did MUCH MORE ABOUND!”

2nd Peter 3:18 – “But GROW in GRACE…”

Satan would have you and I to leave the gift of grace at the altar of Salvation, but God’s Grace only begins there, enriching and enabling our lives.

The devil will tell you that from that point on, you must pull yourself up by your bootstraps and make it in your own strength.

But Grace is God’s undeserved favor in our lives.

IV. Now, David has become King.

Sometime has passed and David has just subdued and defeated his greatest enemies, the Philistines, Moabites and the Syrians.

As he sat in his palace, looking back over his own life and how he had come from being a sheep herder to reigning over all the land upon his throne, there’s no doubt that he was amazed at God’s Grace in his life.

I’m not exactly sure what his thought’s were, because the scripture doesn’t spell that out, but I believe that he must have simply wanted to demonstrate the Grace of God to someone else who was just as unworthy as he was.

In 2nd Samuel 9:3 David said, “Is there not still SOMEONE from the house of Saul, to whom I can show the mercy and kindness of God to?”

Mephibosheth would become the recipient of that act Grace and Kindness.

My friend today, Grace will seek you out.

David was on his throne and asked, “Is there not still someone from the house of Saul, to whom I can show the mercy and kindness of God to?”

Grace begins in the throne room and seeks us out.

Like Mephibosheth, before we were ever aware of Grace at all, it had already began seeking us.

The Bible says, that “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

While we were yet in sin, he loved us and sought us out.

None of us had anything to offer God.

He’s the sovereign God of the universe.

He has no need of what I can offer.

Likewise, Mephibosheth had been forgotten by the nation which his family had once ruled.