1 00:00:01,600 --> 00:00:03,840 You're listening to the Bridgetown Church podcast with 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:06,840 Pastor Chris Ochoa, where our vision is Jesus, our mission is 3 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:09,760 people, and our cause is love. Thanks for tuning in. 4 00:00:10,040 --> 00:00:13,920 Let's dive in. We're back in our sermon series, 5 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:16,079 Hearts, a study in first and Second Samuel. 6 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:18,040 After a brief Mother's Day break. 7 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:21,480 I'm glad to have you here. My name is Pastor Chris. 8 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:24,440 I am the pastor of preaching and teaching here at Bridgetown 9 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:28,120 Church. It's good to be in the House of 10 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:32,520 the Lord today, Psalm chapter 22, the psalmist says, I will 11 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:34,280 declare your name to my brothers. 12 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:36,120 I will praise you in the midst of the congregation. 13 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:38,800 You are the congregation. You are the family of God. 14 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,520 And today, brothers and sisters, I declare to you the name of 15 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:44,960 Jesus Christ. There is no other name under 16 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:46,480 heaven by which we must be saved. 17 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:50,840 This is about Jesus. So I'm so excited to be in 18 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:54,520 Second Samuel Chapter 9 today. Now for you who have been paying 19 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:56,880 attention, I know we took a brief break. 20 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:01,720 Some of you've been asking, wait a second, Chapter 9, we were in 21 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:04,680 Chapter 7 previously. What about chapter 8? 22 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:07,800 What are we doing, Chris? Are we skipping this? 23 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:09,800 No, we're not. We're not skipping chapter 8. 24 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:11,400 What I'm going to do is I'm going to give you a quick 25 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:13,320 summary about it. Here's why. 26 00:01:13,320 --> 00:01:17,880 Here's what chapter 8 is about. The reason is Second Samuel. 27 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:19,800 This may come as a shock to some of us. 28 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:21,800 It's actually not in chronological order. 29 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:26,440 Did you know that a lot of the Bible that you read, there's 30 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,320 intentionality behind it? There's one divine author 31 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:33,720 through over 40 different authors, all with one message. 32 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:36,160 But that doesn't necessarily mean that the message is in 33 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:38,280 chronological order. They're trying to get you to see 34 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:40,360 something. They're trying to get the text 35 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:43,160 to do something to your heart, to your life. 36 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,280 So this brings up a brief comment about the nature of 37 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:50,880 inspiration. The Bible is inspired. 38 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:54,480 It's the inspired word of God. That's the lead theological 39 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:56,440 phrase from how we view the Scriptures. 40 00:01:56,440 --> 00:01:59,800 It's inspired by God. We pull this from Second Timothy 41 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:04,120 chapter 316 that says all scripture is literally breathed 42 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:06,400 out by God. It's his breath. 43 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:11,440 It's profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for 44 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:14,560 training and righteousness, that the men and women of God would 45 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:17,480 be complete equipped for every good work. 46 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:21,960 Now what inspiration does mean is not just the composing is 47 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:25,520 inspired by God, the writing of it, but also the collecting. 48 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:28,240 The collecting, Something we don't tend to think about. 49 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:31,840 But think about this. Your Bible is a library of 66 50 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:36,600 different books stapled together under in between 2 covers. 51 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:42,560 OK, God inspired those people as well, not just the authors, but 52 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:45,840 the people who collected it, and you'll never know who they are. 53 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:49,240 It's anonymous to you that God providentially working through 54 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:52,720 them to give you the library, the word of God that we have 55 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:55,560 today. With that being said, Chapter 8, 56 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:59,240 it's content actually overlaps with chapters we've already 57 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:02,880 talked about chapter 6-7, and it's actually going to overlap 58 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,960 the chapter 10 coming up. With that being said, here is 59 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:10,360 Chapter 8, a brief synopsis, if you will, the SparkNotes version 60 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:13,080 of chapter 8. As before we get into Chapter 9, 61 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,240 it's divided into two sections. Here's what chapter 8's about. 62 00:03:16,920 --> 00:03:20,600 One it's the catalog of David's military victories, his military 63 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:24,000 campaigns. Here we see David conquering the 64 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:27,640 Promised Land and then the other side of the Jordan River, the 65 00:03:27,640 --> 00:03:30,000 eastern side. It's called the Trans Jordanian 66 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,360 Wilderness. Outside of the Promised Land are 67 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:35,440 some enemies of Israel as well. There's the Moabites, the 68 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:40,680 Edomites, the Ammonites. David conquers all of them. 69 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:44,920 So chapter 8 is literally just battle after battle after battle 70 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:49,480 after battle. The big point of chapter 8 is in 71 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:52,680 verse 6. Verse 6 of chapter 8. 72 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:55,280 You can go home and study this when you have the time. 73 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,720 Verse 6 says. The Lord gave victory to David 74 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:04,280 wherever he went. Wherever he went, the Lord gave 75 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:07,280 him victory. The whole purpose of chapter 8 76 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:09,960 is this verse. David is only David. 77 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:15,320 Israel is only destroying their enemies because God has chosen 78 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:17,240 David. God has given him the covenant. 79 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,920 God has given a promise to the House of David that he would 80 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:24,200 build David a dynasty. The only reason this podunk 81 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:28,360 little nation, Israel is absolutely whooping these giant 82 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:29,960 empires is because God's with them. 83 00:04:30,840 --> 00:04:34,520 God is giving David the victory. He's establishing David's 84 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:38,200 dynasty. The second part of chapter 8 is 85 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:41,280 the establishment of David's royal administration. 86 00:04:41,280 --> 00:04:43,400 So you have this list of hard to pronounce names there. 87 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:47,360 Kenny did an amazing job today. Our brother Candelario, try 88 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:52,160 saying, try saying Mephibosheth five times fast Mephibosheth. 89 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:55,120 It's it's a hard pronunciation. He, he did an amazing job. 90 00:04:55,840 --> 00:04:59,800 We have this list of names in chapter 8 of David's royal 91 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:02,920 administration. Some are in his family, some are 92 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:06,680 not in his family. That's what Chapter 8 is about. 93 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:10,680 Now, as we move into Chapter 9, I wanted to start with a little 94 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:15,640 poem, a poem, if you will, from three poets, actually, from New 95 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,080 York City. It goes like this. 96 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:22,720 It's so free, this kind of feeling. 97 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:28,240 It's like life. It's so appealing when you've 98 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:33,560 got so much to. Say it's called gratitude, and 99 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:37,520 that's right. Good times gone, but you feel it 100 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:41,760 hates growing strong. You feel that you need it. 101 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:48,320 What's going to set you free? Look inside and you'll see when 102 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:53,040 you've got so much to say. It's called gratitude, and 103 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:56,160 that's right. Of course, if you're paying 104 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:59,520 attention and if you're hit, these three poets are known as 105 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:07,920 Ad Rock, Mike D and MCA Beastie Boys from New York City from 106 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:09,720 their album Check, Check your head. 107 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,560 This song is called Gratitude. Gratitude. 