Well, chapter 8, really. 2 Samuel, chapter 8. Now, listen
very carefully. This is the introduction, but
it sets the stage. All the goodness and mercy and
grace and love and kindness and blessings, everything that God gives to us is because
of Jesus Christ. For those, especially for those
in Christ, that is, are represented by Him, those in Christ, because God loved His Son supremely. Because of the covenant or agreement
made between God the Father and God the Son before this world
began, concerning some people that were yet to be born from
Christ. Therefore, God Almighty has shown
kindness and mercy and love and grace, yea, great, so great a
salvation for Christ's sake. Listen to these verses. It says,
God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven you. That's Paul. Listen to John.
Your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake, Christ's sake. Well, in our story here, in our
story here, David is the king. Look at 2 Samuel 8, verse 15. Verse 13. Oh, I wish we had two, I wish. Verse 13, David get him a name
above every name. David had a name, God's king. Verse 15, David reigned over
all Israel. David executed judgment and justice. The king, he's a just king. Sovereign
king. He reigns, he rules, he's a just
king. And we're going to see He's a
Savior. David here represents the Lord
God, God Almighty. Scripture says over and over,
Thy God reigneth. He has a name which is above
every name. What is it? God. Our Lord reigns. All right, David,
this king, this greatest king on the earth at this time, determined
He willed, he purposed, that he was going to show some kindness. He was going to show some mercy,
some grace to someone. All right, look at chapter 9,
verse 1. David said, Is there yet any
that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness
for Jonathan's All right, David is going to show kindness, mercy,
goodness, grace, compassion to someone of the house of Saul.
Now, who was Saul? He was David's enemy. Remember?
Saul tried to kill David the king, tried to keep him from
becoming king. Saul thought he was king. Saul
was David's enemy. So all of Saul's house—Saul was
killed. He died. And all of Saul's house should
have been killed with him, and we'll see in a little while,
perhaps, that most of them were. Probably not all of them. One of those old boys, one of
Saul's sons, received kindness from David. And Saul represents
man, Adam, mankind, who tried to put God off the throne, didn't
he? Adam. Adam's sin was not eating a fruit,
an innocent little eating of fruit. It was what Satan said,
I will. Who does God think he is? He's
not. We will not have this God reign
over us, man said. Adam said it. And men have been
saying it from then on. That's the reason they believe
evolution. That's the reason they refuse to believe God's Word. Man is a sinful, rebellious enemy
of God. That's what Romans 8, verse 7
says. The natural man is enmity with
God. But God, who is rich in mercy, And because of a covenant, an
agreement he made with his son before the world began, before
these sons of Adam were even born. Because he made an agreement
with his son, determined he was going to show mercy and kindness
and grace to son of the son, not all of them, but son of the
sons of Adam. These were no good rebels against
the king. Oh, he didn't have to, did he?
Dovah didn't have to do this. And well, you see who he shows
mercy to. He doesn't need this talent. He doesn't go and find
the finest fellow that he can find, a fellow who's going to
add to his kingdom, a fellow who can do him much good, a fellow
whose talents the king greatly needs. Oh, no. Wait till you
see this fellow. All right, David Purpose. Why
did he do it? Look at verse 1. It says, I'm
going to show him kindness for Jonathan's sake. And any of the house of Saul,
any sons of Saul left. Saul was dead, Jonathan was dead,
because Jonathan died. Are there any sons out there
that I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?" Now, he knew. He knew. Kings know everything. They know everyone. He knew. But this was written for our
sake. For Jonathan's sake, do you remember
that? Do you remember what we read over there in 1 Samuel?
Do you remember? If you'll stay with me now, you'll
jump your pew in a minute. Do you remember what we read
where David and Jonathan got together and made an agreement?
