The Broken to Bless - Live Like Kings - Chris Buskirk - 5/26/19

There we go.

I'm on.

Very good.

It was just after their 50th wedding anniversary and they were in their rockers kind of overlooking their spread on, on the back porch and well he was just kinda caught up in the moment, you know, the sunset was setting and going down.

The Sky was beautiful and he looked in the glow of his wife's now aging face.

Okay.

He, he, he was overcome.

He said, honey, after all these years, I just want to say your tried and true.

Yeah.

And she was kind of hard of hearing.

She wrinkled her forehead and she said, I'm tired of you too.

Okay.

But something, something that held them together all those years.

Right.

Well, what is it that made the friendship of Jonathan and David so powerful.

So loyal.

So life changing.

So life giving at the very core of it like that in marriage, I, at the very core of it was covenant.

There was a covenant commitment to one another.

Yeah.

And Jonathan and David don't cut covenant just once.

If you read this glory, and if throughout the book of First Samuel, it happens at least three times, that's like getting married and having two renewal services thereafterwards you understand?

So they just kept recommitting themselves to one another and this holy covenant.

So let me take just a few moments this morning to just point out some things about the nature of covenant because it'll ring this morning and how they lived it out.

First of all, uh, if we can go to the next slide.

First of all, covenants,

uh,

almost all covenants, especially biblical covenant had these basics in, in, in, in tact.

And as it refers to the covenants of Jonathan and David, you see pieces of this, but never in any of those accounts are all these things mentioned though we might assume that they actually happened if they cut covenant in the traditional way.

First of all, whenever two parties made this kind of commitment with one another, it didn't matter if it was two individuals or two tribes that would be a representative of those people that came forward to actually cut covenant for those people.

You did it for your, for your people.

And those two representatives would come before one another.

And as the representatives of those people, whatever happened to these two was symbolically happening.

The bond that they were creating was a bond that was being created between the people that they represented.

They would give each other, first of all, their coat, they would take off their coat and give it to one another.

And I've read that, that, that, that was a way of almost exchanging identity.

It was a way of sharing.

I did like, like when a, when a young lady wears her football players, uh, a letter jacket, you know, some of you are old enough to remember that, uh, it, their sweater, you know, their, their, their senior ring, all that kind of stuff.

That's a way of, of blending identities, of claiming identity with one another.

And, and that's what the giving of the coat was.

It was a giving of one's covering it.

And it was basically saying where you go, I go, what happens to you?

Happens to me.

If anybody picks on you, they get the two of us.

Right.

Uh, and sometimes that's just instinctively in relationships, but in covenant it's pledged and then it's lived out.

Sometimes it happens instinctively.

When Jonathan and David were three or four years old in grade school, some kids were picking on David on the other side of the art table.

And when I went to pick them up at after preschool that morning, she said, pastor, I, we had a little incident this morning.

I said, oh, really?

And she said, yeah, a couple of kids were picking on David.

And David's pretty tough.

He, he, uh, he was ignoring it, but Jonathan was on the other side of the table.

Pastor, he came over the table and all I heard him say, not my David.

All right.

That Jonathan and David were like the original Jonathan and David.

They had each other's backs.

And that was something that they lived out from the heart.

But, but when these two representatives came to make this covenant, it wasn't written in paper, but it was, it was before God.

They would cut a covenant.

It started with the cutting of a sacrifice.

It was something you did in the eye of God and in the name of your highest loyalty.

You make this vow in this commitment as two people stand before a crowd today getting married.

They take their vows in the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit.

Same kind of stuff is going on there.

They're looking above saying, God, by Your Faithfulness and power, my faithfulness to keep this word God said, thou shalt not take the Lord that the name of the Lord in vain.

Don't say, don't.

Don't pledge yourself.

Don't vow to love someone in my name and then tarnish my name by taking that lightly, I understand what he's saying is it's taking the Lord's name in vain is not really about cussing.

It's about something far more at the heart of what holds humanity together.

Right

after you pledge your highest loyalty to God, the second wave of commandment, when it starts turning towards humanity in a way thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Thou shalt have no idols or make any graven images.

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain.

It goes from this relationship to empowering these relationships.

Always Covenant took all this into account.

Representatives were cut and when they were cut they would actually like, like uh, blood brothers in a tree house somewhere when you were a kid and you cut your fingers and you mingled the blood, you know, and no blood brothers, you remember that stuff.

Some of you do.

Okay, good.

Ah, that's old covenant stuff.

In fact, today in a Bailey's Bank and Africa where covenant language is still much a part of their culture, you can't even write a check without reaching through the little teller hole and touching fingers with the teller on the other side that says you can count on me.

It's a, it's a, it's a covenant sign.

It's like a signature that they would actually cut the, their palms and they would raise their hands to God and vow to God and then they'd lower their hands and they'd grab harms.

What does that global guy as covenant stuff, that's covenant stuff.

And then after that they would often put wood ash in, in the, in the actual cut because they cherished the scar.

If they put that wood ash in there, it would turn it dark and make the scar very, very prominent.

And, and covenant keepers, the kind of people that would keep their word what often prove it and validate it not by going to some court back then, they didn't have records written down in a court of law so much as in the field.

They would just raise their hand and that would say, I'm in Covenant, I'm in Covenant.

If you take me on, there's someone else you've got to worry about, you know, see the covenant.

It was right there in the scar.

It was a sign of their pledge to one another and on and on a wedding, people's hands, there's still a scar there.

Much more attractive.

Now they're made of gold.

There's not a whole lot of shedding of blood at wedding services anymore.

White dresses, it would be awful but, but, but, but there is, there is a scar that we take forward on our hand that says I belong to somebody.

I belong to somebody and they belong to me.

Right.

There was this, uh, pledging of defense to one another.

Once you gave them to your coat, you would also show them your, uh, your armor.

If not, gives them your sword.

Give them your armor as a pledge of defense to one another today on Ronald Reagan.

Or It'd be, I had to go back a ways to find a precedent then maybe we wouldn't be upset about, but, but, uh, w w when he was sworn in, he raised his right hand.

Why?

That's covenant stuff.

So help me God to hear it.

It still rings in our culture in ways that sometimes, I mean, why would you do that?

That's old covenant language coming through in our practices of today.

But they would pledge their defense to one another, but not only that, they would also pledge themselves to bless one another, to be the one that blesses each other.

A person's debt was my debt.

If that was in covenant with him, their need was my need.

If I was in covenant with him and we would not only defend one another when times were tough, but there was a, an understanding that we were vowing to renew this relationship in such a way that we would surprise one another with the goodness we'd bestow on one another.

Okay.

And in doing so with not only mutual defense, but mutual blessing and mutual identification,

uh,

interesting.

We still take each other's names when we get married in covenant with each other.

That's a covenant.

That's why I keep referring to marriage.

Uh, he,

they, they share a name after they just like Sarah say ry and, and Abraham, when they cut covenant with God, took on the rule of God and they became Sarah and Abraham th th th th th there's such an identity there that that binds them to one another, that they even take on each other's name, that that mutual blessing will follow them all their days of their life.

And as they bless one another over time there's a certain kind of confidence and assurance and and yeah,

uh, yeah,

that the whole old testament gives a special word and the word is has said last week I thought maybe I got it wrong.

I was seeing it spelled c h said, but that's because it's real hard to translate into English.

That Hebrew sound, the hack, you know, but that's the word.

It is sad.

Okay, if you say that right now, just wipe off the back of the neck, neck of the person in front of you if it said, yeah, this is the stuff, this deep love, loyalty, this certainty with one another.

This, this appreciation, this deep, deep valuing is all apart of what's anticipated when we cut covenant with one another and Jonathan and David cut covenant with one another.

Last week we talked a good deal about how Jonathan proved his love loyalty to David again and again by, by defending David, by championing David.

Bye Bye.

Uh, advocating for David by going to David when he was in trouble again.

And again.

Jonathan expresses his love loyalty to David.

Well.

What about David's love loyalty to Jonathan?

That's what I want to get to today.

Let's turn the table and look on the other side of this.

How was David loyal to Jonathan w w when was Jonathan and need and David came through?

Uh,

well, I, I think there are three principle times.

And here, here's the first one I want to look at.

One of the ways he was faithful to Jonathan, if we'll go to the next slide, was he was sparing of Jonathon's Dad Saul and the scriptures over and over again saw pursues David because he is so jealous of David's so suspicious of David that he wants to wipe David out because he sees them as arrival to his throne.

And so again, and again saw, gets on these rages where he throws a spear across the room trying to pin him to the wall and, and Jonathan Helps David escape or he goes seeking David.

David has to leave town because of Saul's great jealousy and, and uh, blood thirstiness for him.

And this is one of those occasions.

It happens again and again, one time in a cave.

And then Getty and then again, he pursues him in the Wilderness and David has to go on the run to leave his wife, Michael.

Jonathan's a sister that he's now been pledged to because that was the reward for killing Goliath.

This, he was now married to King Sol's daughter.

Jonathan's sister Michael could draw that family tree in your head real quick.

Do you follow me?

Michael was her name that, not that, that's not confusing enough on her own.

I'm almost tempted to call her Michelle just so it's easier but, but, but, but, but Michael, what was her name?

Saul is out seeking David's life again and again.

And on repeated occasions, David is given a golden opportunity to take out saw first.

The first time this happens, uh, David is hiding in the hills and in the caves of the wilderness and saw come seeking his life and saw, uh, there were no quick trips around.

So he takes a moment to, to relieve himself and he goes into a cave for this moment of privacy, not realizing that David is already hid out in the cave.

Right.

And David is so stealth e is that a word that he comes up behind?

Uh, uh, saw while he's relieving himself and cuts off a corner of his clothes.

Yeah.

Does not take his life though.

He obviously could have Saul goes out to his men and as he rejoins his men, David comes out of the cave and says, King Saul, why do you pursue my life?

You pursue my life for no reason, but I will not strike down the Lord's anointed.

If this is God's plan, God can work that out.

But you're God's anointed.

He made you king and I'm not going to help myself by killing you.

Why is it that men have disturbed you?

Did David thought that some, someone had told Saul some lie that he was vying for his, his, his throne.

And David didn't want any thing to do with that.

He wanted to honor solid again and again.

He says that he will not take the life of Saul because he is the Lord's anointed here in this particular passage saw has, is pursuing David and John.

Uh, David and I think it's a buy Athar uh, his right hand guy, uh, go into the camp, sneak around the camp and find a, solve the king asleep in the center of the cap with his sword stuck in the ground by his head for easy access.

You know, it's Kinda like a guy sleeping next to his gun at night, I guess.

You know, if it's right there by his head and they come upon him in a bio with Argos.

Look, God has set it up and he grabs the sword and he starts to run Saul through.

And David says, no, no, we cannot touch the Lord's anointed.

And David takes the spear and again, the next morning in the daylight, he raises the king spear and says, Look, look, I could have taken your life, but I didn't.

The Lord be judged between me and you and the Lord revenge me

with you.

But David would not touch saw.

I think part of it was because he saw him as the chosen one of God, the Lord's anointed.

But I think also when you cut covenant with someone, you're not only were now faithful to him, you were faithful to his people.

You with me because of covenant.

Also, I believe David would not touch the Lord's anointed.

Eh, here's, here's another one.

Not only did he spirit Jonathan's father, but he also, uh, Mary Jonathan's sister.

That's number B here.

And interestingly enough though, Michael and he are married, when Saul goes crazy and Jonathan tells David, you've got to leave.

Michael Helps David escape, but he escapes on his own.

His wife was willing to spare his life and to help him leave, but she wasn't going to leave the palace.

And so interestingly enough, Michael is called Sol's daughter Pharma often than she is called David's wife.

And nevertheless, we'll find out in second Samuel when, when saw when, when Jonathan and Saul are dead and David is coming into the throne.

And even then he does not push for power.

Even then he lets those of Saul's house still try to vie for, uh, retaining the crown and so forth.

