Who's at Your Table?

Name: Who's at Your Table?
Uploaded: 2026-08-23
Channel: Pastor Aaron Batchelor
Description: Pastor Aaron Batchelor uses the story of David and Mephibicheth to illustrate that God's grace seeks us out in our brokenness and offers us a permanent seat at

Pastor Aaron Batchelor Preached on 8/23/2026

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75:59

Summary

Pastor Aaron Batchelor uses the story of David and Mephibicheth to illustrate that God's grace seeks us out in our brokenness and offers us a permanent seat at His table, regardless of our past or our limitations.

Key points

•David sought to show kindness to the house of Saul, his former enemy, not for personal gain but for the sake of his covenant with Jonathan.
•Mephibicheth lived in Lo-debar (a place of barrenness and hiding) and was 'dropped' by others, yet the King sent for him to bring him to the palace.
•Grace changes our position even when it does not immediately change our condition; Mephibicheth remained lame but ate as one of the King's sons.
•Jesus invites broken people to His table without requiring them to be fixed first, challenging the church to be approachable and compassionate without compromising truth.

Scripture

Grace

Restoration

Community

Purpose

Love

Life application

Identify a Mephibicheth in your life this week-someone who is broken, lonely, or difficult-and invite them to your table, whether through a meal, a coffee, or an intentional conversation.

Reflection questions

Who have you been keeping away from your 'table' because their life or background makes you uncomfortable?
In what ways are you still defining yourself by the 'falls' or traumas of your past rather than your position at the King's table?
How can we as a church become more approachable to those in our community who feel they belong in a wasteland?
Are you waiting for people to 'fix' their lives before you show them the kindness of God?

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Full transcript

0:00Hallelujah. If you believe what you just

0:00sang, would one more time lift your

0:01hands. Lift your voice. Would you cry

0:04out to Jesus right now and give him the

0:07praise you believe he deserves?

0:11Would you [music] give him the praise

0:13you believe he deserves? If he's brought

0:15you out, if he's healed you, come on. If

0:18he woke you up this morning, if he's put

0:20you in a family.

0:23Oh, I worship you, Jesus.

0:27I worship you, Jesus.

0:30I worship you, Jesus.

0:34I glorify you, Jesus. Hallelujah.

0:46Woo!

0:48Jacob woke up from a dream,

0:53a ladder ascending and descending into

0:55heaven and angels up and down.

0:58And he said when he woke up, "Surely,

1:02surely the presence of the Lord is here.

1:04This is the house of the Lord." And I

1:06knew it not. He didn't even know it came

1:10as such a surprise. I'm glad that

1:13whenever we come together, it's not a

1:15surprise that Jesus is going to meet us

1:17here today. But his presence is in this

1:19house. How many's glad that you know

1:21him? How many's glad that you know where

1:23to find him?

1:27He's here in this house today.

1:30Thank you for your worship. Thank you

1:31for your praise. I'm going to direct

1:33your attention to 2 Samuel chapter 9.

1:35Glad to have you in the house of the

1:37Lord here today. If you're a guest with

1:39us in this house, welcome to New Life

1:41St. Louis. We're so glad to have all of

1:44our guests here with us today.

1:48This past week, we spent some time

1:50praying over our guests and their needs.

1:52And so, if you have a need, I want to

1:54encourage you to fill out a connection

1:56card and turn it in to one of our hosts

1:59or greeters so that we can pray for you

2:01this week, connect with you. But we're

2:03so glad that you're here. delighted that

2:05you're in the house. I'm excited about

2:08next weekend. Friends, is going to be an

2:10incredible Sunday. We're praying, we're

2:13fasting, we're inviting.

2:16And uh I want to thank you for

2:19uh being flexible with your seat. I want

2:22to thank you for being compassionate and

2:26uh understanding that in a full house uh

2:30that your seat may not be your seat. And

2:35If somebody needs to come sit up in

2:36pastor's place, come sit up in pastor's

2:38place. It's yours. And uh if you're

2:42young and and you've got good knees like

2:44pastor still does.

2:47If you are able to make your way up to

2:49the balcony up the steps so some of our

2:51elders and uh perhaps those that uh may

2:55not be physically as capable to walk up

2:58those steps as easily as you that would

3:00be such a great help. So, I appreciate

3:02I'm just excited about what the Lord is

3:04doing. I'm thankful that people are

3:06finding this as a place of healing and

3:08hope of life and restoration. And that's

3:11because of Jesus. And that's because

3:13there's a church that says, "Hey, we're

3:15open. Church is here and we're ready."

