At the Table of Grace, Part 1

In today's lesson, King David is on the hunt for relatives of his enemy, King Saul.

But not for the reason you might think. Verse 11, you'll eat at my table like one of the king's sons. You see, David is effectively making Mephibosheth a prince in Israel. He is effectively including him as a member of the family of the king.

This is grace. But as many as received him, Jesus, to them he gave the right to be called children of God. David had made a promise to his good friend Jonathan.

In that time of world history, when a new king came to power, he would kill the family of the previous king so that there wouldn't be a rival to the throne. David made a promise that he would not kill Saul's descendants. David remembered that promise and went out of his way to find a relative of Saul to show grace to. Today on Wisdom for the Heart, Stephen takes us to 2 Samuel 9. We're going to see some parallels between the grace David showed then and the grace God shows us today.

This message is called, At the Table of Grace. Two years ago, the Associated Press ran a moving story about unwanted girls in the region of Mumbai, India. In fact, at birth, their parents or grandparents had given them a common name, really more a word than a name.

A name that sort of said it all though. More than 280 girls in this particular region had been given the name Nakusa or Nakisha. And it means, literally, unwanted.

District officials decided to do something about it and graciously offered the girls an opportunity to change their name in a public ceremony. Now in a country that aborts hundreds of thousands of female babies, primarily due to, among other reasons, not just their religion, their economy, the financial costs of a dowry, typically will take the average Indian family deeply into debt. There are religious reasons by their superstitious beliefs.

The sun alone is allowed to light the funeral pyre that will send the parents into the afterlife. So having a daughter is often met with sadness, at best, abandonment at worst. Hundreds of thousands of girls around that country, which are kept and are reared by their families, are still reminded every single day that they are an unwanted burden by their very name.

The AP article that I had come across said this. 285 girls in this particular district of Mumbai, where this idea of a new name was instituted, on that special day flocked to the renaming ceremony. This was a banner day for them. They were wearing their best outfits with barrettes and braids and bows, decorating their hair.

They lined up expectantly and joyfully. In fact, friends, I was able to see a photograph of at least a dozen of these girls, anywhere from ages 8 to about 15 or 16, holding their certificates, bearing their newly chosen name. Can you imagine having a name that meant unwanted, worthless? From your earliest memories, being nothing more than a burden to your family or caregivers, unwanted by society at large, considered in the way, or cast off from any hope of normality. Now if your mind is already running ahead to an obvious spiritual analogy, hold off for just a moment.

We'll get there eventually. I want us to pause long enough today to consider that one of the glorious gifts of grace is having your status changed. From unwanted to discovering that you were chosen. From worthless to priceless. From enemy to friend.

From outcast to family. That's grace in biblical terms, isn't it? Grace is a demonstration of commitment and love that is undeserved, unearned, and unrepayable. In other words, the recipient of grace doesn't receive it because he deserves it or because he earned it.

In fact, he not only doesn't deserve it and can't earn it, he can do nothing about ever repaying it. That's why we call grace typically amazing. It's amazing grace. We sing amazing grace. How sweet the sound that saved a good guy like me.

Oh wait, that's my version. God's version is a wretch like me. If it's undeserved, it's grace. If it's unearned, it's grace.

If it's impossible to repay, it's grace. The gift of grace is about to be given center stage in our biographical study of the shepherd king, the singer David. So turn 2 Samuel 9 and verse 1. 2 Samuel 9 verse 1 is where we find ourselves. And David said, is there still anyone?

You ought to circle that word, anyone. Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul that I may show him kindness? You could translate that covenant kindness.

You could translate it correctly, grace. Is there anyone left of the house of Saul that I may show him grace for Jonathan's sake? If we had a little longer and we don't, but we could take the time to review and go back to 1 Samuel where David makes this covenant commitment to Jonathan and he repeats it to David. He basically says, look, when I get on the throne, I will not do what is customarily done by the kings. That is, kill every member of the former dynasty. I won't do that.

I will allow you to live. And David and Jonathan made that covenant of grace in 1 Samuel chapter 20 where David agreed that he would allow Jonathan to live, and of course he loved him and would anyway, but to Saul it's even more dramatic. He even promised Saul the very same thing. If you remember, Jonathan and Saul were killed in battle in Jezreel. You could imagine then that that would change everything, wouldn't it?

