For Johnathans Sake - Carl Johnson 4/16/04

Not every story in the Bible. Is it true allegory?

Now, they're an allegory is just a simple story or a simple

statement that has a much deeper a much more profound symbolical

meaning and there are allegories in the Bible.

In fact, Paul talks about one in particular in Galatians 4 and

verse 24. But while not, every story is an

actual allegory. There are a lot of stories that

do illustrate spiritual principles, or spiritual truth.

Paul said, for example, in Romans, 15 and verse 4 for

whatsoever. Things were written aforetime

were written for our learning that we through patience and

comfort of the scriptures might have hope First Corinthians 10

and verse 11, he adds after having talked about some of the

events in the life of Moses, he said now, all these things

happened unto them for in samples and they are written for

our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Well, there's a story like that that I want to study with you

tonight for a little while. It's a story about a king who

raises And incapable and an undeserving man from param

position and places him at a bountiful table.

And really this story is a compelling portrait of how the

grace of God works in the world today to allow Sinners to be

saved from their sin. There's a lot of great people

who are mentioned in the bible, both men and women great in

their achievements, great in their character but you wouldn't

really read them as Great Personalities.

In fact, in my judgment, there's very few that you'd rate is

really great Personalities in the New Testament.

You obviously have the Apostle, Peter, you'd have the Apostle

Paul in the Old Testament. I think you'd have to include

Joseph. And David, David was one of the

greatest men who ever lived David was a.

He was a great poet. You know.

You think about the great Poets of history and could very well

be that you have your favorite poet.

Did you know that? It's very Possible.

That David was the greatest poet who ever lived, he was a great

musician. He was the sweet singer of

Israel and I think about these singers and these musicians

today that are heartthrobs for millions of fans all over the

world. That could very well be that

David was the greatest musician of his time.

He was a great warrior. He was a man really of

unparalleled military genius. He was a great king.

NG. In fact, the greatest King

really that Israel ever knew he was a great administrator.

He was a great planner. He was a great prophet.

But, you know, I think in back of all of that was his

fascinating personality, dated had sort of a charismatic

personality that seemed to just compel those who knew him to

admire him all of Israel. Loved David King Saul loved him

when he wasn't insane with jealousy.

We'll see. So some Jonathan loved him,

David's own men, loved him, but most importantly, the Lord loved

him. He had this, as I said, this, a

personality that just seemed to compel those who knew him to

admire him. We know more about David really

than any other character. In the Bible, with the exception

of Our Lord, his biography is by far, the longest by comparison,

the story of Abraham is told in fourteen chapters.

The story of Jacob Bob is told in 11 chapters but there are 62

chapters that tell us the story of David and we know about him,

not only from these narratives but also from his writings in

the Psalms, well, obviously the turning point in David's, career

came with the killing of the great Giant Goliath.

You know, it wasn't long after he killed Goliath that he was

appointed to a post and King Saul standing Force.

He was sent out from time to time on raids against the enemy.

And David's courage and David's Brilliance for military

engagement with something that caused him to grow in favor.

In the eyes of King, Saul every day.

He was well on his way to Fame and Fortune.

Well, it was at this point that David befriended, King Saul's

son. Jonathan, and we know about

great friendships and history, you know, you you think about

some of the friendships and history here, one name he just

automatically associate the other Her name.

I doubt very seriously. If there's ever been a greater

friendship than the friendship between David and Jonathan, what

made this such a great friendship is that it was

founded really upon the proper basis and that basis of that

Foundation, was the fact that both of these men were men of

great piety, by that, I mean, both of these men truly love.

God, they truly wanted to be pleasing to God.

They had a great reverence. For a God and that common bond,

that common quality between these two men became the

foundation for this great friendship.

You know, the Bible tells us that well, I think that we can

can infer from the story of day that you know, what undoubtedly

that Jonathan was there on that occasion, when David slew, the

great Philistine Giant Goliath, but later when he was, so when

David was introduced into King Saul's Court began to be

introduced around everybody, there was not a Trace trace of

jealousy in the heart of Jonathan.

In fact, Jonathan was just as in all of what David had done and

he was just as in a bird with his personality as was all of

Israel. In fact, the Bible tells us that

Jonathan took off his own War cloak and placed it around the

shoulders of David. He gave David his own bow.

