The story of Mephibosheth shows us the kindness of God. Let us peer into David’s kindness to this enemy, and see how God treats us.

First, everything revolves around the will and glory of God. vs1-2

Then David asked, “Is there anyone left from the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for the sake of Jonathan?”

And there was a servant of Saul’s family named Ziba. They summoned him to David, and the king inquired, “Are you Ziba?”

“I am your servant,” he replied.

All things are submitted to Him, good and evil, so that He can save His elect.

Here, Ziba acts as David’s servant, so that he can show mercy to Mephibosheth, and this is how God rules the world. He rules Satan, catastrophes, and governments. He rules in the kingdom of men ABSOLUTELY, so that no one can do anything unless it serves His eternal purpose.

Rest assured. Your God is saving by everything that happens. Do not be discouraged or fearful.

Secondly, God shows mercy to sinners! vs3

So the king asked, “Is there anyone left of Saul’s family to whom I can show the kindness of God?”

Ziba answered, “There is still Jonathan’s son, who is lame in both feet.”

Be encouraged! The disposition of God is to show mercy to the “Filthiest sinners out of hell,” as Rolfe Barnard used to scream out. God shows mercy to people that we’d send to hell, even worse sinners than we can imagine, because He is merciful, gracious, and kind through Christ.

He punished the Son, so He can pity the vilest of transgressors, and all is by grace! The sinner doesn’t need anything: Grace commends us to God, and this is David’s purpose - to show the kindness of God - so it is fitting that the recipient be lame in both feet - unable to serve God, unable to walk with Him, unable to do good, and unwilling [Rom 3:10-12]. He has to be an absolutely unworthy and worthless sinner to show how kind God is to us.

Paul told Titus, “But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” [Titus 3:4-5]

Thirdly, when God shows mercy, we fear and tremble. 2 Sam 9:5-8

So King David had him brought from the house of Machir son of Ammiel in Lo-debar. And when Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he fell facedown in reverence. vs5-6

There’s never a time that a sinner struts to get mercy. God causes us to see His awesome fearfulness, so that we receive mercy as it truly is - a wondrous thing of God’s grace that we don’t deserve and would perish without. He makes us see the holiness of His justice, the fire of His law, and the wrath that is eternal. He causes us to see that we are unlike God, far below Him, and at His pity.

Many today obtain no mercy because they think God is as they imagine, rather than as He declares. They believe God will be according to their own reasoning. Therefore, they do not fear, do not receive, and they do not know Him.

Fourthly, God uses everything to serve us. vs9-10

Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said to him, “I have given to your master’s grandson all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. You and your sons and servants are to work the ground for him and bring in the harvest, so that your master’s grandson may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, is always to eat at my table.”

Ziba represents an evil person, as we keep reading in 2 Samuel 16. He never loved Mephibosheth or served him from the heart. He had no kindness, and when he could, he betrayed him. Yet, this represents unsaved man, devils, and all things SERVING the elect! The unsaved husband works for his wife’s good, even as he drives her to Christ by his misconduct, so that she is closer, her prayers are heard, and God’s elect are delivered. Satan irresistibly serves us as he seeks to destroy, but he’s the exact terror that we need to keep us near the cross, humble, and praising God whose strength is perfected in our weakness.

Do not be discouraged and do not despair. God is on the side of His elect, and the Church shall prosper. Everyone in the Book of Life shall be saved, and whoever trusts Him will not be disappointed. Evil, like bad governments, does not change the purpose of God. Nothing in this world changes His purpose- not crime, injustice, or corruption. It is all being used to serve us, as the misery of the world drives the elect to Christ and everything about Esau benefits Jacob.

Fifthly, remember, we are lame in both feet after we are saved. vs13

So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table, and he was lame in both feet.

We are still morally depraved sinners held up by grace. We overcome by grace, endure by grace, and grace gets the glory for our obedience. If we are kept from falling, then grace did that: it is not we ourselves.

Let us remember and walk humbly with God. We have nothing to brag about but everything to be thankful for.

Remember your sin, when you see others [Titus 3:3]. Remember your sin, when you speak of grace, so that your tone reflects one who’s obtained mercy. Remember your sin, when you deal with others - that God saved you freely, keeps you, and He is the cause of your good - so that you can be gracious, merciful, and forgiving.

If we forget that we’re sinners, then He’ll remind us, or we’ll be useless. Be humble with God.