"MEPHIBOSHETH REMEMBERED"

sermon by Pastor John Hollis,

September 30, 2007

Text: 2 Samuel 9

In our Grace Group studies we are, at the present time, studying the eighteenth chapter of Matthew, based upon the book Caring Like Jesus by Daniel Ulrich and Janice Fairchild. The theme of this chapter is the kingdom of heaven, and it begins with the lesson on humility and our becoming like little children, that we might enter into the kingdom of heaven. Jesus also in this passage refers to the "least of these." In a judgment scene as recorded in Matthew 25:34-45 Jesus refers to the humble as "the least of these my brothers." This suggests to us that the least are not always children but those who are living under difficult circumstances of life. This is the story of Mephibosheth. He was one of the least who was remembered.

Why go to the Old Testament to study these things? Paul reminds the Christians in Rome, in Romans 15:4, that the things written beforehand were written for their (the church at Rome) learning that through the Scriptures they might have hope. If they could learn from the Old Testament Scriptures, surely we can also.

Our text is the ending of the story of Mephibosheth. David is now king over God's people. The enemies of Israel have been subdued. David is redeploying his troops and settling down to face the daily problems of leading the great nation of God's people. He realizes that there were survivors of Saul's household, and that he owes kindness to them; he calls them to come to Jerusalem that he might show that kindness. But this story begins long before this.

The story begins during the early days of King David. We remember that God had rejected Saul from being king and had selected David the son of Jesse to be king. However, Saul's jealousy led him to try to destroy David.

There was much war going on in Israel. The Israelites were having difficulty in removing the Philistines from the land. The Philistines challenged Israel with their great warrior, Goliath. The armies of Saul did not have anyone who would stand against this great warrior. We all know the story of how David stepped forward and said he would meet this giant. We know the outcome of the duel, how David killed Goliath with his slingshot and a small stone. David becomes a hero, but he gives glory to God and not to himself.

It was at this time that David becomes acquainted with Jonathan one of Saul's sons. David and Jonathan become close friends. Jonathan loved David as he loved himself. Jonathan and David work very closely in seeking the safety of David from the wrath of King Saul.

Their friendship continues to grow and out of this warm friendship a covenant is made between them. In First Samuel 18:3 it is recorded that "Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself." And in First Samuel 20:14ff we have the words of Jonathan: "'And if I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of the Lord, that I may not die? And you shall not cut off your lovingkindness from my house forever, not even when the Lord cuts off everyone of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.' So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, 'May the Lord require it at the hands of David's enemies.' And Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because he loved him as he loved his own life." Jonathan knew that the time would come when the household of Saul would be destroyed, but if he lived, he wanted to be remembered by David's household.

There was no finer character than Jonathan. Although he was as faithful to his father as the circumstances allowed, he was also faithful to his friend David. This made it the right thing to do when David entered into this covenant with Jonathan.

The story of Mephibosheth is a tragic one. He was born five years before his father Saul was killed in battle. It was a time in which the kingdom was on the decline; the leadership of Saul had not been successful, and David was not yet fully in charge of the kingdom.

It was a terrible day in Gilboa. It was here that the Israelites fled before the Philistines. Many of them were killed on Mount Gilboa. "And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philitines killed Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua the sons of Saul. And the battle went heavily against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was badly wounded by the archers. Then Saul said to his armor bearer, 'Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and pierce me through and make sport of me.' But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it. And when the armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him. Thus Saul died with his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men on that day together." (1 Samuel 31:1-6).

When the report of Saul's death came to his house, the household fled for safety, and in the nurse's hurry to flee with Mephiposheth, who was five-years old, she dropped him, or he fell, and became crippled in both feet. This little prince was made lame for life. He is carried to Lodebar, which means, "house of no bread" and lived in poverty and disappointment. If Mephibosheth ever had thoughts of becoming king when his father died, we are not told. If he did, these thoughts were lost and he found himself in very dire circumstances. He seemed destined to live the rest of his life in obscurity.

Following the death of Saul and Jonathan and the success of David in driving the Philistines out of the land, David remembers his covenant with Jonathan that he would show kindness to the household of Saul. He inquires as to whether there is anyone left in the house of Saul to whom he can show kindness. He is informed that there is one, Mephiposheth, who is crippled in both feet.

We don't know how old Mephibosheth is by this time, but he has married and has a son. By this time he may have forgotten who he is. He appears to be surprised at David's request that he come to him. He falls before David and says "'What is your servant, that you should regard a dead dog like me?'" His self-esteem is gone. He sees himself as only a servant of David. Perhaps he is filled with fear that David wants to destroy him because of Saul's attitude toward David.