And Jonathan said, now, after I die, my seed, after me, you
show them kindness for my sake, because we love, we made this
agreement between each other. And David said, I'll do it. And
he said, You swear or you promise? David said, I promise on my name
that I'm king. All right? God Almighty now,
as we say it. Purpose determined to save a
people, but there are no good lot. Look at Ephesians 2 with
me. Ephesians chapter 2. Look at
this. This will take on all new meaning
in reference to 2 Samuel 9. Ephesians 2 says, in verse 2,
said, Time passed, and we walked according to the course of this
world, a prince of the power of the air, and who works in
us, children of disobedience, sons of Adam. Verse 3, children
of wrath, even as others, but God, who is rich in mercy. For his great love was with us
even when we were dead, and sin hath quickened us together with
Christ because of Christ. By grace, you say, verse 6, hath
raised us up together, made us sit together in heavenly places
in Christ Jesus." Look at verse 7, "...that in ages to come he
might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness
toward us through Christ Jesus." Is there any of the house of
Adam that I might show kindness for Christ's sake? Yeah, there's
one. Yeah, there's one. Now, let's look at this fellow
that he just purposed to show kindness to. Verse 4. Verse 3.
Verse 2. All right, verses 2 and 3. He says there was at the house
of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba, and we'll see this
fellow in a minute. He looked like a servant, but
he was a sneak. When they called him unto David,
they called this servant to David, to serve David's purpose. The
king said unto him, Are you Ziba? Well, sure, he knows this fellow.
He knows all of them. He's going to know one of them
close up, and this one. Oh, God's Word. He said, Thy
servant is he. I'm your servant. Yeah, right.
He's not. He's a snake. Verse 3. The king said, Is there not yet
any of the house of Saul that I show the kindness of God unto
him? Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan
hath yet a son. Oh, and he said that word. The king was all ears. Jonathan has a son, but he's
lame on his feet. He's an old cripple. Now, Jonathan,
Jonathan, the king says, is there any of the others that I might
show kindness for Jonathan's sake? And this servant said,
yes, Jonathan. That's the son of the king perked
up. But he's no good. He's lame on both his feet. Well,
the king said unto him, where is he? And we're going to see
in a minute the king knew who he was. I guarantee you he knew
where he was. The king said unto him, where
is he? Well, just before we get into
that, I'd like to read off something. He's lame on both his feet. It
said, turn back the second. Samuel chapter 4. Jonathan had
a boy born to him, and it says there that he was lame on his
feet. He was crippled. How did that happen? How did
that happen? Look at it here in 2 Samuel chapter
4. Got it? 2 Samuel chapter 4, verse 4. Jonathan, Saul's son,
had a son that was lame of his feet. Here's what happened. He
was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out
of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled. In other words,
just a little baby boy. They were running because Saul
had died, been killed. And the enemies were running.
They were getting out. And the nurse picked up this
baby boy and came to pass. She made haste to flee as she
took off running, and he fell. She dropped him. He had a fall. And it says he became lame. And
his name? Lefebvre. All right, he was lame
by a fall. He took a fall, and it crippled
him. This fall made him so that he
couldn't do anything. Somebody had to wait on him,
hand and foot. He couldn't get up, he couldn't go, he couldn't
take one step. He was lame on his feet, not
foot, feet. He couldn't walk, he couldn't
work, he couldn't move. He was lame. That lame means
lame, doesn't it? What's this talking about? He's
talking about man. who died, who took a fall, a
man fell in Adam. Right? How bad was it? Just cripple one leg? Huh? I would have you turn to Romans
3, but I'm not. But here's what it said. In Isaiah
1, it says, From the sole of our feet to the top of our head,
no sound of sin. Romans 3 said, Is none that doeth
good? No, not one. It talks about their throats
being an open sepulcher. It talks about their hands. filthy
hands, feet, swift to run to mischief, hands to shed blood.
There's no soundness in us, it says. We died. In Adam all died. Dead means dead. Lame means lame.
Dead means dead, Henry. It means you can't do anything.
