How to fix a damaged life

How to Fix a Damaged Life (The Story of Mephibosheth) Pastor Jay Williams

Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel; and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened, as she made haste to flee, that

he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth. (, NKJV)

Big Question: What is damaged in your life and how did it happen to you?

Note: Four Observations About the Damaged • Sometimes they are damaged by sincere people trying to help them • Sometimes they are damaged because people who love them over react\ • Sometimes they can’t fix what was damaged • Sometimes they just learn to live with the damage

• Sometimes they can’t fix what was damaged • Sometimes they just learn to live with the damage

I. David Goes Looking For a Damaged Person (, NKJV)

Note: There is always somebody who knows where the damaged live (Ziba) • 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!”

Questions: • Who do you know that is damaged? • How did they get damaged? • How far do they live from here? (10 minutes? 2 hours?)

II. How David Helped Fix the Life of a Damaged Person ()

1. He found somebody who knew where the damaged live ()

• 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.”

2. He sent somebody to go and get him (often they are too damaged to come to you) • 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.”5 Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar.

III. The Emotional State of a Damaged Person ()

• 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!”

1. They are afraid of more damage (“he fell on his face and prostrated himself”) 2. They feel they have no power to change their lives (“here is your servant”)

3. They have low self-image because of the damage (, “I am a dead dog”) IV. God’s Miraculous Provision For a Damaged Person

(He gave him more than he could imagine, cp. )

• 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.

Note: How David fixed the life of Mephibosheth

He took away his reason to fear (vs.7)

He gave him his own place in the world (vs.7)

He stepped over his insecurity when he calls himself a “dead dog” (vs.8)

He assigns somebody to help him build a future (vss.9-10)

He invites him to sit at his table every day so he can grow (vss.11-13)

Questions That Can Help Fix Your Life:

What is your story?

What happened to you years ago?

Who hurt you trying to help you?

What circumstance did your family pass down to you?

Conclusion: Action Steps You Can Take to Fix Your Life

Admit you have some damage

Allow someone who has the tools to help you heal (cp. , “...heal the broken-hearted)

Redefine what healing should look like (His feet were still crippled)

Believe God is able to fix your damaged life

King James: •

•

20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to

the power that worketh in us. 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages,

world without end. Amen.

Message Bible:

20-21 God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in

your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply