WEBVTT 00:00:01.199 --> 00:00:05.599 Heavenly Father, we come before you today thankful for life. 00:00:05.839 --> 00:00:07.919 Thankful for breath in our lungs, God. 00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:17.280 Lord Jesus, in your Sermon on the Mount, the most famous sermon ever, you said, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they will inherit the kingdom of God. 00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:20.160 Lord, give us such a posture before you today. 00:00:20.399 --> 00:00:23.519 Give us the riches of your salvation and of your grace. 00:00:23.760 --> 00:00:33.439 Lord, we ask that as your word gets open, that you would bless it, that you would speak, Holy Spirit, that you would heal, that you would declare who you are, that eyes would be made to see. 00:00:34.079 --> 00:00:36.079 Lord, we invite you in. 00:00:36.240 --> 00:00:37.520 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:00:38.240 --> 00:00:39.759 Feel free to take a seat. 00:00:42.320 --> 00:00:44.399 All right, it is my honor and privilege. 00:00:44.640 --> 00:00:45.840 Well, by the way, my name's Adam. 00:00:45.920 --> 00:00:48.000 I'm one of the pastors here at Skyline Church. 00:00:48.079 --> 00:00:51.439 We're a new church, about two and a half years in that we've been meeting. 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:54.399 Our first public launch was Easter of 2024. 00:00:54.560 --> 00:00:58.159 Um, as Jeremiah said, if you're new here today, I I would love to meet you. 00:00:58.240 --> 00:01:00.880 Um so please come up and say hey after the service. 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:05.040 Um it's it's my special honor and privilege today to introduce someone. 00:01:05.120 --> 00:01:06.480 Beck, if you wouldn't mind come on up. 00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:08.640 Give a light round of applause for Beck Easton, everyone. 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:13.920 So here's the thing about Beck. 00:01:14.319 --> 00:01:22.319 Uh technically Beck and I were the first um the first official church planting residents and in the Crossway Network, right? 00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:22.799 I think so. 00:01:23.040 --> 00:01:24.079 Can you give him juice, Jesse? 00:01:24.239 --> 00:01:24.879 Can you give him microphone? 00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:25.920 Oh, I gave him mic. 00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:26.879 Oh, it's his phone. 00:01:27.040 --> 00:01:27.200 Okay. 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:34.400 Um and I we planted a church in 2023, but the church that Beck was at as a resident was like, we don't actually want you to go. 00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:36.719 We want you to stay here for a while, and you can plant later. 00:01:36.879 --> 00:01:38.719 But later has now come, hasn't it? 00:01:39.120 --> 00:01:39.920 It has definitely come. 00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:43.120 So Beck, you guys have moved down to Pueblo now. 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:44.319 Yes, Monday. 00:01:45.040 --> 00:01:45.840 Last Monday you did. 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:46.879 Or this coming Monday. 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:48.000 Uh last Monday. 00:01:48.239 --> 00:01:48.799 What's today? 00:01:48.879 --> 00:01:49.280 I don't even know. 00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:49.599 Yeah. 00:01:50.879 --> 00:01:52.079 It's been seven days. 00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:59.040 We we packed up everything, and I'm the moment I got in the house, I ripped up carpets and ripped out floor and tore down walls. 00:01:59.120 --> 00:02:02.079 And so we're kind of a homeless wandering people right now. 00:02:02.400 --> 00:02:05.359 But also in Pueblo, you can buy a lot of space, right? 00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:08.560 You can buy a lot of house, but it needs a lot of work. 00:02:09.039 --> 00:02:11.280 So, Beck, you want to tell us a little bit about the launch team? 00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:11.919 How's it going? 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:13.680 What's kind of the timeline here? 00:02:14.080 --> 00:02:33.840 Yeah, um, we uh, like I said, we just moved down Monday, and by God's grace, we have a team of about 33 people, uh, families that have young children, singles, freshly newlyweds, uh, even some people with uh silver hair or no hair have uh decided to join the plant. 00:02:33.919 --> 00:02:36.479 And so we're really grateful for the team. 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:39.199 These we did not think we were ever going to Pueblo. 00:02:39.439 --> 00:02:39.919 Ever. 00:02:40.240 --> 00:02:40.719 Ever. 00:02:41.439 --> 00:02:47.360 And uh by God's grace, not only has he led us there, but so many other other folks. 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:56.000 We're still working through the eldership process uh to get a plurality of elders, and so we're gonna start meeting as a core team for an extended amount of time. 00:02:56.159 --> 00:03:03.039 You could pray uh for our lunch sometime, you're gonna laugh when I say this, between Christmas and Easter. 