Man died in Adam. He died in Adam. Man can't come
to God. We're going to see in a minute He wasn't asking. He wasn't calling. He wasn't looking. Even if he
was, he couldn't. He wasn't asking to come, and
even if he was, he couldn't come. He couldn't take a step. It was
lame. All right, look at where it says he is, back in the text,
2 Samuel 9. 2 Samuel 9, Ziba said in verse
4, King said, Where is he? Ziba said, Well, he's in the
house of Maker. Son of Amiel in Lodibar. Everything in scriptures is significant. He's in the house of Maker. You
know what that Maker means? Ruins. He's in a broken down
house. He's in a slum. House of Maker who's the son
of Amiel. Son of Amiel meant the people of God. Used to be
the people of God, now they're in ruins. Lodibar means a place of no bread
and no pasture. And over in Ephesians 2. Did you keep it? Turn back there
again real quickly, okay? You've got to see. I love it
when Old Testament and New Testament are compared. This is what it
means to compare spiritual things with spiritual things. This is
what Paul did. This is what our Lord did. When
our Lord preached to those disciples, he showed them from the Old Testament
things that were happening around. And their heart burns. Look at
Ephesians 2. He's in the house of Maker. He's
in ruins. He used to be a son of God, but now he's in ruins
and he has no bread. He's a far off and living in
this little bitty place, far off from the King's throne. Look
at Ephesians 2, verse 12. It says, At that time you were
without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,
strangers from the covenants of promise. Mephibosheth didn't
know what happened between Jonathan and David. He did not know what happened
between his father and the king. He'd have been pleading it. He
didn't know. Stranger of the covenant of Christ.
He didn't know right now, at that time, while he lay in ruins,
in darkness, when darkness veiled the king's face, in this ruins,
he didn't know that at that time, while he was yet an enemy and
a sinner, without help, without help, the king was talking about
him right then. The king was determined to show
mercy. appeared that he was with no
hope without God in the world. Verse 13, but now, in Christ
Jesus, you who sometime were afar off are made nigh. He's way off now. He's in the
house of Maker. He's in ruins. He's no bread,
no pasture. He's just waiting to die. Oh,
in a minute, he's going to be brought in here. He's going to be brought to the king and
said, well, look at this fetching grace. That's what salvation
is, being fetched. Fetching grace. Sovereign fetching
grace. Look at it. Back in 2 Samuel
9, verse 5. So then, now this is a sad picture
isn't it, this little fella, this little cripple, in this
ruined house, dressed in rags, waiting to die, unaware, no hope. This is sad, and boy, here's
good news. Verse 5. King, verse 5, sent
and fetched it. The king sent someone to fetch
this cripple, to fetch this beggar, this no good enemy of his. And
that's what our Lord said about himself in John chapter 6. This
is the will of the Father which hath sent me. of all which he hath given me,
I'll lose nothing. I'll raise him up at the last
day." Raise him up where? Sent! In heavenly places. I'm sent, Christ said. I'm not
sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, of the house
of David, of the house of God, for Christ's sake. God sent his son in this world
seeking to save his own. He called his name Jesus. He
shall save his people from their sin. He'll raise them up. He'll
raise them up in that last day. So Christ comes to everyone through
a gospel preacher. Now, David himself did not go
personally, but he sent. See, kings send ambassadors. Kings send servants. Kings send
pit men. Kings send strong men. Strong men. I believe he sent
two of his most able and faithful and strong servants down there. Go fetch him. What if he won't
come? Fetch him. Should we ask him his opinion
or should we ask him if he wants to come? He might not. Fetch
him. I've already determined this
thing. I've already purposed this thing. This thing between
Jonathan and I. He's not looking, he's not calling,
he doesn't know anything. Bet you he knew. Well, that's, you know, where
the word of the king is, there's power. Was there any possibility
that this fellow was not going to come? And when they got there, did
they ask him his opinion of things? Did they invite him? No. And neither does God Almighty.
Salvation is not God inviting you to Jesus. It's God fetching
you by His grace. God's sending two strong men.
What's that? The prophets and the apostles. Old and new, the Lord of covenants. Sending this word is a bat to
hit in the hand. Able to subdue all things unto
himself. He doesn't ask anybody anything.
