A Seat at the Table 2 Samuel 9:1-13

-Hospitality makes room at the table for someone who is far from God’s blessings

Have you ever felt like a stranger in a strange place? Our family spent several years in a community where it felt like we never quite fit in. After almost 5 years there, God called us on to a new place. The church was saddened by my departure, and they did the thing that most churches do: they threw us a going-away party after worship on my last Sunday. In so many ways, it felt like the experience that day summed up our whole time there. When we got our food and sat down (in the middle of the fellowship hall) no one joined us. In room full of people, we were all alone. After about 5 or 10 minutes, a few folks noticed that we were by ourselves and came to join us, but it was an awkward and a painful experience. God intends for His people to show hospitality and welcome others to the table!

Hospitality…

I. Is An Act of Intentional Kindness vv. 1-5

In our passage this morning, we find David in a position of incredible power. He has solidified his kingdom and he reigned over all of Israel.

What will David do with this power? He gives us an incredible model of biblical hospitality!

He intentionally looks for someone to bless

His blessings are active. He wants to do some practical kindness

Even more so, I think we need to understand how strange this all is, by human standards:

His kindness is directed at a potential enemy. Mephibosheth is Saul’s surviving heir

His kindness has no practical value:

Mephibosheth has no political clout

Mephibosheth has no military power

Mephibosheth is not a popular figure

Mephibosheth has no financial position

In fact, Mephibosheth is physically handicapped and cannot provide for his own needs; he is dependent on others

Why then, would David do this?

He does it as an imitation of the kindness of God

David can reflect on the kindness of God that he has personally received

In return, David is ready to share that kindness with someone else!

A guest of the Marriott hotel discovered that her sister had just died.  She was upset and share her sadness with a hotel employee.  The employee, named Charles, took a sympathy card to the staff and had them all sign it.  He gave it to her with a piece of hot apple pie.

The guest wrote a letter of thanks to the President of the hotel chain.  She wrote, "Mr. Marriott, I'll never meet you.  And I don't need to meet you.  Because I met Charles.  I know what you stand for.  I want to assure you that as long as I live, I will stay at your hotels."

II. Is a Gift on Behalf of Another vv. 6-8

Mephibosheth is brought to David, but he doesn’t really know what to expect:

He could be treated as an enemy of David

The best he could hope for would be indifference or curiosity

Instead, he receives an overflow of grace

David shows Mephibosheth the kindness of God, but there is another reason:

It is for the sake of Jonathan that David gives his favor to Mephibosheth

If we go back to 1 Samuel and we read the story of David’s younger days, we find that he never had a truer and better friend than Jonathan.

David wants to bless his best friend’s son now that he has an opportunity

Mephibosheth rightly understands the situation:

He honors David in this moment for his mercy

Mephibosheth is no more than a “dead dog” before David

He has nothing to give

He can only receive

I think this truth has two powerful applications for us:

This is exactly why we show mercy to others. It is on behalf of Jesus who we love

This is also exactly what we have received; a tremendous outpouring of grace on behalf of someone else

God the Father treats us like His very own child because of Jesus

In June of 2015, I attended the SBC Annual Meeting in Columbus, Ohio. It’s always a good time to hang out and catch up with old friends and I made plans to do just that. Throughout the week, one of my friends and I talked about going out for a steak on the last night and I was excited for the big meal. On the final night, he made mention that a few others were going out also and that we were invited. I found myself at a fancier steakhouse than I was used to and was a little afraid to answer for what I was buying! When the time came to order, I was secretly relieved when one member of the party let us know that he would be picking up the tab. Others started protesting, but he went around the table and shared why he would want to pay for their meal. There was only one person who didn’t belong at that table: me! The only thing I had going for me was a decision many years before to hop in a car with my friend, his son, to commute to NOBTS. However, because I was with his son, he treated me like his own. This is what God does for us through Jesus!

III. Makes Strangers into Family vv. 9-13

David gives gifts to Mephibosheth that are:

Restorative- David gives him back the lands of his grandfather Saul

Supportive- David provides servants (Ziba and his household) to care for Mephibosheth

Relational- Mephibosheth gets a seat at the table; He is treated like one of the king’s own sons

I think we need to camp out here for just a moment. because this is where we see hospitality on display

David does not simply do a little good for Mephibosheth; He makes room at his own table for him

Transformational- Mephibosheth is no longer an outcast, but he always eats at the king’s table

I think there’s something very important to note here about Mephibosheth: His name gets changed

In 1 Chronicles, we see him called by a different name, Meribbaal.

Mephibosheth is a new name that indicates a new reality “shame destroyed”

This is the offer that God gives us today through Jesus:

He is inviting us to His table through His Son and His sacrifice- we do not have to live in shame anymore

He is inviting us to open our table to someone who is far from Him- we can share His love with others in practical ways so that they can experience the blessings we have from Him

The Preacher’s Notebook: The Collected Quotes, Illustrations, and Prayers of John Stott The Hospitality of the Krangmalit

Raymond de Coccola spent twelve years in the central Arctic among “Krangmalit” Eskimos (“The People Beyond”) as a Roman Catholic missionary. He lived and traveled with them, and came to know them well. In Ayorama (OUP, 1955) he wrote:

What always struck me even more than the physical appearance of an iglu was the friendly atmosphere of the whole household. The moment even an utter stranger entered the iglu, he became a welcomed friend who could share whatever his hosts had for as long as he wished. I don’t know of any other place in the world where you can tumble into people’s houses without ceremony or warning, and merely by saying that you have come a long way are at once made the centre of friendly greetings and open kindliness.

What if people could say this about us: “I don’t know of any other place in the world like it.”