Place: I.Hall 12:1:97 Reading: 2 Samuel 9: 1-13 GRACE A large prestigious church had three mission churches under its care. On the first Sunday of the New Year all the members of the mission churches came to the big city church for a combined Communion Service. In those mission churches, which were located in the slums of the city, were some outstanding cases of conversion... thieves, burglars and so on... but all knelt side by side when they came to partake of the emblems! One day to his amazement the pastor saw a former burglar kneeling beside a judge of the Supreme Court of England... the very judge who has sent him to jail where he had served seven years. After his release this burglar had been gloriously saved and became a Christian worker. Yet, as they knelt there, the judge and the former convict, neither one seemed to be aware of the other. After the service, the judge was walking out with the pastor and said to him, " Did you notice who was kneeling beside me this morning?" The pastor replied, " Yes, but I didn't know you noticed." The two walked along in silence for a few more moments, and then the judge said, " What a miracle of grace." The pastor nodded in agreement. " Yes, what a marvelous miracle of grace." Then the judge said, " But to whom do you refer?" And the pastor said, " Why, to the conversion of that convict." The judge said, " But I was not referring to him. I was thinking of myself. The pastor surprised, replied: " You were thinking of yourself? I don't understand. " Yes," the judge replied, " it was natural for the burglar to receive God's grace when he came out of jail. He had nothing but a history of crime behind him, and when he saw that Christ could be his Saviour he knew there was salvation and hope for him. And he knew how much he needed that help. " But look at me. I was taught from my earliest infancy to live as a gentleman: that my word was to be my bond: that I was to say my prayers, to go to church and so on. I went through Oxford, took my degrees, was called to the bar and eventually became a judge. Pastor, it was God's grace that drew me: it was God's grace that opened my heart to receive it. I'm a greater miracle of His grace." Now perhaps there is something to the judge's insistence upon his life being the greater miracle. But my... in both cases it was God's free, unearned grace and not works which brought salvation! But what is grace? Grace is God's undeserved favour! Grace is God's unmerited love! The Bible puts it like this: " The kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done." ( Titus 3:4) This is what grace is, the favour of God to those who do not deserve it! My... this is what motivated John Newton once an infidel, the worst of sinners, a servant of slaves in Africa to write those glorious words " Amazing grace... "
What can take a wretched infidel like Newton and transform him into an influential servant of Christ? Only God's amazing grace! Do you know anything about it? Have you been saved by grace? Are you being sustained by grace? Now nowhere in the Bible do we have a more vivid illustration of God's amazing grace than in the story of David and Mephibosheth! Mephibosheth was the grandson of King Saul, and Saul of course was, David's bitterest foe. But God swept Saul aside and enthroned David in his stead. With the kingdom firmly in his grasp, David looked for some way to show " the kindness of God," to Saul's family! He discovered Mephibosheth, sought him out, brought him to himself, lavished his gifts upon him, and sat him at his table as one of his sons! It's a thrilling story of saving grace! For here we notice that! (1) THE GRACE OF GOD SEEKS Mephibosheth did not seek David, for David made all the advances. My... " All we like sheep have gone astray... " ( Isa 53:6) and grace comes SEEKING! " All have sinned and come short... " ( Rom 3:23) and grace comes SEARCHING! You see grace seeks: (a) THE UNDESERVING: As the son of Jonathan Mephibosheth was a member of a rejected family ( 1 Sam 15:23) As a descendant of Saul he was a natural enemy of David ( 1 Sam 23:14) (a) Ills: Some years S.M.Lindsay was teaching a SS class of boys in Scotland. One winters day he was walking down an icy street, when he saw Bobby, one his boys, hiding in the bushes! The next thing he felt was the sharp pain of ice ball hitting him on the side of the head. He knew Bobby was the culprit, but he decided that he would return good for evil. He knew Booby needed a fishing rod so he bought one and delivered it to his house. A couple of hours later there was a knock at Lindsay's door. Opening the door, Lindsay saw Bobby