3:18So, thank you so much for that. I want

3:21to uh direct your attention to 2 Samuel

3:23chapter 9. Let's begin at verse one and

3:26see if the Lord will help us hear what

3:28his spirit is saying to the church this

3:30morning. And David said, "Is there yet

3:33any that is left at the house of Saul,

3:36that I may show him kindness for

3:38Jonathan's sake?" And there was of the

3:40house of Saul a servant whose name was

3:42Zeba. And when they had called unto

3:45David, the king said unto him, "Art thou

3:47Zeba?" And he said, "Thy servant is he?"

3:50The king said, "Is there not yet any of

3:52the house of Saul that I may show the

3:54kindness of God unto him?" And Zeba said

3:57unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son

4:00which is lame on his feet. And the king

4:03said unto him, where is he? And Zeba

4:04said unto the king, Behold, he's in the

4:06house of Maker, the son of Amile, and

4:08Loar.

4:10Then King David sent and fetched him out

4:12of the house of Maker, the son of Amile

4:14from Loabar. Now when Mphibicheth, the

4:18son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was

4:20come to David, he fell on his face and

4:23did reverence. And David said,

4:24Mphibicheth. And he answered, "Behold

4:26thy servant." David said unto him, "Fear

4:30not, for I will surely show thee

4:32kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake,

4:35and will restore thee all the land of

4:36Saul thy father, and thou shalt eat

4:38bread at my table continually." And he

4:41bowed himself, and he said, "What is thy

4:43servant that thou shouldest look upon

4:45such a dead dead dog as I am?"

4:48Then the king called to Zeba, Saul's

4:50servant, said unto him, I've given unto

4:52thy master's son, all that pertain to

4:54Saul, and to all his house. Thou

4:57therefore, and thy sons, and thy

4:58servants shall till the land for him.

5:01Thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy

5:03master's son, may have food to eat. But

5:06Mphibicheth, thy master's son, shall eat

5:08bread always at my table. Now Zeba had

5:1115 sons and 20 servants. Then said Zeba

5:14unto the king, according to all that my

5:17lord the king hath commanded his

5:19servant, so shall thy servant do. As for

5:21Mphibicheth, said the king, he shall eat

5:24at my table as one of the king's sons.

5:27And Mphibicheth had a young son whose

5:29name was Micah. And all that dwelt in

5:31the house of Zeba were servants unto

5:33Mphibicheth. So Mphibicheth dwelt in

5:36Jerusalem, for he did eat continually at

5:39the king's [music] table and was lame on

5:42both his feet.

5:44Amen.

5:46Grace doesn't just thank God for the

5:48seat that we have here. Grace makes room

5:52for somebody else. [snorts]

5:55>> Because it's possible, church, to

5:57receive the kindness of God and never

6:00become kind ourselves. [snorts]

6:02It's possible to enjoy fellowship with

6:05God while surrounding ourselves most

6:07exclusively with people who already

6:10believe like us, live like us, vote like

6:12us, dress like us, go to church with us.

6:17>> So this morning, my question to you is

6:19not, do you have a table? That'll come

6:22later next week. But this morning, I'm

6:24asking you, who's at your table? Who

6:28have you made room for in your life? The

6:31question this morning that I want to

6:33pose to you today is who's at your

6:37table? Heavenly Father, I want to thank

6:39you for your beautiful presence here.

6:41Undeserving as we are, you still came

6:44seeking for us. I want to thank you for

6:46your love. I want to thank you for the

6:48faith that I feel in this house. I pray

6:50that as I preach your word that nothing

6:52would be added to or taken away from it,

6:55but that it would be the forever

6:56settled, unadulterated word of God. And

6:59I pray Lord that it would be mixed with

7:01the faith that is here so that they may

7:03be doers of the word and not just

7:05hearers only. We look to you Lord and we

7:08thank you this morning for what you're

7:10about to do in these next few minutes.

7:12In Jesus name we pray. And everyone said

7:14amen. You may be seated in the presence

7:18of the Lord.

7:25Something powerful about a table.

7:27There's something revealing about a

7:30table. Think about the table that you

7:32sit at on a daily basis, a weekly basis.

7:35Perhaps the table at your home or in a

7:37dormatory somewhere or lunchroom. Who

7:40sits there? Family sits there. Friends

7:43sit there. People you trust sit there.

7:46People you love sit there. Your table

7:49says something about your relationships.

7:52Says something about your priorities.