The king and his power and his command, the word comes not in
word only, not in invite, it's a command. And where the word
of a king is, there's power. And he says, Fetch him, that old fellow down in Maker
and son of Amiel and loaded bar, you fetch him. Don't ask him,
fetch him. God's fetching great. Well, here
they come. All right. Can you picture this
story? How did they come. Well they weren't I can tell
you what they look like these fellows. They weren't too sniveling
little. Feminine. Fellows you know. Soft hands and. Silk garments
you know come up and knock on your door. You got to let us
in. You reckon you reckon for a minute
these David sent his might, his best men, his best men down there,
men who were men. David, read sometime the story
of David's men. Maybe we'll study that someday. David's captains. Boy, they slew
cities single-handedly. David sent his best men down
there to do the job. And they didn't knock on the
door, they opened the door. And they walked in, and there
sat Mephibosheth in the corner, lying no good, helpless, an enemy
of the king. And they said, David's calling. Now, this is the son of Saul.
You get this? He's the son of Saul, a former
king. In olden times, when another
king came and vanquished the former king, every one of that
house was killed. The king came in and said, kill
everyone that belongs to that former king. Kill them all. I'm
the king. Lest there be insurrection, he
said. Lest there be a rebellion rise
up against me. Kill all those former king's
sons. Kill them all. And here they
stand at the door and said, The king's calling. David's calling. He sent us to get you. What do you think is going through
his mind? Fear. He starts shaking. When you see this, this happened,
this happened. David did not tell these servants what he was going to do, and
they didn't tell him a thing yet. They just said that King
sent us to fetch you. Oh, my. But I'll show you what happened.
Look at verse 6. It says that when Mephibosheth,
son of Saul, son of Jonathan, son of Saul, would come unto
David, he fell on his face and did reverence. He hit the dirt
at David's feet and did reverence. put his hands over his head. Can you picture this now?
He's thinking, I'm an enemy. My dad rebelled, or my grandfather
rebelled against the king. And now God has set his king
on his holy hill of Zion. And I'm a rebel. I haven't obeyed him. I haven't sought mercy from him,
and now here he's fetched me, and he's going to kill me. And
I deserve it. He's going to kill me." And so it is with every son of
Adam. Now, listen to me. This is important. Every single
human being whom God Almighty first begins to deal with, this
is the first thing. This is the beginning of wisdom.
Proverbs 1, Proverbs 10 say this, that now, this is the beginning
of wisdom, the fear of the Lord. How do I know all this preaching
that's going on today is not of God? Because Paul said in
Romans 3, there's no fear of God before they're out. When
I see men and women come in and approach, supposed to be worshiping
God, I don't see fear. I don't see reverence. I heard
a fellow last night, oh my, I've never heard more blasphemous,
I mean blasphemous, literally saying things like this. You don't have to pray about
everything. He said that. You don't have to pray about
everything. And he started making fun of people that said, thy
will. He said, you don't have to say thy will. That's what he said verbatim. And there was a whole crowd of
people clapping and shouting and just enjoying every minute
of it. And a whole platform of preachers that were agreeing
with him. That's right. Every person that God Almighty
deals with, he creates in them first the fear of God. to realize
that God's King, that I'm a rebel. I'm a son of Adam, and if he
killed me, I'd get what I deserve. He's holy. He's just. To this man will I look, God
says. Look to him in mercy and grace. To this man will I look.
He is a poor and a contrite heart and trembles at my word. That
word which said, God reigneth. that the people tremble. Fear of the Lord, you see, is
the beginning of saving wisdom. What do you suppose would happen if Mephibosheth had been brought in there and
said, and started being real flippant, Well, there you are,
David. I've heard about you. It's good
to see you. They've been telling me you're
my friend. Hello, David. Hey, David, I've
decided. I'll tell you what, David. I'm going to let you let me into
your kingdom. Yeah, I am. I'm going to exercise
my free will, David. David, David, David, David, David."