Now, Jonathan was a great Archer and he gave David his own bow.

Gave him his own. Let's his own sword.

I took off his expensive belt and place that around.

David's waste. Now this was unheard of Jonathan

was the Crown Prince. He was next in line to be the

king of Israel succeeding. His own father King Saul and yet

he put his attire, the attire of the Crown Prince on David as

though, he felt David was more deserving to succeed.

His own father later, they entered into a covenant of

friendship, according to 1st Samuel, the 20th chapter Are you

know what I think about when I think about this bond that they

made, when I was kid, I used to watch a program on television

called broken era. It was about the great Apache,

chief Cochise, and I'll never get on one episode.

He and the fella down at the Trading Post, Tom Poston, that

might have been his real name. Anyhow, the got out the Trading

Post, they became Blood Brothers and what they did.

He know, we shudder to think about this today.

Well, what they did was they, Cut themselves on their wrists

respectively, then they reached out and clasp each other by the

forearm with their hand and they rub their bloody wrists together

and it is said that they became Blood Brothers.

They entered into a covenant of Brotherhood sealed by their own

blood and that Blood Brother Covenant.

You know, they pledged loyalty each other as though they were

brothers for the rest of their lives.

Well, really in essence, that's what David and Jonathan did.

Did they pledge this loyalty to each other?

In fact, in 1st Samuel, 20, beginning of verse 14.

Jonathan said today that he said, I pray the Lord will bless

you as he used to brag. Bless my father, King Saul.

He said now, one day the Lord is going to wipe out all of your

enemies he said if I'm still alive then I just ask that you

be as kind to me as the Lord has been, but it said, if I'm dead I

ask that you be kind to my family.

What day did agree with that, they pledged that to each other

and it wasn't long after that, that David got Jonathan rather

got an opportunity to demonstrate his loyalty today

that you know, in first Samuel, 18 verses 7 through 9.

1 Samuel 18:7–9

The scripture says that David had returned back home from a

very successful battle and upon entering into the kingdom, some

of the young girls in the Kingdom began to serenade him

with the song that they had composed.

About him. And they sang Saul has slain his

thousands but David his ten thousands saw heard it and it

angered him and he thought to himself.

Now this boys popularity is getting out of hand.

I'll be there. They're writing songs about him

now and singing that I've seen my a thousands but that he has

slain his ten thousands and waste got everything but the

kingdom and you know, the Bible says this all began to look at

him at that point with a jealous suspicion that jealousy soon

turned into hatred. So tried to kill David on

numerous occasions he chased him out of the country.

He To them into the Wilderness. He gave his wife to another man

and falsely accused him of treachery and treason and all

the while David refused to strike back.

In fact, on one occasion saw lay upon the ground to sleep, his

massive spear sticking in the ground beside him.

All David had to do was walk up there and and the pullout to

spear out of the ground and thrust it, through Sol's heart

and he would have been rid of his arch enemy, but he wouldn't

do it. Even if the urging of his men,

he wouldn't do it. He said I'm not going to slay

the anointed of God. He said God will take care of

King Saul when it was at this point that Jonathan really

demonstrated his loyalty today that even over his own father,

King Saul David was on the Run, he was hiding out in the

wilderness. He knew that Saul and his men

were trying to locate him so they could kill him and somehow

Jonathan found him. And he told him about a plot

that his father had That very well, could have been a plot to

have David killed in on that occasion.

They, they re pledge their loyalty and their love for each

other and then Jonathan departed.

When it wasn't long after that until David received word that

King Saul. Jonathan and Jonathan's brothers

were all killed in battle, but instead of rejoicing that he was

rid of his arch enemy and that he now would be the king of

Israel. The Bible says that David

grieved over the news of the death of King Saul and he is

specially grieved over the news of the death of his beloved

friend. Jonathan in 2nd Samuel 1 verses

25 and 26, David Expresses in a Psalm, the great love that he

and Jonathan had for each other. Well David became the king then

he succeeded King Saul. This took a little time you

know, a few years but nevertheless he ascended to the

throne and it was pretty much the custom back in that time

when a king had been toppled and the new king replaced him, they

would round up the surviving family members of the former

King and execute them so that they couldn't rise up at a later

date and challenge for the throne.