7:55Now, when we read about tables in the

7:57Bible, I don't want you to picture the

7:59dining room table that you have at home

8:01with four or six chairs that are pushed

8:04underneath it. In the ancient world,

8:06their tables were often low to the

8:08ground. People would recline on the

8:10couches or the cushions. It was recline

8:13and dine. Recline and dine. The master

8:15callth recline and dine.

8:18That's why the Bible can talk about John

8:20leaning on Jesus at supper time. They

8:23weren't sitting upright in dining room

8:25chairs like we do today. But while their

8:28tables may have looked different from

8:30ours, what the table meant hasn't

8:32changed. A table was a place of

8:34fellowship. It's a place of

8:35relationship. It's a place of belonging.

8:38Who you ate with said something about

8:40who you were willing to be associated

8:42with. If you look through scripture,

8:45you'll discover that tables matter to

8:48God. God even ordered a table, created

8:51and crafted a table of showbread to be

8:53prepared for the tabernacle. David said,

8:56"Thou preparest a table before me in the

8:59presence of my enemies." Jesus was

9:02constantly getting in trouble with

9:04religious folk because of who was at his

9:06table. He ate with publicans and

9:09sinners. He went home with Zakius and

9:11ate with him. He sat down at the last

9:13supper with his disciples, even knowing

9:15that Judas would betray him. Peter would

9:17deny him and the rest would scatter. And

9:20when the Bible gives us a glimpse of

9:22where the whole story of the Bible is

9:24headed, Revelation shows us another

9:26table that I'm excited to get to called

9:28the marriage supper of the lamb.

9:32>> From David's table to Jesus's table all

9:34the way to the marriage supper of the

9:36lamb, there's something about our God.

9:38God keeps making room at the table.

9:44That brings me to the question I want to

9:46ask us this morning. Who's at your

9:48table?

9:50>> Because it's so possible to be thankful

9:54that I've got a seat that I forget

9:57there's people that are all around me

9:59who don't know they've got a seat there,

10:01too.

10:02There may not be a better picture of

10:04what I'm describing today anywhere in

10:06the Old Testament than a forgotten,

10:09broken young man named Mphibicheth.

10:12There's a name for some of you young

10:14couples that are having babies or you

10:16want to have babies or ladies, just mark

10:17it down. Mphibicheth

10:21the king. He started looking for

10:23somebody. David said, "Is there yet any

10:25that's left of the house of Saul so that

10:28I can show him the kindness for

10:29Jonathan's sake?" David's the king of

10:31Israel. Now Saul, who chased him, is

10:33dead. The battle's been fought. The

10:35throne has been established. The palace

10:38and everything else belongs to him. And

10:41David asked this strange question. Is

10:44there anybody left of Saul's house that

10:47I can show kindness to? David woke up

10:50looking for somebody to be kind to.

10:54>> Think about that this morning. He wasn't

10:56asking, "I wonder what somebody can do

10:58for me." He wasn't networking. He wasn't

11:00looking for somebody influential. He

11:02wasn't looking for somebody who could

11:04advance his own agenda or his economy or

11:07his kingdom. He was looking for somebody

11:09who needed kindness.

11:12>> Is there anybody that I can show the

11:14kindness of God unto him? I wonder what

11:17it would look like in our daily lives if

11:20we woke up every morning asking that

11:22question. God, is there anybody around

11:25me that I can show kindness to?

11:30four of you. Your lives are going to be

11:31changed this week.

11:35>> Is there anyone you want to love through

11:38me? Is there anybody who needs a meal?

11:41Is there somebody who needs just a cup

11:43of coffee or somebody to listen to them?

11:46Somebody who's lonely? Is there somebody

11:48who's new to the area? Maybe going

11:50through a divorce? Somebody that

11:52everybody else finds difficult? Who can

11:55I show the kindness of God to today?

11:58David went looking. Somebody say he went

12:01looking.

12:03>> I want you to notice that because

12:04Mphibicheth wasn't looking for David.

12:06David was looking for Mphibicheth.

12:09That's a picture of God's grace before

12:12you ever started looking for God. Aren't

12:14you thankful that God came looking for

12:17you? [cheering and screaming]

12:19Romans 5'8, but God commendeth or proved

12:23his love toward us in that while we were

12:26yet sinners, yet undone, yet in the mud,

12:30yet in the pit, Christ died for us.

12:34While we were yet enemies, while we were

12:36separated, while we were lost, Jesus

12:39died for us. And Jesus came walking on

12:42this earth for three years and told his

12:44disciples, "For the son of man has come

12:46to seek and to save that which was

12:49lost." I know we talk a lot about

12:51finding Jesus. But my greater testimony

12:54is this, that Jesus found us. [cheering]

12:58Oh, he came looking and he found me.