Did he ever call him David one time? No, sir. He's not on a
first-name basis with the king of Israel. He never said anything
but, Lord. I tell you what, David, you're
my friend. Oh, how I love David. And I'm
going to let you into my heart. I've decided to accept you as
my king. Aren't you glad, David? What do you think would have
happened? As they say, that's a no-brainer. Get your sword. Cut his head
off. He bows. He bows. does reverence and everyone
a fear of the Lord, everyone whom God fetches by his grace
to see his glory. Now, I can't describe this scene. I can't describe this king. I've
preached this three or four times and tried and failed. I haven't seen it. I've just
heard about it. greatest king on earth. Phibsheth,
living in a house full of ruins, and he brought him to see the
greatest king on earth. What do you think that place
looked like? What do you think David looked
like? Where was he? Sitting on a throne high and
lifted up, in all his glory and his honor, with a big crown on
his head and a robe on his body and a scepter in his hand. with
a countenance that shines as the sun. And here this sniveling
little crippled fellow brought in to see him. He murtured at
his presence when he saw him who he was, the king of Israel,
in all his glory. Oh, he hit the dirt. So it is with
every son of Adam whom God shows his glory. They fear him. They see themselves. Oh, I was running through them
fib shift mind right now. I'm a dead man. I'm a dead man.
I'm a dead man. Oh, but David. Oh, but David. the greatest king on earth, but
he condescends to the greatest sinners. God called his son by
the name, son of David. Son of David. And look at what
he does. Look at what this great king,
sitting on his throne, inbrought. They fetched his cripple and
brought him in. Look at what the king does. Now
in verse 6, it says, David said one word. I wouldn't attempt to imitate that
voice. David was the greatest king that
ever lived, until Solomon came along, David's
son. Well, but David was the greatest
king to ever live on, the greatest man, arguably. Yes, greatest
man, God's sure mercies of David, the son of David, David. David
was a sweet psalmist of Israel. He'd play a harp. I bet you,
Sam, John, I bet you nobody ever played a harp like that. Saul heard him play and it soothed
the heart of a rebel. David sang, too. David could sing. I'm sure when
they heard him sing, I'm sure Saul, when he heard him sing,
never heard anybody sing like this. And here David speaks this man's
name. Oh, the mercy, the grace, the compassion,
the kindness, the tenderness that Mephibosheth heard in that
voice, huh? He never heard a man speak like this. I wanted him
to call his name. And I wouldn't even begin to
try. Mephibosheth. One day, Mary Magdalene thought
the Lord was dead and gone and all was hopeless and They were
helpless and they were doomed and she was at the tomb, you
know, to go to put flowers or whatever on the grave and she
heard Mary. She hit the dirt. Sweetest note
in Sarah's song. No man spake like this man. Called
him by name. Did you notice that nobody said Mephibosheth's
name up to this point? Did you notice that? Is there
any other house of Solomon I might show kindness for Jonathan to
say, yeah, he has a son, he's a cripple? Nobody ever said his
name. How'd David know his name? Oh, he knew it. He knew Jonathan had a son. He
knew him all along. He knew him all along. So does our Lord know his own.
He said, I have engraved you in the palms of my hand. Verse
7, look at what else he said to him. He just called him by
name. And he answered, Behold, thy servant. I am your subject. Behold, thy servant. I am your
slave. I am your underling. David said unto him, here's the
next thing he said, fear not. Son of David said that a lot,
to his own, not to everybody. He didn't, not once did he go
out and say to everybody in public, fear not, nothing to be afraid
of, God loves you, not once. But to those that fear his name,
To those that fear him, he says, Fear not. To those that don't fear him,
say, You need to fear. Fear not. And look what else
he said. Now, here's the good news. Here's the good news to
old Mephibosheth. Fear not, for I will surely show
thee Moses said, Lord, show me your
glory. What did he say? I will make all my goodness pass
before you. I will proclaim the name of the
Lord. I will be gracious to whom I will. I will show mercy to
whom I will show mercy. Here's God's glory. Here's the
king's glory and power. And here's the sinner's good
news. He will surely. Show mercy. God is merciful. Why? There's
that name. For Jonathan, our Father said. For Jonathan said. Jonathan said. And as I began this message,
God does everything for Christ's sake. Everything. You remember, Jonathan made a
covenant with David. David with Jonathan. about mercy and kindness to his
seed. Jonathan said, I'm going to have
a seed. Will you show them kindness when I'm dead because of your
love for me? I'll do it. Swear I'll do it. My name is David. Made an oath
to the covenant. Show kindness. And so did God
Almighty with his son. to show mercy and kindness to
Christ's people. All those were in Christ. You
know, when the covenant was made, Sherry, Jonathan wasn't born
yet. He was in the loins of Jonathan.