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:08.479 I know that's a big gap, but we're giving ourselves a lot of runway and not a lot of expectation. 00:03:08.639 --> 00:03:16.319 I think one of the biggest things that could hurt a church plant like this is the desire to go fast, to rush it. 00:03:16.560 --> 00:03:19.280 And so I, as you can tell, was not built for speed. 00:03:19.439 --> 00:03:21.039 I was built for comfort. 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:28.800 And so we're gonna cruise at a comfortable pace uh in this time, get to know each other, and pray that the Lord blesses it. 00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:31.120 So, Beck, it's our privilege to have you preach here this morning. 00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:39.039 It was important to me to have you guys meet Beck if you haven't met him before, because he's uh a church planter now in the Crossway Network, and we're really excited about that. 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:42.240 The the city of Pueblo is going to be immensely blessed. 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:49.439 Can't wait for the families, the neighborhoods, the city, the campus to be transformed in the coming years in an unrecognizable way. 00:03:49.599 --> 00:03:51.599 So give it up for Beck, guys, as he brings us the word. 00:03:54.240 --> 00:03:55.360 Well, thanks everybody. 00:03:55.439 --> 00:03:56.879 It's so good to be with you. 00:03:57.120 --> 00:04:06.240 Um I was asked to come and preach, and they said I could preach on whatever I wanted, which is a dangerous endeavor. 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:16.879 I decided to pick an obscure passage, but quite possibly one of, if not my favorite texts in all of the scripture. 00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:34.319 It's a scripture that uh really connected the Old Testament and the New and let me see Jesus in the Old Testament and really brought Jesus kind of into my lap and into my life and let me understand a little more of how I see um myself. 00:04:36.079 --> 00:04:43.040 I don't know if you're familiar with 1st and 2 Samuel, the story of the life of David, basically. 00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:47.680 God's people get a king, and his first king kind of looks like the world. 00:04:47.759 --> 00:04:50.079 He's big and tall and handsome and well spoken. 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:52.639 His name is Saul, but he's not a good king. 00:04:52.879 --> 00:05:00.639 And there's this little shepherd boy, you've heard of him before, David, who God blesses and anoints to become the king of Israel. 00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:05.519 But how is this shepherd going to get into the throne room? 00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:10.959 1 Samuel is basically the story of Saul's demise and David's rise. 00:05:11.120 --> 00:05:20.160 And right at the end of 1 Samuel, you have this transfer of power, which brings us into David's reign. 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:25.759 Now, David is a king that follows God by trusting him. 00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:28.000 He submits himself. 00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:33.920 And in there's these three chapters here in 2 Samuel 7, 8, and 9. 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:38.480 2 Samuel chapter 7 is where God anoints David. 00:05:39.040 --> 00:05:42.399 There's this covenant relationship between David and God. 00:05:42.480 --> 00:05:48.639 And basically what it says is that David is just going to be faithful to God and God's going to take care of the rest. 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:50.639 And it starts to work. 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:52.959 In chapter 8, you get a lot of war. 00:05:53.680 --> 00:05:58.959 David is fighting wars literally to the north and to the south and to the east and to the west, and guess what? 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:00.560 He's winning. 00:06:01.120 --> 00:06:08.399 And years go by, and we get to 2 Samuel chapter 9 to a really unique story. 00:06:08.560 --> 00:06:14.399 But what I would argue to you is the pinnacle of David's reign as king. 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:19.360 It's the time in the scripture where David is acting the most like God. 00:06:20.160 --> 00:06:28.079 Now, most of you know David because of the killing of Goliath, faithfulness when he was a teenager back in 1 Samuel. 00:06:28.160 --> 00:06:29.600 That's a great story. 00:06:29.839 --> 00:06:42.959 I'm here to tell you that this obscure little passage tells us more about David's faithfulness and in turn tells us more about who God is. 00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:50.079 This story would be totally famous if the character in it didn't had a more marketable name. 00:06:51.199 --> 00:07:00.639 If his name was Noah or Jonah or something like that, this would be in every child's storybook, but I would argue to you that it should be in your lap. 