13:01When I wasn't even looking for him when

13:03I wasn't even reaching for him, God came

13:07looking for me. Perhaps you had it all

13:09together. But there's some of us in this

13:11house that have got a story. We've got a

13:14testimony of how we were lost and undone

13:17and blind, but now we see cuz he came

13:20looking for me.

13:23Could we just give God praise? If you're

13:25somebody that's been found, if you're

13:28somebody that's been delivered, if

13:30you're somebody that once was blind, but

13:32now you can see, could you just give him

13:34praise right where you're seated at?

13:36[cheering]

13:36>> Hallelujah.

13:40>> [applause]

13:43>> And since we've been found,

13:46>> Jesus sends us looking for somebody

13:49else. That's why this house is full this

13:52morning. The church cannot simply wait

13:54for people to find us.

13:58>> We can't wait around for people to come

14:01find 11570

14:03Mark Twain Lane in Bridton. There are

14:06thousands of people that don't even know

14:07we exist. They don't even know there's a

14:10place of hope for them. They don't even

14:11know there's a place of life. And we've

14:14got to ask David's question. Is there

14:16anybody left?

14:19>> Is there anybody left in my

14:20neighborhood? Is there anybody in my

14:22workplace, in my family? Is there

14:23anybody that I used to go to school

14:25with, I'm connected with on Facebook or

14:27Instagram? Is there anybody at the

14:29restaurant that I visit every week? Is

14:32there anybody sitting beside me at the

14:34ball game? Is there anybody whose name

14:36keeps coming to mind? Is there anybody I

14:39can show the kindness

14:42>> of God to?

14:44>> Not about filling a building. It's about

14:46finding somebody.

14:49>> The person that David went looking for

14:53didn't look like he belonged at the

14:56table.

14:58>> Is there anybody

15:00from Salt Salt House?

15:04The guy who was trying to kill you.

15:06Saul's house.

15:08>> The the the guy who gave you his

15:10daughter to marry, but then whenever he

15:12chased you, rang you out of town, took

15:14his daughter and gave her to somebody.

15:16That's Saul.

15:18>> Is there anybody from Saul's house?

15:22Is there anybody from somebody who

15:25betrayed me? Is there any

15:28David? Are you in your right mind?

15:32David, what happened? What did they stir

15:33in your soup this morning? He said, I'm

15:36looking for something was stirring. This

15:37is why I believe David was a man after

15:40God's own heart. David tapped into

15:42something. I'm still trying to tap into

15:44myself. David said, "I'm looking for

15:47somebody who perhaps doesn't want to be

15:49found.

15:51I'm looking for somebody that people

15:52have written off that says there's

15:54nothing else that can be done with them.

15:57I'm looking for somebody that's not in

15:59this for competition's sake. And says,

16:01"Now that I'm on top, I don't need

16:03anybody else." David said, "I'm looking.

16:05I'm looking for somebody from my enemy's

16:08house.

16:10I'm looking for somebody from Saul's

16:12house." Why, David, you ready for

16:14judgment? Are you ready to press

16:16yourself? You ready to pull your sword

16:18and cut his head off? No. I'm looking to

16:21show kindness.

16:27No, no, no. I want to find people that

16:28are nice to me. I want to find somebody

16:30gave me a good Christmas present. I want

16:32to find somebody that that I enjoy

16:34hanging out with. I just want to find

16:36somebody that's always in my corner and

16:38always the yes lady and always the yes

16:40man in my house. I want to find somebody

16:42that's never done me wrong. I want to

16:44find somebody that's never spoken out

16:45against me. I want to find somebody from

16:47that house. No, no, no. David says, "I'm

16:49looking for somebody from Saul's house.

16:57Yeah,

16:58>> I'm looking for somebody,

17:02>> somebody to show kindness to.

17:05>> Zeba spoke up. Zeba said, "Yeah, yeah,

17:08there's somebody left from Saul's

17:09house." Uh, Jonathan,

17:12David and Jonathan were bosom buddies,

17:15if you will, friends to the end.

17:19Jonathan hath yet a son

17:22which is lame on his feet. Now that's

17:25interesting to me because David asks,

17:28"Is there anybody?" And Zeba answers,

17:30"Yeah, there is one, but he's lame."

17:36It's amazing to me, isn't it, how easy

17:39it is to find a reason why somebody

17:42doesn't fit.

17:45We've got a way of noticing people's

17:48problems before we ever notice their

17:50potential.

17:53>> I asked the question last Sunday,

17:54Bishop, and I'm asking myself as I'm

17:56asking the church, when was the last

17:58time we stopped seeing the best in

18:00people?