I mean, Mephibosheth wasn't born yet. He was in the loins of Jonathan. And so it was. God, at the end
of the day, had chosen us in Christ before the foundations
were. In Christ. as we should be holy
and unblameable, unreprovable in God to the king's side, made
to sit together with him in heaven and earth. For he might show
thee the exceeding riches of his grace, and his kindness toward
us for Christ's sake." Ah, boy, for Jonathan's sake, for Christ's
sake, this is all for Christ's sake. And that's not all, wait
a minute, that's not it. Verse 7, I will restore unto
thee all the land of Saul, Now. You know. Here here. He's expecting to
die. He deserves to die. And he hears
this blessed voice in him. It sounds kind. The voice of
God, the voice of the son of David sounded kind. Adam must have heard the same
voice, Adam. But it sounded kind. It sounded
gracious, compassionate. And he says, I'm going to show
you kindness. But John doesn't say it. The
woman said, I'm going to restore. He's listening
to all this. Did I just hear that correctly? I'm going to show you. I'm going
to restore unto you all that your grandfather saw lost. Now, what did Saul own? Offer. He was rich. He was rich. So he was going to give him his
inheritance. A great inheritance that he didn't
deserve. He didn't do anything to earn
it, but David was just going to freely give it. A great inheritance. He said, and read on. That's
not it. That's not all. Mephibosheth could have said,
that's too much. Just spare me. Just give me a
little cabin. in the corner of your kingdom. Just spare me. You don't have to give me anything. The fact that you haven't killed
me is enough. The fact that you've shown mercy is enough. And if
you'd be pleased, let me just hang around a little bit. Give
me a little care of it over in the corner of the kingdom. That's
a good enough." David said, You're going to eat bread at
my table continually. You're going to
sit with me." And he said this three or four times, John, throughout
this talk. He kept telling him. He said,
You're going to eat bread continually. Continually. You're going to
sit at the king's table. Hey, boy, fear not, little flock. It's your father's good pleasure
to give unto you the kingdom. You believe God, believe also
in me. God does everything for my sake, and I go to prepare
a place for you. If it were not so, I would have
told you. You're going to sit with me in the heavenly place
continually." And look at Mephibosheth's response. Verse 8, he bowed himself. That's always his responsibility.
That was when he first saw David, and that's when, after he'd heard
the good, he bowed. And here's what he said, "'What
is thy servant?' Verse 8, "'That thou shouldest look upon such
a dead devil as I am.'" Not, I was. I am. Not I was. He didn't say, I was
a dead dog, now I'm somebody. I am. Who am I? What is our servant
that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am? Well, I mean, I've got to quit.
Let's hurry through. And a king called to Zion. Now
look at the king's command. So the old Mephibosheth was going
to sit at the king's table. As one of the king's own. An
old dead dog cripple, former rebel, going to sit with the
king as one of the king's sons. Look at it. Verse 9, The king
called to Ziba. Here's this fella, Ziba, Saul's
servant. Saul's servant. Now whose servant
was he, Stan? Saul's servant. He said he was
David's servant. No, Saul's servant. And said,
My uncle's servant. This represents he's one of these
preachers today. He said, Now here's the command David gave,
I've given unto thy master's son all that pertain to Saul
and all his habit. Thy master's son, who's that?