Sure enough. One day, David called in a

former servant of King Saul's and asking his King.

Saul have any surviving family members, but it wasn't for the

purpose of executing them. It was for the purpose of

extending them, a kindness and notice them.

Second Samuel 9 verse 1. And David said, is there yet any

2 Samuel 9:1

that is left in the house of Saul that?

I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake.

It's not uncommon, really for one person to show kindness to

another person, for the sake of somebody else.

I've got a hunch that all of us here tonight of any age, and all

any maturity at all, probably have been extended, kindness.

We've maybe been given an opportunity, not because of what

we've done, but maybe because they knew our folks and they

respected our folks and had a fondness for them or maybe an

older brother or an older sister and because they knew Them and

have such a high regard for them, they were willing to give

us a break, extend to us in opportunity.

Could you imagine will say youngster about 12 years old

coming to your house and ringing?

The doorbell will say about 6:30, 7:00 some night and you go

to the front door to open the door there stands.

This strange young man, and he looks up at you with big eyes

and says, can I come in and spend the night tonight?

How would you reply to that? You probably think, well, well

who are you anyway? And what are you doing over here

at my house, asking to spend the night?

Do your folks can do what you're doing and you'd be reluctant to

let him hear. But suppose that saying young

man came home with your son. And your son came in and said,

hey Dad, would it be okay if Johnny spends the night with us?

Tonight, at tonight's try tonight and his folks had be

okay with them? Well sure.

Hey, come on in, have dinner with us.

Make yourself to home and and you extend this kindness to him,

not because of what he's done, but you do it for your son's

sake. And that's exactly the case with

Jonathan and David. David was looking for an

opportunity to extend the kindness to the Of King Saul and

Jonathan for Jonathan's sake and that's exactly how it works in

the world today in are obtaining forgiveness of God.

Listen in Ephesians 4 and verse 32.

Paul said and be a kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving

one another even as God for Christ's sake.

Hath forgiven you in first John 2 and verse 12, John adds, I

write unto you little children because your sins is are

forgiven you for his name's sake.

We studied earlier in the week that in Hebrews and at chapter

were told that Jesus became the mediator of a New Covenant.

Now the conditions of entering into that Covenant agreement are

made very clear. We are to hear the word of God

talk Romans 10, verse 14, we're to believe it.

Romans 10:14

Romans 1 and verse 16. We're to repent of our sins acts

Acts 17:30

17 verse 30 where it confess the name of Jesus before others,

according to Matthew 10 verse 32 and then we're to be baptized in

Matthew 10:32

water for the remission of sins, Acts 2 and verse 38.

Now premiums, when we comply genuinely with these conditions,

we enter into a covenant agreement with God in Jesus

Christ and God for Christ's sake.

Forgives us of our sins. He adopts us into the family and

we become the recipient of all spiritual blessings.

Now, the notice with me in verses 2 through 6 of our text,

the need of every sinner. And there was of the House of

Saul a servant, whose name was I.

But, and when they had called him on today, to the king said,

unto him, art thou cyber, and he said, thy servant is he?

And the King said, is there not yet any of the House of Saul

that I may show the kindness of God unto him in cyber said unto

the king Jonathan hath. Yet a son, which is laying on

his feet and the King said unto him, where is he?

And cyber said unto the king behold.

He is in the house of maker. The son of a mule in Lodi bar,

then King David's an Get him out of the house of maker.

The son of a mule from Lodi bar. Now, when mephibosheth the son

of Jonathan, the son of Saul was coming today.

That he fell on his face and did reverence and David said,

mephibosheth and he answered Behold thy servant.

Now David asks this former servant of King Saul.

He says does King. Saul have any surviving family

members? And the servant said, yes he

does. He has a grandson said in fact.

It's Jonathan, son. and he said, you know, he's laying on both

his feet and he lives over in Lodi bar.

And his name is mephibosheth. I had to work on that.

That's hard for me to say. I'd like to hear you say it four

times, real fast. Just kind of like trying to say

rubber baby buggy. Bumpers four times real fast.

You know, I get to I love these names from the Bible.