And then finally, the general of Saul's son turns on him and comes to David and said, make your covenant with me and I will turn all of Israel over to you.

And David says, fine.

If God sent you to me, I will make a covenant with you.

But before I make a covenant with you, you must bring them,

me, Michael.

He would not allow her the shame, uh, of being a dispossessed royalty.

This woman that it turned his back, her back on him.

She was now married to another guy whose name was Paul[inaudible] and Paul.

It was someone that King saw after David Left, gave his daughter too.

And marriage, even though she was still married with David.

What an incredible thing.

After that kind of disrespect is shown him for him to cover the shame of Michael before he ever becomes king, he will reclaim her as his queen.

That's incredible to me.

What an incredible loyalty.

But, but Jonathan's people are now his people, right?

Michael was not only his wife, Michael was also Jonathan sister.

Interesting to point out that.

And then third of all, uh, and there's another one in, in there.

Uh, the third one is this, this big one here and this is, uh, uh, John's son Jonathan had many sons and he has one son that was easy to forget about when, uh, Jonathan and Saul King and prince later die on the mountain.

Gilboa fighting the Philistines together.

Jonathan was loyal to his father even until the end.

He, he died in battle with Saul and yet that never compromised his greater loyalty.

And I say greater, greater loyalty today even though they have a saying in covenant keeping cultures and it goes like this blood is thicker than water

now

because we often think of blood, his family descent, he's my blood.

You know what I'm talking about?

We have to think of it in there.

They're talking Covenant Blood Covenant blood shed with a brother is more powerful, more important then birth waters, then familial bonds.

No, I, I could go into marital counseling right here and blended family dynamics right here.

If You understand Covenant Ladies and Gentlemen, Biblically, the one that you were in, covenant relationship is of a higher priority than your relationship to your kids.

Now, I've probably just tick some people off, but this is how God orders it.

And it's amazing when we place our covenant partners as primary are, kids almost always get blessed.

But whenever we place our kids above our marriage and our marriage comes, or part who bears the wounds of that the most, but the kids, I think God knows what he's talking about.

I really think he does.

And though this may not be something that is a Ah, instinctive for us, God's wisdom is not always instinctive,

right?

It's just always right.

I can't imagine, can't you David?

He's a, um, well, let me pick up the story, Jonathan, and, and solve fall dead in battle, which leaves the, uh, the palace without a king.

Now, in most cultures, when one king is gone, they didn't have a Republican election.

It was a coup of power that usually followed.

And whoever became king, their first act of, of, of, uh, establishing their throne was usually wiping out any rivals to that throne in the preceding family or dynasty.

Right?

So as, as David is left to be king because not only saw but his son Jonathan who was the prince or are dead, there's now this power struggle.

Now, Jonathan, uh, Saul had other sons and one of those sons even claim to be king over the northern part of the country while David was already accepted as king of Judah and the southern part.

But, but, uh, uh, as, as those tensions develop, uh, David doesn't push it, but, but Saul's family is trying to hang on to some semblance of power on the day that Jonathan and, and Saul die on the day that that news gets to the palace, that you can read about this in first Samuel four, four, that's where this son of Jonathan is first mentioned.

His name is Matt[inaudible].

And on the day that the news got to the palace, the house of Saul went into a panic.

They thought their lives were on the line.

They assume that whoever would be keen would be coming for them next and one of the maid servants picks up this son who was four or five years old at the time, grabs him up in her arms and starts running from the to save his life and her life.

And as she runs he falls.

And this son named Mafibisha.

Yes, I'm going to call him Bo.

Okay.

[inaudible] chef is now crippled.

It's not clear exactly how it happened.

It said Mephibosheth fell and he was then crippled in both of his feet somehow and it tragic fall maybe on the steps of the palace, maybe under the weight of this, of this uh, caregiver who fell upon him.

I don't, we don't know exactly, but somehow his legs were so damaged that he was now crippled in both of his feet.

David overcomes those years of civil war, I guess you would call it, between tensions between the house of Saul and David and those who are the house of Saul eventually come to trust David there they're around David.