18:02>> We look for the worst. We have been

18:04trained to look for something that will

18:07bring division and opposition and and

18:10build walls instead of thinking how

18:12could I build a bridge. David was asking

18:15if anybody was left and Zeba immediately

18:18told him what was wrong with the one who

18:20was. We're so quick to see the limp

18:24before we see the person.

18:27Is there anybody? Yeah, there's

18:29somebody. But they're awkward. Is there

18:31anybody? Yeah, but conversations with

18:33them take forever. Is there anybody?

18:36Yeah, but they're messy. Is there

18:37anybody? Yeah, but we really don't have

18:39anything in common. David didn't ask

18:42what was wrong with them. David asked

18:44where he was.

18:45>> I want to know where is he? Where is he

18:47living? Where is he staying? Where's he

18:49at? I don't care what he's been through

18:51or what he's done or what kind of mess

18:53he's in right now. I want to know where

18:55he's at. in church. Uh we'll finally

18:57become the church of Jesus Christ when

18:59we stop asking about people all their

19:01past and all their issues and all this

19:03stuff that only Jesus can fix and we

19:06start asking where they at. Where they

19:08at? They're still an empty seat. Where

19:11are they at? Where are they located?

19:13Where they living now? Where they

19:15staying now? What house are they in?

19:17What bar? What club? What street? Where

19:20are they at?

19:24>> [screaming]

19:28>> Where

19:31>> didn't God show us that with Adam and

19:33Eve when Adam and Eve disobeyed him

19:36>> and God closed the garden off? But he

19:38sure made a way. But he asked a question

19:40before all of that whenever they sinned

19:41against him. And he came walking in the

19:43cool of the day and he said, "Adam,

19:46>> where art thou?"

19:48>> I love how God starts with that

19:49question. He didn't start with, "What

19:51have you done?

19:55What did you do?

19:58>> Adam, I can't believe you. Eve, get out

20:01here right now. What did you do?

20:04>> No.

20:05>> Where are you?

20:07>> Oh, I feel the Holy Ghost asking

20:09somebody in this house right now.

20:11>> Where are you?

20:13>> He's not trying to call you out to

20:14condemn you. He's not trying to call you

20:16out to embarrass you. He's not trying to

20:18call you out so that he can prove to

20:20everybody how good they are, how bad you

20:23are. He's trying to call you out to draw

20:25him closer to yourself. He's trying to

20:27get us together.

20:30>> That's what our God is doing. He's

20:32trying to get us together. He's trying

20:33to draw closer to us. He said, "If

20:36you'll draw nigh to me, I'll draw nigh

20:38to you. But you got to answer the

20:39question, where are you?"

20:42Amen.

20:44>> And Mphibicheth.

20:46Mphibicheth was in Loar.

20:50>> Loar

20:52place near the Jordan River, meaning no

20:54pasture, barren. In other words, in the

20:58middle of nowhere. Anybody come from a

21:00in the middle of nowhere kind of town?

21:02Anybody ever lived in a middle of

21:04nowhere? Nobody would know that kind of

21:06town. If you told them, they'd be like,

21:07"Yeah, it's actually exists. Just

21:09nobody's heard of it.

21:12Loabar. Nobody vacationed to Loabar.

21:15Nobody moved there to make a name for

21:17themselves. People moved to Loabar to

21:19disappear. People moved to Loabar to get

21:22out of sight. People moved to Loabar

21:25when they considered that their life was

21:26really next to nothing. Loabar was a

21:29wasteland. And those that lived there

21:31considered themselves waste.

21:36That's where Mphibicheth

21:38was living. the grandson of King Saul,

21:43the son of Prince Jonathan,

21:47royalty

21:49in the line, but he's living far away

21:51now from the palace.

21:55I wonder how many people near us have

21:57forgotten, have forgotten who they are

22:02>> and they're living in a wasteland.

22:05They're living in a place where they

22:07think it's nothing and I'm nothing.

22:09They're living in a place where they're

22:11trying to disappear off the face of the

22:14map and you've got to go find them. You

22:16got to find them where they are. This is

22:18a this is a a a search and rescue

22:21mission is what this is. This is a the a

22:24seek and find mission, if you will. This

22:26is people that are playing hiding with

22:28God. They're playing hide and seek,

22:31trying to find their way into a dark

22:33corner somewhere. And that's where the

22:35church has got to be the light to go and

22:37find them

22:39living in Loabar.