sheepishly standing there with the fishing rod in his hand. " Mr. Lindsay," Bobby said quietly, " I'm returning your fishing rod. I need it, but I don't deserve it." " Bobby," said Lindsay, " what did I tell you about God's grace last Sunday?" Bobby's eyes lightened up as he answered, " You told us that grace is something we need but don't deserve." My... do you realise that? Do you recognise that like Mephibosheth you too have been born into a family ( Adams ) that God has rejected? ( Rom 5:12) You need His grace but you don't deserve it for you're an enemy of God ( Jam 4:4) (b) THE UNFIT: For when David asked Ziba about Sauls family he gave him some wise counsel, " You had better think twice before you do this David, for this guy is not very kingly, he does not really fit into the surroundings, he's crippled David." ( 9:3) My... what had happened was this Mephibosheth had been crippled because of a fall! ( 4:4) Do you know that's why you're spiritually
crippled? You see when Adam sinned and fell from God's favour, so did you! The Bible says: " Wherefore as by one man... sinned." ( Rom 5:12) My... sin has crippled: deformed: rendered you unfit to come into Gods presence! ( Rom 8:8) But grace come's seeking (a) (b) (c) THE UNSATISFIED: Mephibosheth whose name means " a shameful thing," was living in Lodebar, a city of Gilead believed to have been located 10 miles south of the Sea of Galilee in the Transjordan area! Do you know Lo-debar means? It means, " no pasture," " the barren land," " a place of emptiness and dissatisfaction." Evidently bareness typified the area. I look around in our world today and I see a lot of people who are restless and unhappy in this present life. People have more and more but they are enjoying it less and less. They have all of the things that money can buy and yet they are really not satisfied! And if you talk to them and they are honest with you they'll say, " My life is empty. My life is miserable. I lack something. There's something missing in my life. I don't have fulfilment. There's an emptiness and vacuum in my life." My... is this you? Have you tried everything that this old world has to offer? Sinful pleasure: power: prestige: popularity! Have you found a joy that lasts? Have you found contentment that is real? Or are you still restless and unsatisfied? Ills: Augustine said, " man is restless until he finds his rest in God." But do you see what God's grace does? It comes Seeking the Undeserving: the Unfit: the Unsatisfied! (1) (2) THE GRACE OF GOD SAVES Is this not what Paul says: " For by grace are ye saved through faith... " ( Eph 2:8-9) Think of what grace: (a) BROUGHT TO Mephibosheth: SALVATION! Can you imagine what went through his mind when he saw David's messengers coming? You see it was ancient custom to execute all rival members of a former ruling party and when Mephibosheth saw the messengers of the king coming he must have thought his death warrant was in their hands! Instead they brought a message of grace... " David would show you, Mephibosheth, the kindness of God. Come! Come, just as you are." And Mephibosheth came! You see: (1) DAVID TREATED HIM GRACIOUSLY: He said, " Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul?" Why? " That I might take vengeance upon him " No! But, " that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake." " Is there any left of the family of the man who tried to kill me with a javelin, who pursued me from mountain to
mountain? Is there anyone related to this man who made my life so unbearable? Not that I might take revenge, but for Jonathan's sake... my beloved friend Jonathan, with whom I entered into a covenant which covers all his children... that I might show them kindness." ( 1 Sam 20:14-15) My... all of the kindness and grace that was shown to Mephibosheth was done because of " the sake of another." ( 9:7) My... is this not how God deals with us? The Bible says, " when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son... " ( Rom 5:10) My... how have you treated the Lord? Have you ever thanked Him for His daily mercies? Have you ever read His Word? What about His Son, the Lord Jesus? Have you any time for His claims on your life? Have you ever given any thought to the Lord? I tell you this... you are an enemy of God and yet God says, " Are there any here to whom I may show kindness, in spite of their treatment of Me?" How is God able to do this? He is able to do for Christ's sake! You see at Calvary the Lord Jesus satisfied the justice of God: He bore the judgment of God for our sins and because of His blood that was shed, God is able to say, " Are there