Nothing, Everything (1)
Last week I quoted this statement from Stumbo's book, "People who were nothing like Jesus, liked Jesus. And Jesus liked them." People who were nothing like Jesus came to Him as they were. He embraced them, liked them, loved them. How can we be a church where people, who are nothing like Jesus, like us because we are like Jesus? How can we be a safe place where people can come as they are, a place where it is okay to be not okay? A safe place where together we learn how to become like Jesus and live the kingdom life. It all comes down to grace. How can we be people that are known for grace? How can we become a culture of grace? How should we treat the person before us, the people who come before us daily?
What is grace? 2 Samuel 9 gives us a powerful picture of grace. Based on this passage and Luke 7:36-50, we will explore today five principles of grace, and then next week, look at four steps we can take to become a culture of grace, four ways to live out grace. It kind of all boils down to two words — nothing, everything. We deserve nothing, but our Heavenly Father gave us everything. Now He calls us to give everything to the person before us who deserves nothing. God gave grace freely to us. Living out grace, we give freely to others what God gave us.
1. Everyone Has a Story
And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul …
In those days, when a new king took over the throne, it was the usual practice to kill everyone who might have a claim to the throne so that they would not challenge him. So, when David said these words, the first thoughts would have been, “Ah, he’s going to take care of business. He’s going to give them what they deserve. He’s looking for them to kill them.” But David went on and said, …
“Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” (Vv 1-4)
David desired to bless instead of curse, to protect a life rather than take it. The word used here for kindness is the same word used for God’s loving-kindness, or unfailing love, which is often combined with grace, mercy, and slow to anger. David, who experienced God’s grace, wanted to live out grace, give grace.
Now, look at how the son of Jonathan is identified. Everyone else is identified by name but not him. His identity, at this point, is “crippled in both feet.” He was a cripple and lame, which would have made him an outcast. We find his story in 2 Samuel 4. When Saul and Jonathan were killed, his nurse took him and fled, but he fell, perhaps she dropped him in her haste, and he became lame. This was his story and also his identity — The Crippled.
This is the first principle of grace — Everyone has a story. Everyone has been dropped. Some time, someplace in our lives something happened to us. A part of us became crippled and broken. That story came to define us. Even though that is not truly and fully who we are, our story has become our perceived identity, and we can live in its shadow all of our lives. Think of how we sometimes identify and talk of people, “Oh, you know, that drug addict,” “That crazy woman.”
Everyone has a story, and when I meet you, I want you to judge me in light of my story, not your story. When you see me doing the things I do or reacting the way I react, you might give me the benefit of the doubt and give me some grace, because I have a story.
But this is very hard for us to do. We don’t take time to learn the other’s story, the story of how they became crippled, broken, and hurt. When we see them act out, behave, or react in bad ways, we blame it on their character. “He is a bad husband. She is a bad mom. He is so and so, this and that.” But when we misbehave in a similar situation, we blame it not on our character. Oh no, we blame it on our environment or circumstances. “I am tired. I have been sick. I am burned out because I worked too many hours.” This is called the law of negative attribution. We attribute our actions or reaction to our story, but with someone else, we attribute it to their character.
When we don’t make an effort to listen, hear, and understand the other’s story, we tend to evaluate them in light of our own story. We expect that they must act, behave according to our beliefs, values, viewpoints, and principles. This is why it is so important to remember that everyone has a story. Our story is not an excuse for our behavior. However, if we can understand the story and how it has shaped our identity, we begin to see why we do what we do, and why others do what they do. Let’s see what happens next.
2. Everyone Struggles with Fear
Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” And David said to him, “Do not fear, … ” (Vv. 5-7a)
Mephibosheth had every reason to be afraid. He lived in hiding and secrecy. Now he was brought before the king. “This is it. I am as good as dead.”
