SERIES: The Life of David
TEXT: 2 Samuel 9:1-13
MESSAGE: “David and Mephibosheth”
“Some people, when they become successful, use all their energy and resources protecting and guarding their success. Others go out of their way looking for ways to share what they have, extending the realm of blessing. David went looking for ways to be generous…Mephibosheth was lame, his feet ruined when his nurse dropped him in her panicked escape from the Philistines after the defeat of Saul and Jonathan, as the household servants ran for refuge to the safety of a small village across the Jordan, Lo-debar. He was five years old. Mephibosheth was never again able to walk.” — Eugene Peterson
“Something is wrong, terribly wrong, about our time. We feel it, like a splinter in our hearts. There’s no room for margin: we Twitter while we drive, talk while we text, and surf until we fall asleep—but even while in bed, we stay plugged in, available 24/7. People tell me they could not live without their cell phones or the Internet or email—and they mean it. Yet in many ways, these technologies lead us to more disconnected—rather than connected lives…my greatest concern is not physical, emotional, or social—it’s spiritual. How can we hear the voice of God if we are multitasking nonstop? How can we see the face of God in still waters and green pastures when we are chronically refreshing the screen? The digital generation is a distracted generation.” — Nancy Sleeth
TEXT: 2 Samuel 9:1-13
Q: What does genuine compassion look like?
There are three elements that we see in today’s text. Genuine compassion is…(1. Determined, not disposable 2. Gentle, not vengeful 3. Gracious, not condemning)
1. Determined, not disposable (v 1;3-4)
And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 3 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.” 4 The king said to him, “Where is he?”
“Covenant love always limits you. It limits your freedom. It cuts you off from other options. You say, “I don’t want to be in a group. I don’t want to volunteer to teach…I don’t want to be a member. I just want to come.” — Timothy Keller
2. Gentle, not vengeful (v. 6-8)
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.” 7 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.” 8 And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”
“David’s first word to Mephibosheth is the speaking of his name. Mephibosheth is recognized as a person. He is not a nameless exile…not a subcategory of victim. He has a name, and David goes to the trouble to learn it…If there is any dishonor associated with this name—it is wiped clean as David addresses him in loyal-love.” — Eugene Peterson
“Email doesn’t convey context. We experience email as words on a screen, but we miss seeing a unique face in a unique context. One report on this study concludes: “This makes it easy to forget the humanness of our recipient. Consequently, email style tends to be more serious and less friendly, more aggressive, and less polite.” — Jody Bruner
3. Gracious, not condemning (v. 9-10)
“Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. 10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s grandson shall always eat at my table.”
TAKEAWAYS: How do we apply this to our lives?
- Genuine compassion starts with knowing
- Commit to face-to-face relationships
“A being is free only when it can determine and limit its activity.” — Karl Barth
- Choose your battles wisely