22:42And he's crippled. He's lame because

22:46when he was 5 years old, his nurse heard

22:49that Saul and Jonathan had died. And so

22:52she picked him up to flee. Now, I got to

22:54give her credit because she could have

22:56tried to save herself, but she picked up

22:59Mphibichef to try and save him. And in a

23:02frantic panic, I don't know if she

23:04tripped. I don't know if somebody

23:05knocked her down. I don't know how it

23:07happened, but she dropped him, paralyzed

23:10his legs, and now he was living with the

23:14consequences of something that happened

23:16to him when he was a child. Was out of

23:19his hands, but it happened. And now he's

23:23suffering the consequences.

23:25Can I tell you this morning that some

23:27people that you're going to invite to

23:28your table, they've been dropped.

23:33>> They've been dropped by their father.

23:35>> They've been dropped by a mama, by a

23:37spouse, by a friend, somebody they

23:40trusted. And some people have just

23:42learned to live and low the bar because

23:45they've stopped expecting anybody to

23:48come looking for them.

23:50And now they're dealing with trauma from

23:52their past, which is why they're so

23:54defensive sometimes. But you got to keep

23:56looking.

23:59>> Where you at? Come on. I'm looking for

24:01you. And while you're looking, I want

24:03you to remember that maybe God isn't

24:05asking you to fix them. He's just asking

24:07you to find them.

24:10[cheering]

24:10>> Come on, take the pressure off. God

24:12isn't asking you to fix all their

24:14problems. I'm not a savior. You're not a

24:16savior. He's the only savior. He's just

24:18calling us to go look for him. Go find

24:20them. Go make some disciples.

24:25>> And David sent for him. Then King David

24:29sent and fetched him. I love it.

24:31>> I love it. Cuz David didn't say, "Well,

24:34if Mphibicheth ever wants to come, he

24:36got the card in the mailbox."

24:40>> He didn't say, "Well, the palace doors

24:42are always open. He knows where to find

24:43me if he wants to come. I've got

24:46something good for him. So if he wants

24:47some kindness, he knows where I live.

24:49No, David sent somebody. There had to be

24:52somebody willing to obey the king's

24:54command and leave the palace and go to a

24:57wasteland and load the bar and find

25:00somebody who was lonely and lost, who

25:02felt like there was nothing else going

25:04on in their life. We are those people

25:07that have to go and find them.

25:12>> Jesus has already prepared the table.

25:15The question is whether somebody will go

25:17extend the invitation because Romans 10

25:19says, "How then shall they call on him

25:22and whom they've not believed?" How

25:23shall they believe on him and whom

25:25they've not heard? And how shall they

25:27hear without a preacher?

25:30>> Somebody's got to go. Somebody has to

25:31have a call. Somebody's got to text

25:33them. Somebody's got to knock on their

25:35door. Somebody's got to visit them in

25:36the hospital. Somebody's got to say,

25:38"Come sit with me at my table.

25:43Amen.

25:45>> I think sometimes our problem isn't that

25:47we don't care about lost people. I

25:51believe with all my heart we care about

25:53people who are lost.

25:56We just expect lost people to make the

25:58first move.

26:02>> It's one thing to care about their

26:04condition and care where they're at, but

26:07faith

26:09faith has got to get in your foot.

26:14Faith has got to it's got to move from

26:16our mouth to I believe and I love it's

26:19got to get down like James said into

26:22action. It's got to get down until your

26:23foot and faith will cause you to take a

26:26step closer to where they are.

26:30>> David sent for Mphibicheth.

26:34>> He sent him to be a part of his life.

26:37Now I'm excited about Friends Day. Man,

26:39it's one of our biggest days of the

26:40year. We're always going to do it. We're

26:42going to make it big and we're going to

26:43invite people to come. But I won't want

26:45I don't want you to misunderstand what

26:46we're doing here at New Life. We're not

26:48just an eventdriven church. We have

26:50friends day. But I want you to see what

26:52David did. David invited him not to an

26:55event. David invited him to his life.

27:00>> The people that we are inviting into

27:01this house that are here right now

27:03sitting on your row in your section in

27:05the balcony and on the floor. We are

27:07inviting each other into our lives. I

27:09know sometimes it's uncomfortable

27:11because you got to be transparent. You

27:13got to be real with one another. You got

27:15to love one another in spite of our

27:17differences and personality quirks. You

27:19got to love. But we're inviting people

27:21to our life, not just to an event. We're

27:23saying, "We want you to sit

27:26>> at our table."

27:30>> So they went and got Mphibicheth. And

27:32Mphibicheth came. He was afraid

27:36>> of the king.

