Keynote Speech - Mephibosheth

The boy was a child of the king. I speak in the past tense intentionally because his father was recently felled on the battlefield. This would understandably be a traumatic day for any child who has lost a parent, but for this boy it was more than that.

For this boy, he lost more than his father, and his grandfather, the king. He lost his place in the kingdom. You see in this time, it was customary for a new king to eliminate any potential threats from the previous regime — Hence — the previous kings son.

This boy might have been just a child on this day, but the maid taking care of him knew exactly what she has to do. She had to run, and she had to run far. So she did. Hastily.

And in her haste, she fell with the boy in her arms… and he was crippled from the waist down for the rest of his life.

Now, with no method to flee, the boy stayed instead in the kingdom, spending many years in hiding, awaiting the day when the messenger of the king would approach him, and send him to be executed. During this time, the boy took on the name Mephibosheth. Meaning shameful one.

What the boy did not know is that the new king, King David, was not like any other king. King David was a gracious king.

One day in one of King David’s years of reigning over Jerusalem. He sent out to find if there were any extra descendants of King Saul, or his son, Jonathon.

When the report got back the servant said to the king — “There is one, o king, however, he is crippled, and his name is mephibosheth.” The servant said — “He is not worthy of being in your presence o, king.”

Still, the King summoned Mephibosheth to his court.

When the boy got his message — he assumed the worst, he assumed the fair. He was going to be executed because his grandfather was the previous king.

He was brought trembling before David.

But — the good and gracious king did not fulfill the expectations of the shameful one. Rather, he called Mephibosheth by name —welcomed him in to eat at his own royal table, he restores to the boy the land of his ancestors, and adopts him as a son.

Little did little Mephibosheth know, that his own Father Jonathon had an unbreakable friendship with David before he died in battle.

And I can picture Mephibosheth sitting there before the foot of the king, knowing that he did nothing to deserve this, knowing that he has nothing to bring to the table. He even has no ability to work for David because of his lameness, he even says:

““What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”

Because of his fathers actions, David showed him kindness and accepted him as a son.

Brothers and sisters… I am Mephibosheth. I often feel like a dead dog before the throne of God our king. Do you?

Do you ever have the feeling of worthlessness when approaching the throne, knowing you have nothing to give — or having less — than nothing to give?

Well I have comforting news for you — that is absolutely true.

Ephesians 2:1 “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins”

Ephesians 2:5 “even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—”

Colossians 2:13 “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,”

but. There is more.

Theres a soteriological analogy that has the sinner treading water in the middle of a lake trying desperately to stay afloat — when suddenly Jesus, who is standing on the shoreline throws us a life raft and pulls us ashore.

I have an issue with this picture. If I were to rewrite it to make it more accurate I would have me, the sinner, at the bottom of the lake. Like Mephibosheth, with nothing I could possibly do to contribute —

And Jesus dove in. Swam down to the depths, grabbed my lifeless body — pulled it to shore, and breathed life into the corpse that was my soul and brought me to life with Him.

So the question we all have to ask ourselves now as Christians —— is now what?

Now that we have been saved simply by grace through faith. Now that we have been brought from death to life — what do we do?

What about when we fail? What about the times when we choose to totally neglect God’s graciousness and get into a cycle of sin that is comparable to spitting in the face of our saviour.

My response to to be like Mephibosheth. And hide away for ages with a name attributed to my lack of ability to walk. My response is to live as if the ol’ cruel dictator called sin and shame still held me captive.

But he doesn’t.

O Christian, O Mephibosheth — The gift that God has given us is one of freedom — one that says we no longer need to live this way. We no longer need to identify ourselves with sin. Because our identity lies in Christ.

And the word of God says that when we repent from our sin, God doesn't keep a file cabinet in order to pull out all the times that we have sinned against Him and meticulously look through them all and scowl — NO!

The word says that when we repent, our sins are removed as far as the East is from the West. Gone.

King David treated Mephibosheth the way God treats us today.

And the boy had a choice — He could choose to wallow in sorrow as he made his way to that Royal table everyday, hiding his face from everyone else. OR he could joyfully appear in the presence of the king, accepting the full grace and kindness of David in his undeserving manor. Knowing that the king has overlooked his brokenness on behalf of Jonathon. On behalf of Jesus.

We have the choice too. Are we going to wallow in sorrow as we approach the throne in prayer? in Worship?

I want you to imagine something with me — if it helps you to close your eyes do that — imagine the kings dinner table, King David’s royal feast — years after Mephibosheth was adopted... There would be Solomon, maybe setting aside his books in his study to come eat… There would be David’s daughter with her beautiful long hair in the most gorgeous hand-crafted dress, coming down the stairs on the right to join her father for dinner…

At the other end of the table there would David’s mighty men, Possibly some of the most impressive people to ever live, the bronzed muscles and heroic stories of valor behind each name — the perfect soldiers.

And then all eyes turn — As from a distance you could hear the struggle… Of Mephibosheth making his way to the Kings table maybe crawling, maybe crutching his way …

And with all humility, hoisting himself up onto his designated chair, maybe with a big ol smile on his face to join the men and women of honour, seated as a Child of the King.