DAVID SERIES: A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART - PART 14: MEPHIBOSHETH - A PERFECT PICTURE OF GOD'S GRACE
2 SAMUEL 9: 1 Now David said, ¡§Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan¡¦s sake?¡¨ 2 And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, ¡§Are you Ziba?¡¨ He said, ¡§At your service!¡¨ 3 Then the king said, ¡§Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?¡¨ And Ziba said to the king, ¡§There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.¡¨ 4 So the king said to him, ¡§Where is he?¡¨ And Ziba said to the king, ¡§Indeed he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in LoDebar.¡¨ 5 Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from LoDebar. 6 Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, ¡§Mephibosheth?¡¨ And he answered, ¡§Here is your servant!¡¨ 7 So David said to him, ¡§Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father¡¦s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.¡¨ 8 Then he bowed himself, and said, ¡§What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?¡¨ 9 And the king called to Ziba, Saul¡¦s servant, and said to him, ¡§I have given to your master¡¦s son all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. 10 You therefore, and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master¡¦s son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master¡¦s son shall eat bread at my table always.¡¨ Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, ¡§According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will your servant do.¡¨ ¡§As for Mephibosheth,¡¨ said the king, ¡§he shall eat at my table like one of the king¡¦s sons.¡¨ 12 Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micha. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king¡¦s table. And he was lame in both his feet.
Intro: David: Man After God's Own Heart (Pt 14) Mephibosheth: A Picture Of God's Grace
God Is A God Of Grace. Song: Great is thy faithfulness Lam. 3:22-23 22. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The mindset of many is that they can work hard to gain salvation. They believe they can live good enough to make it to heaven. Impossible. The price is paid. All we have to do is accept the gift God has provided. In the Bible, we find various examples of God¡¦s grace.
1. Ephesians 2:4-9: 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
2. Esther 2: 17 Now the king, Xerxes of Persia, was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18 And the king gave a great banquet, Esther¡¦s banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday...
3. John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, [but] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
4. Romans 9:10-13 Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad - in order that God's purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls - she was told, ¡¥The older will serve the younger.¡¦ Just as it is written: ¡¥Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.
5. 2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Grace Is A Dirty Word For The Devil. It¡¦s the power behind the gospel - not creed, religion or philosophy. Grace is that God would reach somebody like me. No other religion is based upon such a concept. Grace: God¡¦s favor that is unearned, undeserved, unrepayable. Too often we limit Grace to the work of Salvation only - but Grace is power for living the Christian life. 2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Satan would have us leave the grace of God at the altar of salvation, but God¡¦s grace only starts 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 no! Grace is God¡¦s continuous undeserved favor on our lives.
A FEW DIFFERENT TYPES OF GRACE BUT THE SAME GOD
To understand the magnitude of God¡¦s grace, see the kinds of grace He pours on us daily.
1. Common Grace: God loves everyone. So, there is a common grace that He gives all people whether they acknowledge Him or not. Matthew 5:45 He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
2. Saving Grace: Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith¡Vand this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works lest any man shall boast. By His saving Grace, God has paid the ransom for everyone who will receive His gift of salvation.
3. Sanctifying Grace: Immediately after we are saved, God¡¦s Grace goes to work to purify or sanctify us. You play a part through obedience, but ultimately you must count on His sanctifying grace. Philippians 1:6 He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.
4. Provisional Grace: Through His provisional grace, God provides for all our needs. James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights. When you get a better job or an unexpected gift, count it as grace from God.
5. Miraculous / Radical Grace: Miracles and deliverance - Acts 6:8 Stephen, a man full of God¡¦s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people¡¨. Through His grace, God still does miraculous things every day ¡V healing, interventions, etc.
6. Serving Grace: Every believer is freely given spiritual gifts to serve others and bolster their faith. 1 Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God¡¦s grace in its various forms. We each receive serving grace.
7. Sustaining Grace: In those times of trial and suffering, 2 Corinthians 12:9 says ¡§My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness¡¨. God Grace sustains us.