108 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:18,160 The reason I opened up with that this morning, the the themes for 109 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:20,200 this morning are gratitude and kindness. 110 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:26,120 Gratitude and kindness and how these two actions display. 111 00:06:26,280 --> 00:06:30,600 The glory of God in your life. The people of God are called to 112 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:33,160 gratitude, and they're called to kindness. 113 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:36,480 So where are we going with this? Here's the main idea. 114 00:06:37,280 --> 00:06:41,600 The loving kindness of God toward His people should 115 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:44,760 overflow in our. Hearts with gratitude. 116 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:51,160 When our hearts overflow with gratitude, there's an outpouring 117 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:56,480 of kindness to others. God's grace then multiplies and 118 00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:59,640 it radiates to everything around you. 119 00:07:00,280 --> 00:07:04,680 I want you to understand today, Church, that you now are the 120 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:09,360 temple of the living God. Back then, in Israel, the Temple 121 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:13,080 was in one place. No longer what the Great 122 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:15,880 Commission states that. You now, as the redeemed people 123 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,520 of God, the Holy Spirit, God Spirit, Spirit of Christ rests 124 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:24,520 inside of you. Now this temple is mobile, and 125 00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:29,600 you are called to dispel and dispense, if you will, gratitude 126 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:33,480 and grace toward others who need it, even those who don't deserve 127 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:35,760 it. So today I hope to accomplish 2 128 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:37,120 things. We want to study the loving 129 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:40,440 kindness of David toward Mephibosheth, someone who 130 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:45,080 doesn't deserve it. And then two, I want to persuade 131 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:50,760 you from the text that this kind of kindness, it's not out of the 132 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:53,400 ordinary. It's actually the expected. 133 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:56,840 Norm for those who confess the Lord Jesus Christ as their 134 00:07:56,840 --> 00:07:58,880 Savior. This is the way that we're 135 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:01,320 called to live. So I have 4 sermon points for 136 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:03,520 you in order. They are one. 137 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:09,600 The king remembers, 2 Mephibosheth in hiding, 3 138 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:14,640 Mephibosheth before the king, and then finally #4 the king 139 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:17,720 blesses. So with that said, let's dig 140 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:20,280 into the text here. Point #1 The king remembers 141 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:24,680 verse one States. And David said, Is there still 142 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:26,960 anyone left of the House of Saul? 143 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:32,200 That it may show him kindness. For Jonathan's sake, we'll stop 144 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:35,640 there. This is a time of. 145 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:38,480 Peace and prosperity for the land of Israel, especially 146 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:40,280 David. The Ark has been moved to 147 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:42,720 Jerusalem. Israel's enemies have all been 148 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:44,200 subdued. That's what chapter 8's about. 149 00:08:44,680 --> 00:08:47,200 And God has committed himself to the House of David. 150 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:52,880 This is a moment of rest. It's a moment of rest for King 151 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:55,000 David. He actually gets to take a 152 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:58,640 breather. It is here, in this moment of 153 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:00,720 rest, in this time of reflection, where David 154 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,960 remembers a promise. A promise that he made to his 155 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:05,800 dear friend and his brother, Jonathan. 156 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:12,560 Jonathan, a short aside on resting before we continue. 157 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:17,040 This moment of rest is vital to David's life. 158 00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:20,800 It's here David's remembrance of his promise to Jonathan comes 159 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:25,440 during a time when he's at rest. He's able to take a moment to 160 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:28,440 reflect upon his own life. And he evaluates anything that's 161 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:32,200 still outstanding. And here's a principle that we 162 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:35,200 need to pull out from this as as believers, as Christians. 163 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:39,880 Let me ask you this question. Do you have a rhythm of rest 164 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:47,200 somewhere in your life? Do you participate in a Sabbath, 165 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:50,320 a Sabbath rest of some sort weekly at all? 166 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:57,680 If not, you need to. You should what the. 167 00:09:57,680 --> 00:10:02,360 Sabbath does is contrary to our hustle culture and the time is 168 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:06,080 money culture. It's the acknowledgement that 169 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:10,440 our dependence is on God. That's what the Sabbath was for. 170 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:15,000 When God gives Israel the Sabbath 1 it's patterned after 171 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:18,000 his rest. On the 7th day of creation, He 172 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:22,480 has six days of work. The 7th day he rests, he settles 173 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:25,080 into his new creation that he's called good, and he starts to 174 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:27,960 reign as King. God gives his people, His 175 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:29,920 covenant people, Israel, this command. 176 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:33,680 To observe the Sabbath. What the Sabbath is doing is 177 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:38,120 it's forcing them to rely and remember and depend upon God, 178 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:41,680 Yahweh as their deliverance, as their sustenance. 179 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:45,760 That's what the Sabbath is for. That's contrary to our hustle in 180 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:49,360 time as money culture. Understand this. 181 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:55,160 You are not created to go go go 24/7. 182 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:58,880 You're not. Created to be a workaholic, you 183 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:00,520 will physically. Burn out. 184 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:07,640 You will mentally check out and before you know it, you're 185 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:09,400 emotionally and spiritually bankrupt. 186 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:13,600 Because you're dead tired. Some of us are struggles with 187 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:17,680 sin aren't oh try harder, try harder, try harder. 188 00:11:17,680 --> 00:11:22,880 The best solution for you is go to sleep, take a nap, have a 189 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:27,520 doughnut, eat a Snickers bar. You need to rest. 190 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:32,560 As imagers we are created to work and then rest as patterned 191 00:11:32,560 --> 00:11:35,800 by God or Creator. He's the one that instituted the 192 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:37,320 Sabbath. He knows what's best for you. 193 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:41,840 The one that designed you says you are not made to work 24/7. 194 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:46,040 You need to rest, and part of that rest is you remembering, 195 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:52,040 just like David remembers you. Remember Me, Remember Me, come 196 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:55,320 dwell under my wings like my little baby chicks. 197 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:58,000 That's how God describes himself as a mother hen. 198 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:03,960 Here's a question. What stands in your way of 199 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:05,760 remembering God on a daily basis? 200 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:09,240 Let's be practical here. Let's let's dial it down a bit. 201 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:12,960 What stands in the way of you remembering God on a daily 202 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:15,960 basis? I have no doubt that all of you 203 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:18,840 here who are truly seeking God wish you could read your Bible 204 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:21,920 more. You wish your prayer life was 205 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:25,800 more fruitful. You wish you had time for 206 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:28,400 discipleship. What? 207 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:33,000 Stands in the way of you remembering God busyness. 