Christ's. And so he gives the command,
You, therefore, and your sons and your servants are going to
bring in the fruits for him, that thy master's son may have
food to eat. From a field chef you're going
to serve, that is. You're going to serve, he's going
to sit. You're going to rest, he's going
to rest. You're going to serve him, though
you're a no good worthless snake and I'll deal with you later,
you're going to serve him. Everybody and everything is going
to serve Jonathan's son. Did you hear that? Now Ziba says, had fifteen sons
and twenty-seven, thirty-five people to wed on one man? Yep. I've given Ethiopian Seba for
your ransom, Egypt for a handful. Then Ziba said, OK, according
to all that the Lord the King hath commanded, I serve. We'll
do it. As for Meshut, Mephibosheth said to King, here it is again,
just in case Somebody didn't believe it. He's going to eat
at my table as one of the king's sons. First, he says he's going
to sit there. Next, he says he's going to be
my son. And Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micah,
and all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants under Mephibosheth. So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem. Did it happen as David said it
would? Sure did. Where was he? He's eating, sitting,
eating, continually, at the king's table, right where the king sat. Resting, eating, sitting, enjoying
the presence of the king, and he's still not over it. Can you
picture it? Every day the king came in for
breakfast. They rang the bell. Breakfast time. Time to eat. She said, get me there quick. I want to be 30 minutes early. I sat down and in came the king. Where two or three are gathered,
they came to the king. I sat down. I said, you sure
I can sit here? I said, you could. I said, you would and you did.
I said, you could and you will. continually, forever, forever
at the king's table. But now look at it. Look at it.
He's still lame on both his feet. He's still lame. He still can't
do anything for the king. Isn't that a picture of salvation? Ah boy, why, why did David do
all this? Why did David do all this? Do
you remember why David did all this? For this no good fellow
he should have killed, who can't help him, this pipsheck hadn't
helped him before and he can't help him now. Why did he do this
for a pipsheck? It's for Jonathan's sake. Would you like to look at something
else. You must do it. That's not the end of the story
but go with Chapter 19. Chapter 19 members of the film.
He's a no good bum. He claimed to be the king's servant
he was he saw that he was an enemy. Just like so many people
claim to worship the Lord you know you notice it said a small
little family address. Small little Lord. You know that. Well, this fellow Ziba, who was
a snake in the grass, he spitefully used Mephibosheth. Lied on him. Ziba claimed to be the one that
was faithful to the king. And he said, oh, Mephibosheth,
he's no good. He's an enemy. He's doing wrong
here. He's not been faithful to you.
That's what happened. Ziba, see the king, make a long
story short, David was on the run from his son Absalom. And
Ziba was glad that David was gone. He didn't want, he didn't
love David. He was a servant of God. He was
an enemy of David, secretly, claiming to be his servant. Well,
David was gone, he said, well, all right, now I'll be somebody.
It's like man, it's like man, it's free will. not loving God's
Son truly, all with their lips they say, Lord, Lord, small l,
David, with their hearts far from worshipping the King. Well,
here's this true worshipper. He's laying on his feet. He can't
do anything. Ziba. See, that was Ziba. Boy, he can
do everything. Oh, he's running here and there.
He's strong. He looks like somebody. Oh, Mephibosheth's
crippled. He's still a cripple. And Ziba said to the king, now
here the king came back, David came back after Absalom was dead,
and the king came back, look at it, 2 Samuel 19, verse 25. Came to pass when he was come
to Jerusalem to meet the king, that is Mephibosheth, that the
king said unto him, why didn't you go with me, Mephibosheth? Where were you? As Ziba had just said, he's a traitor. He wanted the
kingdom for himself, as Pippa Sheth did. He's not your son
or your servant. I am, as Ziba said that. Uh-uh.
We're going to see. Verse 26. He answered, My lord,
my old king, my servant deceived me. Thy servant said, That is, that servant said that I may,
that I will saddle me an ass and I'll ride there on and go
to the king, because my servant is lame. In other words, Ziba
said, I'll get you a horse there, my pimp's ship, and you can go
to the king. I'm lame, I can't get there on
my own, but he didn't do it. He didn't do it. He slandered
my servant, verse 27, unto my lord the king. My Lord the King
is as an angel of God. You know everything. You do what's
good in your own life. Look at verse 28. He said, Because
at my Father's house were all but dead men before my Lord the
King, yet you did set thy servant among thine own, did eat at thine
own table. We were dead men. I was a dead
man when you found me, but you sent me at your table by your
mercy and grace. You're an angel of God to me.