It would change, I would imagine. Over time, it's now 15 years between that covenant and where we find ourselves in 2 Samuel chapter 9. David is victorious.

In fact, chapter 8 is one victory after another. He was killed into his kingdom. He is sovereign over a growing empire.

He is served by a cabinet and a retinue of staff. Now it would be, you would think, every possible moment given over to enjoying, sort of polishing your portrait. I think I'll make a bigger one. Settling back and relaxing. Instead, this is the very time when David recalls this covenant of grace and he wants to act it out.

Is there anybody left? I want to show him chesed. That's the word. I want to show him covenant kindness, covenant fidelity, grace. In fact, that word chesed or kindness or grace is going to show up three times in this chapter.

In verse 1, you can circle it again in verse 3 and again over in verse 7. In fact, in verse 3, it's referred to as the grace or the kindness of God. So this really is nothing more than David demonstrating God in his grace. I made a promise to Jonathan and I now want to demonstrate this covenant of grace.

And when I do this, I'll be demonstrating what God does. This chapter is, I believe, David's finest hour. Would you note, in fact it's worth noting in verse 1, that David does not ask, is there anyone qualified? Is there anyone worthy? He doesn't ask, is there anybody left alive from the house of Saul who's deserving?

No. Is there anybody who can be the recipient of my grace? And I'm fairly convinced that this would have surprised David's court, his cabinet, his staff. This wasn't a time when kings looked around to give gifts to undeserving. This is a time when they received gifts from everybody else who were less deserving than the king.

And even more importantly, now that his kingdom is secured, why in the world would he do a search to bring someone into his good graces that belonged to his archrival, that spear-throwing, promise-breaking King Saul? Things have changed. It's 15 years.

Let it go. One author, older and now with the Lord in fact, commenting on this text, what came to his mind is something I wasn't aware of, certainly just one more trivia of history, but I thought it would be enlightening as well to you. He was reminded of the time when Franklin Roosevelt was running for president. This was before term limits. He would serve four terms. This was when he campaigned for his first run at the White House for the presidency. And in this speech in Pittsburgh in 1932, he clearly committed himself to restraining, should he win the office, restraining government spending.

You've heard that a few times in your own lifetime, I'm sure. Well, he won the White House. Four years later, he's ready to pull out all the stops.

He wins by a landslide again. He is now going to do something unthinkable. He's going to take the country off the gold standard. He's going to allow Congress to regulate economy. He's going to give great power to government.

He's going to send the country billions of dollars into debt. And he's got a problem though. He had that speech. He had those promises. And so he actually asked his counsel what he could do to manage an about-face without seeming two-faced. What should he do about his earlier promise?

And the counsel was straightforward and unapologetic. He was told by his counsel, deny you ever made that speech in 1932. I think that's a good illustration of what could be. If there was ever a time when David could, you know, kind of slide his covenant promise under the royal rugs, it would be now. Who would complain?

Times are better than ever. Who's going to even remember? It's 15 years ago. Who would care?

Just deny you ever said it. I mean, why muddy the waters by shaking hands with some relative to a king who hated you? But instead, what you have here in verse 1 is you have David ordering a nationwide search for any possible living relative from the house of Saul because of one reason.

I want to show that living relative grace. It doesn't take long before they came across a guy farming, squatting really, on one of King Saul's former estates. Verse 2. Now there was a servant, former staff member, of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. And they called him to David and the king said to him, are you Ziba? And he said, I am your servant. And the king said, is there not still someone of the house of Saul that I may show the kindness? There it is, the grace of God to him. Ziba said to the king, there's still a son of Jonathan, but he's crippled in his feet.

Let's stop. Ziba will appear a couple of times in scripture. He's one of those unsavory characters. He's just kind of greasy. I think that this were a Broadway play. Whenever he came out, he'd be wearing a black cape, pointy shoes, and a gold chain on his vest and a cane with a diamond tip. And whenever he came on stage, the music would change to sinister.

