David's Kindness

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I want to take you back to 1538. The Reformer John Calvin had left Geneva and settled in Strasbourg, and three years later he returned to Geneva and remained there for the rest of his life. In his first sermon on his return he carried on from where he had left off three years before, dismissing his absence as a mere interruption to his preaching. Nine months ago I preached on 2 Samuel 8, and now I continue with chapter 9 ... so perhaps I can echo Calvin's words: "As I was saying to you before ..."

1. The Background and Circumstances

In the Old Testament we have a sequence of narrative histories: 1 and 2 Samuel; 1 and 2 Kings; followed by a summary history of the Old Testament - 1 and 2 Chronicles. These histories have a theological purpose, to set before us how it was that the God who spoke, is the God who acted in human history. Not simply as a detached observer but as an active participant. Remember that the God who speaks is the God who acts.

The two books of Samuel include his own birth, ministry and death; and cover the reigns of two kings – Saul and his son-in-law David. Samuel was the king-maker who had anointed both men to lead the nation. If you find dates helpful we are talking about 1,000 years before Christ. In 1 and 2 Kings the story continues with the death of King David and the reign of his son Solomon. Though David established Jerusalem as his capital and built his palace there, he was not permitted to build the nearby temple. That task was given to Solomon. After the death of Solomon the nation was divided – Israel in the north and Judah in the south; and 1 and 2 Kings takes the story on from consolidation to division; from freedom to Exile; from independence to slavery in Babylon.

That is a summary of 500 years of biblical history. It gives us the context for 2 Samuel. We are therefore in the period of transition from Saul to David; from regular battles to relative peace; from a growing sense of national identity that would culminate in securing Jerusalem as the capital city: the home of the king and the symbolic presence of the Lord in the temple.

King Saul and his fit and able sons had died in battle. Saul's surviving son Ish-Bosheth succeeded him and reigned for two years (2:10). And so the conflict continued between the house of Saul and the house of David (3:1). Then Ish-Bosheth was assassinated and his severed head was presented to David (4:8). And so it was that David became the king - first in Hebron and then in Jerusalem. He was 30 when he became king and died when he was 70 (5:4). While there was relative peace within the nation, David still had enemies to fight: to the south were the Moabites, to the west were the Philistines (in chapter 8); to the east were the Ammonites (in chapter 10). And between these warring factions we have the touching interlude in chapter 9 – the moving story of David and Mephibosheth.

Now we may not be politicians, or leaders of armies, but we are all part of a network of relationships within our own families, our neighbours, our colleagues at work, and with our fellow members the church – and so how does our faith play out in these contexts? As Christians we are committed to Christ, and as we live the Christian life, and face the challenges of obedience and witness, we live out that life in an imperfect world, alongside believers and unbelievers. How do we show God's love to our neighbour? How do we radiate the character of Christ to those around us? How evident is it to them that our life is set apart? 2 Samuel 9 gives us some clues, principles and good practice.

2. The Kindness of David

I wonder what prompted David to ask the question in verse 1. "Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul ..." And being what it is, human nature would add 'whom I could kill so that my position will be secure and I'll have no rivals'. That's what we would have expected David to say. At the time that would have been the custom; to kill off members of the previous regime; to secure your own position; to cover your back. But remarkably David doesn't say that. "Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul that I may show kindness for Jonathan's sake?" Notice that he repeats himself (vv.1 and 7).

Saul's son Jonathan was David's close friend and companion, whom he loved as a brother. Their relationship was like a covenant between them (1 Samuel 20:14-17). But was it simply covenant love that bound them together? Was it simply his own human kindness (v.1) or was it rather an expression of God's kindness (v.3)? Hopefully it was both since David could demonstrate God's kindness through his own actions. God's covenant love could be shown to someone who was needy and fearful and afraid. David could have destroyed this potential rival to his throne: instead he provided for him, and gave him a home. No longer poor but rich. The one to whom David showed the love of God was Mephibosheth – the grandson of King Saul, and the son of Jonathan (v.3b). So here was a potential rival to David, one who through descent could claim the throne, who could endanger his life. But he was physically disabled and no real threat to David, for "he was lame in both feet" (v.13). He was not a threat but one who needed compassion and support. It was through his action David could demonstrate the love of God, the grace of God and the mercy of God. Earlier in 2 Samuel 4:4 we are told how Mephibosheth became disabled:

Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about [the death of] Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

What a tragedy! He suffered from a severe disability from childhood. He was cut off from other people and no doubt extremely frustrated. We are moved by his condition. Mephibosheth had not been born lame but carelessly dropped by a nurse. We know what happened to the boy, but what about the nurse? What happened to her? If she lived, she would have carried the guilt with her for the rest of her life. It was one of those situations: 'What if I had done this or that ... and it would never have happened.' I wonder is that something you have to live with – a hurt or anxiety or situation that weighs on your mind, that numbs your conscience, and brings you down? Perhaps Celebrate Recovery might be able to help you and support you and help to turn your life around?

David was both kind and generous. The land that King Saul had owned was to be farmed and to provide income to support Mephibosheth. He would no longer live in isolation but was invited to eat at the king's table. No longer cut off from the royal court he was reinstated, and given accommodation in Jerusalem near to the royal court.

