Living Up to Your Last Name - 2 Samuel 9

Introduction

I remember being at my cousin’s house when I was little. And, somehow, the subject, as it does with children, turned to a contest of dads. Everybody was talking about their dad and what he did and how great he was. But, what I remember like it was yesterday is that my cousin stopped, and among all the dads, she started talking about my dad. She told me how lucky I was to have my dad, and how he was the kind of guy that would always help others and made you laugh and that you could depend on. And, I remember being so proud that it was my dad that stood out. I started thinking through what she was saying and thinking of examples of how he did what she said. I thought my dad was great, but obviously this was something extraordinary. I remember thinking to something that happened just a few weeks or months earlier. Some teenagers had put their dad’s truck in the ditch. My dad went and helped them get it out so that they wouldn’t get in trouble. I thought to myself, “He really is this awesome.”

And, here’s the thought that I remember having: I guess that’s who we Hales are. That’s who I need to be, too. That is, that’s probably the first time that I remember really thinking that I had a last name that I needed to live up to. “Christian” is a type of last name. It’s an adopted name given to us by a gracious Father. It’s not a name that you can earn. You can’t try to look like Jesus and act like Jesus and behave like Jesus and get the name. It has to be given to you. But, do you know what happens when that name is given to you? You want to live up to it. You want to live worthy of your calling. You want look like Jesus and live like Jesus and behave like Jesus not so that you will be adopted into his kingdom; You do it because that’s who you really are. He’s made you that way.

God’s Word

This is a good description of what we see in David today. He's the anointed of God, and God has allowed him to experience unprecedented success as Israel’s king. The kingdom is in her golden age with peace on every side and expanding prosperity. So, David sees this as an opportunity to live up to the family name. He takes personal responsibility to put the very character of God on display, particularly his definition of love. That’s what we’re supposed to take away here. How God has loved David, and how God loves through David so that we can see How God Loves Us (headline), and how God loves through us.

God’s love is “determined.”

2 Samuel 9:1-3 And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 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.” 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.”

Hesed is determined, stubborn love

There are certain words in the Bible that flash like neon lights. They’re sirens that call for us to pay attention so that we can see what’s really happening. One of them is a word we looked at quite a bit in the book of Ruth, but it comes up here again — hesed. It’s the Hebrew word for how God loves. It comes up three times in 2 Samuel 9, including twice in the first three verses and again in verse 7. It means love, but more than love. Kindness, but more than kindness. Loyalty, but more than loyalty. There’s no exact equivalent. It’s goodness in abundance. It’s kindness in excess. It’s love beyond what’s reasonable. And, I think there’s a particular picture given to us in 2 Samuel 9 that helps us hone in our definition of hesed a bit more. It’s a love that is determined. It is defined by its commitment; its resolve; it’s wonderful stubbornness.

Think of how we see that here:

It’s determined to keep a promise.

“kindness for Jonathan’s sake” In the first three verses, the same question comes up twice, but with a slight alteration. In those two questions, we see two motivating factors that drive David to do what he’s doing. First, you see that he’s determined to keep a promise. In 1 Samuel 20, David made a promise to Jonathan that he would always bless his offspring. So, what’s the first thing David does when he finally has enough peace and calm to think. He goes looking for Jonathan’s offspring to bless them. He’s intent on blessing them. He’s intent on keeping his promise. He’s intent on fulfilling what he’s said. Why? Because that’s what love looks like. Love isn’t a word you throw around. It’s a commitment you keep. It’s a determination to expend great personal energy and resources to ensure that you’re holding up your end in excess. “Kindness for Jonathan’s sake”, as we’re going to see more and more clearly isn’t about attaining a bare minimum; it’s about extending tremendous personal energy that he might extravagantly bless Mephibosheth to keep his word to the uttermost.

ILL: Married couples that make it are the ones who are stubborn about their commitment to one another. That’s the nature of Hesed love.

That’s what hesed love looks like. It goes looking for ways to uphold its commitment. It expends personal energy at great personal cost so that a covenant can be kept. It’s love that keeps a promise. It’s the type of love that sends its own Son to march up the hill to Golgotha so that his promises to his people might be kept.

It’s determined to display God’s character.

“that I may show the kindness of God to him” But, notice the alteration in the question. In verse one, it’s to keep the promise to Jonathan. In verse three, it’s to “show the kindness of God to him.” That is, David isn’t just determined to show Jonathan’s offspring kindness, but a particular flavor of kindness. He’s determined to show him not just any old, run-of-the-mill kindness; He’s determined to show him kindness that reveals the very character of God. Hesed love is that way. It’s determined to display God’s character. It’s God’s love and loyalty and goodness experienced in every day life. That is, David is looking to bless someone in such a way that it leads them toward the worship of God. He’s determined to love them in such a way that they think to themselves, “That was all God right there.”

That’s what it means for us to live up to our last name. Our lives aren’t about us — that’s first name living. Our lives are about blessing people with such extravagance, with such shocking determination, with such generous helpings that they have to think to themselves — this is bigger than that dude. It’s last name living. It’s elevating Christ who has given so much to us a David had.

“anyone…someone...” Notice who David asks for in each question. He asks for “anyone…someone...” He’s not looking for the perfect person to bless. He’s just determined to bless someone, anyone. His determination is not to find a person that’s suitable for his blessing; his determination is to show “someone” — “anyone” — the character of God. How many times do we miss displaying the character of God because we’re looking for someone suitable? David’s commitment is not to the most worthy candidate; it’s to his promise, his covenant. Because you know what? David wasn’t a suitable candidate himself. He was an outcast shepherd. But, look at God’s goodness to him. And, you weren’t either. Hesed love doesn’t search out the suitable; it’ll bless anyone!