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:04.560 It should be in the ears and the hearts of your children and of you as well. 00:07:04.720 --> 00:07:07.040 It's the story of Mephibosheth. 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:11.759 Pray for me, because I have to say that name no less than 20 times in the next 30 minutes. 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:15.680 So David is on the throne. 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:17.759 Twenty years have passed. 00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:20.720 Saul and his best friend Jonathan are gone. 00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:21.839 They've died. 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:26.240 He is ruling and is successful in every direction. 00:07:26.639 --> 00:07:31.839 And 2 Samuel chapter 9 puts the king on the throne and he's pondering. 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:35.759 That's where we pick up this unique story. 00:07:36.319 --> 00:07:41.360 Why don't you turn with me to 2 Samuel chapter 9, verses 1 through 13? 00:07:41.680 --> 00:07:46.319 If you have your Bible, you can turn with me there and we will read it together. 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:48.560 Says this. 00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:56.319 And David said, Is there still anyone left in the house of Saul that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake? 00:07:56.879 --> 00:08:03.439 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David, and the king said to him, Are you Zeba? 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:04.720 And he said, I am your servant. 00:08:04.879 --> 00:08:11.680 And the king said, Is there not still someone in the house of Saul that I may show kindness, the kindness of God to him? 00:08:11.920 --> 00:08:15.519 And Ziba said to the king, There is still a son of Jonathan. 00:08:15.759 --> 00:08:17.839 He is crippled in his feet. 00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:19.680 The king said to him, Where is he? 00:08:19.839 --> 00:08:24.319 And Ziba said to the king, He is in the house of Makar, the son of Amamel at Lodabar. 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:32.000 And the king David sent and brought him to the house sorry, from the house of Makar, the son of Amal at Lodabar. 00:08:32.240 --> 00:08:39.919 And Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. 00:08:40.080 --> 00:08:42.240 And David said, Mephibosheth. 00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:45.120 And he answered, Behold, I am your servant. 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:53.039 And David said to him, Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. 00:08:53.279 --> 00:09:00.480 I will restore to you all of the land of Saul, your father, and you shall eat at my table always. 00:09:00.799 --> 00:09:07.679 And he paid homage and said, What is your servant that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I? 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:26.240 Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, All that belongs to Saul and all of his house I give I have given to your master's grandson, and you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. 00:09:26.399 --> 00:09:31.440 But Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, shall always eat at my table. 00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:34.480 And Zeba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 00:09:34.639 --> 00:09:40.799 Then Zeba said to the king, According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do. 00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:46.000 So Mephibosheth ate at David's table like one of the king's sons. 00:09:46.399 --> 00:09:52.879 And Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micah, and all who lived with Zeba's house became Mephibosheth's servants. 00:09:53.120 --> 00:09:58.480 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king's table. 00:09:58.799 --> 00:10:01.440 Now he was lame in both feet. 00:10:02.240 --> 00:10:03.600 Would you pray with me? 00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:21.679 I pray that you would use me, that you would use everybody here to glorify you by understanding you more and your character. 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:29.759 I pray that this would not be a historical story about David the king, but a reflective story of you and your character. 00:10:30.480 --> 00:10:31.919 Would you help us now? 00:10:32.639 --> 00:10:34.320 In Jesus' name. 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:35.759 Amen. 00:10:38.320 --> 00:10:41.440 This is a story about David. 00:10:41.679 --> 00:10:48.480 And a story about Mephibosheth, but it's really a story about what God is like. 00:10:48.960 --> 00:10:52.559 If you've known me for any amount of time, and some of you have, you'll know this phrase. 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:57.519 The most important thought you can have is what you think God thinks about you. 00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:05.200 What you think God thinks about you is going to determine your worldview about everything. 