But the outcome of this is much different than Mephibosheth anticipated. "So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate at the king's table regularly. Now he was lame in both feet." What a story! From one king's household to a life of poverty and disappointment and degradation to another king's table to feast upon the best. He was great in the kingdom only to become the least and then to be lifted to being great again.

There are several lessons which we can glean from this story. First, look at how life can change. There was David - a shepherd who became a warrior in Saul's army and then an outlaw and then a king. He had been abased by the circumstances of his being chosen of God to be king over Israel. He had had to flee for his life because of Saul's jealousy and hatred of him. He had lived in caves and even in the borders of Israel's enemies. He had cried out to God for deliverance, to be set upon a rock that was higher than he was. He was homesick and wanted to go home to Jerusalem. Eventually God led him home and he was able to be elevated to the throne and in his gratefulness for this he wants to and does share kindness with his former enemy's grandson.

Look at Mephibosheth. He was born a prince. For all practical purposes he should have been king, but now he is living in poverty and in all possibility a beggar. This tells us that we cannot trust things in this life to sustain us. It was out of the goodness of David's heart that Mephibosheth was brought to live in Jerusalem and to eat daily at the king's table.

It is no accident that Jesus said that we need to humble ourselves and become as little children to enter the kingdom of heaven. When he characterized those who were humble as being the least of his brothers and sisters, he was telling us that we should not neglect those who are not able to care for themselves. They too can eat at the king's table.

Look at the importance of keeping a promise. David had many years before made a promise to Jonathan that he would not forget his father's household. It would have been easy for David to say, "I made a promise to Jonathan, but he is now dead and I do not have to keep my promise." But this was not the way David looked at things. He had covenanted with Jonathan to show kindness to Saul's household. Even though time had brought about many changes, David would not forget his covenant with Jonathan.

There was a strong tie that bound David to Jonathan. This was a tie that was not and could not be broken by death. Nothing could erase this bond of love between these two. This reminds us that there is nothing that can erase the bond of love between us and God. "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).

David did not put a stumbling block before Mephibosheth by requiring any thing from him before he could sit at his table. Here was a humble young man who was willing to be just a servant in the house of David, but he was elevated to the king's table and all the wonderful feasts spread there.

Look at the benefits of friendship. Here was a man who when he was brought into the presence of the King probably expecting to die. But he didn't know about Jonathan and David and their love for each other and the covenant they had made. When David calls his name, the tone of David's voice was not one of harshness but that of love and compassion. He says to Mephibosheth, "'Do not fear, for I will surely show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan.'

When he hears his name called, he falls before David in reverence. This was an indication that Mephibosheth knew how to be humble in the presence of his king. If he had ever been arrogant, life's experiences had taught him to be humble. When the disciples thought they should be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus had to teach them about humility. However, they did not really understand humility until their experiences after the death of Jesus taught them true humility. They came to know how that being the least would make them the greatest.

Humbling himself before David did not bring the expected death but a joyous life, all because of the friendship of Jonathan and David. There are great benefits in great friendships. When we form warm and close friendships, we never know how this will play out in our lives.

But what does this have to do with our studies in Matthew 18? The theme is the kingdom of God. Who is going to be the greatest in this kingdom? Those who humble themselves and become little ones. We should not wait until circumstances of life cause us to be humble, but we should humble ourselves in order to face the circumstance of life in which we find ourselves.

If we fail to humble ourselves, we may be guilty of putting a stumbling block before one who is humble. When we do, we are deserving of great punishment. It is important that we learn the disciplines of life's experiences that we may live in humility and be known as servants rather than thinking we deserve better than we have received.

Jesus taught that the kingdom of heaven would be within the people. It was not something that would come with observation. There would be no parades and shouts of victory when the kingdom would come. It would not be a kingdom with civil authority and power. It would be the reign of heaven in the hearts of the people. It would be the domain of the king - King Jesus.

In that kingdom there would be a great feast of good things. The table of the King would be filled with bountiful things of righteousness. Here the humble would be gathered to eat at the King's table, just like Mephibosheth. The hungering and thirsting for righteousness would be satisfied at this table. No one would hunger or thirst anymore. And everyone would be invited to this table.

Anyone today who feels unwanted and unloved; feels as if nothing is going right in your life, then come to the King's table and eat and be satisfied. This feast of forgiveness and righteousness is found only at the table of King Jesus. "Humble yourselves in the presence of God, and He will exalt you."

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