208 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:39,320 Everybody has the exact same excuse busyness because we don't 209 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:43,720 rest, we don't Sabbath. Consider Mark chapter 4, the 210 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:46,160 Lord Jesus himself. He tells the parable about the 211 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:50,520 gospel seed being. Spread on different types of 212 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:52,280 soil. There's one specific type of 213 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:55,840 soil that cuts me to the heart. It always has. 214 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:58,240 It hurts me right here because it's that's me. 215 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:02,520 It's the thorny soil. Here's what the thorny soil is. 216 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:07,400 Jesus says this. Others are are are the ones sown 217 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:10,680 among thorns. They are those who hear the 218 00:13:10,680 --> 00:13:14,440 Word. But the cares of the world, and 219 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:18,200 the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things 220 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:22,560 enter in and choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful. 221 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:28,800 Busyness, cares of the world, desire for riches, status, to 222 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:31,320 make something of yourself. It'll choke the word. 223 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:37,040 What Sabbath thing is with this rhythm of rest is it enables you 224 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:40,440 to reorient your eyes on what's the most important thing about 225 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:45,160 you. Jesus is no longer I who live, 226 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:47,760 but Christ who lives in me. He's taken over my life. 227 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:51,320 So I Sabbath, I rest because I'm in complete dependence upon him 228 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:54,800 and I want more of him. That's what those that that. 229 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:57,240 That's what rest is. Designed to accomplish in your 230 00:13:57,240 --> 00:14:00,560 life practically. This is the reason for our 231 00:14:00,560 --> 00:14:03,520 Sunday gatherings. Why do we go to church on 232 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:07,120 Sundays? To gather together as a body to 233 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:10,840 remember the Lord. That's what we're doing today. 234 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:13,560 To remember the Lord, to study His Word, to receive from Him. 235 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:16,880 And to be built up in our most holy faith. 236 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:20,680 This is why we participate in that the community table every 237 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:23,560 week. We participate because we are 238 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:25,600 remembering. We are participating in the 239 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:27,840 gospel every week because I need to remember. 240 00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:31,320 Because the last six days of my work week have been brutal. 241 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:36,800 I need to remember rest. It's in these seasons of rest 242 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:39,920 where God will do the most work in your life if you let Him. 243 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:43,240 You must be willing to let Him now. 244 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:46,640 Back to the text here, who is Jonathan? 245 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:50,840 David says it's for Jonathan's sake that I wish to bless 246 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:52,080 somebody, that I wish to be kind. 247 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:53,760 Who was Jonathan? Well, here's his back story. 248 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:56,560 Here's a flashback, if you will. We have to go back to First 249 00:14:56,560 --> 00:15:00,920 Samuel for that. Jonathan is King Saul's son. 250 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:03,880 King Saul was the previous king before David took over. 251 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:07,000 He's King Saul's son. He's actually also King Saul's 252 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:10,360 military general, so he's the head of the military, also King 253 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:13,160 Saul's son. He actually acts in the text and 254 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:16,800 the narrative as a foil to his father Saul's schemes. 255 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:22,640 Saul absolutely hates King David because he knows that God has 256 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:25,320 chosen. God has rejected Saul's 257 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:27,840 kingship, and he's chosen David as the true king. 258 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:32,640 The next king, Saul schemes, plots to kill David, and at 259 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:37,480 every turn of his scheme, his own son Jonathan foils him and 260 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:40,840 David gets away. Here's why it's a big deal. 261 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:46,040 Here's Jonathan's story. He's the first born of Saul. 262 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:50,880 He's next in line for the throne, he's the next in line 263 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:56,800 for the king, and he doesn't care because he's committed to 264 00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:59,840 Yahweh. And by extension, his chosen 265 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:03,480 vessel, his chosen King, David. So David. 266 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:06,040 So Jonathan will go down in the history books, and he has. 267 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:09,760 The reason he's here in posterity is to see somebody who 268 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:13,760 literally practices this biblical New Testament idea of 269 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:16,240 May God increase, may I decrease. 270 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:20,680 Jonathan does not care about the throne. 271 00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:23,600 He only cares about being. Faithful to Yahweh and being 272 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:26,120 faithful to His King David as a result. 273 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:32,000 For Samuel 18, it says that David and Jonathan, their souls 274 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:35,440 are tied together. They become Blood Brothers. 275 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:42,080 He confronts Saul over hunting. David foils his schemes and 276 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:46,320 because of his confrontation, David is able to successfully 277 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:49,840 escape a plot to murder. Saul's plot to murder David. 278 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:57,000 Sadly, this valiant man, Jonathan, he's slain on Mount 279 00:16:57,000 --> 00:17:00,600 Gabola and a battle with the Philistines along with all of 280 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:04,880 his brothers and King Saul. Why did did he have to die? 281 00:17:05,839 --> 00:17:08,319 Because God decreed that the House of Saul would be 282 00:17:08,319 --> 00:17:12,319 disinherited for the kingship. He had to die, unfortunately. 283 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:18,760 But before he does die, David and Jonathan make a covenant 284 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:23,160 together and they repeat it to each other three times. 285 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:26,640 Chapter 1820 and 23 of First Samuel. 286 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:29,680 And I'll read First Samuel 20 for you real quick. 287 00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:33,640 And Jonathan? Said to David, the Lord God of 288 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:37,880 Israel, be witness. If I am still alive, show me the 289 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:41,280 steadfast love of the Lord, that I may not die, and do not cut 290 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:43,280 off your steadfast love from my house forever. 291 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:46,920 When the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the 292 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:50,160 face of the earth that happened in chapter 8, he's cut off all 293 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:53,600 his enemies. The Lord shall be between me and 294 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:57,320 you, and between my offspring and your offspring forever, 295 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:00,880 David, when the Lord gives you rest. 296 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:02,360 And all your enemies are defeated. 297 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:06,400 Remember Me, Remember my kids, remember my family. 298 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:11,240 I'm loyal to you and I love you. It's in this restful remembering 299 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:13,840 moment that David remembers his promise to Jonathan. 300 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:19,160 Now David longs to show kindness. 301 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:24,400 For Jonathan's sake kindness, I want to zero in on this word 302 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:27,680 kindness. The Hebrew term underlying this 303 00:18:27,680 --> 00:18:32,240 word kindness is the term hesed hesed. 