THE PASSAGE AND THE GRACE OF GOD ¡V DAVID AND MEPHIBOSHETH
One Of The Greatest Examples Of Grace In The Old Testament Is In This Passage Of David And Mephibosheth. In our past studies of David, we see a very beautiful friendship between Jonathan and David. They were close - loved each other as one soul. They bonded together and were very loyal to one another in spite of how King Saul felt about David. They made a covenant of friendship to each other promising that whoever survived or outlived the other would look after each other¡¦s families. This incident certainly stands as a challenge to us as to how we operate with our friends and what kinds of promises we make, honor or break. We are also living in a time where all relationships are suspected, pressured and challenged. If you have a friend, it seems like everyone is wondering what is going on between them as if there is no such thing as pure friendship. People want you to be mad at a whole family because they had problems with one member of the family. We just can¡¦t seem to separate and deal with the issues. David and Jonathan were different.
1. The Condition In Israel Then Is Like In The World Today.
It Was A Time Of Much Turmoil In Israel. Saul had failed as the people¡¦s choice and David is now king. Jonathan and Saul had died on Mount Gilboa in 1 Samuel 31. In 2 Samuel 4:4, Mephibosheth is only 5 years old, sitting playing and oblivious to all that is happening. Suddenly, his nurse bursts into the room, grabs him, running through the door for safety. In those days very much like in some places today, it was customary that if a King took the throne, he would often eliminate the family of the King before him. But the nurse accidentally drops him and crushes his legs crippling him for life. Mephibosheth believed there would never be a day that would so impact his life and future like that day. He is destined for destitution, to live as a pauper instead of a prince. For him, it is all over. No hope. No future. Past is gone. Search for safety from David landed his servants down in Lodebar, a city east of the Jordan River. That place was characterized by barrenness, waste lands and devastation - a city in the midst of the wilderness. Place of no pasture. No greenery. It was desolate. In Lodebar, Mephibosheth lost his rank, prestige, respectability, reputation, superiority, self-will. Down in Lodebar, Mephibosheth went from living in the palace to hiding out with a family friend. Mephibosheth went from the prince to servant. Mephibosheth went from powerful to afraid. He was subject to persecution and slander because though a heir to the throne, he is crippled and lame and living out in a forgotten country. He is the subject of ridicule and laughter. Mephibosheth would never forget that day. Our passage comes in when Mephibosheth is now 20 years old. His name means ¡§He scatters shame¡¨, or ¡§destroying shame¡¨.
2. The Position Of David ¡V Just Like Jesus.
David Is Now King Over All Of Israel. From years of suffering, torture, near death, persecution, God has given him everything. Philippians 2: 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. I would like to imagine as David sat in his house one evening, fond memories of his dear friend Jonathan come to mind. He remembers the covenant he made many years ago with Jonathan, and asks the question in 2 Samuel 9:1 ¡§Is there anyone left from the house of Saul that I may show mercy to for Jonathan¡¦s sake.¡¨
In This Passage Of Scripture, See The Concern Of The King. David and Jonathan were bound to one another by a covenant of love. David¡¦s love illustrates God¡¦s love to us.
ƒæ David¡¦s Love For Mephibosheth Was Spontaneous. It was the voluntary impulse of a kind and merciful heart. So it is with God, He has taken the first step toward man¡¦s redemption. He so loved the world that He gave His Son. His love was gracious. See Romans 5:8.
ľ Mephibosheth Was Undeserving Of This Show Of Love. Ancient custom was for the new king to kill & destroy all the relatives of the previous kings. David offered his love to an enemy. Colossians 1:21: And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.
ƒæ This Love Was Self-Sacrificing. David was willing to give what was his that he might show kindness to Jonathan¡¦s son. Jesus was willing to sacrifice His life, to die on Calvary, that our sins might be forgiven. What David gave was only temporary, what Jesus gives is eternal.
3. The Condition Of Mephibosheth.
ƒæ His Helplessness. Mephibosheth Was Lame In Both Feet. His helpless condition is a picture of each of us without Christ. We are crippled by sin. ¡§There is none righteous, no not one¡¨¡K ¡§For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God¡¨¡K ¡§All like sheep have gone astray.¡¨
ƒæ His Fearfulness. First, He Was Hiding From The King. He was unaware of the king¡¦s love that was to be extended toward him. Like Mephibosheth, many of us are hiding from God. Second, He Was Living In Destitution. Mephibosheth was in a city called LoDebar. This name means a ¡§place of no pasture¡¨. It was actually a barren waste land. Third, He Was Outside Of God¡¦s Will. So many of us are living in a spiritual LoDebar - no hope. No spiritual food.
