28 January 2018 - The Love of God Revealed in the Lives of Mephibosheth and David - Pastor Joseph Prince Sermon Notes Online - New Creation Church Sermon Notes Online

28/1/2018

28 January 2018 - The Love of God Revealed in the Lives of Mephibosheth and David - Pastor Joseph Prince Sermon Notes Online - New Creation Church Sermon Notes Online

Let God have the time to work His miracles in a service.

Don’t let your life, marriage, family, etc. become a vending machine - everything instantaneous, and in express mode.
Don’t let professionalism take over every area of your life.
Sometimes you have to take time to enjoy what the Lord has given you.

The longest chapter in the Book of Genesis is Genesis 24 where Abraham sent an unnamed servant to find a bride for his beloved son Isaac.
That unnamed servant represents the Holy Spirit.
Right now, the Holy Spirit is working all over the world, preparing a beautiful bride for Jesus.

The church is the beautiful bride of Christ. It is not a building.

John 1:17 - You can send a gift from a distance, but when you “come” in person, it’s personal and near.
Grace and truth are one. When you touch water, you touch wet. Don’t try to separate grace and truth - that’s trying to separate what God has put together.
What God has put together, let no man tear asunder.
In Hebrew, grace and truth are “hesed ve emet”.

“For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17 NKJV)

Give room for wrath. Let God be your Avenger. Don’t try to do it yourself.

The sermon on the mount can be summarized like this: God is unfairly good.

To God, 1 plus 1 equals 1. A man and a woman in marriage becomes 1 flesh.
God’s economy is different from the world.

II Samuel 2:5-6 - The word “kindness” is hesed. The words “kindness and truth” are “hesed ve emet”.
People have the idea that truth has a negative connotation, that it’s hard.
The word truth doesn’t mean judgment. Hesed ve Emet just means true grace.

“So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “You are blessed of the LORD, for you have shown this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him. And now may the LORD show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness, because you have done this thing.” (II Samuel 2:5-6 NKJV)

Genesis 15:7-21 - God works with covenant. The reason why everything is being shaken in the Middle East and especially Jerusalem, is because of covenant.
When God cut a covenant with Abraham, He put Abraham to sleep.
The blood of animals was everywhere because the animals were divided in two.
The vultures that came down on the carcasses are demons - Jesus defined in a parable that the birds of the air that snatch away the seeds is the devil.
God crossed to the other side while Abraham was sleeping. It represents how Jesus took our place and suffered to pay for our sins.
While Abraham was sleeping, he saw in a vision that a Smoking Oven (a picture of God the Father appearing in a cloud of smoke on Mount Sinai) and a Burning Torch (Jesus the Light of the World) passed between the pieces.
That represents God the Father and God the Son cutting the covenant on behalf of Abraham - Jesus taking Abraham’s place.
That is because God didn’t want Abraham to be held accountable for it.

“Then He said to him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.” And he said, “Lord GOD, how shall I know that I will inherit it?” So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates— the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”” (Genesis 15:7-21 NKJV)

Teach your daughters that virginity is important because sex is a covenant act.
The first time a woman has sex there is a shedding of blood - covenant.
Sex is so beautiful that it’s deeper than just being physical - it’s spirit, soul and body.

Mephibosheth initially had a bad opinion of David because of the negative circumstances in his life. However when David showed him grace, everything changed. From someone who was "breathing shame", he became a man whose words were exterminating shame! God's heart is to love and bless us, and He's not out to judge or punish us. We need to have a good opinion of our Heavenly Father.

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The covenant friendship between Jonathan and David

David killing Goliath represents a victory for Israel.
Saul was “head and shoulders” above every man in Israel - he was the tallest in stature so he should have been the most suitable one to match and battle Goliath.
But he didn’t have the relationship with God that he had when he was a young man.
When David killed Goliath, he cut off his head, and carried the head.
Saul was glad, and when Jonathan (Saul’s son) saw that, God knitted his heart together with David’s.

I Samuel 18:3-5 - Jonathan giving David his robe represents Jesus giving us His robe of righteousness.
"behaved wisely" here is Sakaal wisdom - the wisdom that leads to good success.
Our shame and nakedness is covered because Jesus was stripped naked for us at the cross.

“Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt. So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.” (I Samuel 18:3-5 NKJV)

Give up your small ambitions. God has a higher purpose for you.

Saul became insanely jealous of David because the people's hearts were all for David and Saul's heart was set on killing David. There was once where he even threw a javelin at David.
Saul kept sending David out for battle against the Philistines, hoping that he would get killed in battle.
Never feel insecure or threatened when a new young leader who is moving in the same gifts as you joins the ministry.
If you try to suppress him or her or keep finding faults, then it reflects on your leadership as a senior.
However if you mentor him or her well, then you are needed to mentor many others and your future is secure.

I Samuel 20:8-9 - The word “kindly” is hesed.
Jonathan promised to warn David if he knew that his father had planned evil for David.
Covenant friendship is even closer than kinship.
Jesus is our (covenant) Friend that sticks closer to us than a brother.

“Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you. Nevertheless, if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?” But Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I knew certainly that evil was determined by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you?”” (I Samuel 20:8-9 NKJV)

In some places in the Books of I Samuel and II Samuel, David represents God the Father and Jonathan represents Jesus. Jonathan’s name means “the gift of God” - Jesus is God’s gift to us.
Both David and Jonathan cut a covenant.
Saul represents all mankind.

I Samuel 20:30-34 - “Why should he be killed? What has he done?” reminds us about what Pontius Pilate said about Jesus.