It would just kind of tremble. Here comes Ziba. If you met Ziba, you'd immediately want to check your jewelry.

Make sure your wallet's still in your back pocket when he left the room. That's Ziba. Several times he'll show up and every time he does, the words deceiving opportunist need to flash on the screen of your imagination. Ziba is cunning. Later when he does appear, he'll lie about Mephibosheth to try to alter the king's loyalty. And here's where you read in between the lines, which is fascinating to discover then that Ziba has just sort of squirreled away one of Saul's estates and he's living on it. And he's tending the land and he's got a harem. He has 15 grown sons. He has 20 servants.

He's living like a king and he's hoping beyond hope. David never finds out. See, when the transition had occurred from Saul's house to David's, Ziba didn't necessarily go to King David and said, Oh, by the way, the land I'm living on and tilling and all that household and all that, that's actually yours, so I just want to hand it over. Oh, he said nothing.

Nothing. It is this nationwide search that surfaces this cunning man. All that to say, if there was anybody in this demonstration of grace who doesn't want a relative of Saul to be found, it's Ziba. I couldn't help but think there are always enemies of grace. In fact, if you choose to demonstrate grace, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

There will be obstacles and difficulties. I can't help as I study this passage to think of the ark enemy of grace that we all have. He hates the sound of what we rehearsed, that this is all of grace, that Jesus paid most of it. No, Jesus paid what?

It all. He paid it all. He hates the sound of undeserved, unearned grace. Now, you can't help but notice here in the text, if you look back at the end of verse 3, how Ziba really tries to discourage David. He no doubt reluctantly admits, look, there is still a son of Jonathan, oh, but he's crippled in his feet. Why throw that in there?

Why add that last line? And I agree with one Old Testament scholar who wrote, he's effectively implying, David, you really ought to think twice on this quest of grace. This guy isn't going to fit the court. He's not going to make you look more impressive. He really doesn't fit the surroundings of your cedar-lined home and your capital city of Jerusalem.

David is clearly asked, look, is there anybody I can give to whom I can give the gift of grace? A conniving staff member that dates back to the former administration admits that he's living on royal turf and it really belongs to this young man, but why bother with him, King? Why bother with him? He's, oh, I know, he's unworthy. You don't want to mess with him.

Besides, he can't do anything for you in return. Listen, the zebras of the world do not get grace. They just don't get it.

They don't understand that grace is a gift given to unworthy people. I love David's response. Look at verse 4. It's as if he ignores that line. Oh, he's crippled in both feet. And David just says, look, where is he?

I love that. Where is he? Ziba effectively gives him the address. Notice he's in the house of Makir, the son of Amel at Lodabar. By the way, Lodabar means no thing. Nothing. It's another way of saying obscure, unimpressive, barren.

You could render it woodenly no pasture. So what you have ironically is a crippled young man hiding out in fear of the new king living in Nowheresville. It all began, by the way, with a house of Saul and its tragic defeat and disgrace. In fact, hold your finger here and go back just a couple of pages to chapter 4 and let's discover how Mephibosheth, who is this living son of Jonathan, was injured.

Let's find out how. 2 Samuel 4 and verse 4. Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. Look down at the end of verse 4 and it gives us his name, Mephibosheth. Let's find out how he was crippled, verse 4. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel.

That is where they were killed in battle. And his nurse took him up and fled. And as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. Given the fact, beloved, that he's five years old and able to run. In fact, five year olds can outrun. They outrun their mothers all the time, right? More than likely she has taken him up, implied in a cart of some sort. Perhaps they took a turn too fast in her terror.

She knew, assumed that David would do what new kings do. And that's kill the household of the former dynasty. That cart turns over. Or maybe just slips a little bit and he tumbles out. Maybe he's rolled over by the back wheel. Or maybe he's on the back of a horse and she's galloping away and turns. Or something lurches him off the back of that horse. He falls and breaks both his legs, perhaps his feet. When they arrive at their hiding place, the last thing she can do is call for a physician. The last thing she can do is expose that secret hiding place.

At least for a few weeks or months until they can leave again. And so perhaps his legs or his feet were improperly or crudely set. They didn't mend to where he could ever walk again without the help of crutches. Fallen, disabled. Listen, if that isn't a picture of the unredeemed community, nothing is.

