A Divine Invite
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION: Welcome/Prayer
In accordance to the gracious will of God, we have been gathered together to hear from God tonight.
He will speak to us from 2 Samuel 9, and He will give us an example of an incredible act of faithfulness by a king to a member of his enemy’s house. In doing so, God points us to a greater and more perfect act of faithfulness, one which invites us into His presence for all of eternity.
So, you are here, by His good and sovereign will to hear this message, to hear this invitation. A message that welcomes those of you who are lost to be found, and those who have already been found to be reminded of God’s great grace.
1 And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3 And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” 4 The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” 5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. 6 And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” 7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” 8 And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?” 9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. 10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table, like one of the king’s sons. 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba’s house became Mephibosheth’s servants. 13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king’s table. Now he was lame in both his feet.
The King’s Right
The King’s Right
David, for the sake of Jonathan, asks if there are any surviving offspring remaining...
In doing so he learns of Mephibosheth, the 5-year-old boy who hurt his feet back in 2 Samuel 4:4…
Now, he’s a man, who has a son, v. 12...
Mephibosheth, aka Merib-Baal (1 Chron 8:34, 9:40)… is living east of the Jordan with Makir… a wealthy influential man who we will read more about in chapter 17.
Mephibosheth is asked to come to the king, unbeknownst to him as to why… for Mephibosheth, he is perhaps most likely expecting to be executed...
David as king has a right to execute Mephibosheth… in fact it is perhaps even expected by others that he would.
1 Kgs 15:29 (Baasha)
29 And as soon as he was king, he killed all the house of Jeroboam. He left to the house of Jeroboam not one that breathed, until he had destroyed it, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite.
1 Kgs 16:11 (Zimri)
11 When he began to reign, as soon as he had seated himself on his throne, he struck down all the house of Baasha. He did not leave him a single male of his relatives or his friends.
So, while David could execute Mephibosheth, he doesn’t
David is a just and righteous king…
In accordance to the character of David he remembers his covenant with Jonathan and Saul
1 Sam 20:14-17, 42 - Jonathan speaking
14 If I am still alive, show me the steadfast love of the Lord, that I may not die; 15 and do not cut off your steadfast love from my house forever, when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” 16 And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord take vengeance on David’s enemies.” 17 And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
42 Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’ ” And he rose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.
1 Sam 24:21-22 - Saul speaking
21 Swear to me therefore by the Lord that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.” 22 And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
David being a man of righteousness, his action here towards Mephibosheth, for the sake of Jonathan, gives us a prime example of what covenantal faithfulness looks like…
Covenantal Faithfulness is often associated with the Hebrew word… chesed, which is often translated as loving-kindness… some form or understanding of love that is significantly faithful and bears much for the sake of another...
So, yes, David had a right to execute Mephibosheth, but as king, he has a right not to, and since he is a man of righteousness and he has made a covenant… he is a faithful king who remains faithful to that covenant...
Though much time has passed…
And David has suffered much trouble caused by the house of Saul...
But a covenant was made… and “for the sake of Jonathan”… David is faithful to it
Sparing Mephibosheth’s life would have been enough… but David goes above and beyond
The King’s Right to Invitation
David gives Mephibosheth the house and land of Saul in Gibeah, 3 N of Jerusalem...
Along with Ziba and many servants to manage it for him....
Mephibosheth is lame
Mephibosheth who was hiding in exile, relying on another man’s wealth and generosity, is now a wealthy land-owner.. and to top it off…
Is welcomed at the king’s table… as one of the king’s sons...
Mephibosheth recognizes the significance of this
In humble acknowledgment of who he is, Mephibosheth refers to himself as a dead dog...
Consider who he is again...
A member of the house of Saul
A lame man, with bad feet, to have him eat at the king’s table regularly and to have him own a house and land means others have to care for him and the property....
Mephibosheth has nothing to offer.... nothing. Nor has Mephibosheth done anything to deserve this...
Yet, David, being a just and righteous king, acting with lovingkindness by showing covenantal faithfulness to Jonathan, for Jonathan’s sake, blesses Mephibosheth
When we read this and understand what is going on here… Our reaction should fall into one of two groups...
One, if you’re a believer, you should recognize this situation… you should have an understanding of what Mephibosheth is going through...
Two, if you’re not a believer… this should be startling, and perhaps you’re wishing you could be so fortunate… so blessed…
Regardless which one of these groups you fall into I have good news for you
Our God is one of covenantal faithfulness… the actions and situation we read of here in chapter 9 is not unlike our actual situation with God currently… with our Father in heaven...