304 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:40,360 Now hesed describes love that encompasses multiple multiple 305 00:18:40,360 --> 00:18:42,840 ideas. In fact, there isn't a one to 306 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:46,480 one equivalent in any other language that could actually 307 00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:50,440 pull out all the the multiple facets of the word hesed This 308 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:54,080 love does multiple things. Sometimes in your Bible, 309 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:56,320 depending on your your translation, it'll be translated 310 00:18:56,320 --> 00:18:59,880 as steadfast love. Other times it's translated as 311 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:04,440 covenant, faithfulness, loyalty. And here in our text, it's 312 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:11,240 translated as kindness. Kindness hesed this love. 313 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:13,480 This kindness. It's love that's based on a 314 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:17,200 previously established relationship, a commitment 315 00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:21,720 between two people. It completely disregards the 316 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:26,800 return on investment. If you work in any corporate 317 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:33,080 sector of life, you'll know these 3 letters are big ROI. 318 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:35,120 Well, what's my return on investment if I'm pouring into 319 00:19:35,120 --> 00:19:36,360 you? What's my return on investment? 320 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:39,600 What do I get out of you if I commit myself to you? 321 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:42,880 This type of kindness that David's talking about, this type 322 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:47,160 of has said love completely disregards return on investment 323 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:49,160 because it doesn't care about myself. 324 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:55,600 It cares about blessing you. It may be an expense to me, but 325 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:58,720 I don't care because I'm going to uphold the promise that I 326 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:02,000 made to you. That's the Hess of love. 327 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:05,720 The kindness that David is looking to show to John for 328 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:09,720 Jonathan's sake. A common example of this, we 329 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:12,400 don't think about it this way, but we should, is marriage. 330 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:17,120 Your marriage to your spouse is an example, or should be an 331 00:20:17,120 --> 00:20:22,240 example, of Hesad love. Hesad is love that is loyal, 332 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:28,720 faithful, and enduring. That's demonstrated in action. 333 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:36,920 It's demonstrated in action. Husbands, I call myself out with 334 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,040 what I'm about to say, but I must address you. 335 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:42,440 It's not enough for us to just tell our wives that we love them 336 00:20:44,120 --> 00:20:45,760 and I know you know that this is a reminder. 337 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:49,760 What has said means showing somebody has said love. 338 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:52,560 Showing your spouse and marriage has said love is you're going to 339 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:57,600 display it through action. If they're asking you to take 340 00:20:57,600 --> 00:21:00,640 out the. Trash do it the first time don't 341 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:05,160 wait like I do has said love. Sees the relationship through to 342 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:07,520 fulfilment, if you will, in your wedding vows. 343 00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:10,760 It's the in sickness and in health part of your wedding 344 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:14,080 vows. When your spouse eventually gets 345 00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:17,840 sick and there's nobody to take care of them, you're the one. 346 00:21:17,840 --> 00:21:19,880 Taking care of them because I made a commitment to you. 347 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:23,680 Yes, she doesn't look like she used to. 348 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:26,920 Yes, he doesn't act like he used to. 349 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:30,680 But you made a commitment, a covenant to one another. 350 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:35,200 And God has called you to be, has said to one another to be 351 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:38,960 kind, loyal, committed to one another. 352 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:41,640 That's what God's called you to do. 353 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:47,040 David and this season remembers his friends Jonathan and desires 354 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:49,160 to show loyal love to the House of Jonathan. 355 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:51,360 He desires to be faithful to his promise. 356 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:55,560 Now this is arguably the high point of David's life. 357 00:21:56,680 --> 00:21:59,920 This is the best character wise David will ever get. 358 00:21:59,920 --> 00:22:02,560 It's better than like David defeating Goliath. 359 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:09,280 This is David at his most Christ like, if you will. 360 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:13,800 He's portrayed the reason he This is here in the text. 361 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:17,200 The authors of the text are trying to show you something. 362 00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:21,040 They're trying to portray David as the premier Israelite, full 363 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:24,600 of virtue. He's faithful to his covenant 364 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:27,240 promises to Jonathan, just like Yahweh's faithful to his 365 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:31,120 covenant promises to us. David becomes a mirror through 366 00:22:31,120 --> 00:22:35,520 which we see the glory of God. He's loyal to God's will and 367 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:37,880 he's loyal to keep his own promises. 368 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:43,040 He lets his yes be a yes and. His no be a no he's. 369 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:48,040 Faithful, true and true now for us today, the Christian you 370 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:51,640 believer, understand that you and I are. 371 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:56,960 Called to a life of holiness, virtue and love. 372 00:22:58,360 --> 00:23:03,440 So here's a question. As a church body, do we have 373 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:05,480 this has said love for one another? 374 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:10,280 Do you have this type of love, this type of kindness toward one 375 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:13,440 another? Are we loyally committed to each 376 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:20,160 other? Now remember, you guys are the 377 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:23,640 nicest people I have ever met. You're. 378 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:27,320 So kind and courteous and your manners are amazing. 379 00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:32,520 Your Mama raised you well if you will, but understand that this 380 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:34,840 type of kindness. This has said kindness. 381 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:38,360 It's more than manners. It's a loyalty. 382 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:43,960 It's promise keeping. It's letting your yes be a yes 383 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:46,920 or no be a no. It's this transparency, this 384 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:50,920 honesty, this integrity. That you have, do you have that 385 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:56,120 type of loyalty to one another? You see, it's to our benefit to 386 00:23:56,200 --> 00:24:00,160 show you this example of David and what we want to do from here 387 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:01,560 on out. The rest of the sermon is we 388 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:05,280 want to see the source of his motivation for this type of 389 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:08,040 kindness. What is motivating David to be 390 00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:10,640 this kind to Jonathan's posterity? 391 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:16,280 Where is this coming from David? Where does his desire to show 392 00:24:16,280 --> 00:24:19,160 kindness coming from? If the scripture is written for 393 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:23,000 our instruction, and here in this story David is our example, 394 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:27,320 then the source of kindness for David should also be the very 395 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:29,720 same source for us, as well we should. 396 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:33,920 Glean from where David sources his kindness. 397 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:39,280 If you will point #2 Mephibosheth in hiding. 398 00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:43,160 Verse 2 says this. Now there was a servant of Saul 399 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:46,040 whose name was Zeba, and they called him to David. 400 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:49,160 And the king said to him, Are you Zeba? 401 00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:53,640 And he said, I am your servant. Verse 3 And the king said, Is 402 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:56,600 there not still someone of the House of Saul, that I may show 403 00:24:56,600 --> 00:25:00,720 the kindness of God to him? Zeba said to the king, There is 404 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:02,800 still a son of Jonathan. He is crippled in his feet. 405 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:05,680 The king said to him, well, where is he? 406 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:10,080 And Zeba said to the king, He's in the House of Makir, the son 407 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:12,720 of AMI al at Lo Debar. I'll stop there. 408 00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:16,920 Here David summons the former estate manager of the House of 409 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:21,080 Saul, Zeba. He inquires of Zeba if there are 410 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:23,120 any descendants of Saul that are still alive. 