David and Mephibosheth: Brought into Jerusalem (Luke 14:12-14 and 2 Samuel 9)

David and Mephibosheth, in 2 Samuel 9, is one of the most beautiful accounts in the Old Testament. When we read Scripture, we want to be David defeating Goliath or Elijah on Mount Carmel, but we are Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth was unable to walk because he was made lame through a fall, and spiritually speaking, we are unable to walk with God, because we have been made lame through the fall. Mephibosheth was condemned to die because he was descended from Saul, like we’re condemned to die because we’re descended from Adam. David sought Mephibosheth like God seeks us. David showed Mephibosheth kindness because of Jonathan, like God shows us kindness because of Jesus. King David brought Mephibosheth into Jerusalem, like King Jesus brings the spiritually lame into the New Jerusalem. Mephibosheth was adopted by the king, like we are adopted by the King. Table of ContentsFamily Worship Guide for David and Mephibosheth: Brought into JerusalemSermon Notes for David and Mephibosheth: Brought into JerusalemLesson One: Show kindness to those who can’t return it.Lesson Two: Mephibosheth was condemned to die because he was descended from Saul, like we’re condemned to die because we’re descended from Adam.Lesson Three: David sought Mephibosheth like God seeks us. Lesson Four: David showed Mephibosheth kindness because of Jonathan, like God shows us kindness because of Jesus. Lesson Five: Mephibosheth was adopted by the king, like we are adopted by the King.Lesson Six: King David brought Mephibosheth into Jerusalem, like King Jesus brings the spiritually lame into the New Jerusalem. https://youtu.be/4gjFG11bYak Family Worship Guide for David and Mephibosheth: Brought into Jerusalem Directions: Read the verses and then answer the questions: Day 1: Luke 14:12-14, 2 Samuel 4:4, 1 Kings 15:29, 1 Corinthians 15:22—Who should we invite to dinner? Who shouldn’t we invite to dinner? Is this completely literal? Why was Mephibosheth condemned to die? Describe the parallels this has for us.Day 2: 2 Samuel 9:1-8, Romans 3:11, 1 John 4:19, John 6:44, 65—What similarities do you see between the way David sought out Mephibosheth and God seeks us out? In your own life, how did God seek you out? In other words, how did He get the gospel to you; through a friend, coworker, or parent? Why was David kind to Mephibosheth, and what parallels does this have for us? Why has God shown you favor?Day 3: 2 Samuel 9:9-13, John 1:12, Galatians 3:26, 1 John 3:1, 2 Samuel 5:6-8, Galatians 4:26, Hebrews 12:22, Revelation 3:12, 21:2, 9—What did David do with Mephibosheth after he brought him into Jerusalem? In what way ways does this look forward to what God does with us? How is the earthly Jerusalem a type of the New Jerusalem? In what ways are we “Spiritually lame”? Mephibosheth was so relieved to see the King David was okay. What encourages you and challenges you about his example in your relationship with Christ? Sermon Notes for David and Mephibosheth: Brought into Jerusalem The title of this morning’s sermon is, “Brought into Jerusalem.” On Sunday mornings we’re working our way through Luke’s gospel verse by verse and we find ourselves at chapter 14, verses 12-14. Please stand with me for the reading of God’s Word. Luke 14:12 He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” You may be seated. Let’s pray. This morning’s verses pick up right where the previous verses left off. Look at verse 1… Luke 14:1 One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. 2 And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. 3 And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, Jesus is still dining at the house of this ruler of the Pharisees and there were other Pharisees and lawyers present. Who remembers why they invited the man with dropsy? Did they want to bless him? No. They wanted to trap Jesus. If you walked into this luncheon you would say, “The Pharisees are here, and it makes sense that Jesus is here, because they would invite prominent people, which Jesus was…but why in the world is this man with dropsy here?” The religious leaders would never invite a man like this to a meal, because the thinking of the day was if someone had a deformity, disability, or sickness, they were being punished by God. And this morning’s verses flow from this. Jesus says who we should and shouldn’t invite. Look at verse 12… Luke 14:12 He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” And this brings us to lesson one… Lesson One: Show kindness to those who can’t return it. This is an example when you can’t take Jesus as literally as He sounds. If you do, you’re going to have a bunch of family and friends who wonder if you’re upset with them: “Why don’t you ever invite us over for holidays or birthdays?”“Sorry, but Jesus told me not to.” Instead, Jesus is making the point that we shouldn’t seek out those we know can – or will – repay us. Jesus wants us to be kind to those who can’t repay us. And notice the last words: Jesus says we will be repaid – or rewarded – in the next life. So we are repaid! Now let me ask you to think about something… We have talked many times before that the Old Testament provides examples of New Testament instruction… 1 Corinthians 10:6 These things (in the Old Testament) took place as examples for us…11 These things (in the Old Testament) happened… as an example. Can anyone think of an Old Testament example of Jesus’s teaching? Someone inviting the poor, crippled, and lame to a feast?Showing kindness to someone who couldn’t return it? There is a perfect example. In verse 13 circle the words when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame and write, “Mephibosheth,” and if you can’t figure out how to spell Mephibosheth, just put “2 Samuel 9.” Then turn to 2 Samuel 4. We will get to chapter 9, but we have to look at one verse in this chapter first. In the ancient world if a new king was not descended from the previous king, it was customary for that king to execute all the descendants of the previous king to prevent any of them from rising up and trying to reclaim the throne. There’s an example of this in Scripture when Baasha became king of Israel in Nadab’s place… 1 Kings 15:29 When [Baasha] became king, he killed all the house of [Nadab’s father] Jeroboam. He did not leave to Jeroboam anyone that breathed, until he had destroyed him. Baasha became king and he killed everyone associated with the previous king. And even up to this point in the book of 2 Samuel we’ve only read about two individuals connected to Saul: Ishbosheth and Abner. What happened to both of them? They were murdered! With that in mind, King Saul and his son, Jonathan, were killed on the battlefield, paving the way for David to become the new king. Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth, who is the last descendant of Saul, giving him a strong legal claim to the throne, and making him the greatest threat to David. One of my commentaries said… “Mephibosheth had good cause to be afraid of David. There is wide precedent in Mesopotamian texts for the elimination of all rival claimants to the throne when a king comes to power.” When the news came that Saul and Jonathan were killed the woman caring for Mephibosheth tried to flee to protect him, but look what happened… 2 Samuel 4:4 Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan (this means the news about their deaths) 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. When the nurse was fleeing with Mephibosheth she might have tripped and fallen with him or dropped him, but whatever the case, he was injured and spent the rest of his life crippled. And this begins some of the beautiful typology in this account…and it brings us to lesson two… Lesson Two: Mephibosheth was condemned to die because he was descended from Saul, like we’re condemned to die because we’re descended from Adam. Let me ask you to think about something for a moment… Why were the descendants of the previous king condemned to die? Was it because of anything they personally did? No, they were condemned, because of who they were descended from. Similarly, as Adam’s descendants, we are condemned to die, because of who we’re descended from: 1 Corinthians 15:22 in Adam all die. When we read Scripture who do we like to compare ourselves with? We want to be David defeating GoliathWe want to be Elijah on Mount Carmel But really, we are Mephibosheth: Mephibosheth was unable to walk because he was made lame through a fallSpiritually speaking, we are unable to walk with God, because we have been made lame through the fall. Keeping this typology in mind, turn to 2 Samuel 9… 2 Samuel 9:1 And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” Jonathan was Saul’s son, and he had been David’s great friend. Because Jonathan was dead David couldn’t do anything for him,