And he even makes them some of his servants because after all Saul's people, because of Jonathan or who's people, David's people because of covenant.

And though this was not instinctive, and though this was not the pattern that usually what would happen because of covenant history's changed here.

And uh, David gets established in his throne.

He not only takes power, but he starts overcoming all of the territories around him.

He expands Israel dramatically until it's more than a hundred percent.

It was before he dramatically expands, uh, the reign of the Kingdom of Israel that Saul had known.

Uh, he brings the Ark of the covenant home to Jerusalem.

He thinks about a building God, a temple.

After all, he says, I live here in this house and God's Ark of the covenant dwells in a tent.

This isn't right and it's hard.

He wants to honor God.

So he decides to build a temple.

Acts, ask Nathan if that'd be all right.

And Nathan, thanks was that sounds like a good idea to me, but he doesn't, hadn't consulted God.

So Nate then has dreams that night in which God tells him no, he's not to build me a temple.

I am his covenant partner and I choose to bless him.

And because David has this kind of heart, he says, there will, I will call forth rulers to come from you.

And that first Messianic Davidic, uh, son of David Promise is made to the House of David at that point.

And so now, not only is he established, not only has he expanded, but now God has given him a special word that he will remain king and descendants will come from him who will be kings.

The Messiah will come from him, that that will be a king.

All that is his told him.

And then David kind of looks around, he's in the palace.

And I wondered if it was then that he realized something's missing.

Jonathan when they'd cut.

Covenant previously said, even if it costs me my life, I'll be faithful to you.

Jonathan is now dead.

David Long's now that he's the one in power to bless Jonathan in some way.

But, but Jonathan's gone.

Jonathan had said, someday, even my father's note knows that you will be King and David, when you become king, I will be at your side.

I won't be the prince.

That that is a as a rival to you.

I'll be the one that champions, you were in covenant with one another and I, Jonathan said, I said this with, he says this with his life, he pledges himself to be at David's side, but where does Jonathan now, I'm sure David's remembering that promise when in Second Samuel Chapter nine in the palace, he asks a question and the question is this, who have the house of Saul?

And Jonathan is left for me to bless Jonathan's not there, but covenants were life long.

As long as you had life, you would honor your covenant, right?

That's the way covenants were.

And so, so he's asking who of Jonathan's house remains that?

I might remember them for Jonathon's sake.

You know what he's talking about?

He's talking covenant loyalty.

He's talking about surprising someone with his said, right, and at that point, a former servant of Saul comes forth.

His name is Ziba say Ziva Ziva.

Yeah, just zip and zip.

It comes forth and he says, I know of one that remains and he says, King David, his name is[inaudible] and he's a young man that has crippled in both his feet and he his hideaway in a town called low d bar.

It just sounds like one of those places Clint Eastwood is supposed to walk through, doesn't it?

Low to see the Tumble Lens Stumble Weed's blowing through town.

The Bar Saloon doors open, welcomed Lod bar was just desolate.

You picture it.

Th Th th this is where my favorite chef is.

He his hideout in Lo debar, right.

He's in both his feet since the time he was five.

He asked his nanny, what am I crippled in both of my feet?

Well, my son, we had to save your life from David.

Why did you have to say my life and below?

Because it's because kings do that.

Kings, kings flex their muscle and they exercise their power and all they're interested in is themselves.

And if we had left you there in the palace, surely would you, you, you would be dead.

So now you're just crippled in both your feet for Bo.

But, but it's better than it could have been maybe all his life.

He's, he's heard these stories of, of David David, that that would have displaced Saul.

Saul, who was always suspicious of David Saul, who was always jealous of David, saw, who saw in David and eventual threat that came to pass

David.

David,

you can't trust David.

David's out for himself.

David's against the house of Saul.

Can you imagine the resentment in his heart?

The throne that could have been his, he's displaced because of David.

And then David hears about this son Mephibosheth and he says very well, he sends his writers to go and get him.

Can you imagine he, he's in his little Lo debar shack and the dust is approaching the chariots, the horsemen, the henchman.

Obviously if David, someone's told on him, they, he's been found out.