411 00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:27,720 You see, David's intention is to honor his promise to Jonathan. 412 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:31,640 Zeba responds. Well, there's this, this one 413 00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:33,920 little kid, this one guy, Aphibosheth. 414 00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:36,680 He's the son of Jonathan, and he's still alive. 415 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:41,440 It's revealed in the story that he's crippled and cannot walk, 416 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:45,320 and that he's been in hiding at a place called Lodabar. 417 00:25:47,120 --> 00:25:49,840 Another flashback, Mephibosheth's story. 418 00:25:50,360 --> 00:25:53,280 You'll find this flashback in Second Samuel, chapter 4, verse 419 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:57,640 4, when news of Jonathan's death on Mount Gilboa, along with the 420 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:00,000 House of Saul. When they're killed, news 421 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,760 travels back home to the tribe of Benjamin where Saul's from. 422 00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:10,320 Mephibosheth hears about it, and in a haste, out of fear, out of 423 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:12,480 fear of the Philistines, out of fear of the next kingship to 424 00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:19,080 come, his nurse picks up. Mephibosheth puts them on 425 00:26:19,080 --> 00:26:21,160 horseback. And they're out of there quick 426 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:24,040 because we need to evacuate because they're coming for us 427 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:25,440 next. So we're going to die. 428 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:30,000 Something happens. The nurse drops him. 429 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:34,040 The nurse drops him, and from that point on to the rest of his 430 00:26:34,040 --> 00:26:37,040 life, he's crippled, he's lame, he can't walk. 431 00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:42,240 This story actually happens when Mephibosheth is five years old. 432 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:47,320 He's five years old now. In the text we read earlier, it 433 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:49,400 says that Mephibosheth has a son. 434 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:54,400 He has a wife and kids now. So our timestamp tells us this. 435 00:26:54,880 --> 00:27:00,520 It's been about 20 years. It's been about 20 years and 436 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:04,160 some change since David made. This promise to Jonathan, that's 437 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:07,480 how long it's taken for David to remember it. 438 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:10,720 But in the season of rest, he does remember it. 439 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:12,280 And he wants. To be faithful to his promise. 440 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:17,320 Now where has Mephibosheth been all this time for 20 years? 441 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:20,120 Well, he's been in hiding in LO Debar. 442 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:22,600 He's been in hiding. Why is he in hiding? 443 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:28,480 Well, he's afraid. He's afraid that King David will 444 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:33,440 come hunt him down because who he is, he's an heir to the 445 00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:39,040 throne on South Side. What happens when a new king 446 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:42,400 ascends the throne? Typically is that king will go 447 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:45,480 through exterminating all the male. 448 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:50,200 Children that have any claim to the throne of the previous 449 00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:52,760 house. He's been in hiding for the last 450 00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:56,560 20 years in Lo Dabar now. Where is Lo Dabar? 451 00:27:57,400 --> 00:28:00,960 It's in the Transjordanian area. What's the Transjordanian area? 452 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:06,320 Remember, the promised land has a boundary of the Great Sea, the 453 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:08,960 Mediterranean, and the Jordan River. 454 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:14,320 Here is the promised land. Lo Debar is outside of the 455 00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:15,920 promised land on the other side of the river. 456 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:20,320 What that tells us is this Lo Debar is in the region of 457 00:28:20,320 --> 00:28:24,600 Gilead. Gilead in Deuteronomy. 458 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:27,720 Chapter 4 is designated as a city of refuge. 459 00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:30,320 A city of refuge for the Israelites, where the 460 00:28:30,360 --> 00:28:34,320 manslaughterer, somebody who commits involuntary killing, may 461 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:38,600 flee to so that they themselves aren't killed. 462 00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:42,360 You can flee to this area in Gilead, on the other side of the 463 00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:44,280 Jordan River as a city of refuge. 464 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:47,200 That's where Mephibosheth has been hiding. 465 00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:51,960 Now, why is this significant? He is of the House of Saul, 466 00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:55,280 Saul's estate. Saul's house is based in the 467 00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:58,960 tribe of Benjamin in the city of Gibeah. 468 00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:03,120 The city of Gibeah is 3 miles away from Jerusalem. 469 00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:07,080 His home is just three miles away from the palace of King 470 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:10,280 David, yet he's in hiding on the. 471 00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:14,440 Other side of the Jordan River. Here's why this is significant. 472 00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:20,080 Mephibosheth has been hiding as. Far as possible from King David 473 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:22,440 on the other side of the Jordan River, outside of the Promised 474 00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:26,440 Land, in fear for his life. For the last 20 years, he's been 475 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:31,000 successful at eluding David, but the time's finally come. 476 00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:38,720 Some of you here. Today have been hiding in your 477 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:40,840 own metaphorical load, a bar if you will. 478 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:48,400 You've been hiding as far as possible from other people, and 479 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:50,200 most importantly, you've been hiding from God. 480 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:54,720 Whether you got? There, through your own doing 481 00:29:54,720 --> 00:29:58,640 and your own boundaries, or you were carried there against your 482 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:02,240 wishes, you and your heart of hearts know you're not. 483 00:30:02,280 --> 00:30:04,760 You're not where you should be. You're not home. 484 00:30:06,720 --> 00:30:11,560 Maybe you're feeling physically isolated, emotionally numb, 485 00:30:13,280 --> 00:30:15,400 mentally checked out and distant. 486 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:20,360 And quite literally, you're spiritually in limbo. 487 00:30:20,360 --> 00:30:22,080 You don't know where you stand with God today. 488 00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:25,880 Maybe you're a believer in hiding. 489 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:30,400 As a believer, you're at LO Davar, you're in a season of 490 00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:33,160 doubt. Does God really love me? 491 00:30:34,360 --> 00:30:37,120 I don't know if he does or not. I just, I just don't have the 492 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:39,840 drive, the energy to to read my Bible. 493 00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:44,640 I don't have the drive to pray. Maybe you're in a severe 494 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:48,680 struggle with sin right now, and the Lord knows how hard you've 495 00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:50,320 been trying to kill it, but you just can't. 496 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:54,840 And so your response is to run away out to the other side of 497 00:30:54,840 --> 00:30:56,600 the Jordan and load a bar and check out? 498 00:30:56,840 --> 00:30:59,080 I'm not going to go to church because I, I, I don't feel 499 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:02,320 worthy, shouldn't go there. Maybe that's how you feel. 500 00:31:03,160 --> 00:31:06,800 Maybe you've never been a believer, but you're still in 501 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:12,080 hiding. There's guilt and shame and hurt 502 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:15,680 from your own sinfulness of of things that you know you've done 503 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:17,040 but nobody else has known you've done. 504 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:22,400 Maybe you think I'm OK? I don't need. 505 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:23,560 I'm not in the load a bar, I don't need to. 506 00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:25,680 Leave here. You think that where you're at 507 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:28,640 is OK, it's just the accepted norm. 508 00:31:30,560 --> 00:31:33,320 Know this for you out. There who are struggling in your 509 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:35,720 metaphorical and spiritual load, a bar. 510 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:42,440 The gospel that we preach is about a God who in Jesus Christ 511 00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:48,760 draws near to the sick. He draws near to the broken and 512 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:52,600 the sinful. And he calls them to come back 513 00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:56,640 home, come draw near to me, come back to Jerusalem, come back to 514 00:31:56,640 --> 00:31:59,960 where my presence is. You need to hear this today. 