At the Table of Grace, Part 2

He is taken from the valley of the shadow of death where he has wondered, will I die today by the king's command? And he hears the king's command in its grace and he has moved from that valley into the king's house.

No longer carrying the name, as it were, unwanted. His name, his bearing, as it were, his station, certainly his place, his status now says, beloved by the king. In 2 Samuel 9, King David displayed remarkable grace to the descendant of his former enemy, King Saul.

The usual way things happened would be that the son of the king becomes the next king. But that didn't happen in the transition between Saul and David. So David could have perceived Saul's descendants as a threat, but instead he treated Saul's descendants with grace. Today, Stephen Davey will compare the grace David displayed with God's grace for us. We'll see that grace is undeserved and that grace moves us from being God's enemies to God's friends.

This is wisdom for the heart. Today's message is called, At the Table of Grace. 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.

Now 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 him 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 say, oh, by the way, the land I'm living on and tilling and all that household, 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, this is 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? 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? And this 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, you know, why bother with him, King? Why bother with him? 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 Zibas 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 Machir, 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 and 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? It'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, 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 or 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 15th, 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 and 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 liked 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? Interesting.

I thought about that. There isn't anything more worthless than a dead dog. Can't hunt, can't protect, can't fetch, can't keep the neighborhood free of cats and other rodents. Dead dog can't do anything.

And that's the point. He has nothing to offer the king and we have nothing to offer God. We deserve nothing, had nothing, can offer nothing. There we are, hiding, in fear, disabled, sinful, dying, condemned, and he found us.

He found us. For by grace you have been saved through faith, not of yourselves, it is the what? The gift of God, not of works. What can I give you, Lord?

Lest anyone should boast. And by the way, grace is wonderful because it goes above and beyond what you could ever expect. Did you notice what David added as I read through that text? Now he had promised Jonathan and Saul that they would be allowed to live. That's the covenant. I'm going to let you live. That's gracious.

But he's doing a lot more. Go back to verse 7 and look again. He says, I'm going to give you all of your grandfather's property. Wow. I'm going to give you the Biltmore. Saul built it, it's yours. Everybody there on that estate will now serve your wishes for the rest of your life. And now you're going to eat at my table too. That wasn't part of the covenant, but you're going to eat at my table. 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. And if children, Paul adds in Romans 8 17, then heirs of God. Joint heirs with Jesus Christ. See, four times in this text you're going to read, you're going to eat at my table. He's going to eat at the king's table. He's going to eat at the king's table. He's going to eat at the king's table.

Just in case we miss it. Here in this courtroom of grace David raises lame Mephibosheth up on his crutches and effectively says, you are now a prince in the land. You are no longer unwanted.

You are a member of my royal family. No more groveling on the ground. You are now free to live in light of grace.

It gets even better than that. Verse 9, I love this part too. Then the king called Zeba. Remember him?

The music changes. Now begins to tremble. Here he comes in with his black cape. Saul's servant. And he says, all that belong to Saul and to all his house I have just given to your master's grandson. And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring him the produce that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But he's not going to eat much of it because Mephibosheth, your master's grandson shall always eat at my table.

I can't imagine but Zeba's probably having a heart attack right about now. Now let me put it in other words. Zeba, you've been living off royal land that didn't belong to you. You've been tilling that land and you've been bringing in a harvest and that's stealing.

It's not yours. I tell you what, instead of arresting you for stealing and hanging you and your sons, I'm going to show you grace as well. You don't deserve it but I'm going to let you stay there on Saul's estate and I'm going to let you work that land. And you can eat all you want but we're going to make some changes, Zeba. Those servants that you made work for you. Well, I want you and all your hotshot sons to roll up your sleeves.

You're going to go out there in the field and work with them. Then you're going to bring in the produce and whatever Mephibosheth wants to do with that, that bounty that's up to him, he'll run that estate. His word is as good as mine because he's going to be staying with me. He's got a residence now in the palace.

He's going to be eating at my table. How's that sound, Zeba? Zeba said to the king, verse 11, well, according to all that my Lord the king commands his servants, so will your servant do.

What else can he say? Can you see our good shepherd in this narrative? Mephibosheth moves from the barren pasture land of meaninglessness into the green pastures of his Lord and King. He is taken from the valley of the shadow of death where he has wondered will I die today by the king's command and he hears the king's command in its grace and he has moved from that valley into the king's house. No longer carrying the name, as it were, unwanted. See, there's a ceremony. This is public.

It's in the record. His name, his bearing, as it were, his station, certainly his place, his status now says, beloved by the king, a recipient of grace. This is the testimony of the redeemed, those upon whom God has literally lavished his grace and the best is yet to come for we shall one day leave this valley of the shadow of death and we will live with our shepherd king as he moves us into his father's house. By the way, don't ever forget that Mephibosheth's disability is going to be a daily reminder of the king's grace. Every time he limped from place to place, from one step to the next, he would be reminded, I am in this magnificent palace because the king has kept his word and has given me grace. Think about it, beloved, our own sinful nature, our own limping from one day to the next, our own failure to measure up, our own spiritual and mental and emotional and even physical disabilities reminding us that none of us are impressive. In fact, we're all dying. Left alone, we have nothing to say, oh, this will impress you, God.

No. This is the amazing nature of grace. It's one way. Grace is one way. All we do is receive it. And then from sheer gratitude, if we do anything at all, not to earn it or deserve it, we simply live out lives of gratitude and praise because we dead dogs have been moved into the king's house. We've been redeemed by his grace. One author painted the scene in David's dining room the next night and it's so wonderful I want to just read it to you.

And every night thereafter it said this. The meal was prepared and along came the members of the king's family and their invited guests. Amnon, clever and witty, comes to the table first. Then there's Joab, one of the guests, muscular, his skin bronzed from the sun, walking tall like the experienced commanding soldier that he was. Next comes Absalom from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet.

He is handsome. And then arrives Tamar, the beautiful daughter of David and she slips into her seat. In a minute or two, in comes Solomon. He's been in his study all day but he finally slips away from his work and makes his way to the table. They're all seated with the king but then they hear this clump, clump, clump, clump, clump, clump.

And here comes Mephibosheth hobbling in. He smiles and humbly joins the others as he takes his place at the table as one of the king's children. And the tablecloth of grace covers his feet.

From unworthy to chosen, from worthless to priceless, from enemy to friend, from outcast to family. And I can preach this and we can believe this because of the Bible but we do not begin to even comprehend that day which is coming where we will sit with our king at his table. One Old Testament scholar said just try to imagine it.

You're sitting there feasting along with Paul or perhaps Peter is nearby and well there's James and you ask him to pass the potatoes and you pass Abraham some butter and you smile at something Esther said. You think about what Isaiah just repeated. There's David too with our king. Oh and who's that? That's Mephibosheth.

No more crutches. And who's that? That's you. That's me.

No longer unwanted but invited. And the tablecloth of grace will cover our feet forever. Thanks for joining us today here on Wisdom for the Heart. This is the Bible teaching ministry of Stephen Davey, pastor of the Shepherd's Church in Cary, North Carolina. You can learn more about us if you visit our website wisdomonline.org. Once you arrive at the homepage, you'll be able to access the complete archive of Stephen's Bible teaching ministry. If you ever miss one of these lessons on the radio, you can go to our website and keep caught up with our daily Bible teaching ministry.

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