any of you to whom I may show kindness for Christ's sake?" My... to you that are undeserving: unfit: unsatisfied God is offering His grace? (1) (2) DAVID CALLED HIM PERSONALLY: How tenderly David said, " Mephibosheth... " ( 9:6) The Bible says that the Lord " calleth His own sheep by name." ( Jn 10:3) Do you see the Lord Jesus walking with a multitude in Jericho? There was there also a man who came " far short." Zacchaeus climbed a sycomore tree " to see Jesus." ( Lk 19:3) And when Christ came along He suddenly stopped under that tree and looking up saw Zacchaeus ( He see's me ) and Christ said, " Zacchaeus ( He knows me ) make haste ( He calls me) and come down ( He wants me ) for today I must abide at thy house." ( He needs me ) " And Zacchaeus made haste and came down and received Him joyfully." ( He's got me ) My... thats how Mephibosheth must have felt when David said, " Fear not... " ( 9:7) He was won by grace. What about you? Have you ever heard the Lord calling you personally? Have you responded? Perhaps you're saying, " Well I would love to come to Christ, but will I be able to keep it?" Well, my... David not only (1) (2) (3) DAVID PRESERVED HIM CONTINUALLY: You see later on famine came to the land. The Cause of it: was Sauls treatment of the Gibeonites ( 21:1) The Cure of it: was the death of Sauls family but David the King spared Mephibosheth ( 21:7) My... do you see what's amazing grace brings to you? It brings pardon for all your past and power for all your present for the Christ who saves is the Christ who keeps! ( 1 Pet 1:5) Think of what (a) and then think of what: (b) WROUGHT IN Mephibosheth: APPRECIATION
Can you catch his sense of unworthiness? As he falls on his face and refers to himself as " a dead dog." An animal of contempt in that society! ( 1 Sam 17:43 Matt 7:6) My... Mephibosheth can hardly believe his ears as David speaks such gracious words to him! He's unable to comprehend such grace! My... professing Christian... what has grace wrought in you? Has it wrought appreciation: thankfulness: gratitude: wonder: and awe for all the Lord has done for you? Is your testimony this... " Oh, what I am that I should be... " This is Gods grace! And the Grace of God (1) (2) (3) THE GRACE OF GOD SATISFIES For at Calvary the sinner discovers satisfaction and instead of barreness in his life: there is fruitfulness instead of being afar off, he is brought near to God by the blood of Christ! (3) Do you know those lovely lines? " Grace taught my wandering feet: to tread the heavenly road and new supplies each hour I meet while pressing on to God." What did the " kindness of God," mean for Mephibosheth? Well, there was: (a) WAS OWNERSHIP: For David gave to Mephibosheth all the inheritance that belonged to Saul! ( 9:9-10) Think of this my sinner... though you to come Christ empty handed He bestows upon you " the riches of His grace." ( Eph 1:7) Divine grace in all its freshness: fulness and freeness is yours! But thats not all! For He has promised " an inheritance, incorruptible, and undefiled and that fadeth not away." ( 1 Pet 1:4) My... is this your inheritance through Christ? (a) (b) FELLOWSHIP: For David said, " Thou shalt eat bread at my table continually." ( 9:7,10,11,13 ) My... Mephibosheth was brought from the place of no pasture to the place of sustenance, where he would eat daily at the Kings table. My... if you open your heart to Him, He will open to heaven to you! But that's not all (a) (b) and then: (c) SONSHIP: For David said, " He shall eat at my table as one of the kings sons." ( 9:11) My... Mephibosheth is now reconciled: adopted, enjoying the wonderful provisions of grace as he sits with the King! Do you see what Gods grace can do for you? It can take you from being a servant of slaves, like John Newton, to being a son of God! ( Jn 1:12) Isn't God's grace amazing? " Who is a pardoning God like Thee or who has grace such rich and free?" Illus: John Bunyan, author of The Pilgrim's Progress once received notice that he had been drafted to
serve in the English army. It was a time of civil war and Bunyan was to fight in the siege of Leicester. But as Bunyan was preparing to leave for the battle, a young man stepped in to take Bunyans place. In the battle that followed, that young man was shot through the head! John Bunyan's life was saved by a substitute who died in His place! Do you realise that's what the Lord Jesus did for you? He died in your place, as your substitute. He died for you bringing God's grace to you which you need but could never deserve! Will you trust Christ as your Saviour this... and leave " saved by grace alone."