00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:11.519 Is this God an angry kid on an ant hill with a magnifying glass and worthy ant? 00:11:12.159 --> 00:11:13.360 Is this God distant? 00:11:13.440 --> 00:11:19.200 He's lays back, puts his feet up on the ottoman, presses play on time, and just watches it all unfold. 00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:22.399 What kind of God is He? 00:11:23.440 --> 00:11:28.159 God of power and thunder and fear and darkness, a God of love and mercy? 00:11:28.320 --> 00:11:30.080 Is it a combination of it all? 00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:34.320 I submit to you that the Bible is one unifying story. 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:36.399 It's a love story that leads to Jesus. 00:11:36.480 --> 00:11:41.200 That's true, but it's telling us what God is like. 00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:46.559 If there's a God in heaven, we better know what kind of God He is. 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:52.879 This story is telling you, and He's telling you namely that God is kind. 00:11:54.960 --> 00:11:56.080 God is kind. 00:11:56.320 --> 00:11:58.879 The word in Hebrew there is Hised love. 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:04.240 It's a word for loyal love or loving kindness or mercy. 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:06.159 It's translated different ways. 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:09.360 But the word kindness in the ESV, I think, is fitting. 00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:11.919 Look in your text, or I think it is up on the slide. 00:12:12.000 --> 00:12:13.840 You'll see this multiple times. 00:12:14.080 --> 00:12:15.759 The kindness of God. 00:12:15.919 --> 00:12:16.720 Verse 1. 00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:21.440 And David said, Is there anybody in the house of Saul that I may show kindness for Jonathan's sake? 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:22.559 Verse 3. 00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:26.960 Is there not someone in the house of Saul that I may show kindness to him? 00:12:27.200 --> 00:12:35.039 Verse 7, do not fear, David says to Mephibosheth, I will show you kindness for the sake of your father. 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:39.519 This is what the story is about. 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:43.519 It's about God's kindness. 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:45.919 And here's the point of today's message. 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:48.080 Here's what I hope you'll walk away with. 00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:50.799 It's on your bulletin and it should be up on the slide. 00:12:51.120 --> 00:13:00.720 The more we understand the kindness of God towards us, the more we will display the kindness of God towards others. 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:10.320 David is this young shepherd boy who understands and contemplates the kindness of God towards him. 00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:18.240 And as he is pondering, he lives to display that kindness to others. 00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:23.279 That's the point of the text and what I hope to show you. 00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:26.080 But this isn't just about David's kindness. 00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:37.519 You know, in Exodus 34, verses 6 and 7, some of the most famous scripture in all the Bible, it says that God's name, his own character, merciful and gracious and abounding in steadfast love. 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:40.480 That word is his said. 00:13:41.279 --> 00:13:45.600 Now, this kind of kindness isn't the kind of kindness for a good tipper. 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:51.279 We're not talking about people that put the carts away at King Supers. 00:13:51.440 --> 00:13:53.120 Those are all good things. 00:13:53.279 --> 00:14:00.799 But this is a kind of kindness that is covenant love, promise-keeping love, the love that we get that we have not earned. 00:14:00.960 --> 00:14:08.960 When we talk about mercy and kindness and love in this way, it's more like the love that you would see displayed at a wedding ceremony. 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:12.399 This covenantal care. 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:19.440 David is at a point in his life where he's grateful to the Lord. 00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:23.919 He understands that he's getting what he did not deserve. 00:14:24.320 --> 00:14:32.879 And if you know the story of David soon, it's all gonna fall off a cliff because he failed to remember. 00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:36.080 The number one promise in the Bible is do not fear. 00:14:36.399 --> 00:14:38.320 You'll see it actually today in the scripture. 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:41.360 The second promise, most common in the scripture? 00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:42.799 Remember. 