David and Mephibosheth

Annoying people

I’m pretty sure that every one of us has at least someone who really annoys them. Perhaps you’re a tolerant person so it’s only a mild annoyance. Or maybe you’re well beyond your level of tolerance and this person just makes you want to rip your hair out whenever they open their mouth.

The problem can sometimes be exacerbated on Facebook. Some people just post things which just seem so stupid. Of course, there is an easy fix on Facebook. In fact, you’ve even got options. My preferred method though is to just keep scrolling.

Unfortunately, in real life, it’s not always that simple. When they’re in your immediate group you socialise in. I’d suggest maybe even at church, but of course everyone in our church is so super nice that of course you wouldn’t get annoyed at anyone - right???

You see, in real life you can’t really just ignore or block people - or maybe you can but it’s a lot more rude.

Now perhaps we can just dismiss this as part of life so deal with it. The reality however is that we start treating some people differently. Worst of all, there can be this subtle thing going on in our head - we meet non-believers and make a sub-conscious thought: I’d love this person to become a Christian, but not that one, that person would just be annoying.

Now sometimes, it actually moves beyond just an annoyance. We start to come against people who actively work against us. This of course is a whole new kettle of fish. These people who are working against us, well, we should be cutting them off - shouldn’t we?

Well this morning we are continuing our series on David. We’re going to see an act which is actually quite extraordinary. David is going to do something which is preempts the grace of the gospel.

When every good sense says he should cut someone off, he is going to do more than just tolerate them. He’s going to lift them up and give them a seat at the kings table.

This morning I’ll explore this story. But after we’ve got the story out straight, I want to look at it from two angles. First, by looking at the one receiving the grace. And secondly, by looking at it from the perspective of David who is giving grace.

David and Mephibosheth

Well, we need some of the back story to appreciate what’s going on in 2 Samuel 9. Most of the back story we’ve already covered in this series so I’ll just give a super quick recap now.

The Israelites asked for a king like the other nations and so God gave them Saul.

Saul does some good, but doesn’t take too long before he goes off the rails. Saul has four sons, but the one that gets the most attention in the Biblical narrative is Jonathan. And significantly for today’s story, David forms a very strong relationship with Jonathan. Even at the time, this was a very unusual friendship because at the time the friendship developed, David had already been annointed as the one who will become next king.

So why develope a friendship with the one that is going to stand in the way of you becoming king?

Now perhaps you might think well there could be one reason - after all, there is a well quoted saying which says: “Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer”, but it becomes very clear that it was not this thinking that David had in mind.

David genuinely cares for Jonathan. For our purposes today, it is significant to note a particular oath that David makes to Jonathan. You can find the promise in 1 Samuel 20 when David promises that he will never cut off kindness from Jonathan’s family.

Well, the transition from Saul being to king through to the point at which David is finally made king is a long and convoluted story. I’ve essentially gone over it in the last few message, so I won’t repeat that now.

The bottom line is that Saul and his four sons all end up dead - and it should be noted that this was definitely not at the hand of David.

But despite them all ending up dead, we are told of one descendant of Saul that survived everything. His name was Mephibosheth, and his backstory made a brief cameo back in 2 Samuel 4 when the last of Saul’s sons were meeting their end.

It’s a curious little backstory.

Mephibosheth is just five years old when he was being looked after by his nurse while his dad and grandfather, that is to say, Jonathan and King Saul were out at a battle.

News eventually comes back that Saul and Jonathan die in this battle. It would seem the nurse is not a complete idiot. She can put two and two together. There is now political instability, and as Mephibosheth is in line for the throne, well he’ll be an easy target for someone who might want to claim the throne for himself.

So she picks up this five year old boy but tragedy strikes. In her haste, somehow she manages to fall and in the process it would seem that poor Mephibosheth’s feet get crushed to the point that he becomes lame in both feet.

Well, if you were reading through the account, after this brief account of Mephibosheth tucked away in chapter 4, you’ll no doubt have completely forgotten about this small detail by the time we get to chapter 9.

In fact, it would seem that even David himself has forgotten about his best friend’s son as well.

