GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH of DANVILLE
June 20, 2010

"The old man is never made better. The new man cannot sin. 'He cannot sin, because he is born of God.' The new man cannot sin. The old man is not born of God. When you are brought to see the two distinct natures it will afford you a clearer view of spiritual life." - William Tiptaft

When Christ Ascends His Judgment Throne - Don Fortner
(Tune: #268 - My Faith has Found a Resting Place - CMD )

1. When Christ ascends His judgment throne,
And bids all worlds draw near;
Men's hearts shall melt, with sighs and groans;
And trembling souls shall fear. -
Then as the solemn, opened books
Disclose the dreadful day;
Jehovah's frowns and angry looks
Will wicked souls dismay.

2. Omniscience will, with truth, expose
Their secret thoughts to view;
Their crimes God's justice will expose,
And conscience own them true.
God's wrath shall seize the guilty souls
Of unconverted men,
While all God's books, the judgment scrolls,
Accuse, convince, condemn!

3. But, there in Jesus' gracious hand,
The Book of Life is placed.
The names of His elect there stand,
Nor can they be erased!
As He unfolds the sacred seals,
With God's decrees all done,
With one decisive word, He will
Welcome His ransomed home!

Mephibosheth - A Picture of Grace

"But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORD'S oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul." (2 Samuel 21:7)

Who was this prince Mephibosheth? He was Jonathan's son, the last living survivor of the royal house of Saul. When the news of Saul's death and of the death of his sons on the battlefield of Gilboa reached the royal palace, Mephibosheth was only five years old. His nurse took Jonathan's little boy up in her arms and fled down to Lodebar. In her panic Mephibosheth fell from her arms and was crippled. From that day on, he was lame on both of his feet.

Sixteen years had passed since David made a covenant with Jonathan. Now, the time had come for David to fulfill his covenant promise to Jonathan (1 Samuel 20:14-17). Now established as King over Israel by the hand of God, David is determined to fulfill his covenant promise to Jonathan. So he sought out the last survivor of his dear friend and companion, Jonathan. David sent for Mephibosheth, and brought him to the palace. When Mephibosheth first learned that the king had found him, he must have been terrified. He knew what had become of Saul's sons. Fearful and trembling, he came into David's presence, expecting to be slain. What a blessed surprise he found! David showed him nothing but kindness and mercy. He was made to be as one of the king's sons.

David's kindness to Mephibosheth for Jonathan's sake is a beautiful picture of God's lovingkindness and tender mercy to sinners for Christ's sake. We read the story in 2 Samuel 9.

Mephibosheth's Condition

Mephibosheth became lame through a fall (2 Samuel 9:3; 4:4). Even so, "God created man upright," but we became helpless, lame cripples through the fall of our father Adam (John 6:44).

Mephibosheth's Call

Mephibosheth was called by the king (2 Samuel 9:4-5). David sought Mephibosheth and fetched him to the palace. I love that word "fetched." Don't you? Here again we see God's marvelous grace toward sinners. He seeks his own sheep. And when he finds his sheep, he fetches them home (Psalm 65:4).

Mephibosheth was received in all his deformity for the sake of another. Just as he was, without any improvement, David received the poor cripple. And the Lord our God receives sinners in all their deformity for Christ's sake. And when Mephibosheth came to David, he learned to have a proper estimate of himself (2 Samuel 9:8). So, too, it is only after we come to Christ that we truly have a proper view of ourselves. Do not expect to find repentance until you come to Christ by faith. In a word, Mephibosheth was reconciled to the King by an act of the king's own mercy (2 Samuel 9:9-10). Under the king's table Mephibosheth's crippled feet were covered. He was still lame on both his feet, but his deformity was covered under David's table. Now, blessed be God, in Christ all the deformities of his people are covered!

Mephibosheth's Communion

Next, we see that Mephibosheth was granted perpetual fellowship and communion with the King. The king's house was his house. He dwelt with David. He was always accepted in David's presence. - It is the privilege and joy of believing sinners to dwell with the King, Christ Jesus. We walk in his company. We are allowed to speak freely to him. We live upon his riches. We rest under his protection.

Because of the grace he had received, Mephibosheth loved the king above everything (2 Samuel 19:24-30). So it is with God's elect. - "We love him because he first loved us" (1 John 4:19).

Mephibosheth's Covenant

All of this was done for Mephibosheth, because of a covenant made long before he was born (1 Samuel 21:7). When the King returned and finally destroyed all the sons of Saul (all seven of them), Mephibosheth was spared because of David's love for Jonathan. David loved Mephibosheth because of his relation to Jonathan and because of the covenant he made with Jonathan.

That is the way it is with us. All that we have in Christ and all that we have experienced of divine grace has been given to us because of a covenant made between God the Father and God the Son long before we were born. Mephibosheth did not know anything about the covenant, but David did! God our Father loves us and deals graciously with us because of Christ and our relation to him. Indeed, he loves us as he loves his dear Son! Oh, may God the Holy Spirit fill our hearts with love for Christ.

Forgiveness - Free, Just, and Complete