The Highest Compliment Ever Given

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)