Carried to the table May 19, 2008
Posted by reformedville in : Theology , trackbackIt has been a while since I have taught on a Sunday Morning. Here was my outline–as my outlines normally go, there are many points in the outline but I focus on the theme and have them there in case I blank.
Outline 2 Samuel 9~~ 5.18
In Bible Study the past month we have been discussing how
· Many Christians either don’t realize who they are in Christ, or
· They just don’t live like they believe it
· Pastor asked a few weeks ago do you think people really believe it?
In discussion we talked about how American society and democracy actually make these concepts more difficult to understand
· Kings · A Sovereign · Lordship · And to a lesser extent Covenants
Let’s take a look back into the day of the Kings for a minute to puit them in perspective:
In 2 Samuel 9 verse 1 David asked,
”Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David,he bowed down to pay him honor.
David said, “Mephibosheth!”
”Your servant,” he replied.
7 “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.”
8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”
9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table.”
13 And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table, and he was crippled in both feet.
Now unless we understand what it was like to live under a king we may miss what was going on.
· First, David did this because he was honoring his covenant with Jonathan (1 Samuel 20:14-15). His actions were not only based on feelings, but also on the promise of a covenant.
His covenant took precedence over tradition (and cultural practice). It was customary in those days for the king of a new dynasty to completely massacre anyone connected with the prior dynasty. David goes against the principle of revenge and against the principle of self-preservation and asks what he can do for the family of his enemy. You must remember that Mephibosheth was the next living heir to the throne since Jonathon was dead, so it would have been doubly so for him.
In going beyond the covenant he not only restored what would have been his inheritance, he also provided servants to tend the land so they could provide for his family
When we begin to understand the importance of covenants and living under a Sovereign we can begin to see how you could replace your name with Mephibosheth ‘s
. Jesus told the disciples that they would eat and drink at His table in heaven (Luke 22:30)
David’s grace to Mephibosheth is a wonderful picture of God’s grace to us.
We are Mephibosheth.
· We are hiding, poor, weak, lame, and fearful before our King comes to us
·
We are separated from our King because of our wicked ancestors
·
We are separated from our King because of our deliberate actions
·
We separated ourselves from the King because we didn’t know him or His love for us
·
Our King sought us out before we sought Him
·
The King’s kindness is extended to us for the sake of another
·
The King’s kindness is based on covenant
·
We must receive the King’s kindness in humility
·
The King returns to us what we lost in hiding from Him
·
The King returns to us more than what we lost in hiding from Him
·
We have the privilege of provision at the King’s table
·
We are received as sons at the King’s table, with access to the King and fellowship with Him
· We receive servants from the King
·
The King’s honor does not immediately take away all our weakness and lameness, but it gives us a favor and standing that overcomes its sting and changes the way we think about ourselves
Many times we hear people say they don’t want to helpo someone because they really don’t deserve it, but is that what God is teaching us here?
ii. David’s grace to Mephibosheth is also a pattern for us in serving and ministering to others. We are David.
We should minister to our enemies and seek to bless them
·
We should minister r the poor, weak, lame, and hidden to bless them
·
We should bless others when they don’t deserve it, and bless them more than they deserve
· We should bless others for the sake of someone else
· W must show the kindness of God to others
In March ,I took Amanda and Emily to see Casting Crowns at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College and a band that opened up for them was Leeland.
Lead into song- Amanda leads congregation in singing-lyrics on back of bulletin
Lyrics
Carried to the table- Leeland
Wounded and forsaken
I was shattered by the fall
Broken and forgotten
Feeling lost and all alone
Summoned by the King
Into the Master’s courts
Lifted by the Savior
And cradled in His arms
I was carried to the table
Seated where I don’t belong
Carried to the table
Swept away by His love
And I don’t see my brokenness anymore
When I’m seated at the table of the Lord
I’m carried to the table
The table of the Lord
Fighting thoughts of fear
And wondering why He called my name
Am I good enough to share this cup
This world has left me lame
Even in my weakness
The Savior called my name
In His Holy presence
I’m healed and unashamed
As I’m carried to the table
Seated where I don’t belong
Carried to the table
Swept away by His love
And I don’t see my brokenness anymore
When I’m seated at the table of the Lord
I’m carried to the table
The table of the Lord
I’m carried to the table
Seated where I don’t belong
I’m Carried to the table
Swept away by His love
And I don’t see my brokenness anymore
When I’m seated at the table of the Lord
I’m carried to the table
The table of the Lord
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