David was a strange mixture wasn't he? A man of God who had feet of clay. He was (like you and me) both a saint and a sinner. He knew that he was not as he should be. Like us he was fallible and weak, a mass of contradictions. Sometimes alone and afraid and vulnerable. Sometimes far from God and needing to be forgiven (see Psalm 51). Sometimes consciously close to him and able to express praise and worship (see Psalm 9). You, and me, and David have so much in common.

David could have been less than generous to this potential rival. It would have been easy to have had him killed. But in 2 Samuel 9 we see David as a generous, warm, caring person – one who had himself experienced the love of God and the mercy of God. Now in return he showed it to one who was deeply deserving. Don't you see yourself in the character of David? Sometimes close to God and at other times far from him? Sometimes cold and indifferent to the one who has loved you and saved you? Often indifferent to the needs of those around you? Being proud of your humility? Concerned more with self than with the Lord and with other people? John Newton referred to himself as 'Mr Self', as the one who was full of spiritual pride, of self-righteousness, of self-importance and of self-centredness – one who was pre-occupied with himself. Newton's counsel was this:

Pray earnestly for a deep sense of your own insufficiency".

The good news is that God takes weak, feeble creatures like you and me and steadily transforms us by his Holy Spirit to become more and more like Jesus. If we are Christians we have been saved, we are being saved and at the last we will be saved. Gradually 'Mr Self' is being changed to become more and more like Jesus. And that has implications for us in terms of how we lead our lives and how we serve other people.

3. The Kindness of God

I could have finished there, but the narrative also includes two clear encouragements for each one of us as we begin this New Year.

Did you notice the three words in verse 7 – 'Don't be afraid'? Mephibosheth could well have been trembling and fearful as he came into David's presence. We read that he "fell on his face and paid homage" to him (v.6). Depending on the severity of his disability this might have been painful, and to those nearby rather comic to see him trying to prostrate himself before the king! And David said quite simply: 'Mephibosheth, don't be afraid' (vv.6-7). 'I will show you kindness for the sake of your father and restore the land (of your inheritance) and provide for you.'

Following the death of Jacob, Joseph said to his brothers: 'Don't be afraid'. Like Mephibosheth, they too bowed down. They feared that Joseph would kill them. But instead he said to them: "Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?" (Genesis 50:19).

During a storm on the Sea of Galilee the disciples were scared – scared of the storm – and storms on the lake can come without any warning – scared of the storm and scared when they saw Jesus walking on the water. And what did he say to them? "Do not be afraid", and as he climbed into the boat the storm subsided (Mark 6:50). His presence brought them his peace.

'Don't be afraid', 'Don't be afraid', 'Don't be afraid'. I don't know about your particular circumstances – something within your family, something in your own life, something at work. You may well be fearful of the future - for your children or a family member; for a work colleague, for a possible redundancy. For various reasons 2016 is not going to be an easy year. Remember that God may well be testing you, challenging you in ways that will be unsettling, confronting you to make a choice, nudging you to move on ... and so he says to you tonight 'Don't be afraid ... trust me, look to me ... I've been with you in the past, I'm with you still, and I'll be with you again. Don't be afraid.'

The second thing to notice is in verse 3. On the face of it, the story of Mephibosheth was about King David's kindness to a potential rival to the throne. He needn't have acted as he did. He didn't have to be gracious towards him. It would have been far easier to have had him killed. But instead what did he do? He showed him kindness (vv.1, 7). But was it just his kindness? David certainly showed him human kindness. But at a far deeper level we discover something here about divine kindness; of the generosity of God; of the grace, love and mercy of God towards you and me. We don't deserve it. We can't earn it. We can't accrue any merit. None of us are the worthy recipients of God's generosity. We sin so frequently and so readily. We fall so far short of what God expects of us. We don't deserve God's love. We don't deserve his mercy. We are not worthy to receive his grace. But yet he loves you and me. He wants to express his generosity to those who don't merit it or deserve it. God's love is to the loveless. God's love is to the sinner. God's love is to the undeserving. God's love is for you and for me.

At the beginning of this New Year is that something that you need to hear – perhaps for the first time? Perhaps to be reminded of? In this past year living the Christian life has been hard, you have fallen so many times, you have gone your own way and you have turned away from the Lord. 'Mr Self' has dominated your life and Christ has been pushed into second place, or (if you are honest) no longer has any place at all. Your heart has grown cold. Your love for the Lord has almost gone. Religion has taken the place of faith. Pride has overwhelmed you. Sin is more attractive than the Saviour. If that is you at the start of this New Year, then resolve to look to the Lord. Commit your life afresh to him. 'Don't be afraid'. Come to Christ. Trust him. Obey his Word - and like Joseph's brothers, and Mephibosheth - as you bow down before the Lord in humility and obedience, he will raise you up. He will restore you. He will comfort you. He will be alongside you. Permit him to be first in your life. So trust him. Believe in him. Have faith in him. Commit yourself afresh to him. In the year ahead walk by faith, not by sight! Look to Jesus!

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