00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:51.440 That you would not just know the kindness of God and understand the kindness of God, but that you would remember the kindness of God. 00:14:51.600 --> 00:14:55.200 I believe that's the purpose of this story. 00:14:55.840 --> 00:15:01.840 He's a king, but his identity is still as a servant. 00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:11.600 And so he's remembering this relationship he had with his best friend, this brother, Jonathan. 00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:16.080 David's former king, Saul, hates David. 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:20.720 But Jonathan, Saul's son, he gets what God is doing. 00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:29.679 And in 1 Samuel, you see this relationship between David and Jonathan operate in a covenant type of love. 00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:39.759 In fact, all over 1 Samuel chapter 20, you see this relationship with Samuel where he is saying, Don't forget my household. 00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:47.120 Show kindness, he said love, to me and my household, because I know what God is doing in your life. 00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:50.159 I understand and agree with the providence of God. 00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:54.320 And so David and his best friend have this covenant moment. 00:15:54.399 --> 00:15:59.759 And he's sitting on this throne and he's remembering that promise. 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:03.600 And boy is he gonna keep it. 00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:07.519 Look with me into verses one through three. 00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:10.799 David is saying, Is there anybody left in the house of Saul? 00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:12.639 This is a political enemy. 00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:19.759 Back in that day, you didn't have changes of power with a vote and a parade. 00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:23.120 No, there was mutinies. 00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:30.399 You killed everybody with the legacy of that name because you didn't want to allow for a coup to uprise in your own kingdom. 00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:35.679 It was commonplace to wipe everybody out of the old regime. 00:16:35.919 --> 00:16:39.600 And so when David is saying, Is there anybody left in the house of Saul? 00:16:39.759 --> 00:16:44.240 Everybody in the king's court is going, Oh man, we're gonna clean them out. 00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:51.039 But there's a pivot, a covenantal pivot, that I may show kindness to him. 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:54.879 He calls for Zeba, this servant. 00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:57.360 And Zeba says, There is one left. 00:16:57.440 --> 00:16:59.519 His name is Mephibosheth. 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:04.000 Mephibosheth is in a place called Lodabar. 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:05.440 He's in hiding. 00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:09.359 Now we know a little bit about Mephibosheth in 1 Samuel chapter 4. 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:16.079 Jerusalem is under siege and Saul is in trouble, and so he's gonna escape the kingdom. 00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:25.599 And so Mephibosheth is five years old, and the maidservant picks him up and they're fleeing the castle, as it were, and she drops him and he breaks both of his feet. 00:17:26.160 --> 00:17:36.319 Imagine Mephibosheth's upbringing in the temple court, knowing that his pathway as a prince was to reign in Jerusalem. 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:41.279 He played on the throne that David is sitting on now. 00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:52.480 And when the regime change happens, he loses his feet, he loses his home, he loses his family, and he moves to a city called Lo Dabar. 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:56.240 It literally means place of no harvest, place of nothing. 00:17:57.119 --> 00:17:58.319 Emptiness. 00:17:59.359 --> 00:18:06.559 Mephibosheth is no man in no place with no hope. 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:12.000 Isn't that true of us sometimes? 00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:19.680 Maybe not crippled in our feet, but crippled in our past, crippled in our heart, crippled in our mind. 00:18:20.240 --> 00:18:24.319 We are in a nowhere place, going nowhere and with no hope. 00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:25.920 He's in the house of Mekar. 00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:26.480 Why? 00:18:26.640 --> 00:18:30.079 Because in that day he couldn't care for himself. 00:18:30.400 --> 00:18:36.960 So this former prince now has to be cared for by somebody else and in their loving kindness. 00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:39.599 He's in hiding as an expat. 