You see, after David officially became king over a united Israel, he’s been very busy establishing himself. Last week I looked at the promise God gave to David, but if you went to the next chapter, you’ll see that in all directions, north, south, east and west, David is establishing dominance over their neighbours.

But as we get to chapter 9, it’s almost as if David has a chance to sit back and reflect, and he remembers the promise he made to Jonathan all those years ago. It was a promise that he would show kindness to Jonathans family forever.

Well, David is a man of his word, and so he inquires whether there is anyone left in the line of Saul, because he wants to show how genuine he was.

Now obviously Mephibosheth hasn’t made himself too well known at this point. You could imagine that he has been advised to keep his head low. If he avoid detection, he’ll have a much better chance of not being knocked off.

But David was aware of a certain servant who worked for Saul, and thought he might be able to help. His name was Ziba.

Now it’s not entirely clear in this chapter, but it would seem that this servant was a little opportunistic. If we do a little reading between the lines, I think Ziba has probably been taking advantage of Mephibosheth.

When David asks about someone from the line of Saul, Ziba tells David about Mephibosheth who has essentially been hiding in a little place called Lo Debar.

So David has this poor cripple come to him.

Now just think about this from Mephibosheth’s perspective. I’m guessing that he’s thinking that the new king is doing a final clean out of anyone who poses as a threat. David’s just had all of these great victories, but he’s probably now thinking whether there is anybody who might have a claim to the throne - and the only one who has a legitimate claim is himself. So why’s David asking him to come? Well, I think he’s thinking he’s about to be dead.

So why does he come? Probably because he thinks he doesn’t have a choice.

But what happens when he gets there must have given him a real surprise.

As you might expect, Mephibosheth bows down to pay him honour.

But David simply says one word - his name!

Now there is something remarkable about this. Mephibosheth could be a real thorn in David claim to the throne. And given his a cripple, why waste your breath on him.

But yet David says his name. With his name, Mephibosheth gets dignity. With his name, he gets recognition. He earns a place.

In many ways Mephibosheth is nothing to this whole story. But in another way, what happens here is what this is all about.

At his name, Mephibosheth replies - “At your service”. Is this just grovelling in a hope that David might be lenient? Maybe. But I don’t think so. I think Mephibosheth recognises something in the way his name has been called.

At his name, he is being called, and he is answering.

David continues in a way that is often done when God calls someone by their name. He says: “do not be afraid”.

David says he will surely show him kindness for the sake of his father Jonathan.

But here is gets even more amazing. This is not just an act of mercy. Mercy would let him keep on living. This is an act of grace. David will restore all of the land that belonged to Saul.

But in perhaps the greatest act of grace - Mephibosheth will always eat at the Lord’s table.

Now this really is remarkable. There is something intimate about eating a meal with someone. It is why hospitality is such a big deal. As we do this basic function of eating we are breaking down barriers as we connect with one another.

Now if I was right in that the servant Ziba had been taking advantage of Mephibosheth, David certainly corrects this, and makes Ziba a servant of Mephibosheth.

There is nothing that Mephibosheth has done to deserve any of this. What’s more, as the end of the chapter reminds us, he is lame in both feet. But here we see a picture of grace.

It’s a picture that clearly points us to Jesus.

We do not deserve recognition. In fact, we belong to the kingdom that is of this world. And yet Jesus summons us, and he calls us by name.

Not only does he call us by name, but he restores us and greatest of all, he invites us to eat at his table.

We have grace

And so I want us first to think of this story remembering that we are Mephibosheth.

You do not deserve God’s grace.

Sometimes we might think we are special. Mephibosheth might have even thought he was special. After all, he was the grandson of the first king of Israel. But he wasn’t. Because that line had been rejected.

I think deep down we actually know that the pretense we might sometimes try to hold up that we are worth something on our own, really isn’t worth much.

In fact, sometimes that feeling of worthlessness can really become quite overwhelming.

At times we can even be tormented by our conscience.

God calls us over - in the same way David summoned poor Mephibosheth.

And we know what he should say. I don’t know you. You don’t feature in my plans. You’re more of a hindrance than a help.

