Title: “The Greatest Compliment Ever Given”
Introduction: What is the greatest compliment that you have ever received? John said of Christ that he full of “Grace and Truth.” John 1:14.
Today’s message is a message on grace. Our primary text is 2 Samuel 9:1-11
And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?
And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.
And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.
And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.
Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.
Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!
And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.
And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?
Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master’s son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house.
Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master’s son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master’s son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king’s sons.
This is a story of grace. In the text, David the grace that David showed to Mephibosheth is very akin to the grace that God has extended to us. Let me share with you an acrostic message highlighting these six points of grace.
Grafted into the Vine:
Restored my soul:
Adopted me into his family:
Cleansed me of my sin:
Elected me for everlasting life:
David did this for Mephibosheth. God has done this for us.
Let me now review each point with you.
Grafted me into the vine:
Mephibosheth had thought that he was no longer a vital part of the Nation of Israel’s future. Both his Grandfather, King Saul, and his Father, Prince Jonathan, had been killed on the same day in battle. That left him an orphan. By bringing Mephibosheth to the palace, David was saying to Mephibosheth that you are still of vital interest to the Nation. He was reattached to life itself.
In Romans the 11th Chapter, the apostle Paul tells the Gentile Church that because God had broken off a branch from Israel, the age of the gentiles, was now in place. If we have had a born again experience in Christ, we have been grafted into the vine.
Restored my soul:
In the text, David restores to Mephibosheth all that he lost in the fall of his fathers. On the day that Christ died for us, and rose again, we too have been promised restoration. Some day, when we get to Heaven, we will too experience all of the joy and positions that Adam lost in the fall.
Adopted into his family.
Concerning Mephibosheth, David said, “He shall sit at my table and be as one of the King’s sons.
According to Galatians Chapter Four, we have been adopted into God’s family. As a child of God, we can call God our “Abba Father.”
Cleansed by the blood:
When brought into the presence of King David, Mephibosheth cried, “I am unworthy. I am a dead dog.” Mephibosheth was crippled when he was dropped by the nurse fleeing from the palace after hearing of the death of King Saul and Jonathan. Because of this Mephibosheth, felt of himself as being incapable of being a servant to King David.
Sin had spiritually crippled us. But the blood of Christ had the power to cleanse us of all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:7)
No one looks at your crippled feet when you are sitting at the King’s table!
Elected unto Everlasting life:
It was not that Mephibosheth had chosen David, but that David had chosen Mephibosheth. He was dwell at the King’s table “continually.” David also had a plan whereby his daily provision were to be provided for. Ziba, his 15 sons, and 20 servants were to take care of all that now pertained unto him. God too provides for us and desires that we “dwell in the house of the Lord, forever. (Psalm 23.)
The message:
When David became established as the King, instead of being insecure like his predecessor, he wanted to be a blessing to all that were of the household of King Saul. David had made a covenant with his beloved best friend, Jonathan. It was for his sake that he offered grace unto Mephibosheth.
Because of the love of the Father for his only begotten Son, God has extended GRACE to us.
Now it is our turn to extend GRACE to others!
Last week our Church hosted “Kid’s Camp” for the children of our neighborhood. We charged only $10 for this three day camp experience. How could we do that? Well, we served them a lot of hotdogs and potato chips… But the real question is, “Why would ten adult people give their lives and possessions to a three day Kid’s Camp ministry. BECAUSE OF THE GRACE OF GOD.
You see, God has been so good to us, that we have a compelling desire to be a blessing to others.
That is how David must have felt too. He looked around him. He knew that God’s grace had flourished upon his life. Now, he felt a great urge to share this same grace with others.
Consider this verse of scripture:
(Prov 3:27) Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
What has God done for you? Consider the acrostic outline of GRACE. What is in your hand? What good to you have the power to do for others?
Do it!