00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:42.000 And there's a knock on the door. 00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:44.240 Here comes Ziba. 00:18:44.960 --> 00:18:46.720 The king requests you. 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:48.960 This is it for him. 00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:50.720 This is the end. 00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:52.400 This is the end for him. 00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:58.559 His miserable, nowhere, no hope life is coming to an end in the same court he played as a child. 00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:00.480 And he's drug in. 00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:03.839 Look at in verse 6, or pardon me, verse 4. 00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:06.160 He's uh verse 4, the end of verse 4. 00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:08.559 He's in the house of Makar, the son of Amamel at Lodabar. 00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:14.160 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Makar, the son of Amamel at Lodabar in verse 6. 00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:20.160 And Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David and fell on his faith and paid homage. 00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:25.359 Just picture, look, create a scene in your mind. 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:30.960 This guy is being dragged in for his execution in his own mind. 00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:34.319 He is seeing the highest authority in the land. 00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:35.680 There's no way out. 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:38.000 He can't even walk the last few steps. 00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:39.119 He has to crawl. 00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:43.119 And he lays on his face, knowing that there's nothing he can do. 00:19:43.279 --> 00:19:48.880 He pays homage, getting ready for his just punishment. 00:19:50.400 --> 00:19:55.599 Not just because of what he did, but because of the blood that runs through his veins. 00:19:57.599 --> 00:20:07.200 The hand he was dealt, the cards he was played, the world that he lives in, and listen to these grace-filled words that shock him to his core. 00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:11.039 And David said, What does David say? 00:20:16.319 --> 00:20:17.599 This is the high point. 00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:18.799 What's he gonna do? 00:20:19.039 --> 00:20:20.400 What's gonna happen? 00:20:20.640 --> 00:20:22.400 Read it in your text. 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:25.119 It says, do not fear. 00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:40.160 A phrase that we hear so often in the Bible, specifically in the gospels, when the king is coming and when the king returns and when angels are heralding, what is the the term that the shepherd boys hear in the field? 00:20:40.319 --> 00:20:44.000 What is the term that Mary heals with the air hears at the empty tomb? 00:20:44.160 --> 00:20:45.599 Do not be afraid. 00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:49.119 I know there's a ton of authority in the room. 00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:53.200 I know I could do whatever I want to you and it would be just. 00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:55.759 But I'm gonna tell you what I'm like. 00:20:57.200 --> 00:20:58.640 Don't be afraid. 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:09.119 Because of the sake, for the sake of your dad, I'm gonna bless you. 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:13.519 He gives him kindness. 00:21:14.079 --> 00:21:19.759 Do not fear, for I will show you great kindness. 00:21:20.880 --> 00:21:31.440 Now, if you get to verse 8, he said he paid homage to him and said, What is your servant that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I? 00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:34.319 Isn't that true of us? 00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:40.079 No matter what the authority says, we're still kind of like stuck in our own mind. 00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:42.000 What happened yesterday? 00:21:43.279 --> 00:21:53.039 The deleted search stuff on our phones, all of that has a louder voice, the cuts on our thighs, the thing that happened, the past, the dad, the mom, the whatever. 00:21:53.279 --> 00:21:56.240 Speaks louder than the king, even in the room. 00:21:56.559 --> 00:22:01.759 See, the dog back then is not like something you like walked on the Evenings and let sleep on your bed. 00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:05.119 That was a term not of endearment but of disgrace. 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:09.359 A dog was the lowest of the low in the first century Judean world. 00:22:09.440 --> 00:22:12.240 And a dead dog was worse than that. 00:22:12.480 --> 00:22:21.759 It was just disease-ridden frustration and kind of honriness associated with that term. 00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:29.359 Do you see that David's response to Mephibosheth after he says it? 00:22:29.759 --> 00:22:30.960 Look down at your text. 00:22:31.039 --> 00:22:32.160 It's amazing. 00:22:33.519 --> 00:22:35.440 He doesn't even reply. 00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:38.079 He's just doing king stuff. 00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:41.039 Gives it no attention. 00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:48.240 In other words, he pays no mind to what you say about you because what the king says about you, that's the way it is. 00:22:49.599 --> 00:22:55.759 He says, Ziba, go give everything that Jonathan and Saul had. 00:22:55.839 --> 00:22:59.119 Not the whole kingdom, but his personal land, his home. 00:22:59.359 --> 00:23:00.559 Guys, imagine this. 00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:05.440 Mephibosheth gets restored to the place of his youth. 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:10.799 The grandpa's house that he never thought he would ever get to be, and again he gets it back. 00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:15.599 More than just not being killed. 00:23:16.640 --> 00:23:22.240 He gets this restorative, regenerative blessing put upon him. 00:23:22.480 --> 00:23:29.599 And we as Christians, sometimes we can live like I'm a Christian, which means I'm just barely not going to die forever. 00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:33.680 Because that's what God is like. 00:23:34.640 --> 00:23:36.960 Nothing could be further from the truth. 00:23:39.359 --> 00:23:44.880 God is not penting up his anger towards you and holding it back. 00:23:45.359 --> 00:23:47.839 That's not the character that we see in the scripture. 00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:56.400 He's penting up his mercy and kindness towards you, looking for an opportunity to, as Ordlin would say, burst it forward. 00:23:57.839 --> 00:24:00.240 That's the character of God. 00:24:04.079 --> 00:24:06.319 He gets servants. 00:24:08.079 --> 00:24:17.039 Ziba is a slave at the time, but you can't think of slavery in the way we would understand our sinful history as American cat chattel slavery. 00:24:17.200 --> 00:24:20.319 This guy is the CEO of a major corporation. 00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:22.160 He has servants himself. 00:24:22.240 --> 00:24:23.279 He has multiple children. 00:24:23.359 --> 00:24:24.880 He's running a massive account. 00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:27.359 This is a high authority man. 00:24:28.400 --> 00:24:34.240 And with the snap of his fingers, the king says, You have a new job description. 00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:43.759 And Mephibosh saith, You have a new house, and you're going to get new grain, and you are going to be taken care of. 00:24:44.880 --> 00:24:46.319 But that's not it. 00:24:48.160 --> 00:24:49.599 Look at verse 7. 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:52.640 I mean, uh, sorry, uh, verse 8. 00:24:53.359 --> 00:25:00.559 Then the king said, Zeba, Saul's servant, said to him, All that belong to Saul and to his house, I've given to your master's grandson. 00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:06.160 And you and your son shall till the land for him, bringing the produce, and the master's grandson shall have bread to eat. 00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:11.920 But Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, shall always eat at my table. 00:25:13.680 --> 00:25:20.079 I don't know a better way to say it than aren't we all just looking for a seat at the table? 00:25:20.559 --> 00:25:22.079 You know what I mean? 00:25:23.359 --> 00:25:29.119 Place in the world to be a part, where there's a chair reserved for you. 00:25:31.920 --> 00:25:37.279 In the Gospels in Luke chapter 14, we even hear about this banquet, this invite. 00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:42.720 And in other places in Matthew, we hear about this cosmic banquet that's being held. 00:25:42.880 --> 00:25:50.960 The end of time, as we understand the book of Revelation, it's not just like lightning and thunder, and we are wearing white robes and singing for all of eternity. 00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:55.920 No, the picture that's displayed at the end of time is a wedding feast. 00:25:56.079 --> 00:25:57.759 It's a banquet table. 00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:05.039 To sit at the king's table was not just a place of good food. 00:26:05.279 --> 00:26:07.200 It was a place of prestige. 00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:09.200 It was a place of prominence. 00:26:09.359 --> 00:26:12.720 It was it was saying that you are on the in crowd. 00:26:12.799 --> 00:26:15.039 It wasn't like giving a beggar some bread. 00:26:15.200 --> 00:26:17.279 You know, have you ever, I just did a wedding last night. 00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:21.519 Have you ever seen the bridesman or the the the wedding party table? 00:26:21.599 --> 00:26:22.319 You know what I'm talking about? 00:26:22.400 --> 00:26:24.319 And there's always the guy who like barely makes it. 00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:31.440 He's like on the end with his legs crossed using a plastic fork as a as his knife. 