Especially those old testament names because every one of them

have a has significance. The fact is that God changed

Abrams. Name to Abraham the name,

Abraham, his father of many nations, very appropriate name

for the patriarchal. Father, you remember that when

God told Abraham age, hit Abraham and Barren, Sarah, that

they were going to have a child Sarah laughed.

And later when the child was born, they named him Isaac,

which means laughter, I mentioned, Jacob and Rachel.

They had a little Boy and Rachel died in childbirth, and they

named the little boy been only, which means, son of my sorrow

and I always thought that was so unfortunate to have a name that

would remind you every time you heard it that it was your birth

that was responsible for the death of your mother.

Fortunately, Jacob later changed, the name to Benjamin,

which means son of my right hand.

Jesus added the name Peter to the to sign it.

The name Peter, which means a rock.

So, all of these names have significance.

And I just really, honestly, never cease to be amazed at some

of the names that people tag their children will did.

You know that there was a governor?

I'm not making this up. There was a governor of the

state of Texas. He was governor around 1900, the

honorable James a hog H. OG G had a bunch of boys and

that he and his wife had a little girl, and they named her.

I'm a, I'm a ho Ugh. You know, anybody who would do

that to a child ought to be horsewhipped at least and it

makes me thankful that my family is stuck with the old basic

traditional American names, like referred and Hootie.

This may mephibosheth is really interesting to me though,

because it literally means the dispeller of Shame, the

dispeller of shame. But what is ironic is that he

was not one who is going to be dispelling.

Shame, he was the object of shame.

I mean he was living in Exile. In constant fear, he knew that

it was the custom for the succeeding peeing to round up

the family members of the former King and kill them all and he

was in Exile. He was terrified that they're

going to find him and execute him.

And can you imagine what he thought when King David's men

rode up before the house where he was hiding and said King

David wants to see you boy. You suppose he thought.

All right, I got an invitation to the king's Palace know, he

was thinking, I'm a dead man. They took him back over to the

Palace of King David. He went in before him terrified

prostrated himself on the floor face down and said I am your

servant. You know what?

Baby's first words were to him, don't be afraid.

That illustrates though, the watching The Heart Of The

Sinner, the one, who knows? He's separated from God, he's

afraid. And he doesn't want to confront

the king. He's like, Adam and Eve in,

Genesis 3, and verse 8. He wants to hide from God.

That's a perfect portrait of the alien sinner, who separated from

God. He's terrified.

Furthermore, he was destitute, he lived in Lo debar, the name,

Lo debar means of barren land and that again illustrates the

condition of the rebellious in Psalm 68 and verse 6.

David says that the rebellious dwell in a dry land away from

God, the sinner is lodging in the house of poverty, Isaiah 44,

Isaiah 44:20

verse 20, Luke 15 and verse 16, and furthermore he was helpless.

He was blame on both his feet. Now, the way this happened a few

years before he was, just a very small child when word got back

to the Palace that his grandfather King Saul and that

his father. Jonathan and his uncle's had

been killed in paddle. They knew that the very probably

the men of the succeeding king would be swooping down upon them

at any moment looking for surviving family members.

And so with that in mind, a nurse ran in scooped him up in

her arms and she began to flee with him from the palace and as

she do, she dropped him and It damaged both his feet.

And he was crippled for the rest of his life.

Most families have similar physical characteristics.

You know, you can look at a lot of families.

You kind of tell that their kinfolks always thought that

Kennedy Brothers looked a lot of like and I think the Bush family

have, I think members and that family have similar physical

characteristics, I have a brother that's just two years

older than I and there. A lot of people think we look

alike. In fact, we had a friend in

college Years Ago, thought we were the same person.

For one semester until he saw us in the Student Union together.

One day and that explained a lot.

You know, sometimes he'd say something to one of us that was

reference to what he had said to the other one.

He thought he's talking to the same person for a whole

semester. I don't really see that.

We look all that much alike, but everybody says we do, but

anyhow, you know, you would expect that, that was the case

in Bible times as well, and I'll tell you, King Saul was an

impressive. Physical specimen, I mentioned

the other evening that the Bible talks, Talks about for men.