27:41He was afraid. He was afraid. Like like

27:45like some people that walk into this

27:46church,

27:48you're losing your mind because you know

27:49the Lord is good and you're dancing on

27:51people's toes and shouting like pastor

27:52is and we're running back and forth. And

27:54some people are looking that and they're

27:55afraid.

27:58>> Some people are afraid of what they

28:00feel.

28:02>> Some people are afraid of what they see.

28:04I want you to imagine this incredible

28:06moment because let's just pretend that

28:08you're Mphibicheth and and you come

28:10before this incredible King David. Now,

28:14you're Saul's grandson. You are

28:15Jonathan's son. And this new king sends

28:20soldiers to your house and says, "King

28:23David wants to see you."

28:27>> Now, he's probably thinking, "This is

28:29it.

28:29>> He found me. I tried to find the the

28:32most perfect hiding spot in Low Debar,

28:34but they found me. Cuz in the ancient

28:38world, a new dynasty would eliminate

28:40potential rivals to the throne. That's

28:43why the nurse was running away trying to

28:45save Mphibicheth.

28:47>> Mphibicheth doesn't know he's being

28:49summoned to receive kindness. Maybe he

28:52thinks he's being submit for judgment.

28:54And when he arrives, he falls down, the

28:56Bible says, before David. But I want you

28:58to listen to what the first thing that

29:01David says is. He calls him by name

29:04Mphibicheth. And then he says, "Fear

29:07not.

29:09>> Don't be afraid.

29:11We ought to live in such a way that

29:14broken people aren't afraid to come near

29:17us.

29:19We're not holier than thou. Fear not.

29:23I've been there. I've been lost myself.

29:26I've needed a whole lot of grace. In

29:27fact, I woke up this morning needing

29:30more grace. Fear not. We're not here to

29:32condemn you, rub rub your nose in what

29:35you've done wrong, or point a finger at

29:37you or kick you to the curb. Fear not,

29:40cuz the same God who loved me is the

29:42same God who loves you. Fear not. The

29:45same blood that was applied to my

29:46iniquity and my sin is the same blood

29:48that can cover your iniquity and yours.

29:51Fear not. I didn't know everything.

29:53Still don't know everything. You don't

29:55have to know everything to be a part of

29:57my table. Fear not.

30:00>> I just want to show kindness to you. The

30:02Bible says it's the goodness of God that

30:05leads us to repentance. You don't have

30:07to twist somebody's arm. You don't have

30:09to jerk them down to the altar and try

30:11to reach their hands up in the air and

30:13put your hand underneath their chin

30:14trying to get them to say something. You

30:17show them kindness. You show them

30:19goodness and watch their heart open up

30:21to the love of God. You watch him say,

30:24"I've never felt anything like this

30:26before. I have never felt such kindness,

30:28such love, such goodness." And you watch

30:30Jesus get to the heart where you or I

30:33never could. Watch the kindness of God.

30:36[cheering]

30:40>> I want people to be comfortable around

30:42me. I want them to come and sit at my

30:44table. Because if the only people

30:46comfortable around me are people who

30:48already look and act and believe exactly

30:51what I believe, something is wrong.

30:57>> Sinners

30:59were comfortable enough to eat with

31:01Jesus without Jesus compromising truth.

31:07>> Now, that's an important tension that we

31:10need to learn to live with.

31:12Jesus could be completely holy

31:15>> and completely approachable at the same

31:17time.

31:18>> Oh God, I'm going to bump up against

31:20some religious idiocracy right now.

31:25>> That says, you know, in order, pastor,

31:26for me to help them feel comfortable, I

31:29got to let down some things.

31:31>> I know I'm on pastor, I'm going to step

31:33into it already. Jesus never once had to

31:36back down on truth of what he said. He

31:38had disciples walk away from him. And

31:40the Bible says they never walked with

31:41him anymore. And he looked at the close

31:43ones and said, "Will you also lead me?"

31:45So Jesus wasn't afraid of standing for

31:47truth and standing for his convictions

31:49and standing for the kingdom of God. But

31:51he also was approachable. He also had a

31:54place where his face showed where he

31:56loved people. His actions showed to

31:58where even the children said, "I like

32:00this guy. I want to be close to him."

32:02And disciples said, "Get back. It's only

32:04of the adults." He said, "Suffer the

32:05little children and forbid them not for

32:07such as the kingdom of heaven." Jesus

32:10was a man that people could be

32:11comfortable around.

