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Mephibosheth        by Dayle Kinney

2 Samuel 9: 1-13

Jonathan and David (background reading 1 Samuel Ch. 18-19)
David now King and Saul and Jonathan have both died on the battle field. 

This story depicts the Kindness of God in action. 
King David is known as a “man after God’s own heart”. 
David is now King, but he remembers his friend Jonathan, and asks his servants to find out if there is anyone in the house of Saul that he may show the kindness of God for the sake of his friendship with Jonathan.

Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth. 
Mephibosheth’s life up to this point has not been great. He had lost his father and his grandfather in battle, and with their death’s his inheritance. 
He was one of the only one’s left in his family and was an orphan from the age of 5. He and his nurse had fled for their lives after Saul and Jonathan had died on the battle field. Mephibosheth had fallen whilst fleeing and was now lame in both feet. 
Mephibosheth had no lands or inheritance, he was an orphan with no family, and lived as a charity case in the home of Machir; a wealthy man who took the young orphan into his house after Jonathan’s death.

He didn’t have much to be happy about. He didn’t have a lot of future or much to be hopeful about. As a cripple he would have been a social outcast and lived on the good will and kindness of Machir in the wilderness of LoDebar, meaning place of no pasture.
But then things start to turn around for Mephibosheth. Out of nowhere he is sent for to appear before King David. He would have been concerned and feared for his life. 
Mephibosheth would probably not of known of the close friendship and covenant his father and David had had being only 5 when his father was killed.
In that one meeting Mephibosheth is a recipient of the “Kindness of God “. He himself had done nothing to earn it, nothing of his own merit or worthiness. His name meant “shameful thing”.
But yet He is rescued – redeemed from his poverty and hardship. 
He is restored – having all the land of his grandfather King Saul – his  inheritance is restored to him. Plus servants to work it for him in Ziba and his 15 sons and 20 servants.  
He is returned to the King’s table. A place of peace, honour and significance.
Instead of Mephibosheth remaining a person who felt he had no value, describing himself as a dead dog, he is redeemed and set free from his poverty stricken circumstances, he has his inheritance restored to him, he is put on a royal pension for the rest of his life “eat bread at my table continually” (v 7) and lives as one of the king’s own sons even getting to eat at the king’s table, a place of significance and honour.

Why is this story so significant to us today? Because this story depicts the Kindness of God in action.
It reveals God’s heart for us. It shows us how God feels about us, and what He wants to do for us. What He has done for us....
In all of the Kindness David extends to Mephibosheth he reveals and is a type of what Jesus has done for us:

What has Jesus done:
He too has redeemed us – rescued us from our poverty stricken sinful state, trapped in our circumstances without hope or a future. . Here was this poor creature Mephibosheth, belonging to a family that was in rebellion against David, lame in both feet, and dwelling in the place of no pasture. And here was the king upon his throne, (in Jerusalem meaning “foundation of peace”) with purpose of heart to show him kindness for the sake of another. What, then, was the next move? Did David send a message of welcome, inviting him to come to Jerusalem? Did he notify Mephibosheth that if he "did his part" mercy should be shown to him? Did he send the cripple a pair of crutches, telling him to make use of them, and hobble to Jerusalem as best he could? No......
"Then king David sent and fetched him" (v. 5).
 This typifies the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. "Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled” Luke 14:23 He seeks us out and draws us to Himself

He has restored us – giving us back our inheritance that was stolen when Adam and Eve sinned. Jesus restores to us our inheritance bestowing God's kindness". 
Just as David sought to show God’s kindness to someone, and the word he uses for "kindness" is the Hebrew word (chesed) that is often translated mercy, loving-kindness, covenant love, or grace in the Old Testament. God restores us and bestows his grace and undeserved favour upon us.
All the blessings of Abraham ,Isaac and Jacob are bestowed upon us. Romans 4: 16-17. We who were outcast have been grafted into this family and the blessings which God promised. See 
Duet 28. 
He has returned us to our Father’s table.  We are one of the King’s sons and daughters. We have been returned to a place of significance, a place of honour and peace. 
We are not dead dog’s. We are not charity cases. We are son’s and daughter’s of the Most High God.. The King of Kings... 
That’s what Jesus did for us...
•        He redeemed us – set us free...
•        He restored us
•        He returned us to live a life of significance and peace, and joy.

Jesus said I have come to give you life...and life more abundantly.
John 7:37 Jesus stood and cried out “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”
What is that living water... it is the life of God, the life of the Holy Spirit. The word living in Greek means “to live”.
Not just to exist, to get by, to survive as Mephibosheth was.
No it means To Live!
What does that mean for you. That you live, that you overcome, that you are victorious, that you shout, and sing, and yes enjoy life.....that you might have life and have it more abundantly...now. 

The Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6:13 says.....
“Your Kingdom come, Your will be done. On earth as it is in Heaven.
That means that we are to pray and believe and appropriate the establishment of God’s will not only in eternity but here in this age now.

God wants us to receive and grab hold of the life he has given us now in Him. Not just struggling along, not saying well all that good stuff is just for heaven. He wants us to establish heaven on earth. His blessing, favour, peace, joy etc now as well as in Heaven.

Mephibosheth experienced the Kindness of God. That account reveals God’s heart now for us.... 
Grab hold of it. That Jesus has and will rescue us from our circumstances.
That Jesus has restored our inheritance...we are children of the king. 
That he has returned us to our place at the King’s Table. We are significant, we have a hope and a future, we have peace, and joy, and provision. 
Spend time meditating on what Christ has done for us. Not based on experience or circumstances but on what God’s word, his promises, his grace , his covenant to us...

You know Mephibosheth could have walked away and returned to his life of poverty and lack. He could of said “who am I to receive such kindness and blessing”? I am just a “dead dog” of no value. Give it to someone else.
How often do we say that to God....we don’t receive very well.  
God wants to bestow all his love and kindness upon us. It is his kindness that leads us to repentance, it is his kindness that softens our hearts.  It is his kindness working through us that changes the lives of others all around us. It is his kindness that changes the world. It is his kindness that led Jesus to the cross to die for our sins. 
Receive his kindness today, and receive the gift of being rescued, restored and returned to “your place” as one of the kings children .




TALK ABOUT
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