At the Table of Grace, Part 1

David is on the hunt for relatives of his enemy, King Saul, but not for the reason you might think. Verse 11 eat at my table like one of the kings son David is effectively making the bishop a premise in Israel is effectively concluding him as a member of the family of the king. This is grace, but as many as received him, Jesus gave the right to be called children of God.

In that time of world history. When a new king came to power he would kill the family of the previous king so that there wouldn't be arrival to the throne. David made a promise that he would not kill Saul's descendents. David remembered that promise and went out of his way to find a relative of Saul to show grace to today on wisdom for the heart. Stephen takes us to second Samuel nine working to see some parallels between the grace David showed then in the grace God shows us today. This message is called at the table of grace two years ago, the Associated Press ran moving story about unwanted girls in the region of the moon by India infected versus their parents or grandparents had given them a common name really more a word that the name and name it sort of set.

Although more than 280 girls in this particular region had been given the name the Coosa Lakisha and it means literally unwanted district officials decided to do something about it graciously offered the girls an opportunity to change their name in a public ceremony, not a country that aborts hundreds of thousands of female babies primarily due to, among other reasons, not just the religion their economy. The financial costs of the dowry typically will take the average Indian family deeply into debt. There are religious reasons by their superstitious beliefs and son alone is allowed to light the funeral pyre that will send the parents into the afterlife, so having a daughter is often met with sadness at best abandonment at worst hundreds of thousands of girls around the country which are kept in our rear by their families are still reminded every single day that they are an unwanted burden by the very name AP article that I had come across said this 285 girls in this particular district of Mumbai where this idea of a new name was instituted on that special day flopped to the renaming ceremony.

This was a banner day for them.

They were wearing the best outfits with barrettes, braids and bows decorating their hair. They lined up expectantly and joyfully affect friends. I was able to see a photograph of at least a dozen of these girls anywhere from ages eight to about 15 or 16 holding their certificates bearing their newly chosen name. Can you imagine having a name that meant unwanted worthless from your earliest memories being nothing more than a burden to your family or caregivers unwanted by society at large, considered in the way or cast off from any hope of normality that your mind is already running ahead to an obvious spiritual analogy hold off for just about will get there eventually.

I want us to pause long enough today to consider the one of the glorious gifts of grace is having your status change from unwanted to discovering that you were chosen from worthless to priceless from enemy to friend from outcast family that's grace in biblical terms.

Is it grace is a demonstration of commitment and love that is undeserved unearned and repayable in other words, the recipient of grace doesn't receive it because he deserves it, or because he earned it infected not only doesn't deserve it and can turn it he can do nothing about ever repaying it is what we call grace typically amazing.

It's amazing Grace. We sing amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a good guy like me away is my version God's version is a rich if it's undeserved it's grace it's unearned it's grace if it's impossible to repay its grace, but the gift of grace is is about to be given center stage in our biographical study of the shepherd king.

The singer David so turn second Samuel chapter 9 and verse one second Samuel chapter 9 verse one is where we find ourselves. And David said, is there still anyone you want to circle the word anyone is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness you could translate that covenant kindness you could translate it correctly. Grace is there anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him grace for Jonathan say that we had a little longer and we thought we could take the time to review and go back to first Samuel work. David makes this covenant commitment to Jonathan and he repeats it to David. He basically says look when I get on the throne. I will not do what is customarily done by the king that is kill every member of the former dynasty.

I will do that. I will allow you to live. David and Jonathan made that covenant of grace. In first Samuel chapter 24 David agreed that he would allow Jonathan to live. And of course he loved him and went anyway but Saul is even more dramatic even promised Saul the very same thing if you remember Jonathan and Saul were killed in battle in Jezreel. You can imagine then that that would change everything with it would change. I would imagine over time.

It's now 15 years between that covenant and where we find ourselves in second Samuel chapter 9 David is victorious.

If I chapter 8 is one victory after another. He settled into his kingdom. He is sovereign over a growing empire. He is served by a cabinet to the retinue of staff. Now it would be would think every possible moment. Given over to enjoying you sort of polishing your portrait make a bigger what settling back and relax instead.

This is the very time when David recalls this covenant, grace, and he was acted out.

Is there anybody left. I want to show him I said it's the word of a showing covenant kindness covenant fidelity grace affect that word has said or kindness or grace, as he was shot three times in this chapter and verse one.

You can circle it again in verse three and again over in verse seven. In fact in verse three. It's referred to as the grace for the kindness of God. So this really is nothing more than David demonstrating God's grace, I made a promise to Jonathan and I now want to demonstrate this covenant of grace.

And when I do this, I'll be demonstrating what God does. This chapter is I believe David's finest hour would you note. In fact, it's worth noting in verse one. The David does not ask, is there anyone qualified. Is there anyone worthy. Is there anybody left alive from the house of Saul, who is deserving no. Is there anybody who can be the recipient of my grace and I'm I'm fairly convinced that this would've surprised David's court. His cabinet, his staff, this was the time when kings looked around to give gifts to undeserving this is a time when they received gifts from everybody else who were less deserving and even more importantly now that his kingdom is secured. Why would he do a search to bring someone into his good graces.

The blonde Ozark rival spear throwing promise breaking. King Saul exists 15 years go one author older and now with the Lord.

In fact, commenting on this text we came to his mind.

Something I wasn't aware of it.

Certainly, just one more trivia of history, but I thought it would be enlightening as well to you. He was reminded of the time in Franklin Roosevelt was running for president before term limits. He would serve four terms.

This was when he campaigned for his first run at the White House for the presidency, and in this speech in Pittsburgh in 1932 the clearly committed himself to restraining should he win the office restraining government spending for that a few times in your lifetime. I'm sure will. He won the White House four years later he's ready to pull out all the stops he wins by a landslide again.

He's not going to do something unthinkable to take the country off the gold standard. He's going to allow Congress to regulate economy usually of great power to government is to send the country billions of dollars into debt, and he's got a trailblazer problem speech here.

This promises, and so we actually asked his counsel what he could do to manage an about-face without seeming to face what you do about his earlier promise and the Council was straightforward and unapologetic. He was told by his counsel deny you ever made that speech in 1932 I think that's a good illustration of what could be if there was ever a time when David could you cut a slide.

This covenant promise under the Royal arrives it would be now. Times are better than her even remember 15 years ago we care just did you ever said to me why muddy the waters by shaking hands with some relative to king who hated you, but instead what you have here in verse one is you have David ordering a nationwide search for any possible living relative from the house of Saul, because of one reason I want to show that living relative grace.

It didn't take long before they came across a guy farming squatting really on one of King Saul's former states verse two that there was a servant former staff member of the house of Saul's name was Eva and the call of the David and the king said to him are using and he said I am your servant, and the king said, is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness is the grace of God to him. Zima said to the king. There is still a son of Jonathan with he's crippled his feet. Ziva will appear a couple of times in Scripture.

He's one of those unsavory characters, greasy. I think this were a Broadway play. Whenever he came out he be wearing a black cape, pointy shoes and a and a and a gold chain on his vast pain with diamond tip and whenever he came on stage, the music, which the sinister trip here comes Ziva if you met zebra unit immediately want to check your jewelry. Make sure your wallet still in your back pocket.

When he left the room. That's several times to show up every time he does the words this evening. Opportunist flash in on the screen of your imagination. Ziva is conning later when he does appear home, lie about the ship product off of the king's loyalty and here's where you read between the lines, which is fascinating to discover that the Ziva has just sort of squirreled away one of Saul's estates of these living on it is tending the land that is not. He has 15 grandsons is 20 servant.

He's living like a king and he's hoping beyond how David never finds out, the transition occurred from Saul's house to David's.

Ziva didn't necessarily go to king then settled by the way, the way the living on until I get all that household.

All that's actually years all he said nothing, nothing, is this nationwide search surface. This cunning man all that to say if there is anybody in this demonstration of grace, who doesn't want a relative of Saul to be found if Ziva, I couldn't help but think there always enemies of grace fact if you choose to demonstrate grace. It's going to be a bumpy ride.

There will be obstacles and difficulties I can help.

As I study this passage the to think of the archenemy of grace, that we all have hates the sound of what we rehearsed that this is all of grace that Jesus paid most of it know Jesus paid why it all paid it all.

He hates the sound of undeserved unearned grace that you can't help but notice here in the text. If you look back at the University Hasina really tries to discourage David. He no doubt reluctantly admits look, there is still a son of Jonathan, though, but but but he's he's crippled his feet. I throw that there why had that last line. I agree with one Old Testament scholar who wrote he's effectively applying. David really ought to think twice on this quest of grace disguising for the court.

He's not to make you look more impressive. He related to the surroundings of your cedar lined home in your capital city of Jerusalem.

David is clearly asked, what is there anybody I can give to him. I can give the gift of grace in this conniving staff member that dates back to the former administration admits that he's living on Royal turf and it really belongs to this young man, but why bother with him king. These ho I know he's on word you want to mess with such you can't do anything for you in return, listen the zebras of the world do not get grace they just don't get think they don't understand the grace as a gift given to unworthy people. I love David's response.