Track back to where it happened. Adam and Eve fell. They had a tragic fall in sin and everyone proves we belong to them by sinning. Spiritually now crippled for life, even physically dying.

Nothing to offer. In fear of God, hiding away and God comes along and says, Where are you? That's grace. Here back in chapter 9, David demonstrates the grace of God toward the undeserving. Ziba says there's one living relative but he's crippled and he just says, Oh, where is he?

Where is he? Don't miss this. Only grace responds in this manner. After, at the end of verse 3, Ziba throws in that cynical footnote. You would almost expect David to ask, wouldn't you?

Well, how bad is it? Is it both feet, truly both legs? Perhaps, can he move at all? Is it going to be trouble?

Is it going to be difficult? You know, I think this changes everything. I mean, the palace isn't in compliance with the disability act. Maybe we're going to have to build ramps or move rugs. Or we're going to have to change the bathroom around in the bathtub and lower the window sills. And we're going to have to pay for physical therapy.

I didn't know this was going to cost. That's not grace. Grace doesn't hold back. Grace is ready to spend. Like Paul who wrote to the Ephesians, we have been redeemed through his blood according to the riches of his grace which he lavished on us.

I love that text. Ephesians 1-8. He lavished his grace on us. Grace is gift giving that can hardly wait.

Grace is probably more evident in the way we act and feel at Christmas time. Or at birthdays. You don't give a gift to your child or spouse or family member at their birthday. And on top of that box is a card that reads, based upon what you did for me, October 15, 2013, I hereby give you this gift. It's unearned.

It's undeserved. You don't read off the merits of those who receive them. You just give the gifts and you give them with joy. You're excited to see their happiness when they open that box. I can remember on one of my birthday occasions, when my youngest daughter was around five, there were a few gifts opened and then she had been sort of saving one. So she ran off down the hallway and came back a few minutes later with a box and she excitedly announced, Daddy, I picked this gift out for you all by myself.

I held my breath. In fact, she said, I even wrapped the box. And I could tell there was a whole roll of Scotch tape that had been wound around that whole box.

Finally, she stood there dancing up and down on both feet, clapping her hands as she couldn't wait. Daddy, I picked this out by myself. And I finally made it through all the Scotch tape and opened the box and inside was a pair of socks. But I recognized them. They were my socks. She'd gone shopping in my closet. The good news, it didn't cost any money.

I kind of like that idea. She was dancing up. Daddy, I gave you a gift.

I picked it out all by myself. Listen, that's grace. Grace can hardly wait to give. Grace dances up and down on both feet. Grace claps its hands, smiles from ear to ear.

Don't give me all the merits and the details. Just tell me where he is. I'm ready to spend. David doesn't wait long. Look at verse 5. And the king sent and brought him from the house of Machir, the son of Amiel at Lodabar. And Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David.

Can you see this in the courtroom? He fell on his face and paid homage, perhaps expecting David to say off with his head. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, behold, I am your servant. And David said, don't be afraid, for I will show you, here it is, grace, loving 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.

And he paid homage. And he said, what is your servant that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I? He has nothing to offer the king, and we have nothing to offer God. We deserve nothing, had nothing. There we are, hiding, in fear, disabled, sinful, dying, condemned, and he found us. He found us. I hope you can see the parallels between the grace that King David demonstrated and the grace God demonstrates toward us.

There's more to this lesson, and we'll bring you the conclusion, but it's going to have to wait until next time. You've been listening to Stephen Davey here on Wisdom for the Heart. Stephen pastors the Shepherd's Church in Cary, North Carolina. You can learn more about us by visiting wisdomonline.org. In addition to information about our ministry, we have all of our resources posted there. The complete archive of Stephen's teaching is available to you, and I hope you'll take advantage of those lessons. Our ministry is on social media, and that's a great way to stay informed and interact with us. You can follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and we'd enjoy interacting with you online. We'd also enjoy hearing how God's using this ministry to equip and encourage you in your walk with Christ. Our mailing address is Thanks again for joining us today. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and then please join us back here on Monday for more Wisdom for the Heart. .