515 00:32:00,360 --> 00:32:05,880 He is glad you are here today, providentially before the 516 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:08,880 foundation of the world. Sunday, May 17th. 517 00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:12,600 He knew you'd be here today. You're here today. 518 00:32:13,360 --> 00:32:16,400 Listen with all your might, he's glad you're here today. 519 00:32:17,920 --> 00:32:19,720 Where is the source of David's kindness? 520 00:32:20,520 --> 00:32:22,400 Here it is in the text. Let me read it to you. 521 00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:28,080 Is there not still someone at the House of Saul that I may 522 00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:34,640 show the kindness of God to him, the kindness of God in verse 523 00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:37,440 one? I want to show kindness in verse 524 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:40,520 3. His kindness is the kindness of 525 00:32:40,520 --> 00:32:42,840 God. It's made made this equation, if 526 00:32:42,840 --> 00:32:44,840 you will. I want you to notice that God, 527 00:32:44,840 --> 00:32:48,960 that David's kindness is equated with the kindness of God. 528 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:53,360 God is his source. The motivation of David to show 529 00:32:53,360 --> 00:32:57,480 kindness to the sentence of the House of Saul is covenant 530 00:32:57,720 --> 00:33:05,360 loyalty, God's loyalty to David. This is where everything, the 531 00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:07,800 tapestry of Scripture is beautifully woven together. 532 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:09,640 Remember, like I said in the beginning, the inspiration of 533 00:33:09,640 --> 00:33:11,840 Scripture. It's there on purpose. 534 00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:16,760 Chapter 7 was 2 chapters before this where God makes a covenant 535 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:20,480 promise, shows, has said kindness to David, unmerited 536 00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:22,560 favor. I'm going to build you a house. 537 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:25,400 David and you don't deserve it. I just love you that much. 538 00:33:26,720 --> 00:33:33,120 The source of David's desire to show kindness is gratitude for 539 00:33:33,120 --> 00:33:34,560 the kindness that he has received. 540 00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:39,560 From God. See, God is the source of all 541 00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:43,960 things good. As we Christians, as we 542 00:33:43,960 --> 00:33:46,640 believers, daily receive His grace through kindness. 543 00:33:47,400 --> 00:33:51,600 It ought to produce more gratitude and more joy in us, 544 00:33:52,440 --> 00:33:57,520 more grace in our hearts, more joy to the point where it spills 545 00:33:57,520 --> 00:34:01,440 over. It is then the call of the 546 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:08,000 Christian to in the words of Jesus, you go and do likewise. 547 00:34:09,199 --> 00:34:13,520 Pay it forward. Pay it for it as we. 548 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:18,239 Overflow with gratitude for what God has done for us. 549 00:34:19,400 --> 00:34:23,880 The outpouring is kindness to others in hopes that the grace 550 00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:27,120 of God multiplies. Multiplies. 551 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:32,080 In a 2016 New York Times article, New York Times 552 00:34:32,080 --> 00:34:36,639 columnist David Brooks talks about gratitude, the structure 553 00:34:36,639 --> 00:34:38,560 of gratitude. He writes this. 554 00:34:39,679 --> 00:34:42,000 I'm sometimes grumpier when I stay at a nice hotel. 555 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:45,840 I have certain expectations about the service that's going 556 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:48,840 to be provided. I get impatient if I have to 557 00:34:48,840 --> 00:34:52,520 crawl around looking for a power outlet, if the shower controls 558 00:34:52,520 --> 00:34:56,719 are unfathomable, if the place considers itself too fancy to 559 00:34:56,719 --> 00:34:58,120 put a coffee machine in each room. 560 00:34:59,200 --> 00:35:02,760 I'm sometimes happier. The budget motel, where my 561 00:35:02,760 --> 00:35:07,120 expectations are lower and where a functioning iron is a bonus 562 00:35:08,120 --> 00:35:10,680 and the waffle maker in the breakfast area is a treat. 563 00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:17,000 It's continental. This little phenomenon shows how 564 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:21,360 powerfully expectations structure our moods and 565 00:35:21,360 --> 00:35:25,840 emotions, none more so than the beautiful emotion of gratitude. 566 00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:32,640 Listen to this Gratitude happens when some kindness it's exceeds 567 00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:36,120 expectations, when it is undeserved. 568 00:35:37,240 --> 00:35:42,160 Gratitude is a sort of laughter of the heart that comes out 569 00:35:42,400 --> 00:35:45,480 after some. Surprising kindness. 570 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:49,400 Gratitude is related to kindness. 571 00:35:49,400 --> 00:35:50,880 You want to know how to be kind to people. 572 00:35:51,560 --> 00:35:55,160 What are you thankful for? What are you grateful? 573 00:35:55,160 --> 00:36:01,720 For here's the formula for the Christian unmerited kindness 574 00:36:01,720 --> 00:36:08,720 received produces gratitude. Leads to unmerited kindness 575 00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:12,400 given. Unmerited kindness received. 576 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:16,160 Produces gratitude, which leads to unmerited kindness given. 577 00:36:17,360 --> 00:36:22,840 All. We are is gifted by God's grace. 578 00:36:24,120 --> 00:36:28,440 We are who we are today because of God's gracious affection and 579 00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:32,760 love for us that ought to produce gratitude in our hearts 580 00:36:32,760 --> 00:36:35,520 and ought to outpour it into other people's lives. 581 00:36:36,520 --> 00:36:39,400 The source of David's kindness is the kindness of God. 582 00:36:40,240 --> 00:36:43,080 Point #3 Mephibosheth before the king. 583 00:36:44,440 --> 00:36:47,240 Verse 5. Then King David sent and brought 584 00:36:47,240 --> 00:36:48,680 him. From the House of Makira the son 585 00:36:48,680 --> 00:36:53,720 of Amiel at Lo Debar and Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan 586 00:36:54,240 --> 00:36:57,400 the son of Saul, came to David and fell on his. 587 00:36:57,400 --> 00:37:03,640 Face and paid homage and David said Mephibosheth. 588 00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:08,760 And he answered, Behold, I am your servant. 589 00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:13,000 And David said to him, Do not fear, for I will show you the 590 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:15,280 kindness for the sake of your father, David. 591 00:37:15,840 --> 00:37:19,160 And I will restore to you all the land of Saul, your father, 592 00:37:19,760 --> 00:37:22,600 and you shall eat at my table always. 593 00:37:23,720 --> 00:37:27,160 And he paid homage and said, What is your servant that you 594 00:37:27,160 --> 00:37:30,280 should show regard for a dead dog such as I? 595 00:37:32,560 --> 00:37:35,240 Here in this text, David calls from a fibbage chef to be 596 00:37:35,240 --> 00:37:37,800 carried to him from Lo Devar. Remember, he's crippled, he 597 00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:39,560 can't walk, he has to be carried. 598 00:37:40,440 --> 00:37:42,480 Can you imagine what that must have been like from a fibbage 599 00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:46,440 chef? This is scary. 600 00:37:46,880 --> 00:37:48,240 He's been hiding for the past 20 years. 601 00:37:48,240 --> 00:37:51,240 He's been succeeding. All of a sudden there's a royal 602 00:37:51,240 --> 00:37:53,320 summons and they're taking me against my will. 603 00:37:55,280 --> 00:37:59,840 He knows what's coming. For Mephibosheth, the moment 604 00:37:59,840 --> 00:38:02,400 that he had been hiding from his whole life arrived. 605 00:38:03,720 --> 00:38:07,600 He falls before King David, fearful in expecting the worst 606 00:38:07,600 --> 00:38:10,480 case. Scenario his execution. 607 00:38:12,160 --> 00:38:15,400 Yet amazingly, the unexpected happens. 608 00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:20,400 Mephibosheth is showered in kindness as David pronounces 609 00:38:20,400 --> 00:38:24,040 blessing upon him and the memory of Mephibosheth's father 610 00:38:24,040 --> 00:38:30,080 Jonathan. Mephibosheth here lies prostate 611 00:38:30,440 --> 00:38:34,760 before King David. Afraid this. 612 00:38:34,760 --> 00:38:39,840 Was probably a long trek back to the palace thinking I've lived a 613 00:38:39,840 --> 00:38:42,120 good life, this is it. I'm going to die. 614 00:38:43,040 --> 00:38:48,840 He understands the situation. He ironically stands as an enemy 615 00:38:48,840 --> 00:38:51,600 to the throne. That's his status. 616 00:38:51,600 --> 00:38:54,080 He's an enemy to the House of David because he's of the House 617 00:38:54,080 --> 00:38:57,200 of Saul. He knows so well he calls 618 00:38:57,200 --> 00:39:00,960 himself a dead dog. I, I'm a dead dog before you. 619 00:39:00,960 --> 00:39:02,440 I I know what's going to happen next. 620 00:39:04,080 --> 00:39:07,560 It's customary for succeeding kings to eliminate all political 621 00:39:07,560 --> 00:39:10,320 rivals, all errors of the previous administration. 622 00:39:12,040 --> 00:39:14,640 Don't we see that going on to the current political events? 623 00:39:17,040 --> 00:39:20,680 Political. Retribution countries rising up 624 00:39:20,680 --> 00:39:23,760 against one another. The expected norm of the culture 625 00:39:23,760 --> 00:39:28,040 today is. Kill everybody or disenfranchise 626 00:39:28,040 --> 00:39:33,800 everybody or anybody. That is an obstacle to to, to my 627 00:39:33,800 --> 00:39:37,080 power, to my. Rule get rid of them. 628 00:39:38,760 --> 00:39:41,320 That's the expected. Norm David does something 629 00:39:41,320 --> 00:39:43,920 completely different. He shows kindness to 630 00:39:43,920 --> 00:39:47,760 Mephibosheth. Just then, when Mephibosheth is 631 00:39:47,760 --> 00:39:53,760 expecting the worst, he calls. David calls Mephibosheth by 632 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:59,320 name. By name Mephibosheth. 633 00:40:02,320 --> 00:40:05,440 I wonder if in that moment, as he's looking at Mephibosheth for 634 00:40:05,440 --> 00:40:10,120 the first time, he sees his best friend, Mephibosheth's father's 635 00:40:10,920 --> 00:40:12,640 Jonathan, in Mephibosheth's eyes. 636 00:40:14,640 --> 00:40:16,640 Alright. It's like you're like a. 637 00:40:16,640 --> 00:40:19,600 Spitting image of him. I miss him. 638 00:40:21,880 --> 00:40:28,200 David tells Mephibosheth. Do not fear, he flips the 639 00:40:28,200 --> 00:40:31,800 script. A just punishment from 640 00:40:31,800 --> 00:40:33,880 Mephibosheth. Should be death. 