We see two ways this determined, hesed love works its way out in 2 Samuel 9:

Determined love “leads” to new “life.”

2 Samuel 9:5-7 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. 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.” 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.”

Meph’s life story

It boils down to there being only one remaining member of the house of Saul, and it’s Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth. He’s lived a hard and tragic life. We’re introduced to him in 2 Samuel 4. His dad and grandad die when he’s only five. Essentially orphaned, his nurse flees with him so that she can spare his life, as the family of deposed kings were usually all killed to eliminate potential for a coup. She stumbles and drops him, and so from the age of five, he’s both orphaned and crippled. He’s essentially living in exile. And, think of the tragic fall of his life, and how often he must’ve thought of it. He went from privileged prince to crippled exile before he really even had the opportunity to enjoy his position. His life was in shambles. He’s about 20 years old at this point, and he’s left to live off of the generosity of others for the rest of his life.

“I will show you kindness....and I will restore to you....” UNTIL THE KING SENDS FOR HIM. He’s trying to make lemonade out of lemons, and unbeknownst to him, the king is determined to get to him. So, imagine the scene when he’s carried and laid down before David. He has to be expecting that David is going to execute the last living relative of Saul, the one who could potentially lay claim to the throne. But, do you hear what he says? He says, “Don’t be afraid. You’re not going to know my wrath. You’re going to get to know my kindness really well.” Wrath is what he deserved, but kindness is what he received. Do you see that? Woah! And, what does David do? He gives him a brand new life. He gives him a life without begging. He gives him a life of plenty and prosperity. He gives him a life where he’s not in exile and on the run, but living in Jerusalem in a prince’s house. He restores to him what his dad had intended for him to have. David’s determined love give Mephobosheth a new life.

David: “He did it for me!”

But, you see, all David was doing was paying forward God’s kindness to him. This was his story, too. God had found him in the pasture. God had found him as the runt. God found him as the one without any respect. God found him on the run from Saul. God found him when he was under the threat of Achish, king of Gath. And, God’s kindness had given David a new life, and it was David’s new life given by God that was motivating him to give a new life to Mephibosheth.

That’s where the motivation comes for live the life we’ve been called to. God has found us in our poverty, in exile, at the end of the rope, and we were supposed to face down his wrath. But, instead, He said to us: “You’re going to know my kindness, not my wrath.” And, He is, through Christ, restoring to us all that He intended for us to have from the start. One day, we’ll live a perfect life in a perfect kingdom because God is determined that it’s so. My goodness, how can we keep living like we’re in exile? Mephibosheth sure wouldn’t!

“Somebody did it for me!”

And so, now, we have the opportunity to pay it forward like David did. We have the motivation to allow others to know God’s kindness. (ORPHAN SUNDAY) ILL: John wanting to adopt. “Somebody did it for me.” That’s the saying of the Christian life: “Somebody did it for me!” “Here, have more and have better and have extra. Somebody did it for me! Let me tell you about him.” It’s living up to your last name.

Determined love “elevates” to a new “position.”

2 Samuel 9:7-8 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.” And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”

2 Samuel 9:11 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.

Meph’s Visible Shame

There’s a second way that David’s determined love works its way out. It didn’t just give Meph a new life; it gives him a new position. If there was one word to characterize Meph’s life, it would be “shame”. His grandfather was the failed, deposed, dead former king of Israel. He’d been unfaithful. Further, Meph was crippled, and ancients associated personal disability with the consequences of sin. The legs he drug around were essentially his own visible shame that he had to carry everywhere he went. They were like wearing a scarlet letter that he or his family had sinned greatly and warranted God’s displeasure. In fact, Meph’s name literally means: “from the mouth of shame/he who scatters shame.” His name was a reminder of the lowly position that he now held among God’s people. Every day was just another painful reminder of who he wasn’t. Can you relate?

Meph’s Visible Honor

“eat at my table always.” That’s the significance of what David says to him at the end of verse 7. David was giving him a prince’s chair. David was bringing him out of exile so that he would be treated like one of his own kids. David was exalting a man that had always previously despised. David was displacing shame in Mephibosheth’s life with honor.

“like one of the king’s sons” Notice at the end of verse 11 what it says. He ate at the table “like one of the king’s sons.” Imagine the scene. You come to the table, and there’s Amnon, David’s eldest son. Sitting across to him is his daughter Tamar, who is thought to be beautiful beyond description. Then, there’s Absolom who the Bible describes as being unblemished from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet. Joab would’ve been there, David’s nephew and the commander of his army. He’s strong, fit, a warrior. Then, there’s Mephibosheth. One of these things is not like the other!!! And so, you can imagine the first few times as he was being carried to the table that there was a security guard that stopped them in progress. “Where are you going? Who said you could be here?” “The king said I could come!!!” The security guard looks up at David, and David waves him through. There he is, a son of the king, not by birth, but by declaration! He has a new last name, a new position, and he has it by the decree of the king!

A Greater Feast to Come

Revelation 19:6-10 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

In Revelation 19, there’s a similar scene depicted. But, it’s a meal that will put David’s table to shame. The Lamb will throw a banquet for his bride. I imagine coming through the gates, and trembling as I come. I know that I don’t belong here. I know that I am not like anything that I see. Perhaps there, an angel will stop me and ask me who said I could be there. Do you know what my answer will be? “The King said I could come!” Oh, I can only imagine King Jesus waving me through to sit at his table. I don’t deserve such honor. I don’t deserve such a position. But, He has made me his Son by his declaration. He’s decreed it. He’s changed my last name! And, that’s how I want to live.