Look at verse four pizzas if he ignores that line always crippled in both feet and David just says look where is he I love that you see. Ziva effectively gives him the address. Notice he's in the house of the care, the son of now load the bar by the way, load the bar means no thing. Nothing. It's another way of saying skewer unimpressive barren you could render it would leave no pasture sword you have, ironically, is a is a crippled young man hiding out in fear of the new King living in nowhere Seville.

It all began. By the way, with the house of Saul, tragic defeat and disgrace affect hold your finger here. Go back just a couple of pages to chapter 4. Discover how the fibber Sheth who was this living son of Jonathan was injured. Let's find out how second Samuel chapter 4 and verse four.

Jonathan, the son of Saul had a son who was crippled in his feet, but then at the end of verse four and gives us his name with the Bishop. Let's find out how he was crippled. Verse four. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from just real. That is where they were killed in battle and his nurse took him up and fled and as she fled in her haste he fell and became Lane given the fact beloved. He's five years old and able to run in fact five-year-olds can out run, they'll run their mothers over time right. More than likely she has taken him up implied in the cards of some sort. Perhaps he took a turn too fast in her terror she knew assuming that David would do what new King is doing its kill the household of the former. That car turns over or maybe just slips a little bit and he tumbles out. Maybe he's rolled over by the back wheel babies on the back of a horse and she's galloping away in interns or something else lurches him off the back about horsey falls and breaks both his leg, perhaps feet when they arrived at their hiding place. The last thing she can do is call for physician.

The last thing she could do is is is expose that secret hiding place, at least for a few weeks or months until they can leave again so perhaps his legs or his feet were improperly or crudely set men where he could ever walk again without the help of Christians fallen disable this and that is the picture of the unredeemed community. Nothing is tracked back to where it happened. Adam and Eve fell in a tragic fall in sin and everyone proves we belong to them by sending spiritually crippled for life even physically dying. Nothing to offer in fear of God hiding away.

God comes along and says why are you grace here back in chapter 9. David demonstrates the grace of God were the undeserving. Ziva says there's swine living relative, but he's crippled and he just as aware as he wears, don't. Don't miss this only grace responds in this manner after the end of verse three Ziva throws in that cynical footnote you would almost expect David ask what you will have that is it it it is in both feet. Truly both legs perhaps get Kenny move at all, is again any trouble be difficult. You know I think this changes everything.

I mean, the palace is in compliance with the disability maybe were going to have to build ramps or move rocks. We have to change the bathroom around the bathtub lower the windowsills and pay for physical therapy is the cost is not grace. Grace doesn't hold back.

Grace is ready to spend like Paul, who wrote to the Ephesians we have been redeemed through his blood, according to the riches of his grace, which he will start so I love the text is grace on grace is giftgiving that can hardly wait. Grace is probably more evident in the way we act and feel at Christmastime birthday you know you don't give a gift to your child or spouse or family member that their birthday and on top of that box is a card that reads based upon what you did for me. October 15, 2013, I hereby give you this turned to undeserved jewelry off the merits of those who receive them. You just give the gifts and you give them with joy. You're excited to see their happiness when they open. I can remember on one of my birthday occasions when my youngest daughter was around five. There were a few gifts opened and then she had been sort of saving so she ran off down the hallway and came back a few minutes later with a box. She excitedly announced that he I picked this gift out for you all by myself. I held my breath that she's not even wrapped the box I could tell there was a whole roll of scotch tape wound around the whole box.

Finally, I she stood there dancing up and down both feet, clapped her hands she could way that he picked this up by myself and I finally made it through all the scotch tape open the box and inside was a pair of socks recognized they were my son going shopping in my closet as it didn't cost any money I can like that idea she was pigging out all by myself listed. That's grace. Grace can hardly wait to give grace dances up and down both feet.

Grace clapped his hands. Smiles from year to year.

Don't give me all the merits and the details of I'm ready to spend. David doesn't wait long.

Verse five the king sent and brought him from the house of Matthew, the son of a man yell at the bar and within the sheriff, the son of Jonathan, son of Saul came to David, can you see this in the courtroom fell on his face and paid homage, perhaps expecting David to say off with his David said finish the answer, behold, I am your servant David said, don't be afraid, for I will show you. Grace loving kindness for the sake of your father John and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father and you shall eat of my table always and he paid homage is what is your servant you should show regard for dead dog senses is nothing to offer the king and we have nothing to offer God.

We deserve nothing had nothing there. We are hiding in fear disabled sinful dying condemned and he found us found. I hope you can see the parallels grace that King David demonstrated in the grace God demonstrates toward us. There's more to this lesson and will bring you the conclusion but it's going to have to wait until next time you been listening to Stephen Davey here on wisdom for the heart, Stephen pastors, the shepherd's church in Cary, North Carolina.

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