4. David Is The Example Of A Loving Savior (2 Samuel 9:1-5)
ƒæ Grace Will Find You First. 2 Samuel 9:1: David asked ¡§Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God unto him? Like Mephibosheth, before we were ever aware of grace at all, it already sought us. While we were yet in sin, he sought us out.
ƒæ God¡¦s Grace Pursues Us. Grace will go wherever you are. LoDebar ¡V no pasture, barren, desolate place. Illustration: Ask the prodigal son, it found him in a pigpen and brought him home. Illustration: Ask Joseph, it found him in a pit dug by his brothers and it lifted him as high as second in command of Egypt. Illustration: Ask the Samaritan Woman, it found her at a well in the middle of the day. Illustration: Ask Gomer, Prophet Hosea¡¦s wife who leaves her marital home and his re-purchase from the auction block. Like David, God sends out his messengers of grace. No matter where you may be today, grace can find you and change your life.
ƒæ The Reach Of His Love. 2 Samuel 9:1: And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake. David had entered in to a covenant with his friend in the past. 1 Samuel 20:42: And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed forever. David did not set out to find one certain individual, he used the word ¡§any¡¨. Reminds me of the unconditional love of God the Father. He did not send His son to die for a few, but for the sins of the whole world (John 3:16).
ƒæ God¡¥s Grace Remembers Us. Forgotten by his nation, abandoned by his family ¡V no reason to be remembered. But out of God¡¦s grace, David remembered this crippled man.
ƒæ Grace Overlooks Our Fault: 2 Samuel 9:2-4 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. 3 And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet. 4 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. They were quick to remind David that Mephibosheth was crippled. David didn¡¦t remember him because of what he could get out of him - motivated by pure grace. God¡¦s motivation to reach us is pure grace. David was not concerned that Mephibosheth was crippled. He simply asked the question ¡§Where is he?¡¨ David began searching for anyone that remained from the house of Saul. Now this goes from a universal opportunity to an intimate experience. God has provided a universal opportunity. But when He calls your name it becomes an extremely personal experience.
ƒæ The Persistence Of His Love: 2 Samuel 9:5: Then King David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar. What happened to Mephibosheth as a result of the King searching him out? He was taken from a land called Lodebar in the King¡¦s chariot. He is sought out and taken to a much better place. We have a loving Savior that sought us out, He called our name, and Just like Mephibosheth, we were lame on both our feet. We couldn¡¦t get to Him so He came to us! Psalms 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
5. What Awaits Every Lost Sinner That Comes To God (2 Samuel 9:6-7).
ƒæ God Will Call Your Name: 2 Samuel 9:6: 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! Again, note that it was the common practice for the Kings of this time in history to put to death all contenders to the throne of a former dynasty. Put yourself in Mephibosheth¡¦s shoes. He is crippled and can¡¦t defend himself. The chariots arrive and he is summoned to face the King. By the time he arrives at the palace, he is scared to death. He comes before King David and falls on his face waiting for the King to end his life. David calls his name: ¡§Mephibosheth¡¨. When the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin we feel much the same way as Mephibosheth. We are helpless and terrified of our destiny. We are enemies of God. And then it happens: God Calls My Name! David called Mephibosheth¡¦s name and that calmed his fears. The same thing happens when God calls our name.
ƒæ God Will Calm Your Fears: 2 Samuel 9:7: And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew 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. 8 And he bowed himself, and said, what is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am? David assures him: ¡§Fear not¡¨. Then the King shares with Mephibosheth all that he is going to do for him. Notice Mephibosheth¡¦s response: ¡§Servant, dead dog, etc.¡¨ Dogs were not as honored in biblical times as now. When we realize that we are lost, on our way to hell and deserve to be, it is a scary event. Then the same Holy Spirit that reveals our lost state shows us that we have a way out.