And what's David coming for?

Is this good news or bad news?

What do you think?

Both thinks of it.

He, he thinks this is the worst news of all right.

He's been found out and sure enough, the hitchman get off their horses and they'd come into the house and they said, is there an Afib chef here?

And he says, yes, I am.

They say, stand up.

He says, I can't stand up.

I'm crippled in both my feet.

Thanks to David and all they say is the king summons you.

You will come with us.

They put my fitbit, yes on the chariots.

They take him back to the palace.

They bring in my afib.

A chef before David and I want to read to you exactly what happens.

It's in second Samuel.

This is an amazing story in second Samuel Chapter Nine.

Well

there they are.

Daddy's readers.

Okay, good.

Okay, here we go.

Then David started in verse five then David sent and brought him from the house of Makir, the son of a mill, Yale and Lo debar and[inaudible] hath the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul.

Dee Do here.

It's even mentioned as a a kingly line, right?

So Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face, prostrated himself before and he's on his face and the dust.

And David said, Mephibosheth, and he said,[inaudible] is your servant.

The earliest Ziva had come in when David asked a question and he said, here's your servant.

It's with a period.

But when the vivid chef, you know, says it, it's with an exclamation mark, he's scared.

Spitless[inaudible] is your servant, right?

It's, it's, it's, it's that kind of thing.

And David said to him, do not fear.

Why?

Because he's obviously scared out of his wits.

Do not fear for I will surely show kindness to you.

The word is has said, I will show kindness to you for the sake of your father, Jonathan, and will restore to you all the land that your grandfather saw land of your grandfather saw.

I remember he had expanded the kingdom, so he gave him everything that would have been his, had he been king.

He's inviting him to live like a king and you shall eat at my table regularly again.

He prostrated himself and said, what is your servant that you should regard a dead dog like me?

It's the actual words.

I'm a dead dog.

Whoa, whoa.

What are you saying?

I was expecting a an ax across my neck.

Oh, properties of my grandfather saw what it's so counter to what he expects.

He can't even process it.

He's been offered the possibility to live like a king and he says, who am I a worm?

Who am I?

This dead dog.

Somebody is not computing.

This does not add up.

And then the king called Saul's servant Ziba and said to him,

ah,

apparently he realizes he's not going to get through to[inaudible].

She has talking to them directly.

All that belonged to Saul and to all his house.

I have given to your master's grandson.

If fitbit chef and you and your son, your servants shall cultivate the land for him and you shall bring in the produce so that your master's grandson, my fish, yes, may have food.

Nevertheless, my fish, yes, your master's grandson shall eat at my table regularly.

Now, Zebra had 15 sons and 20 servants.

He was no second rate servant of the king.

And then Zebra said to the king according to all that my lord the king commands his servants.

So your servant will do so.

My afib chef eight at David's table.

What an incredible story.

David has just made my afib chef the offer of a lifetime.

He saying, you Mafibisha chef need not return to your hut in Lo debar.

I will make you to live like a king.

It doesn't make sense to him.

It's too good to be true.

He's expected revenge.

David is offering him redemption.

He expected hostility.

David is offering him unparalleled hospitality.

He expected a curse and David is blessing him.

He expected punishment and got and David is restoring to him the full kingdom that was solved.

Why?

Why?

I'll tell you why is because David had cut covenant with Jonathan.

Jonathan though he was one of Saul's family was so different from Saul's family, like my fitbit chef and saw, they were both men of great suspicion, but Jonathan had a heart that was knit to the heart of David.

His heart was as David's heart.

He was part of the family, but it was almost as if he was not a part of it.

He was so different and, and David is offering this to Jonathan, not based on anything Jonathan has done, not even based on who Jonathan is.

He's doing this based on who's Jonathan is.

David is doing this based on covenant.

He is cut covenant with Jonathan Am Afib Chef is one of Jonathan's people.

So[inaudible] chef has a decision.

Apparently it's one he must make quickly, but it goes against everything that's in his nature.

He's learned through the years.

He could only trust himself.

He's learned most of all.