The Father’s Right
The Father’s Right
Just as David had a right to execute Mephibosheth, our Father… God in heaven has a right to execute us...
Why?
We’re sinners, deserving of destruction
Romans 3:10-12
10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
We are sinners… no one here is righteous apart from Christ...
Who here has never lied?
Who here has never coveted something that was not theirs?
Who here has never disregarded God and acted against His will?
The first part of Romans 6:23a reminds us of what we are owed for our sin...
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
It’s in our nature...
Eph 2:1-3
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Since birth
Psalm 51:5 - from conception there is no innocence in us
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Romans 5:12, 18 - it’s hereditary
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—
18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.
This is just like Mephibosheth… who didn’t need to act to be an enemy of David… only born, an understanding exclaimed by Mephibosheth later in 2 Sam...
2 Sam 19:28
28 For all my father’s house were but men doomed to death before my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I, then, to cry to the king?”
Yet, just as David was faithful to his covenant… so is God our Father...
The Father’s Right to Faithfulness
God has made covenants with His people… Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and us today...
Many times God wanted to destroy His people but because of His lovingkindness… of His covenantal faithfulness He doesn’t… consider 2 Kgs 8:19
19 Yet the Lord was not willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David his servant, since he promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.
We, who are like Mephibosheth… are spared because of God’s covenantal faithfulness… because of His lovingkindness… because He has made a way for us to be spared, to be redeemed… all rooted in the New Covenant Jer 31:31-34
31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
Instituted in by Jesus in Lk 22:20
20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
So, even though God has a right to destroy us… He doesn’t… He has made a covenant and He is faithful to keep it…
In doing so, He, like David with Mephibosheth, extends an invitation to us...
The Invitation...
An invitation to come to sit at His table… to partake of communion which is a physical expression of affirmation of those who are partakers of the New Covenant and a greater spiritual reality
And if we understand the nature of the One who invites us… or perhaps we better understand our own nature… thus we have
A sense of unworthiness
A sense of dread
But just as David told Mephibosheth, who saw himself as a dead dog, and probably feared his own life,
Just as David told him “Do not fear”
Jesus, our King, says the same Lk 12:32
32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
This invitation is for all who are born-again, born from above (John 3)… who eat of the living bread which is Christ John 6:47-51
47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
This is for those whom the Father has called to Christ… John 6:44
44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
You being here, you hearing this… online, on our podcast… is God drawing you to His Son… to invite you to believe in His Name… to eat of the living bread… to receive eternal life… The wages of sin is death… but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord Romans 6:23
And again, just like David… God doesn’t simply spare us His wrath…
He goes further… He blesses us richly.. Eph 2:4-10
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Just as David gave Mephibosheth so much… God does the same…
Purely out of His grace… for His glory, we are given a new life to do good works...
We are now sons and daughters of the Most High… we are new creations… justified, sanctified, and one day glorified… no longer viewed as enemies… no longer hostile in mind towards Him… no longer children of wrath…
That is of course, if you accept His invite...
But you must not reject this invitation…
Isaiah 66:4
4 I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears upon them, because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose that in which I did not delight.”
John 12:48-50
48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”
This invitation does not come cheaply… it comes at a great cost… the blood of the Father’s Son… not just the blood though… the suffering the Son had to endure before the final drop of blood was spilled…
David had to go to considerable lengths to provide for Mephibosheth… God goes to even greater lengths to provide for us...
For in our sin and depravity we are worse off than a man without two good feet...
We bring nothing to the table but sin and impurity that must be cleansed and purified by the shed blood of Jesus Christ who died for us...
Consider if David had said to Mephibosheth..
Come eat at my table… and to make this happen, here’s my son Solomon… watch as he dies and his blood is spilt to make you worthy to sit here…
Outrageous right? Well, multiply that by infinity and we might begin to grasp what God did for us at the Cross...
And be careful not to add to it either...
Don’t mock God by thinking the blood of His Son was not enough… by adding to it
Don’t mock God by ignoring what He has told us plainly in His Word that it is finished… by trying to do more...
Do not reject it…
Yes, you are a sinner… yes you belong to this world, to the house of Saul… but do not fear… that changes today…
Do not forget it...
Live faithfully in accordance to your adoption, to your new life… so that when our risen King, Jesus Christ, returns and sets the table for His people at His wedding feast… we may not be cast out because we did not live accordingly to those who have been given such great riches by His grace, for His glory, for His work...
Let us celebrate this truth now, by coming to the Lord’s Table...