David & Mephibosheth (2 Sam 9)

1. STORY: David & Mephibosheth (2 Sam 9)

• We’ve been learning about a person called David
• Who was David’s best friend? Jonathan, King Saul’s son
• What did David and Jonathan do? They made a covenant/promise with each other — My life is yours; your life is mine

• What happened to Jonathan? Killed in battle with his father, King Saul
• Even after David became king, he remembered his covenant with Jonathan:
  “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” (2 Sam 9:1)

• Ziba, one of the servants who used to work in Saul’s household, replied: “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.”
• When Jonathan and Saul died, the nurse carried Jonathan’s 5yo son up and ran away to hide (because she was afraid that the new king will kill all of the former king’s family). However, as she was running, the boy fell down and became disabled. His name was Mephibosheth (2 Sam 4:4)

• Mephibhosheth
  • Son of Jonathan
  • Name means “a thing of shame”
  • Crippled in both feet; orphaned; scorned and living in fear; a “dead dog”
  • So King David summoned for Mephibhosheth to be brought to him.
    • How do you think Mephibhosheth felt? Scared for his life
    • Fell on his face. “Here is your servant.”
    • But King David surprised him completely. He said to him:
      •  “Do not fear
      •  for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake  (covenant promise)
      • and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather;
      •  and you shall eat bread at my table continually.” (2 Sam 9:7)
      • Wow! In one day, Mephibhosheth went from a nobody, “a thing of shame”, to someone who will dine in the King’s palace daily. It was unbelievable! In fact, he couldn’t believe it himself. He asked, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”
        • But David went on to assign Ziba and his household to work Mephibhosheth’s fields and provide for him all the days of his life. Talk about favour! Talk about grace!

2. LESSON:

• Why did David do all that for the grandson of his enemy?
  Because of the covenant he made with Jonathan — “for Jonathan your father’s sake”
  David did not make the covenant with Mephibhosheth, but because Mephibhosheth was Jonathan’s son, he was able to enjoy all the benefits of the covenant between David and Jonathan. 

• Because of his covenant with Jonathan, David gave Mephibhosheth:
  • New Life — no more a “dead dog”
  • Restoration — of all the land his grandfather owned
  • Provision — Ziba and family to work the land for him
  • A Place at the King’s table (mentioned 3x in the chapter!)
  • Sonship — as “one of the King’s sons”

• On the cross, God cut a Covenant with Jesus. If we are in Jesus, we are God’s children, and we get to enjoy all the benefits of this New Covenant!
  • New Life (Eph 2:4-5)
  • Restoration —Jesus came to restore us to the Father and all the Adam lost in the garden of Eden
  • Provision (Phil 4:19)
  • A Place at the King’s table (John 6:53) — can participate in the Communion
  • Sonship (John 1:12, Gal 3:26)

3. ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS:

• Memory Verse: Galatians 3:26  For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.