6. Between David & Mephibosheth Is A Picture Of Lasting Salvation (2 Samuel 9:9-11).
ƒæ Our Salvation Provides Fulfillment: 2 Samuel 9:9: 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. 10 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. Mephibosheth was a crippled living and hiding in a dry barren land from the man who has just changed his life. As far as we know he only had one other family member, a son named Micha. David assigned Ziba and his servants the task of tilling the land and bringing in the fruits for Mephibosheth. Notice the part of the verse that says ¡§Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.¡¨ David wanted to make sure that Mephibosheth had all that he would ever need. Just because you give your life to Christ doesn¡¦t mean that life will be smooth. But you will have fulfillment you never had before. When you are truly saved there is an amazing sense of peace and fulfillment in your life. The storms stabilize you may come, but they strengthen you.
ƒæ Our Salvation Provides A Family: 2 Samuel 9:11: 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. 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth. David didn¡¦t just have mercy on Mephibosheth, he didn¡¦t just spare his life. David provided him with a home and above all he made him a part of his family! We have been blessed in the fact that we have been rescued from death and hell and I praise God for that. But there is much more to salvation than just deliverance. We have more than just eternal life and a home in heaven. We Are Children Of God!! John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.
ƒæ Our Salvation Provides A Future ¡V We Must Accept It: 2 Samuel 9:13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet. Mephibosheth accepted the grace that was granted to him. He did not turn and walk away from such a great opportunity. Sadly, many people, maybe some of you have or will walk away from the opportunity to accept God¡¦s grace available to you. The King was genuine and gave him the greatest opportunity of his life. Grace Is Where He Abandoned His Crippled Past - Crippled Mentality. Grace Is Where He Discovered Who He Was Born To Be. Grace Is An Intimate Position. A Perpetual Position. Grace Is Where He Embraced David¡¥s Favor At His Father¡¥s Expense. David Made It Plain: 2 Samuel 9:7: ¡§¡KFor Jonathan thy father¡¦s sake¡¨. Mephibosheth Accepted.
CONCLUSION
Grace Is ¡§God¡¦s Reward At Christ¡¦s Expense¡¨. We are not receiving God¡¦s favor on the grounds of our own goodness, but on the basis of the finished work of Jesus Christ. We are undeserving but God keeps on blessing us, keeping us, forgiving us, loving us, lifting us, feeding us. The choice is ours. We have fallen and are also crippled but we don¡¦t have to stay there. We are lame from our falls, running for our lives, fallen into trouble, fallen into confusion, fallen out of the will of God, fallen into sin, fallen into yokes and burdens, fallen into curses, fallen into selfishness, fallen into pride.
Or You May Be Mad Because You May Have Even Been Carried And Dropped. Dropped by someone who was trying to save you. Dropped by someone else¡¦s fall. Dropped by someone else¡¦s sins. Dropped into a place where you didn¡¦t belong. Now you can¡¦t walk straight. Everytime you try to get on your feet, you fall down. Everytime you try to walk, you fall down. Everytime you make a vow to the Lord you find yourself falling back. Everytime you promise the Lord you won¡¦t do that no more, you fall down. Everytime you try to do the right thing, wrong kicks you over and laughs in your face.
Or You May Be Content In Lodebar Because You Are Alive. But Get up. I know you are crippled by despair. I know you are crippled by death of loved ones. I know you are crippled by disease. I know you are crippled by things from your past, I know you are crippled by desires that won¡¦t turn you loose, I know you are in pain I know you are locked in alcoholism, defeatism. I beg you today to come on out of LodeBar.
Or You Feel Like You Are Nothing. I know that you¡¦ve been walked on. I know that you have been down so long that you don¡¦t even know which way is up. But come on, you can come out of Lodebar today. You don¡¦t belong there. You belong in the king¡¦s palace of grace and mercy. There¡¦s nothing but death in Lodebar. There¡¦s only defeat in Lodebar. Come out of Lodebar - that waste land. Come out of Lodebar, there is no pasture there. Come out of Lodebar, to a pure relationship with God. Come out of Lodebar to victory over Satan. Come out of Lodebar, to victory in Jesus. Satan wants you to think that you won¡¦t make it outside of Lodebar. But come on out, you can make it. God has something better for you. You don¡¦t have to die in sin. God has prepared a way of escape for you. Just walk, crawl, but go through the door of repentance. God has a place for you in his palace.
FOUR (4) FINAL PRACTICAL CONCLUSIONS TODAY
Accept The Invitation. Be Thankful. Partake Of The Food Prepared. Talk To The King.