641 00:40:34,480 --> 00:40:37,560 You stand as an enemy before my throne. 642 00:40:38,560 --> 00:40:42,600 Your grandfather tried to kill me and you have claimed to the 643 00:40:42,600 --> 00:40:47,400 throne I should kill you instead. 644 00:40:47,560 --> 00:40:51,520 He flips the script and showers unmerited. 645 00:40:52,080 --> 00:40:55,920 Undeserved radical kindness upon Mephibosheth. 646 00:40:58,720 --> 00:41:03,320 He shows Mephibosheth kindness. This is has said. 647 00:41:04,800 --> 00:41:08,920 This is has said. Understand in the text before 648 00:41:08,920 --> 00:41:15,040 us, Mephibosheth is cripple. He's not really a physical 649 00:41:15,080 --> 00:41:19,280 opponent to the king, but it's injected in the text here just 650 00:41:19,480 --> 00:41:21,440 by the authors, just so you, the reader can understand. 651 00:41:22,000 --> 00:41:25,520 Mephibosheth has a son. His name is Micah. 652 00:41:27,600 --> 00:41:29,560 You never hear about him for the rest of the scripture. 653 00:41:29,560 --> 00:41:32,040 He's just like, there's like one sentence given where it says, 654 00:41:32,040 --> 00:41:33,920 oh, by the way, by the way, Mephibosheth. 655 00:41:33,920 --> 00:41:35,280 Has a son. His name is Micah. 656 00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:43,080 Understand David's taking a risk in showering Mephibosheth with 657 00:41:43,080 --> 00:41:46,920 undeserved kindness. Because Micah, he's not cripple. 658 00:41:49,320 --> 00:41:53,200 He could probably rise up and reclaim the throne for the House 659 00:41:53,200 --> 00:41:56,040 of Saul. This isn't advisable. 660 00:41:56,040 --> 00:41:58,920 David, you need to cut off the House of Saul completely. 661 00:41:58,920 --> 00:42:01,760 You need to kill him right now. Eliminate all your political 662 00:42:01,760 --> 00:42:04,640 rivals. That way your dynasty's insured. 663 00:42:04,640 --> 00:42:09,520 Forever David does something completely different. 664 00:42:09,520 --> 00:42:12,320 I know the risks. I don't care. 665 00:42:12,560 --> 00:42:15,400 I made a promise to my best friend Jonathan, and I'm going 666 00:42:15,400 --> 00:42:17,280 to be loyal to him. I'm going to show, his said. 667 00:42:20,400 --> 00:42:23,960 This is shocking. It's so shocking, Mephibosheth 668 00:42:23,960 --> 00:42:27,360 responds. What is? 669 00:42:27,440 --> 00:42:28,560 What is your servant? Why? 670 00:42:28,600 --> 00:42:32,520 Why would you do this to me? How could you be so kind to me? 671 00:42:33,000 --> 00:42:36,560 Is this not reminiscent of Chapter 7, the Davidic covenant, 672 00:42:36,560 --> 00:42:40,800 where David responds to God's blessing and he says, Who am I? 673 00:42:42,480 --> 00:42:45,000 Do you see what I'm saying here? How everything interlocks 674 00:42:45,000 --> 00:42:48,280 together? The gratitude of David, the 675 00:42:48,280 --> 00:42:51,960 kindness that God has showed him has now poured out of David and 676 00:42:51,960 --> 00:42:54,840 multiplied. It's now blessing mephibosheth 677 00:42:54,840 --> 00:43:00,000 somebody who doesn't deserve it. The grace of God in our lives is 678 00:43:00,080 --> 00:43:01,720 multiplied. Church. 679 00:43:02,280 --> 00:43:07,000 When we commit to showing kindness to other people, we 680 00:43:07,200 --> 00:43:12,560 actually get to participate in the renewal of all creation. 681 00:43:13,480 --> 00:43:17,120 When we choose to show unmerited kindness to those who do not 682 00:43:17,120 --> 00:43:20,840 deserve it. We live right now in the midst 683 00:43:20,840 --> 00:43:28,000 of a divided, divided culture. Divided socially, divided 684 00:43:28,000 --> 00:43:31,160 between. Age differences, wealth gap 685 00:43:31,840 --> 00:43:39,680 disparities, political division, every facet of the culture has 686 00:43:39,680 --> 00:43:42,800 been broken down into an US versus them mentality. 687 00:43:44,400 --> 00:43:46,920 They don't think like we do. So destroy them. 688 00:43:48,120 --> 00:43:52,480 Destroy them, Church. The cycle must be broken. 689 00:43:54,000 --> 00:43:56,560 That must be broken. And the only way to break the 690 00:43:56,560 --> 00:44:00,280 cycle is through His said kindness to love your enemies 691 00:44:00,280 --> 00:44:02,960 that don't deserve it. We must. 692 00:44:02,960 --> 00:44:06,920 Never think that we are above others or they are ever, ever, 693 00:44:06,920 --> 00:44:11,240 ever beyond redemption. The same grace that you and I 694 00:44:11,240 --> 00:44:14,560 constantly pray for. God, please be gracious to me. 695 00:44:14,560 --> 00:44:17,640 Please, please shower me through grace, the same grace that we 696 00:44:17,640 --> 00:44:22,160 constantly pray to God for. We must be willing to dispense 697 00:44:22,160 --> 00:44:27,680 to other people. He gives it to you to dispense 698 00:44:27,680 --> 00:44:30,400 it. This is the purpose of the 699 00:44:30,400 --> 00:44:35,800 Beatitudes in Matthew chapter 5 and Jesus parables on becoming a 700 00:44:35,800 --> 00:44:40,440 Kingdom, people who freely give as they have been given. 701 00:44:41,520 --> 00:44:44,440 This is why Jesus says all the time you've heard it said, 702 00:44:44,800 --> 00:44:47,800 you've heard it said. Let me paraphrase that for you. 703 00:44:48,400 --> 00:44:51,240 You know how the world acts. You know how the world acts. 704 00:44:51,560 --> 00:44:54,680 You've heard it said, but I say to you, you're not. 705 00:44:54,680 --> 00:44:55,840 You're not going to. Do that. 706 00:44:55,840 --> 00:44:58,480 You're going to be different. My people are going to be 707 00:44:58,480 --> 00:45:01,240 different. You don't live like the culture. 708 00:45:04,040 --> 00:45:06,440 May the grace of God that you received from Him on a daily 709 00:45:06,440 --> 00:45:08,760 basis pour out of you to other people. 710 00:45:09,880 --> 00:45:18,800 Whether they deserve it. Or not .4 So you move on, David 711 00:45:18,800 --> 00:45:23,720 says to to Zeba all that belonged to Saul, and to all of 712 00:45:23,720 --> 00:45:25,360 his house. I have given to your master's 713 00:45:25,360 --> 00:45:31,120 grandson, Mephibosheth. Your master's grandson shall 714 00:45:31,120 --> 00:45:37,200 always eat at my table. So Mephibosheth ate at David's 715 00:45:37,200 --> 00:45:39,880 table like one of the King's sons the rest of his life. 716 00:45:41,880 --> 00:45:46,680 Understand in an instant. Through the pronouncement of the 717 00:45:46,680 --> 00:45:51,520 king, Mephibosheth has gone from an enemy in hiding to an adopted 718 00:45:51,520 --> 00:45:54,480 son. He's given the remaining 719 00:45:54,480 --> 00:45:58,800 inheritance of the House of Saul, all of his estate 3 miles 720 00:45:58,800 --> 00:46:03,120 just from Jerusalem, and Gibeah. That's now Mephibosheth and he's 721 00:46:03,120 --> 00:46:08,240 elevated to royal status as a son, and he's welcome to dine 722 00:46:08,240 --> 00:46:13,200 with the king forever in the span of 1. 723 00:46:13,200 --> 00:46:15,880 Breath. Do not fear. 724 00:46:16,560 --> 00:46:19,920 Mephibosheth's life has been transformed. 725 00:46:21,160 --> 00:46:23,520 He's gone from nothing to a rich man. 726 00:46:26,040 --> 00:46:29,360 Mephibosheth has been adopted as a son of King David. 727 00:46:31,080 --> 00:46:38,120 This is radical. Now I hope you see it. 728 00:46:40,000 --> 00:46:45,240 I hope you see it the text. Has been screaming out up to 729 00:46:45,240 --> 00:46:47,280 this point where this is all going. 730 00:46:47,800 --> 00:46:52,800 I hope you see it. Who are we in this story? 731 00:46:54,800 --> 00:46:57,000 No, my friends, you are not King David. 732 00:46:59,280 --> 00:47:06,280 King David is a typology of the King to come, Jesus here in this 733 00:47:06,280 --> 00:47:12,000 story as it currently stands. Who are we, my friends? 734 00:47:12,000 --> 00:47:15,040 We are Mephibosheth. We are Mephibosheth. 735 00:47:15,680 --> 00:47:20,280 Do you see it? This is the gospel. 736 00:47:22,280 --> 00:47:25,320 What David has done in showing radical kindness to Mephibosheth 737 00:47:25,600 --> 00:47:29,760 is a prototype to the gospel. Let me help you see it. 738 00:47:30,960 --> 00:47:34,640 We were enemies of the King, just like Mephibosheth. 739 00:47:35,520 --> 00:47:43,360 Sinful, aligned with the world, going about our days, hating 740 00:47:43,360 --> 00:47:46,680 others, scripture says, and being hated in return. 741 00:47:48,120 --> 00:47:50,480 We participated in the US versus them mentality. 742 00:47:52,240 --> 00:47:55,000 It's so hard for us to forgive, but it's so easy to hold the 743 00:47:55,000 --> 00:47:56,520 grudge. That's us. 744 00:47:57,640 --> 00:48:01,240 We were estranged from the king in Lo Debar. 745 00:48:02,080 --> 00:48:05,160 We were runaways from God with no interest in him. 746 00:48:06,880 --> 00:48:08,840 You didn't want anything to do with God. 747 00:48:09,720 --> 00:48:11,240 But then one day something happened. 748 00:48:12,400 --> 00:48:18,320 You were summoned by the king. One day you heard your name 749 00:48:18,320 --> 00:48:21,920 called. You heard your name called and 750 00:48:21,920 --> 00:48:29,880 you responded. But like Mephibosheth, you were 751 00:48:29,880 --> 00:48:36,560 the one that was crippled, spiritually crippled, destitute. 752 00:48:38,000 --> 00:48:40,160 You needed to be carried back to the King. 753 00:48:42,520 --> 00:48:46,480 The Father said Jesus says this. Those who come to me cannot come 754 00:48:46,480 --> 00:48:50,160 to me unless the Father draws them, and it's by the Spirit. 755 00:48:50,160 --> 00:48:53,040 He's been looking for you your whole life, and some of you 756 00:48:53,040 --> 00:48:54,520 right now are hearing your name called. 757 00:48:55,560 --> 00:48:56,720 You're being summoned to the king. 758 00:48:58,200 --> 00:49:00,800 We were crippled in our sin, and we needed to be carried to the 759 00:49:00,800 --> 00:49:04,640 King. In the King's presence we fell 760 00:49:04,640 --> 00:49:08,360 fearfully exposed before him. When we saw the commandments of 761 00:49:08,360 --> 00:49:12,560 who we ought to be, His Holiness, we realized that's not 762 00:49:12,560 --> 00:49:15,040 me. I'm guilty. 763 00:49:15,680 --> 00:49:19,840 I'm ashamed, expecting the worst, expecting to be 764 00:49:19,840 --> 00:49:22,040 ostracized, expecting to be judged. 765 00:49:22,640 --> 00:49:26,640 Something amazing happens. We were blessed by that. 766 00:49:26,640 --> 00:49:33,720 King, the King himself took on our punishment and chose to 767 00:49:33,720 --> 00:49:38,200 bless us instead. Make no mistake, like 768 00:49:38,200 --> 00:49:42,680 Mephibosheth, we are guilty before the King and we deserve 769 00:49:42,880 --> 00:49:44,280 death. We deserve execution. 770 00:49:44,560 --> 00:49:46,160 But this king says no, no, no, no. 771 00:49:46,720 --> 00:49:49,160 I'm calling you to redeem you. I'm calling you to bless you, 772 00:49:50,320 --> 00:49:53,080 and I need to do something about what you've done. 773 00:49:54,280 --> 00:49:56,200 So I'm going to take your punishment and I'll die for you. 774 00:49:56,200 --> 00:50:01,240 And if that was not enough and taking our punishment and 775 00:50:01,280 --> 00:50:08,520 reversing it, we were actually adopted by the king as children. 