“Then Saul’s anger was aroused against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Now therefore, send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.” And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be killed? What has he done?” Then Saul cast a spear at him to kill him, by which Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father to kill David. So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had treated him shamefully.” (I Samuel 20:30-34 NKJV)

I Samuel 20:35-42 - Jonathan and David cut the covenant between themselves and their descendants forever.

“And so it was, in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad was with him. Then he said to his lad, “Now run, find the arrows which I shoot.” As the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. When the lad had come to the place where the arrow was which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried out after the lad and said, “ Is not the arrow beyond you?” And Jonathan cried out after the lad, “Make haste, hurry, do not delay!” So Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows and came back to his master. But the lad did not know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew of the matter. Then Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad, and said to him, “Go, carry them to the city.” As soon as the lad had gone, David arose from a place toward the south, fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down three times. And they kissed one another; and they wept together, but David more so. Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘May the LORD be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever.’ ” So he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.” (I Samuel 20:35-42 NKJV)

I Samuel 23:14-18 - This is the last time that David and Jonathan met.

“And David stayed in strongholds in the wilderness, and remained in the mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand. So David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in a forest. Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God. And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that.” So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD. And David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his own house.” (I Samuel 23:14-18 NKJV)

Jonathan and David were covenant friends. They cut a covenant of loyalty and love between themselves and their descendants forever. Mephibosheth was blessed and received grace because of that covenant relationship. We have a covenant with God as well and can freely receive His blessings and goodness because of it.

From breathing shame to exterminating shame: The grace shown to Mephibosheth because of the covenant between Jonathan and David

II Samuel 4:4 - The nurse ran away with Mephibosheth to escape from David, thinking that David wanted to take the throne and was determining evil against Saul’s family. But that was not David’s heart at all.
The people never saw or heard David crying for Saul and still calling Saul “the Lord’s anointed” despite all the evil things Saul has done to David.
That’s like how mankind always thinks that God is out to get them and never sees God’s true heart of love for them.
The name “Mephibosheth” has one meaning of “breathing out shame”.
Mankind breathes out shame because they don’t know that God is for them and not against them.
When escaping from David, Mephibosheth must have been in pain from the fall and crying uncontrollably.
Most likely the nurse was telling Mephibosheth to stop crying and that it’s all David’s fault that his father and grandfather are dead.
This probably caused him to bear a grudge against David.

“Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel; and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.” (II Samuel 4:4 NKJV)

II Samuel 5:6-8 - David never said that the blind and the lame couldn’t enter his house. David was just using what the Jebusites said to mock him, against them.
However, it was taken out of context by the people. It was a false rumor.
This rumor probably reached Mephibosheth’s ears and caused him to hate David even more.
So many people take God’s word out of context and make God out to be angry and just waiting to punish man.

“And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, “You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you,” thinking, “David cannot come in here.” Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of David). Now David said on that day, “Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul), he shall be chief and captain. ” Therefore they say, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.”” (II Samuel 5:6-8 NKJV)

Matthew 21:13-15 - They finally saw that the Son of David is for the lame and the blind.

“And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ” Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant” (Matthew 21:13-15 NKJV)

II Samuel 9:1-10 - The word “kindness” here is hesed which means grace.
“Lo Debar” means “No Word/ No pasture”.
Mephibosheth was living in Lo Debar - he was probably growing up in an environment where he was told lies about David.
When we don’t listen to God’s word, the devil will still be trying to feed us his lies.
David brought Mephibosheth to himself. It's like how God is the One to seek us out first, not the other way around.
The first words when God meets us is “do not fear” because like Mephibosheth and David, we have a covenant with Him.
When God shows you grace, everything you lost will be restored.
When David spoke to the son of grace, Mephibosheth (the son of Jonathan), there was no word of command, and no laws.
But to the servant Ziba, David gave commands and there were no words of grace spoken.
There is a clear difference between a son and a servant.
A son just receives the goodness, whereas a servant has to work for it.
David’s heart was already full of love for Mephibosheth before even meeting him.
God’s heart is full of love for us even before we repent or come to know Him.
It is the kindness of God that melts our heart in repentance.
It is not our repentance that melts God’s heart.

“Now David said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, “ Are you Ziba?” He said, “At your service!” Then the king said, “ Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.” So the king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.” Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar. Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, “Mephibosheth?” And he answered, “Here is your servant!” So David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.” Then he bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?” And the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “I have given to your master’s son all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. You therefore, and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s son shall eat bread at my table always.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.” (II Samuel 9:1-10 NKJV)

II Samuel 9:13 - The Holy Spirit is reminding us that our walk with God will never be perfect, but we can still continually eat at God's table.
When we’re sitting at the table, our feet are hidden by the table.
Don’t look at your lame feet - focus on the bounty of the King that’s on the table.
There’s so much for you on the table: healing, provision, peace and all of God’s blessings.
The name “Mephibosheth” has an alternative meaning of “exterminating shame”.
Bible Scholars are confused as to why his name has these two meanings.
Now that he has received grace, he is no longer breathing shame, but the words that he speaks exterminates shame.

“So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king’s table. And he was lame in both his feet.” (II Samuel 9:13 NKJV)

Later on when David’s son Absalom determined to kill David, David fled from the city.
Mephibosheth didn’t shave his beard at all because of David and was longing for him to return.
On the other hand, Ziba the servant showed his true colors and his heart coveted Saul’s land.
When we experience God’s grace, our heart will be for God.
If we live by the Law and focus on our works, we won’t have a heart for God.

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* Please Take Note: These sermon notes are not official New Creation Church (NCC) or Pastor Joseph Prince sermon notes. These sermon notes are not affiliated with NCC or Pastor Prince.
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