That were built well and handsome and one of them was

King, Saul King Saul was tall and he was powerful and he cut

up an impressive figure. As far as people were concerned

and you know, Samuel the prophet warned of the people of Israel.

Really that that's what they were looking at when they

decided to select him as their King.

But he said that the Lord looks upon the heart.

So he was an impressive, man. His son, Jonathan was a great

athlete. He was a great Archer, probably

the greatest Archer of his time, and he would expect the same of

Jonathan son, mephibosheth, but to learn that.

That was not only not the case, but that he was that he was

crippled. You know, you could just hear

King David saying, you mean, this boy can't even walk.

I mean, what service can you provide?

He has no wealth, no education though.

No training and who knows what he looks like.

And where is he living? Loading bar.

They didn't say to such thing. For Jonathan's sake.

Now, he didn't say well, where is his?

Crippled boy. Where is this?

Lame? Kid.

No, for Jonathan's sake. He just simply says.

Where is he? Another translation says, where

is this son? And that's significant.

Because up to this point in the narrative, that's the first time

that mephibosheth name has been mentioned and not immediately

followed by his affliction. A lot of people know what it's

like to have a stigma. And you know, everywhere you go,

every time his name is mentioned, your stigma,

immediately follows. Olaf's all soldiers over the

other day you know, you know, he's divorced.

Or got a letter from old, watch his face.

You know, he's an alcoholic. All right, saw so-and-so

downtown. Yeah, you know it's just seems

like she can't keep a job. It's like a pesky little

brother, pesky little sister. Everywhere, you go, your past

seems to follow because I want you to know tonight that when

you enter into a covenant relationship with God, this

Covenant that was sealed and ratified by the shed blood of

Christ. Beginning at that point, God

does not throw up your past to you.

He's not going to remind you of your moral frailties or your

spiritual failings. But from that point, you simply

become his child. First John 3 and verse 1 John

said beloved now, are we the sons of the children of God?

Well, David told mephibosheth, he said, he said, I don't be

afraid, he said, I'm going to restore to you all of your

grandfather, King, Saul's lands. I'm going to give you back all

his crops. I'm going to give you all of his

servants and he said, I want you to sit at my table as though

you're my own son for the rest of your life.

Mephibosheth was absolutely overwhelmed and according to

verse 8 he said to David but I am but a dead dog.

Now, that is obviously a derisive description, but it may

be more derogatory than you think.

You know, in our culture today, dogs are family pets.

They become like members of the family but that's not the way it

was. And Israel.

Dogs were scavengers and they roamed in packs and they ate

dead carcasses in the streets and therefore they run clean.

They were despised, they were repulsive.

They were disgusting for him to have called himself.

A dog would have been bad but Said a dead dog touching.

Anything dead was unclean under the law of Moses so that would

be like a you know it'd be like are saying look man.

You know I don't have any intrinsic value.

Why are you doing this? I'm like a I'm like a roadkill

skunk or I'm like a crushed cockroach.

I don't have any value. Why are you doing this?

And David was very quick to point out that he was doing this

for his father Jonathan's sake. Now, the fact that he was

brought from where he was in exile over to the king's Palace

and went in there, and and humble himself before, King

David that didn't put Dave in his debt.

David didn't owe him anything. But it was for Jonathan's sake

and Friends by the same token. When we respond to the

invitation and we comply with these conditions, we don't put

God in our debt. God doesn't owe us anything.

But for Christ's sake, he forgives us.

He adopts us into the family and we become the recipient of all

spiritual blessings in Swift succession.

David returned to me, Felicia, Paul of his grandfather's lands

and crops and servants, and four times.

He tells mephibosheth, I want you to sit at my table.

Now I'll tell you just have King Saul's land his servants, his

crops and all that. That would be prestigious, but

all of that together doesn't even begin to compare with The

Prestige of sitting at the Kings Table.

I hope you can picture this in your mind as tonight.

Could you imagine the dinner bell sounding in the Palace of

King David? David comes in takes his seat at

the head of the table. Now, we're not talking about

just anybody We're talking about the greatest poet who ever lived

the sweet singer of Israel. We're talking about the most

brilliant military strategist who ever engaged in Conflict.