You'd better not trust the one that's in power and now he's got a decision to make.

Does he return to Lo debar that familiar place where he's in control or does he live like a king and give up control?

What did Mephibosheth do?

Verse 13 tells a story almost in phrases, so I'm a fib.

A chef lived in Jerusalem.

He didn't go back to Lo debar.

He accepted the author of living like a king 48 at the king's table regularly and for the life of me, it's a puzzle to me while chapter nine does not end right there.

If this was a movie, this is where the credits start coming up, but that's not where this passage ends.

There's one more phrase now he was lame in both his feet.

Is there a sequel?

Well, what was it?

That's not where this is supposed to end.

He's lame in both his feet.

He's just been given the opportunity to live like a king.

He has said yes to that.

He's lame in both his feet.

Yes, in this life, my friends, your scars become trophies of His grace.

All those ways that you are not deserving.

Just magnify the magnitude of His grace to accept you, to love you, to claim you as his own son.

Movember's chef is as learning that that is brokenness is a token that will always remind him of his great blessing.

When my friends, this isn't just Mephibosheth's story, it's ours.

You can live like a king to why?

Why would God bless us like that?

It's not because of anything you've done.

It's not even because of who you are.

It can be because of whose you are.

Jonathan has his very name means God has given.

See in this story of Jonathan, a Ford looking picture of Jesus.

For God so loved the world, He gave his only begotten son, a son that cuts covenant with humanity.

He's, he's one of us, but his heart is so different from us and yet he's one of us so he can cut covenants with us and, and he's, he's God, so he can represent God to.

So both representatives there in one person and God is cut covenant with humanity through Jesus.

And if you will be his God says, you will be God cut covenant 2000 years ago with a human being just like you, son of man, and if we choose to belong to him, then God is saying today as much as he says any day and at any time God is asking that question that the sovereign asked and this passage that David asked in this passage and it is, is there anyone left in the house of humanity of fallen humanity that I might not show them my loving kindness for the sake of Jesus.

God is cut covenant with us.

Jesus lifted up a cup and he said, this is my blood, a new covenant, my blood shed for you, a new covenant I gave you that you might love one another as I loved you.

Why is that?

Well, I love one another as I have loved you because if you cut a covenant with me, you are pledging yourself to love my people and you'll never lock eyes with a single human being in this world for whom Jesus did not shed the last drop of pure devotion.

He bled himself dry for this world and if we're covenant partners with him, we know it may not be like David was able to share, has said with with Jesus on a cross, Jesus is not physically in our midst, just like Jonathan was not in the palace, but, but we can find those sons and daughters of humanity that are so broken that need a blessing, that have this contrary picture

of the God that loves them and would call them to live with him, his kings, but they've heard a different story about God.

Maybe as many of us have in day is we have a decision.

Who's will we be when we trust Jesus?

Can we see in him the heart of the father that is reaching out to us, calling us from our sheds of loaded bar?

Say, if you love my son, you'll know my love.

Have you cut covenant with him if you belong to him.

I love my people or Jesus, we thank you that you loved us as Jonathan loved David, that that you cut covenant with us for the sake of bringing us to the father.

The father this morning, we renew our covenant with you.

We we come to you this morning.

If there's anyone here within the sound of my voice that is never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and as your savior.

If you have not said, Lord, be my master, be my savior.

There may be this is all for you today.

God is asking right now.

Who can I bless for the sake of my son, Jesus.

Who can I invite to eat for my table and to live like a king?

As a servant of the king?

Can I give him your name?

Would you give him your name?

If so, this alters for you.

This is a place where you can decide that because of Jesus, because of the covenant that God is cut with all of us, that from this day forward, you don't have to live as a cripple.

You don't have to live as one marked by your brokenness.

You can live out your destiny.

You can live with God.

You can live like a king.

Receive it.

I pray.

Receive it right now.

You are not what this life in this world tells you, you are.

You are royalty.

You are a son and daughter of the most high, and if you're loved like that, you need not be like that anymore.

Claim his claiming of you this day.

Come to this altar.

Join his people unless love one t has loved us and then.