Certainly these are the things that we assume God would be entitled to say. You might even recognise there’s a pretty good argument to support such a case.

But… God doesn’t say that! And it’s not because God’s just not noticed those aspects that you’ve judged yourself with. In fact, God sees you far more clearly then you know yourself.

Rather, God looks at you, and he sees the amazing person he has created. And he calls you by name!

Your name is a special gift. It was given to you by your parents in that act that reminds us of creation. God knows your name - and he calls it.

And just like Mephibosheth, our response should be “at your service”.

It’s the call and response. God calls. We answer.

God invites. We accept.

I’m going to look at this from David’s perspective in just a moment, but it’s so important for us to recognise that first and foremost - we are Mephibosheth.

We are the ones that by all rights, we should be discarded. We’re broken. Some of us might even identify with Mephibosheth’s disability.

But God doesn’t discard us. And he doesn’t even just allow us a small conscension. He restores us, and invites us to eat at his table.

How wonderful is that?

We show grace

But let’s look at the story now from David’s perspective.

David knows what it’s like to be left out.

If we go back to his initial anointing - I’m talking right back in 1 Sam 16, then we find David not even invited to the great sacrifice were the prophet Samuel had invited Jesse and his sons to attend. David was just the young child who needed to stay and tend the sheep. He wasn’t important. He didn’t amount to much.

But he was called.

Throughout the remainder of Saul’s reign, David was constantly on the outer.

But it was with those moments like with Jonathan, the one who by rights should have wanted him gone, that he found acceptance.

David’s life was changed by God’s calling on his life.

God had transformed him, so when we get to 2 Samuel 9, David is thinking in a very different way to someone who hasn’t been transformed.

When he finds out about Mephibosheth, his different view point kicks in.

He doesn’t see a threat. He doesn’t see a cripple. He sees a child of promise.

Mephibosheth is the child of the one who he promised to always show kindness to their family forever.

So how do we relate this to our situation?

Well, I think first and foremost, we look at our obligation to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

You see, if God has chosen someone - who are we to say they are unimportant? They are a child of God, and you need to show them the same kindness and love you do others.

Of course, there are some people you’re just not going to be best friends with. That’s okay. No ones saying you need to be best friends with everyone. But you should be showing kindness to all, and accepting them. Even the annoying ones.

But I want to argue that it goes even further then just our fellow believers.

Now you might argue - but even David didn’t show kindness to all people.

But we don’t know who God has chosen and who he hasn’t.

I still remember a child in a youth group that I used to run at a previous church. He was the type of child that really made you want to pull your hair out. He was always getting in trouble. We had to ban him a few times.

But I remember we always loved him. And accepted him even though he didn’t deserve it. Eventually he stopped coming.

Quite a bit of time elapsed, probably a few years. And then I saw him walking along a road so I stopped to say hello. And I heard to most extraordinary story.

After he left our youth group, he eventually found himself at another church who asked if he would help on the sound desk. Well, one thing led to another, and his life was changed. This child I was speaking to on the side of the road was a completely transformed person to the one that always mucked up at youth group.

Some people are annoying. Some people seem just too far gone. They aren’t worth our time.

But you don’t know what is happening for them.

This is why it is so important to start with us remembering that we are Mephibosheth. Once we start at that point, then when we’re in a situation like David where we are able to now show kindness to others, we can start to see them differently.

This often will call for us to put aside our differences.

Don’t look at someone and say - they’re too left wing, or they’re too right wing.

Don’t dismiss someone because they’ve got a different view on vaccines to you.

Each of us are different. We have different backgrounds and for this reason we won’t see everything eye to eye.

But we are all people that have been made in the image of God. We are all people that Jesus died for on a cross. And we need to love them like Christ does.

Conclusion

Is this going to be easy? Absolutely not.

Some people you might be able to tolerate.

But when it comes to believers. We all eat at the same table. We all share a common family. We need to show kindness and compassion.

Even for non-believers. They too are made in the image of God. We need to love and care for them.

David has given us here a picture of the gospel. A gospel story that we now have been caught up in.

We have been shown the most amazing grace - and we too now need to show that same grace to others.

So let me pray...