The Tablecloth Covered His Feet
II Samuel 9
The word grace means many things to many people.
a. We refer to a ballet dancer as having grace.
b. We say grace at meals.
c. To some of us, it means unmerited favor – getting something I don’t deserve, something I have not earned, and something I can never repay.
Every once in a while we come across a scene in scripture where we see a beautiful illustration of that kind of grace, and we stand amazed at such amazing grace.
We find one of these moments in the life of King David. It involves an obscure man with an almost unpronounceable name – Mephiboseth.
The Background
A. An interlude of peace and quiet for David (II Sam. 8).
1. Gave him time to think about the past and all his blessings.
2. His mind fell upon a very special blessing – his friendship with Jonathon.
B. II Sam. 9:1
1. "Kindness" = grace (define again)
2. Why did he do this? (2 promises)
a. I Sam. 20:13-14
Ø
It was the custom for a new king to exterminate the previous dynasty to stop further claims to the throne.Ø
Jonathon is saying break the custom for me.Ø
I Sam. 20:16-17b. I Sam. 24:20-22
C. Notice this important point in his question – "Is there anyone?"
1. Not, "Is there any one worthy, deserving?"
2. Regardless of who they are, is there anybody?
D. II Sam. 9:2-3
1. If you read between the lines you get the idea that Ziba is telling David to think twice about this.
2. This man has a serious disability.
3. David’s response is beautiful.
a. He didn’t ask how badly is he crippled?
b. He didn’t ask how he got that way.
c. He just said, "Where is he?"
4. That is the way grace is.
a. It is not picky, it is one-sided.
b. God saves us when we don’t deserve it and can never earn it and can never repay it. It reaches out to the disabled of life.
c. A strong and famous King David stoops down and reaches out to a crippled man.
E. II Sam. 9:4
1. Lo-debar = "Lo" – no; "Debar" – pastureland i.e. a wasteland.
2. Why?
a. Remember the custom of a new monarchy.
b. He was hiding and the only one who knew he was hiding was an old servant of Saul.
3. Side note – how he got crippled (II Sam. 4:4)
F. Now imagine the scene – "I am a dead man. He has found me."
G. II Sam. 9:6 (visualize)
H. II Sam. 9:7 (visualize) David looked at him and said, "Oh, my friend, you’re going to have a place of honor like you’ve never had before. You will become a member of my family. You will eat at my banquet table."
The Banquet
I. Picture what life would be like in the years to come at the banquet table with David.
1. The fabulous meal was prepared fit for a king.
2. The dinner bell rings and along comes the members of the royal family and there honored guests.
a. Amon – clever and witty.
b. Joab – General of the Army, muscular and masculine.
c. Absalom – Handsome from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet. Not a blemish on him, his long hair flowing.
d. Tamor – beautiful daughter of David.
e. Then Solomon – There was something special about this one. He was the crown prince of Israel.
J. But then you hear this noise far away at first but then it gets closer and closer – clump swoosh, clump swoosh…. Here comes Mephibosheth hobbling along on his crutches, clump swoosh, clump swoosh…. His lame feet sliding behind him.
K. He smiles and humbly accepts the servant pulling back his chair as he joins the others.
L. He takes his place at the banquet table of the king as one of the king’s sons.
M. While he is at the king’s table he is an equal. While he sits there no one can tell he is lame. Why? Because the tablecloth covers his feet. The tablecloth of grace covers his lame feet!
The Beautiful parallels
N. There was a time when Mephibosheth enjoyed fellowship with his father, son of King Saul. (Adam, You and I) Mark 10:14
O. Then disaster struck, Mephiboseth fell and was crippled for life. (Adam, You and I) Rom. 3:23
P. David, the king, out of sheer love, demonstrated grace to Mephibosheth, the crippled one.
1. God out of sheer love demonstrated His grace thru the gift of His Son.
2. John 3:16
3. He did this for the crippled people of this world.
Q. Mephiboseth had nothing, deserved nothing, and could repay nothing. (We too, deserve nothing, have nothing and can offer God nothing) Eph. 2:8-9
R. David restored Mephiboseth from being an outcast to a place of honor.
1. David took this broken, handicapped person from a wasteland and brought him to a place of plenty.
2. God has taken us from where we were and brought us to where he is - place of fellowship with Him.
3. Eph. 2:12-13
S. David adopted Mephiboseth into his family, he became of the king’s sons. (Rom. 8:14-17)
T. Mephiboseth’s disability was covered by the tablecloth. (Our disabilities are covered by the blood of Christ) I Pet. 1:18-19
U. Mephiboseth’s disability was still there as a constant reminder of David’s grace.
1. Every time he limped from place to place in the wonderful palace of the king, he was reminded of the grace and love of King David.
2. Our continual problem with sin reminds us of the grace of God (I Jn. 1:9)
Today, all things are ready. You need to come to the feast.
"I am so crippled" But His tablecloth will cover your feet!
What would have happen if Mephiboseth had refused the grace of the king? What will happen if you refuse the grace of the King?
Song of Solomon 2:4
Jim Pharr
Lenoir, NC