KINDNESS TOWARD MEPHIBOSHETHS
2-20-2011, Rich McQuinn, Minister: New Liberty Christian Church, Veedersburg, IN
TEXT: II SAMUEL 9: 1-13
INTRODUCTION: He was born in 1912 to some very poor parents in Russia. These were the times of rationing---you know the things you read about in history. You stood in line at the bakery to get a day’s ration for your family. Another line for beans, apples, potatoes. You could not find work, the government was into everything and you were afraid to do anything for fear of them watching you and finding something bad that you have done. You had to keep your children in line at all times. If they had a handicap then you kept them hid before the government took them away for experimental studies. Jules was born in February of ’12. He was born normal in every way. Mom and Dad had high hopes for their first born child. When he was 3 and a half he and his father was walking into town for supplies. Jules saw a team of horses coming and he cried out to his Papa to see them coming. The Father was preoccupied as the horses got closer. Jules slipped out of the hands of his father and rushed toward the brick streets. He fell in the way of the horse drawn wagon. The horses missed the tiny chap, but not the wagon wheels. The front wheel and back wheel ran over his legs crushing them into splinters. No hospitals at that time could fix little Jules. Cut them off or let them heal on their own. There wasn’t any money. Dad never got over his preoccupation and the mangling of his sons legs. Jules was never taken outside to play or to be seen. His mother kept him inside to watch and study. She taught him to read, write, add, science and he read two books a week. He knew he was a freak, an outsider, a no gooder, but it wasn’t his fault. He was not accepted in his society. He could no longer walk, jump, run or play at the age of three. That did not stop the rest of his body. He lifted weights and had a thirst for learning. Science was his fascination and he thought that science could rule the world. He studied and studied and later worked on different projects for the Russian government. In 1940 he came to America and immediately stated working with a group of men on a project only known as the Manhattan project. He was the only person working on the project from a wheel chair. He hated war and it was his idea to develop the weapon of destruction that would end all of the violence in the world. The Manhattan project was later known as the Atom bomb makers and Dr. Jules directed much of the science work. It was there that he was finally accepted for his worth, not how he was built. He was no longer a freak.
Later on I will give you another story of a cripple boy in the Old Testament and see what happened to him. But first we have to get a little background to this text.
Much of II Samuel is written about David, King David, and mighty David. The Bible leaves nothing about a mans life out. Good or bad it is all laid out in front of you. David was a great hero and a great sinner. That means that there is hope for all of the rest of us.
In the opening chapters of II Samuel we find David and his army conquering and winning many battles for the Lord. Saul and his son Jonathan were in the midst of a battle when both men were killed. David was anointed King. But what you do not realize is that many people were skipped over in the Kings line in order to get David to be King. They could have been jealous or even yet murderous. David treated them well.
In Chapter 4 we find the brief scripture of this little boy by the name of Mephibosheths. It is pronounced Mu fib o seth. His nurse dropped him when he was 5 years old and broke his legs. He was a cripple for the rest of his life. He crawled on his hands or someone picked him up to take him places. People felt sorry for him. He could have been put to death because he was not normal.
“The blind receive sight, the lame walk; those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear.” Matthew 11:5 NIV None were more shunned by their culture than the blind, the lame, the lepers, and the deaf. They had no place. No name. No value. Canker sores on the culture. Excess baggage on the side of the road. But those whom the people called trash, Jesus called treasures. ---Max Lacado
Are you normal today? Not a one of us is normal. We are all quite different from each other. We may be normal in our blood pressure readings or how many beats per minute our hearts beat, but we were made different from each other for a purpose.
There are three tiny subject matters that I want to draw to your attention about this text
I. DAVID HANDED OUT FRIENDSHIPS
David and Jonathan were best of buddies. David was a guest of the Kings house many times through the Kings son Jonathan. They sang, played, ate, and slept together. They were a team together. They looked after each other and protected each other.
Every one of us needs a personal close friend. Do you have one? Or do you pride yourself on being a loner. You keep to yourself and do not share yourself with others for fear at times that you would not be accepted or liked let alone being loved. David shared with his friend and vise versa. Every one of us needs someone we can share our lives with and not be rebuked or sold out. To be accountable to one person in your life, a person you can tell anything too and not fear that it will get out. It is a trust.
Who are your friends: What do you do with them? How do you cultivate their friendship? What do you do for them? Friendship is a two way street you know, you give and take. In a way it is like a marriage. You see the good in the other person when others can not.