And as a dead man, I have no right of you putting at your
table, verse 28, so what right have I any more to say anything
else? If you kill me, I'll be fine.
If you spare me, I'll be fine too. I'm still no good. He lied
against me, but I'm still no good. I'm still a dead dog. All right, now here's these two
fellows. Ziba said one thing, and Mephibosheth said another. Who's the true son? Who's the
true servant? Does David know? Look at what
he did. Verse 29. Why speak there any
more? Hush up, I don't want to hear
any more of it. He said, You and Ziba divide the land. And Mephibosheth
said unto the king, Let him have it all. I want you. My king's hub. Let Ziba have
all that stuff. I want you. You reckon David knows who he's
serving? You reckon David knows what happened? Sound like all these Pharisees,
doesn't it? All those Pharisees and scribes and the didn'ts,
say it all they say and do not and all that. Liars against God's
people. Here old, poor old Peter laying,
can't do anything, took a terrible fall, sinned against the Lord,
sitting around the fire. Peter, do you love me? Why'd
you deny me, Lord? You know all things. You know all things. You're as
an angel of God. You know all things. I'm just
glad to have you back. He knew. He knew. And it says
later on, if you want to read for yourself, over in chapter
twenty-one, chapter twenty-one, that David
got all of Saul's sons. There were some more of them
left. He died, but later on he got it.
He got what was coming to him. David got all of Silas' sons,
over in chapter 21, read it for yourself, and slew them. But, now, it says, he spared
Mephibosheth for Jonathan's sake. And it went on to say, John,
because he did eat bread continually at the king's table. He said
it again. Spared it for Jonathan's sake.
Let me tell you a story, a true story. It goes well with this. The subject's been God showing
mercy and kindness for Christ's sake, for Christ's sake, for
Christ's sake. Delaying no good sinners, dirty
sons of Adam, for Christ's sake, for Christ's sake. Because of
a covenant made, and he fetches them by his grace. Brings them
in, sits them at the table. And they're still lying. There's
still no good. It's still dead dogs. Can't do anything for the
king. But they're going to stay there.
They're going to eat like one of the king's sons. Make good
news, John. This really happened. Years ago,
I had a brother, an older brother, who was killed in 1969 in the
Vietnam War. And my oldest brother, my parents'
eldest son, first son, first born, named Robert. And one day we were sitting in the
house. I was there. We were sitting in the house
and heard the doorbell ring, a knock, a knock on the door. And my father went and answered
the door. And I was young, about maybe
15. And I was kind of peeking around
the door at this fellow, and there was a beggar. There was
a fellow standing at the door. You could smell it. And oh, he
was, you know what they looked like. One of these fellows you
see on the street corner in Roanoke holding a sign, hungry. That's
what he looked like. And he said, dad said, what can
I do for you? He said, I'm hungry. I need a
little food. Could you help me? And he said, I'm down and out. And that's not all he said. He
said, I'm a veteran. I'm a veteran, a Vietnam veteran.
And since I've been home, been without a job, homeless. He said, and I knew your son,
Robbie. I said, throw that door open.
Come right on in here. Just spoke a word. Robbie. Come right in. That old beggar's
thick and filthy. They sat him at the table, and
Mom and Dad served him like he was rubbing. That's true. And this is true. God showed them. That's true
because this is true. All the sons of David, those
Mephibosheth, are just like David. Merciful and kind. For Christ's
sake, he said. All right, now here's a good
song to sing about that. Number 44. Number 44. We could have sung His Oath and
Covenant again, couldn't we? I thought this goes well, real
well, with this story. Number 44. It's hard to sing,
at least from the mouth, but it shouldn't be hard to sing
from the heart. And can it be that I should gain an interest
in the Savior? Died He for me? Amazing love,
how can it be? No comment in that. All right,
let's sing the first and last verse. Let's stand. Let's just
be singing this with me. and interest in thy Savior's
love.