00:26:31.759 --> 00:26:33.680 That's not what we're talking about here. 00:26:35.359 --> 00:26:42.319 We're talking about being put in the place of prominence, being on the in crowd forever. 00:26:42.880 --> 00:26:44.160 And not just that. 00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:45.920 Go down a little further. 00:26:46.079 --> 00:26:51.599 Then Sebas said, or pardon me, verse 12, Mephibosheth, I'm sorry, verse 11, I can't find it. 00:26:51.680 --> 00:26:52.000 There it is. 00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:52.960 The end of verse 11. 00:26:53.119 --> 00:27:00.240 So Mephibosheth ate at David's table like one of the king's sons. 00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:08.640 When David is acting most like God, this is so touching for me. 00:27:08.880 --> 00:27:12.240 There's no such thing as a second-class citizen. 00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:16.480 Nobody gets to be the rung below. 00:27:17.680 --> 00:27:26.319 The cripple gets raised up, gets a seat next to the highest authority in the room. 00:27:28.880 --> 00:27:30.559 Now he wasn't healed. 00:27:31.680 --> 00:27:34.480 Look at the last line, verse 13. 00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:43.119 He ate at the king's table always, though he was lame in both feet. 00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:50.799 David has seen grace and the mercy of God in his life. 00:27:50.960 --> 00:27:52.160 I think there's a slide for this. 00:27:52.319 --> 00:27:57.359 And so it impacts him and to treat others with grace and mercy. 00:27:57.519 --> 00:27:58.319 That's our main point. 00:27:58.400 --> 00:27:59.519 I want to read it one more time. 00:27:59.680 --> 00:28:06.960 The more David understands the kindness of God towards himself, the more he would display the kindness of God towards Mophibosheth. 00:28:07.119 --> 00:28:09.519 We talk about heaven coming to earth. 00:28:09.680 --> 00:28:10.799 You know, we pray that. 00:28:10.960 --> 00:28:11.759 We talk about it. 00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:14.720 Want to bring the kingdom into the world. 00:28:14.880 --> 00:28:17.519 What kind of kingdom are we talking about? 00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:22.400 Because when David is acting most like God, it's a kingdom of loving kindness. 00:28:22.559 --> 00:28:24.400 It's a kingdom of sacrifice. 00:28:24.640 --> 00:28:31.839 It's a kingdom of saying about something or saying about somebody something that's true of them, even when they don't believe it. 00:28:33.839 --> 00:28:38.160 Folks, it's a kingdom that always has room at your table. 00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:45.759 That's heaven coming here. 00:28:48.319 --> 00:28:57.519 This is a story about God's kindness, and it's also a story, a greater story, about the gospel, isn't it? 00:28:57.839 --> 00:28:59.279 Can't you see the overlap? 00:28:59.599 --> 00:29:04.960 People think there's the Old Testament, and it's just kind of like the diving board for the New Testament. 00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:08.400 I'm telling you, it's all one story. 00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:12.799 God is telling you what he's like, and he's telling you what he's going to do. 00:29:12.880 --> 00:29:18.400 And he sends his son to live a perfect life and to die a perfect death. 00:29:18.559 --> 00:29:22.720 For any who believe in him by faith, Ephesians, this is Paul. 00:29:22.880 --> 00:29:26.000 Paul says, let's reflect on Jesus' life and death. 00:29:26.240 --> 00:29:30.000 If you believe in him by faith, the scripture says you enter in him. 00:29:30.640 --> 00:29:31.599 You're in him. 00:29:32.160 --> 00:29:34.079 So when Jesus died, who died? 00:29:34.319 --> 00:29:36.480 Well, if I'm in him, I died with him. 00:29:36.799 --> 00:29:39.279 If he resurrected, who resurrected? 00:29:40.160 --> 00:29:41.599 Whoever's in him. 00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:49.759 And God says, For my son's sake, I'm going to give you everything that was his. 00:29:50.960 --> 00:29:55.599 This is the inheritance that is given to the Son Christ. 00:29:55.920 --> 00:30:06.160 Christ Jesus is given to us cripples, us expats, us rebellions or rebels. 00:30:06.319 --> 00:30:11.519 There is going to come a day where every single one of us is going to be laid on our face in front of the King's court. 00:30:11.839 --> 00:30:13.680 A cosmic court. 00:30:14.559 --> 00:30:18.000 With greater power than David ever could have imagined. 00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:19.839 With more authority. 00:30:20.160 --> 00:30:25.680 And my, I've come here today to tell you that could be a terrifying experience. 00:30:26.880 --> 00:30:30.799 But there's a way that it can become a glorious day. 00:30:32.640 --> 00:30:35.759 Where we don't have to hide our crippled legs. 00:30:35.920 --> 00:30:41.039 We don't have to be afraid of our lineage or what we did yesterday or whatever. 00:30:41.680 --> 00:30:42.319 Why? 00:30:43.200 --> 00:30:45.599 Because we're in Christ. 00:30:46.079 --> 00:30:48.720 We're hidden in Him. 00:30:49.759 --> 00:30:54.240