Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro:

The story of Mephibosheth is the first thing mentioned after the government of David had been fully established.

Typically, it reveals the gospel in a beautiful way, and foreshadows the kindness of God which will be manifested in the coming kingdom.

NIV - 1 David asked, "Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?"

David sought an opportunity to do good.

He might have satisfied his conscience with the performance of his promise to Jonathan if he had been only ready, upon request or application to help.

But he does more, he looks for an opportunity.

Note, Good men should seek opportunities of doing good.

Kindness: The quality of compassion and generosity, characteristic of God’s dealings towards the weak and poor, demanded of believers.

This Kindness is also shown in the words and deeds of Jesus.

(NLT) 3 Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient.

We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures.

Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other.

4 But— “When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.

He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.

6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.

God for Christ's sake shows His great kindness to sinful man.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible.

David and Jonathan's Covenant of Kindness

David and Jonathan's Covenant of Kindness

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible.

NIV

But show me unfailing kindness like the Lord’s kindness as long as I live, so that I may not be killed, and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family—not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”

So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.”

And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.

2 Now there was a servant of Saul's household named Ziba.

They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" "At your service," he replied.

3 The king asked, "Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God's kindness?"

Ziba answered the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet."

4 "Where is he?" the king asked.

Ziba answered, "He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar."

5 So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel.

6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor.

David said, "Mephibosheth!"

"At your service," he replied.

7 "Don't be afraid," David said to him, "for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan.

I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table."

8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?"

9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul's steward, and said to him, "I have given your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family.

10 You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master's grandson may be provided for.

And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table."

(Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

11 Then Ziba said to the king, "Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do."

So Mephibosheth ate at David's table like one of the king's sons.

12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mika, and all the members of Ziba's household were servants of Mephibosheth.

13 And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king's table; he was lame in both feet.

1 Sam 4

(NLT)

4  (Saul’s son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth, who was crippled as a child.

He was five years old when the report came from Jezreel that Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle.

When the child’s nurse heard the news, she picked him up and fled.

But as she hurried away, she dropped him, and he became crippled.)

15 and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family—not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”

16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.”

17 And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.\

The story of Mephibosheth is the first thing mentioned after the government of David had been fully established.

Typically, it reveals the gospel in a beautiful way, and the kindness of God which will be manifested in the coming kingdom.

The story of Mephibosheth is the first thing mentioned after the government of David had been fully established.

Typically, it reveals the gospel in a beautiful way, and the kindness of God which will be manifested in the coming kingdom.

Mephibosheth is a type of the sinner and the condition which he is in.

He was helpless, being lame of both feet.

How he became lame is found in 2 Samuel 4:4.

He fell and became lame, a helpless cripple.

It reminds us of the fall of man and the helpless condition into which sin has put man.

Therefore, he could not come to David.

He had to be carried into the king's presence.

The sinner cannot come of himself to the Saviour; He has to seek him out.

And David wanted to show him "the kindness of God" for Jonathan's sake.

"Thus, the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man hath appeared" ().

Mephibosheth means "shame out of the mouth" (Confession?);

when he hears from David's lips what kindness was prepared for him he confessed with his mouth his own shame and nothingness.

"What is thy servant that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am?"

And what words of grace came from David's lips!

Surely the kindness of God is here fully made known.

He is lifted from his low place of shame to take a place at the King's table "as one of His children.

God for Christ's sake shows His great kindness to sinful man.

Mephibosheth means "shame out of the mouth" (Confession?);

when he hears from David's lips what kindness was prepared for him he confessed with his mouth his own shame and nothingness.

"What is thy servant that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am?"

And what words of grace came from David's lips!

Surely the kindness of God is here fully made known.

He is lifted from his low place of shame to take a place at the King's table "as one of His children.

Acts 14

Gal 5:

Col 3:12

14 But show me unfailing kindness like the Lord’s kindness as long as I live, so that I may not be killed,

15 and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family—not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”

16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.”

17 And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.

Kindness – A Characteristic of God’s dealings with His people.

The story of Mephibosheth is the first thing mentioned after the government of David had been fully established.

Typically, it reveals the gospel in a beautiful way, and foreshadows the kindness of God which will be manifested in the coming kingdom.

Mephibosheth is a type of the sinner and the condition which he is in.

He was helpless, being lame of both feet.

How he became lame is found in chapter 4:4.

He fell and became lame, a helpless cripple.

It reminds us of the fall of man and the helpless condition into which sin has put man.

Therefore, he could not come to David.

He had to be carried into the king's presence.

The sinner cannot come of himself to the Savior; He has to seek him out.