Mephibosheth

Unmerited Grace: The Story of Mephibosheth

2 Samuel 9:1-13

Summary: The chapter tells the story of King David's kindness towards Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, showing God's unmerited grace and favor.

Teaching: Through David's actions towards Mephibosheth, we learn about the power of forgiveness, kindness, and restoration. It teaches us to see others through the eyes of grace, just as God sees us.

1. Grace Begins with God

2 Samuel 9:1–3 “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?” 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!” 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.””

Look to show kindness. This is the theme of the passage for this week. The story of a lame child named Mephibosheth. It is a story how David showed him grace.

First off what is grace? I would say it can be defined as a gift. For example look at salvation offered by God. When Jesus paid for our sins on the cross He offered salvation to us if we simply believe. That is grace.

Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Grace is the unmerited favor of God. Grace is something we don’t deserve, can’t afford, could never pay back. It is totally a gift.

David understood he was who he was by the grace of God. All he was, all he had, and all the promises of God were given by grace. Here he was the king of Israel chosen and anointed when he was a young shepherd with the sheep. God is amazing.

Now as unexpected as his life was blessed by God, David looked to show favor, grace on Mephibosheth. This week we will look at how that unfolded in 2 Samuel 9.

You could start by illustrating the unexpected nature of David's inquiry about Saul's surviving kin, emphasizing God's initiative in extending grace to us even when we don't seek it. This reflects on Jesus' proactive love and sacrifice for us, and it could inspire us to actively seek to show kindness and grace to others, even when it's not asked for or expected.

2. Where is He?

2 Samuel 9:4 “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 Lo Debar.””

David had made certain promises to Saul and his friend Jonathan. David had promised that he would not exterminate their descendants when he became king ( 1 Samuel 20:12-17, 42; 1 Samuel 24:21 ). 1 Samuel 20:15 “but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” David goes way beyond just a promise to not hurt his predecessors family he seeks out the weakest one to give him a place at the table.

Grace on the look out.

It is always the nature of God to be on the look out to give grace to the lost and to His people.

He had one Son and He made Him a missionary to this world (John 3:16; John 14:7, 9)

Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).

Ephesians 2:6–7 “and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

Like the story of Mephibosheth, God has sought us out to be merciful to us by showing His grace and drawing us close.

Were is he that I might show him grace? What a wonderful example for us of showing kindness and grace to those who can’t pay us back. We are to be a light and a fountain of the love of God to the world.

3. From Humility to the Palace

2 Samuel 9:5–6 “Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar. 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!””

David brought Mephibosheth out of his modest home. He sent word and by grace brought him to the palace. Mephibosheth is lame from a childhood accident. Being handicap in those days was a sign of God’s disfavor. One minute he is struggling to make it through the day and now he is before the throne.

I would think he felt vulnerable, weak, and unworthy to be lifted up to just be in the palace for a short time. He had nothing to offer King David.

He was a lot like us. As sinners we are truly unworthy to be called into this glorious grace, but though we are weak we are made strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10 “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Consider the heroes of faith; Hebrews 11:34 “quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.”

Even our Lord had become “weak” by being born a man as in Philippians 2:7–8 “but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 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.” It was from this humility that Jesus was so highly exalted to the right hand of God the Father.

Our weakness and vulnerabilities are just one more was grace can triumph as we gather around that throne of grace (Heb 4:16).

4. Restoration and More

2 Samuel 9:7–8 “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.” Then he bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?””

A careful reading of 2 Samuel 9:7-8 shows David bestowing grace on Mephibosheth and much much more.

Proverbs 11:24 “There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty.”

Proverbs 19:17 “He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has given.”

In light of these two verses about giving grace to those who can’t repay David is showing a bountiful heart in that the grace he is bestowing on Mephibosheth is rich and extravagant. David is not measuring what he will get in return, but he is showing you can’t out-give God.

He is restoring all the land of his grandfather Saul. This is illustrated for us in Joel 2:25 ““So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you.” Sometimes life is brutal and we lose and we lose and some may want to give up. The world takes a lot just like the locust which swarm and eat and crawl and consume and chew like a mighty army. It makes my skin crawl to think about it, but God will restore us. He makes us new creations and all things become new (2 Cor 5:17).

The greatest gift of grace that David gave to Mephibosheth was the privilege to eat at his table. No longer an outcast, Mephibosheth was adopted into the royal family and treated as an equal. That is God’s heart for the vulnerable, the humble, the weak and handicapped.

5. I Have Plans For You

2 Samuel 9:9–11 “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. 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. 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.””

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

David gave orders for Mephibosheth’s inheritance. Provisions for his health and a position for his life. He gave a specific and detailed plan for prosperity. His servants were given instructions and were expected to carry them out.

This is a lesson for us. We often pray and expect God to do all the work, but here we see tangible and practical steps taken to restore Mephibosheth's fortunes, suggesting that grace should lead to tangible acts of kindness and restoration.

We are not to be passive recipients of some mystical power, but active in working out our “salvation” our deliverance from life’s details. Go to God to get the plan, then get busy and watch God bless because you are active participants in His will.

6. A Seat at the Table

2 Samuel 9:12–13 “Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micha. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth. So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king’s table. And he was lame in both his feet.”

What was Mephibosheth thinking. “I’ve been delivered, lifted up to a high place, given a new identity, restored.” Sounds a lot like the spiritual reality of the Christian (2 Cor 1:10; Col 1:13; Gal 2:20; 2 Cor 5:17).

Mephibosheth has a new life in the palace at David’s table. His relationship with king David must have been encouraging. He would be present when the king was recounting battles won and God’s faithful deliverances. He would among the first to hear the Psalms David wrote. A personal concert by Israel’s best musicians. What a life to have a seat at the table of a man after God’s own heart.

This should encourage each of us to live out our lives with the same joy. We have a seat at God’s table. Each day we can open His word and feast on His thoughts towards us. Each day we can experience to awe of God’s faithful deliverances. On Sunday we can all come around and be fed at the Lord’s Table. We should never be familiar with the sacredness of this ability.

2 Samuel 9:13 concludes with, “And he was lame in both his feet.” A subtle reminder that though we are seated in heavenly places in Ephesians 2:6, we also walk in this world with a limp.

Don’t focus on the limp. You have a seat at the table!

Application: This passage reminds us of the unconditional and surprising grace of God in our lives. It challenges us to show love and kindness to those who may seem unworthy or forgotten in society.