Everyone struggles with fear — this is the second principle of grace. Every one of us has done something somewhere in our lives for which we could be rightfully condemned. If our secrets and sins were known, you could say, “That was wrong. I condemn you.” And we would have to say, “You are right. I deserve to be condemned.”
If this is so with others, how much more so with God Almighty? The knowledge that I could stand before God and have Him judge all my actions, all the thoughts, and attitudes, every motive in my heart, is terrifying. Before God, who knows everything and who is just and righteous, I would have no defense. All I can say to Him is, “You are right.”
Therefore, we all struggle with the fear of exposure, the fear of being judged and condemned. If my sins are known, I could be judged and condemned and rightfully so. Everyone has a story. Everyone struggles with fear. This puts us in the same place as Mephibosheth.
3. Our Father Above Is The Basis of Grace
And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?” (Vv 7-8)
“I am going to show kindness to you because of your father.” Mephibosheth did not do anything to deserve David’s extraordinary kindness. He deserved nothing. David pours out kindness and grace, “Not because of you, but because of your father and what he has done for me.”
This is the third principle of grace. The basis of grace is not the person in front of us, but the Father above us. Grace is not about the other person but about what God the Father has done for us. When living out grace, we look at Him and say, “God, show me how much you have done for me, so that I can show that grace to one of Your children.” Look what happened next.
4. Grace Is Always Extravagant
Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” (Vv 9-11)
Wow! Overnight, Mephibosheth went from being a poor crippled guy living in the middle of nowhere to waking up in the palace with 35 servants, land, and money to spare. Although he had nothing, he now has everything. This is the fourth principle of grace. Grace is always extravagant.
Just think about the grace God gives us. When we come to Christ, when we confess and repent, God says, “I see you. I know all of you. Because of Christ, I do not condemn you. I forgive all your sins, past, present, and future. I cover you with the righteousness of Christ so that when I see you, I see the righteousness of My Son, Jesus, and I declare you righteous. Then, I pour out my Holy Spirit into your life. I give you a new life. And I come and live in you. Your body is My temple, and everywhere you go, I will be with you. I give you peace that surpasses all understanding. I give you joy that the world doesn’t understand. I call you, My child. And this new life I am giving you is eternal, and in eternity you will sit at My right hand with Jesus and reign with Him. There will be endless celebration. No more tears or sorrows or fears; no more sickness or death. I am giving you all of this.” To us, who deserve nothing, who have nothing, God gives us everything. This is incredible, amazing, extravagant grace. And now the story ends …
5. Grace Creates Relationship and Fellowship
So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table, like one of the king’s sons. And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba’s house became Mephibosheth’s servants. So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king’s table. Now he was lame in both his feet. (Vv 11-13)
He always ate at the kings’ table. David treated him like one of his own sons. He became part of David’s family, an adopted son. This is the fifth principle of grace — Grace creates relationship and fellowship. Grace is always an invitation to relationship and fellowship. Grace is hospitality. Grace says to the other, “I invite you to have a place at the table where you are treated like family.”
This is what God has given us through Jesus Christ. He brought us to His table, and says, “Eat with Me. Belong to Me. You are one of My very own. You are My child. I want you here. No more hiding. You can now live unashamed.”
Come as you are. Confession and repentance is only the beginning of our journey. Grace moves us into relationship and fellowship with God and others. We become part of the family of God.
But our story does not end there. God calls us and sends us also to be like David. There are, and there will be people in our lives where we can be like David, be like Jesus, to them. This is what a culture of grace, living out grace, is all about. We who have nothing, deserve nothing, have received everything from God. Now we give to others what we have received from God. We give, not because they deserve it, have earned it, or proved worthy. We give simply because of God, our Father. We look to Him and say, “Lord, not because of what they have done and not because of what they deserve, but because of You. Because of what You have given me, I will give extravagant grace to them. Help me give it to them.”
A culture of grace takes what we have received freely, and freely we give it to others. We are channels of God’s grace in this world. We live in grace, and we live out grace.