_
(3) And the king said, Is there not yet any
of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba
said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet. (4) And the king said unto him, Where is he?
And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of
Ammiel, in Lodebar. (5) Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house
of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar. (6) Now when Mephibosheth, the son of
Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did
reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant! (7) And David said unto him, Fear not: for I
will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore
thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table
continually.”
Now, in order to say anything about humility, I’ve got to begin with the LORD Himself.
Look with me at verse one. II Samuel 9:1 “And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” David has now been king for about twenty years. Yet, as you read his life, you always find him thinking. But, as you can easily see here; he’s thinking about how he can express kindness to someone; in this case, a descendant of King Saul.
Look with me at verse three. (3) “And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God unto him?” After all this time he’s still got King Saul on his mind; but it’s not bitterness that motivates him. It’s the character trait of kindness.
Kindness is a strange quality. It’s strange because we oftentimes think that we deserve kindness from someone. But if kindness is pure kindness, then it’s something you display towards someone who doesn’t ask for it nor deserve it. There is no indication in this story in II Samuel nine that anything in Mephibosheth called for David to be kind.
And did you notice how David saw his kindness as the kindness of God Himself? Now think about God and His attitude towards you and me; especially in the matter of Salvation. In order for God to bestow salvation upon a sinner, it’s got to begin with Him. God’s desire is to be kind to the ones, you and me, who don’t deserve it. Here’s a NT passage to show this to you. Luke 6:35 “… for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.” And here’s what Jesus said in His sermon on the mount. Matthew 5:45 “ … for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Think about God in salvation and you will see that He’s kind just because He’s kind. He’s kind to the unthankful. He’s kind to the evil. He’s kind enough to cause the sun to rise on everyone, both the evil and the good. He’s kind enough to send rain on both the just and the unjust.
1. In the matter of humility comes the matter of God’s kindness. The point is simple. There’s nothing in you or in me that forces the LORD to be kind to us. No one can ask God to be kind to them because they deserve it. He’s kind just because that’s His nature. Here’s one definition for kindness. “Kindness is loving people more than they deserve.” [Joseph Joubert] [Found on www.happy2helpyou.org]. And someone no one knows said this about kindness. Kindness is like snow – it beautifies everything it covers. Anonymous [Found on www.happy2helpyou.org].
David was a man after God’s own heart. He wanted to be like God. And so his desire is to extend kindness to someone in the family of his enemy Saul and his friend Jonathan.
1. Kindness sees nothing in the recipient that would cause him or her to be kind to them.
Practically speaking, think about someone in your own life who clearly does not deserve a measure of kindness from you. Let’s say it’s someone who has said things about you that aren’t’ true. Now, will you be kind to them? Go on to Page three
Now, in order to say anything about humility, I’ve got to begin with the LORD Himself.
Look with me at verse one. II Samuel 9:1 “And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” David has now been king for about twenty years. Yet, as you read his life, you always find him thinking. But, as you can easily see here; he’s thinking about how he can express kindness to someone; in this case, a descendant of King Saul.
Look with me at verse three. (3) “And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God unto him?” After all this time he’s still got King Saul on his mind; but it’s not bitterness that motivates him. It’s the character trait of kindness.
Kindness is a strange quality. It’s strange because we oftentimes think that we deserve kindness from someone. But if kindness is pure kindness, then it’s something you display towards someone who doesn’t ask for it nor deserve it. There is no indication in this story in II Samuel nine that anything in Mephibosheth called for David to be kind.
And did you notice how David saw his kindness as the kindness of God Himself? Now think about God and His attitude towards you and me; especially in the matter of Salvation. In order for God to bestow salvation upon a sinner, it’s got to begin with Him. God’s desire is to be kind to the ones, you and me, who don’t deserve it. Here’s a NT passage to show this to you. Luke 6:35 “… for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.” And here’s what Jesus said in His sermon on the mount. Matthew 5:45 “ … for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Think about God in salvation and you will see that He’s kind just because He’s kind. He’s kind to the unthankful. He’s kind to the evil. He’s kind enough to cause the sun to rise on everyone, both the evil and the good. He’s kind enough to send rain on both the just and the unjust.
1. In the matter of humility comes the matter of God’s kindness. The point is simple. There’s nothing in you or in me that forces the LORD to be kind to us. No one can ask God to be kind to them because they deserve it. He’s kind just because that’s His nature. Here’s one definition for kindness. “Kindness is loving people more than they deserve.” [Joseph Joubert] [Found on www.happy2helpyou.org]. And someone no one knows said this about kindness. Kindness is like snow – it beautifies everything it covers. Anonymous [Found on www.happy2helpyou.org].
David was a man after God’s own heart. He wanted to be like God. And so his desire is to extend kindness to someone in the family of his enemy Saul and his friend Jonathan.
1. Kindness sees nothing in the recipient that would cause him or her to be kind to them.
Practically speaking, think about someone in your own life who clearly does not deserve a measure of kindness from you. Let’s say it’s someone who has said things about you that aren’t’ true. Now, will you be kind to them? Go on to Page three