David promised Jonathan that he would take care of his household. Those born into Jonathan’s family would be well taken care of no matter what. That would include this cripple boy Mephibosheths.
Do you remember the song What a Friend we have in Jesus?
What a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and grief’s to bear
What a privilege to carry, Everything to God in prayer
O what peace we often forfeit, O what need-less pain we bear,
All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer
Are we weak and heavy laden, Cumbered with a load of care
Precious Saviour still our Refuge, Take it to the Lord in prayer
Do they friends despise forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee, Thou wilt find a solace there.
In your hymnal you will find another song we like to sing a lot.
There is not a friend like the lowly Jesus, No not one, No not one
None else could heal all our soul’s diseases, No not one, no not one
Jesus knows all about our struggles, He will guide till the day is done
There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus, no not one, no not one.
Jesus is still your best friend and you should get to know Him better.
II. DAVID HANDED OUT KINDNESS.
We are Christian people. We have embraced the Christian faith. We know first hand what kindness is. Jesus is always being kind to us every day of the year. We sometimes forget to be kind each to the other as the Bible tells us to do.
I don’t care how you don’t feel good, or how the world has treated you, or all the things that just got dumped on you. You still have an obligation to be kind to each other and especially to strangers. If you are a Christian, then be one, act like one. The world will see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.
David asked questions about Jonathan’s family. He wanted to know their wear-abouts and how they were doing. When he did find out, he gave them their land back, so that the family would always have a job, always able to feed their families and have some self esteem. He put some pride back into each one of them.
For the boy who had become a freak, he brought him into his own castle and cared for him. That is an act of kindness.
Many of you are doing that today. You are raising someone else’s children. Circumstances came about and after raising your own you have a second family to raise.
Leo and his wife make their home in Lafayette, IN. They raised their own children. You know how it is. You sacrifice for their upbringing. You do without so they can have more. When their children were raised and out of the house, Leo and Joan took on two of their grandchildren to raise as their mother was too deep into drugs. Again they showed an act of kindness, the same kindness that Jesus has shown.
You remember of course Jesus with the woman at the well---His act of kindness, or the woman caught in the middle of adultery, or the kindness shown to the Lepers, or the raising of the son, or even feeding the 5000. Jesus was giving us all examples of being kind one to another. When you do it to the least of these, then you do it unto me.
When you give acts of kindness then you are really doing it for and to Jesus.
III. DAVID KEPT HIS PROMISE
He took the cripple child in to his own home and provided for him. He kept his promise that he made to his best friend Jonathan. Jonathan’s family would be well taken care of and they were.
The crippled boy had everything to lose and nothing to gain until a promise as made and fulfilled. Come and eat at the Kings table. Each and every meal you will dine at the Kings table with the king. How do you like that turn on history?
You were a cripple. No one wanted to be around you. You could not do what others could do. You were a sinner---after all that is what happens to sinners, right? You were an outcast of society, but now you sit with the Kings.
Sin does that for us. Sin makes us cripple. Sin makes us freaks, trash, unwanted, and unloved. We are nothing so to speak until Jesus comes into our life. Jesus takes the trash and makes treasures of us. You are a sparkling gem, a shinny diamond, a bright ruby all polished. You have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and you are worthy to sit with the Kings of Kings and eat at His table. You are the invited guest. You get to make your home in the Kings home. That is how important you are.
Do you see what I am saying here?
David made a promise to Jonathan to care for his household no matter who they were. David kept his promise. David made friends, special friends with Jonathan and went out of his way to bring an act of kindness to the family. As Christians we need to do more random acts of kindness. Promote the Lord through your kind acts to neighbors, friends and even strangers. Then remember that God so loves us, even in our sins. He has never broken a promise to us. He says He is coming back for us. He says He is building His home for us. He says He is preparing a meal for us and to sit at His table. Wow, what an offer.
Is Jesus your Saviour? Is Jesus Christ the Lord of your Life? Have you asked Him to be with you, to come in to your heart? Yes I know we are all sinners, we all have a bit of dirt on us once in a while. You don’t have to be a goodie goodie person to accept Jesus. Do not wait until all of your bad habits are broken, or your language cleaned up, or new cloths, or what ever excuse you have. Don’t do that. Jesus accepts us just the way we are. I urge you to accept Him to day as your personal Lord and Saviour.
Amen and Amen