The greatest, King that Israel ever nood a great Builder, a

great planner, the most charismatic personality in the

world. Takes his seat at the head of

the table. This posed, his son, amnon

cunning crafty, and then comes down sits down at his father's

lived. And then Tamar Charming.

Strikingly beautiful comes in and sits down by her brother,

and then get this door opens over here and out of the study

steps Solomon. Brilliant.

Precocious a little distracted comes out of the study. and

finds his seat at the table and then Absalom Absalom has one of

the four that the Bible says was built well and handsome.

He had hair as black as a raven's Wing.

He had his father's charismatic personality, he could win people

over. He came in and took his seat at

the table. That's posed on this occasion.

That David invited, joab. Now, joab was his right-hand,

man. He was a Fearless Warrior.

He was the commander of his troops and the suppose he came

in. And Brahms and muscular he set

down near the king. Now you talk about a gathering

of Royal personalities and they sit there and wait patiently and

pretty soon. They began to hear the shuffling

of feet and they hear the clumping of crutches echoing

down the hall as mephibosheth. Awkwardly and slowly makes his

way into the dining room. Involves in his seat.

And when he looks up and surveys this Gathering of Royal

personalities, I ask you tonight.

Do you think he understood what it meant to have a kindness?

Done him for the sake of somebody else?

And can you see ourselves in that picture?

Can you see that? We were crippled by sin?

That we were living in spiritual Exile in that Barren land of

Lodi bar. But thanks to the covenant made

possible by the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

God for Christ's sake, forgives us.

Adopts us into the family and allows us to sit at the Kings

Table. I want to read you just a

partial list of what is found at the Kings Table, Romans 8, and

verse 1. If you are in Christ, there is

now. No condemnation, Romans 7 and

verse 6. You are delivered from the law

of Moses in, Ephesians, 2, and verse 13.

You are near God, Colossians 1 in verse 13.

Your delivered from the power of evil and the member of his

kingdom. Romans 5, you're Justified.

Hebrews 10 and verse 14, you are Perfect.

In Christ. Romans 8, verse 15.

Romans 8:15

You've been adopted, Ephesians 2 and verse 18.

You have access to God at any moment.

First Peter 2 and verse 5. You're a part of his priesthood,

Hebrews 13 and verse 5. You'll never be abandoned in

First, Peter 1 and verse 4. You have an imperishable

inheritance further, you are a partner with Christ in life,

Colossians 3, and verse 4 in privilege, Ephesians, 2, and

verse 6 in suffering. Second.

Timothy 2 and verse 12 and in-service.

First Corinthians 1 verse 9. You are a member of his body.

1 Corinthians 1:9

First Corinthians 12 and verse 13, a branch in the vine.

John 15 verse 5, a stone in the building.

John 15:5

Ephesians 2 beginning at verse 1 of Bride for the groom Ephesians

Ephesians 5:25–27

5:25 through 27 and a priest. In the new generation first

Peter 2 and verse 9 and get this in Christ, you become the

recipient of every spiritual Oil blessing in the Heavenly World

Ephesians 1 and verse 3. What do you suppose would have

been the result if after David made this this incredible?

Charitable gesture to mephibosheth if he hadn't even

thought about it for a minute and told King David, you know,

sir, sir your honor, your lordship.

This just, this just unbelievable.

Now, I was brought here thinking that I was going to be executed

and here you are. You're treating me as though I'm

your own son. And believe me I'm grateful and

thank you, but no thanks. I believe in just going to go

back over there. Lo debar and live in Exile and

scratch out as mirror and existence, as I possibly can.

Well, you'd think he'd be insane.

Prince had his no more outrageous than the multitudes

of people today who knowingly and deliberately reject God's

over tours of kindness that he extends us for Christ's sake.

Could it be tonight that you're here?

And you have been extended the invitation To become a child of

God and to sit at the Kings table.

But until now you've rejected it, if that's the case, we urge

you to seize the opportunity while it is yours if you're not

a Christian become one tonight believe in Jesus as the Son of

God. Repent of your sins confess, his

name and be baptized in water for the remission of sins.

Frames of you'll do that, then by virtue of the blood of Christ

you enter into a covenant relationship with God.

God and God for Christ's sake. Will forgive you?

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