776 00:50:09,520 --> 00:50:15,160 We were brought into the King's family permanently, and we will 777 00:50:15,160 --> 00:50:19,520 dine with him forever. Isn't it interesting that the 778 00:50:19,520 --> 00:50:22,040 very first thing the Scripture says what we'll do in the New 779 00:50:22,040 --> 00:50:24,960 Kingdom, in the new age? It's a meal. 780 00:50:27,840 --> 00:50:30,880 You're dining with the Lord. You're dining at the King's 781 00:50:30,880 --> 00:50:36,000 table forever. This unmerited gift of God's 782 00:50:36,000 --> 00:50:39,520 grace through the gospel of Jesus should produce. 783 00:50:40,320 --> 00:50:47,760 In us an overflow of kindness to others, especially those who do 784 00:50:47,760 --> 00:50:50,480 not deserve it. And right now, as I'm speaking 785 00:50:50,480 --> 00:50:52,800 these words, somebody's coming into your mind. 786 00:50:54,120 --> 00:50:58,600 Who you're beefing with at this current moment that needs to 787 00:50:58,600 --> 00:51:02,400 hear about the unmerited kindness of God, the same 788 00:51:02,400 --> 00:51:07,920 kindness that you've received. This is all about Jesus. 789 00:51:08,840 --> 00:51:13,480 Here's the link to Jesus. John chapter 4 Jesus in talking 790 00:51:13,480 --> 00:51:18,040 with a woman at the well who wants to fetch him a pail of 791 00:51:18,040 --> 00:51:23,960 water, Jesus tells the woman. That in contrast to that water, 792 00:51:23,960 --> 00:51:28,600 you'll be thirsty again. But I know of living water that 793 00:51:28,600 --> 00:51:32,080 will satisfy your soul. It's Him. 794 00:51:32,160 --> 00:51:34,240 He is the living water. He is the source of this living 795 00:51:34,240 --> 00:51:37,120 water. That living water that he talks 796 00:51:37,120 --> 00:51:40,800 about is the life giving spirit of God that transforms people 797 00:51:40,800 --> 00:51:45,240 and dwells in people. It satisfies the soul's deepest 798 00:51:45,240 --> 00:51:50,320 need. This spirit dwells in US church, 799 00:51:51,120 --> 00:51:57,600 it changes us to be kind and it blesses us and it blesses those 800 00:51:57,600 --> 00:51:59,480 around us. That's the living water that 801 00:51:59,480 --> 00:52:02,680 Jesus is talking about the presence of spirit. 802 00:52:03,440 --> 00:52:06,760 Well then he after John chapter 4 comes John Chapter 7. 803 00:52:07,320 --> 00:52:11,120 He builds on this theme of living water and here's what he 804 00:52:11,760 --> 00:52:14,120 says. John Chapter 7 on the last. 805 00:52:14,120 --> 00:52:17,760 Day of the Feast, the great day, Jesus stands up and cries if 806 00:52:17,760 --> 00:52:22,120 anybody thirsts. Let him come to me and drink. 807 00:52:22,840 --> 00:52:25,720 Let him come to me and drink for whoever believes in me. 808 00:52:25,720 --> 00:52:32,080 As the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of 809 00:52:32,080 --> 00:52:37,720 living water. Jesus calls everybody to come 810 00:52:37,720 --> 00:52:40,240 drink from him because He's the source of the living water. 811 00:52:42,000 --> 00:52:44,480 Drinking is believing. So come believe, so that you can 812 00:52:44,480 --> 00:52:47,240 have this spirit, so that you can have this living water that 813 00:52:47,240 --> 00:52:52,760 only I provide. And as we drink, as we believe, 814 00:52:53,040 --> 00:52:59,440 then out of us flows that same river of living water whose 815 00:52:59,440 --> 00:53:04,200 source is Christ. It flows from God through us to 816 00:53:04,200 --> 00:53:08,920 the surroundings, and it produces life and beauty, 817 00:53:09,680 --> 00:53:14,080 especially to tough people and tough circumstances. 818 00:53:15,600 --> 00:53:21,040 We are in dwelt church by the Holy Spirit to display acts of 819 00:53:21,040 --> 00:53:24,840 kindness, mercy, and generosity toward other people. 820 00:53:26,520 --> 00:53:33,400 You were given unmerited grace. As we drink from that cup of 821 00:53:33,400 --> 00:53:37,120 unmerited grace, it ought to flow out of us, this unmerited 822 00:53:37,120 --> 00:53:39,960 grace toward others. Here's how the early church 823 00:53:39,960 --> 00:53:45,360 responded to it. First Corinthians chapter 4. 824 00:53:46,600 --> 00:53:48,160 Paul says this to the Church of Corinth. 825 00:53:49,280 --> 00:53:51,440 What do you have? That you do not, that you did 826 00:53:51,440 --> 00:53:53,920 not receive. And I say the same thing to you 827 00:53:53,920 --> 00:53:55,240 today. Look at yourselves. 828 00:53:56,240 --> 00:53:57,960 What do you have that you did not receive? 829 00:53:59,800 --> 00:54:02,840 If then you received it, why do you boast as if you didn't 830 00:54:02,840 --> 00:54:06,400 receive it already? You have all you want. 831 00:54:08,200 --> 00:54:14,120 Already you've become rich. You've become kings and Queens. 832 00:54:15,400 --> 00:54:20,320 God has lavished upon you grace. And so Titus comes along. 833 00:54:20,560 --> 00:54:23,720 Titus chapter 3, Paul says. But when the goodness and loving 834 00:54:23,720 --> 00:54:27,160 kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us not 835 00:54:27,160 --> 00:54:30,080 because of works done in righteousness, but according to 836 00:54:30,080 --> 00:54:31,720 His own. Mercy. 837 00:54:33,400 --> 00:54:38,480 Guess what the word mercy is translated as in the Hebrew 838 00:54:38,480 --> 00:54:43,840 Bible has said. The New Testament's written in 839 00:54:43,840 --> 00:54:45,560 Greek. The Old Testament's written in 840 00:54:45,560 --> 00:54:54,360 Hebrew Mercy is one of the translations for has said so 841 00:54:54,360 --> 00:54:57,880 literally what it's saying here is he saved you according to his 842 00:54:57,880 --> 00:55:00,800 own, has said his own loyal love to you. 843 00:55:04,720 --> 00:55:07,760 This becomes so radical to them. There's a piece of writing 844 00:55:07,760 --> 00:55:12,800 called the DD, the DDOK. It's a 1st century document of 845 00:55:12,800 --> 00:55:16,400 what the church believed. It's not in the Scriptures, but 846 00:55:16,400 --> 00:55:18,000 what it is. It's like a helpful introduction 847 00:55:18,000 --> 00:55:20,640 manual to the church. There's one little tagline about 848 00:55:20,640 --> 00:55:23,520 giving giving. Here's what it says the did. 849 00:55:23,520 --> 00:55:25,440 OK, let your. Alms. 850 00:55:26,040 --> 00:55:31,560 Let your money, let your money, your alms, your generosity sweat 851 00:55:31,960 --> 00:55:35,320 in the palm of your hands until you know to whom you should give 852 00:55:37,880 --> 00:55:40,680 this idea of oh, Oh my gosh, like I just have. 853 00:55:41,120 --> 00:55:42,600 I need to find somebody in an outlet. 854 00:55:42,600 --> 00:55:44,840 I need an outlet. I need to give this to somebody. 855 00:55:46,920 --> 00:55:49,280 That's what giving looks like for the early church. 856 00:55:49,280 --> 00:55:50,720 What does giving look like for us? 857 00:55:51,240 --> 00:55:54,120 From our abundance as we've been made kings and Queens, this 858 00:55:54,120 --> 00:55:58,200 unmerited grace, How are we at? Giving it to other people, The 859 00:55:58,200 --> 00:56:03,040 unmerited kindness of God that we've been given in the gift of 860 00:56:03,040 --> 00:56:07,440 our salvation through Jesus Christ Church should produce 861 00:56:07,560 --> 00:56:11,880 overflowing gratitude that results in the outpouring of 862 00:56:11,880 --> 00:56:13,600 unmerited kindness toward others. 863 00:56:14,440 --> 00:56:18,480 That's what today's been about. I'd like to welcome the worship 864 00:56:18,480 --> 00:56:24,760 team back up as we as we end today, Question for you 865 00:56:24,760 --> 00:56:30,480 meditation church. Are you kind as a Christian? 866 00:56:31,000 --> 00:56:32,400 How are you doing? Are you kind? 867 00:56:34,800 --> 00:56:38,920 And let me rephrase that because of course we would all respond. 868 00:56:38,920 --> 00:56:41,920 Yeah, I think I'm pretty kind. Let me ask you this. 869 00:56:42,800 --> 00:56:48,480 How are you at displaying mercy toward your enemies, towards 870 00:56:48,480 --> 00:56:52,600 somebody that hurts you? Are you begrudging? 871 00:56:55,360 --> 00:56:58,360 Well, maybe if they change, they they need to change first. 872 00:56:58,360 --> 00:57:00,720 They first need to apologize to me and then maybe I'll consider. 873 00:57:00,720 --> 00:57:05,160 Kindness. That's not the call that Jesus 874 00:57:05,160 --> 00:57:08,840 lays upon his people. What? 875 00:57:08,840 --> 00:57:11,400 Reward do you have? Jesus says if you love those who 876 00:57:11,400 --> 00:57:15,400 already love you. A true reward is loving those 877 00:57:15,400 --> 00:57:20,720 who hate you. Church, the source of our love 878 00:57:20,720 --> 00:57:24,240 and kindness for other people, must stem from the gratitude 879 00:57:24,240 --> 00:57:27,520 that we have been, that we that we have, because of what's been 880 00:57:27,520 --> 00:57:32,200 done to us through Jesus Christ. We must remember that at one 881 00:57:32,200 --> 00:57:36,440 time we were mephibosheth. You were spiritually crippled 882 00:57:37,240 --> 00:57:40,880 and indebted to God's unmerited and undeserved kindness. 883 00:57:42,960 --> 00:57:47,200 You're nothing without him, but through him, he's made you 884 00:57:47,200 --> 00:57:52,760 everything. This unmerited kindness is how 885 00:57:52,760 --> 00:57:57,320 God has chosen to renew the world through His redeemed 886 00:57:57,320 --> 00:58:02,000 family, who from full hearts of gratitude, regularly choose to 887 00:58:02,000 --> 00:58:05,880 rebel against the norms of culture and opt to display 888 00:58:05,880 --> 00:58:08,480 radical kindness to other people who do not deserve it. 889 00:58:09,960 --> 00:58:12,480 The cycle must be broken in the world. 890 00:58:13,000 --> 00:58:17,200 And the people who will break the cycle of US versus them, of 891 00:58:17,200 --> 00:58:19,840 withholding generosity, of withholding kindness, it's the 892 00:58:19,840 --> 00:58:24,760 people of God who will break the cycle we. 893 00:58:24,760 --> 00:58:28,440 Do not deserve this unmerited favor, but we have it just 894 00:58:28,440 --> 00:58:30,200 because God's that good and He loves you. 895 00:58:34,040 --> 00:58:37,320 And maybe some of you are here today and you're believers, but 896 00:58:37,320 --> 00:58:38,680 you feel like you've sinned it away. 897 00:58:40,560 --> 00:58:43,200 One time I believed, but I've. Since I believed, I've been 898 00:58:43,200 --> 00:58:46,520 struggling with lust. I've been struggling with 899 00:58:46,520 --> 00:58:50,560 status. I've been struggling with anger 900 00:58:51,560 --> 00:58:54,200 and hurt. I don't feel worthy of it 901 00:58:54,200 --> 00:58:56,000 anymore. Here's the beauty about 902 00:58:56,000 --> 00:58:58,640 unmerited grace and merited kindness. 903 00:58:58,640 --> 00:59:02,400 It was never yours to give, so it's never yours to take away. 904 00:59:04,800 --> 00:59:08,160 He gave it to you. Which means as long as you 905 00:59:08,160 --> 00:59:09,840 believe, as long as you trust in him, you're not going to lose 906 00:59:09,840 --> 00:59:11,440 it. He just welcomed me to come back 907 00:59:11,440 --> 00:59:15,120 with a Vishal to come back. But let me carry you back. 908 00:59:16,560 --> 00:59:19,120 We hope you enjoyed this message and we'd love for you to join us 909 00:59:19,120 --> 00:59:21,280 in person every Sunday at 10:30 AM. 910 00:59:21,720 --> 00:59:23,680 For more information and updates, visit 911 00:59:23,680 --> 00:59:26,360 wearebridgetown.com. Thanks for tuning in and we'll 912 00:59:26,360 --> 00:59:27,160 see you next week.