A Place with the King

A Place with the King
2 Samuel 9
April 14, 2002
Evening Service

Introduction
I. The hard reality of war
A. War is a result of sinfulness
B. War illustration

II. David’s new kingdom
A. David was rebuilding the kingdom
1. The kingdom was divided because of Saul
2. David was bringing the kingdom back together
B. David was God’s chosen king
1. David was anointed as king by Samuel. He was God’s chosen replacement for Saul.
2. David was now establishing his rule over the entire kingdom and proving his place as the new and rightful king
C. David’s gracious question

Body
I. An injured man (1-3)
1 David asked, "Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?" 2 Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They called him to appear before David, and the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" "Your servant," he replied. 3 The king asked, "Is there no one still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?" Ziba answered the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in both feet."

A. The injury of Mephibosheth
1. Saul’s kingdom was falling apart and this family fled in panic
2. Mephibosheth was injured from a fall (2 Samuel 4:4)
B. This is also a picture of our state
1. We were injured from a fall
2. We are not always able to walk as we should
C. Two key problems
1. Mephibosheth was lame. The injury he received from the fall left him crippled
2. Mephibosheth was afraid. His family line could get him killed. The standard practice of the ancient times was that the entire family of a deposed king was killed. This was to insure the security of the position of the new king

II. An invited man (4-8)
4 "Where is he?" the king asked. Ziba answered, "He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar." 5 So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel. 6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. David said, "Mephibosheth!" "Your servant," he replied. 7 "Don’t be afraid," David said to him, "for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table." 8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?"

A. David sends for Mephibosheth
1. The worst fears had been realized
a.) The king had found Mephibosheth. It was bad enough that the king knew where he was but he had requested an appearance
b.) Mephibosheth more than likely believed that David was bringing him to the palace to have him executed
2. The place of hiding
a.) Mephibosheth was in Lo Debar. It was a place of great desolation and there was a difficult place to live
b.) Lo Debar was a place of hiding because Mephibosheth did not want to be found
B. The reasons for David’s invitation
 To show kindness
 To know him on a first name basis
 To bless him
 To restore what had been lost
 To give him satisfaction
 To offer him security

III. An important man (9-13)
9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, "I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You and your sons and your servants are to