32:14[cheering and applause]

32:16>> Oh, help me, Lord. I'm really I know I'm

32:18sticking my nose in a business where I

32:20perhaps may not need to go, but some of

32:22you have co-workers you work with, but

32:24they look at you because of the way you

32:26gossip and the way that you talk and the

32:28way that you've distanced yourself. You

32:30can be apostolic. You can be holy and

32:33kind [cheering]

32:37and gracious and open the door for

32:40people and do work that you didn't want

32:43to do, but as you're doing it unto the

32:45Lord, you're going to do it anyhow.

32:48>> You can be holy and apostolic and stand

32:50for truth and generous and kind and

32:54compassion. It's not either or. It's

32:56both. And why? Because he lives on the

32:59inside of me. And I've been shown that

33:02same kindness.

33:04[cheering]

33:07>> Jesus never compromised truth to make

33:09sinners comfortable. But somehow sinners

33:13knew he cared for them.

33:17David gave Mphibicheth something that he

33:20could never earn.

33:22David said, "I will surely show thee

33:24kindness for Jonathan, thy father's

33:27sake."

33:28I love that because in other words,

33:30David say, "I'm doing this because of

33:34Jonathan."

33:36David understood. Listen now, David had

33:39such a humility. He realized he didn't

33:43get a seat at the table on his own.

33:47>> He didn't get a seat at the table just

33:49because he had killed so many

33:51Philistines.

33:54>> Saul has slain his thousands. David is

33:56tens of thousands. David had slain some

33:58Philistines and that got him driven out

34:01of Israel.

34:03>> Saul went to chasing after him. He

34:05didn't get at this table simply because

34:06he was a good warrior. He didn't get at

34:09this table simply because he was

34:11talented in writing music. He didn't get

34:13at this table. He got at this table

34:14because there was somebody like Jonathan

34:16who was willing to humble himself

34:18>> and say, "I'm not in this for

34:20competition.

34:21I see something in you, David, and I

34:23want you to come sit at the table." In

34:25fact, when Saul when Saul was trying to

34:28pin David against the wall with the

34:30spear, Jonathan got so angry about it,

34:32he had to leave the table. He said, "I'm

34:34not going to be a part of that kind of

34:36spirit. I'm not going to be a part. I

34:38wonder what table you need to leave.

34:40[cheering]

34:44>> We're not going to tear people down.

34:46We're not going to talk about them that

34:47way. We're not going to chase them down

34:49and try to pin them against the wall

34:51because we don't like them or because

34:52they're doing something better than us

34:54or because they're doing something that

34:56we don't care about. No. I David

34:58understood that he got to this table. He

35:01got a seat at the table because of

35:03Jonathan.

35:08>> Jonathan

35:10who is next in line humbled himself and

35:13let David step into the light.

35:16That kind of reminds me of the gospel.

35:19Philippians 2 says, "But Jesus made of

35:22himself of no reputation,

35:24he took upon the form of a servant, was

35:27made in the likeness of men, and being

35:31found in fashion as a man, he humbled

35:34himself.

35:36He became obedient unto death, even the

35:38death of the cross." And Ephesians

35:40chapter 2 says, "Wherefore God has

35:41highly exalted him and God has raised us

35:44up together rather to sit in heavenly

35:48places

35:49>> with Christ Jesus. I don't sit at God's

35:53table because I earned my seat. I I'm

35:56not here because I was good enough,

35:58>> cuz I got enough gold stars, made enough

36:01good grades that finally I'm here. I'm

36:04not here in God's kingdom because of my

36:06e my economical prowess or because I've

36:09got it all together because of my

36:10education. No, I don't sit here because

36:13I have a perfect pass. I don't sit here

36:15because I've never failed. I'm here

36:17because of Jesus. Ephesians 2 says, "For

36:20by grace are you saved through faith and

36:23that not of yourselves, it's the gift of

36:25God, lest any man should boast." I

36:28realize that I'm here today because of

36:30the goodness of Jesus Christ. And so I'm

36:33not become a gatekeeper to who can sit

36:36at the table and can't sit at the table.

36:38I'm just an ambassador to say I'm here

36:41by the grace of God. Now you can be here

36:44by the grace of God. I got here by the

36:46kindness of God. You can get here by the

36:49kindness of God. I don't have it all

36:51together. You don't have to have it all

36:53together. Just sit down at his table and

36:56enjoy the goodness of God. [cheering]

37:00[applause]

37:06Hey,

37:07somebody else's righteousness opened the

37:10door for me. Somebody else's blood

37:12purchased redemption for me. Somebody

37:15else's sacrifice gave me access. I'm at

37:18the table because of Jesus. It's the

37:21only reason anybody can sit at the

37:24table.

37:26[applause]

37:28because of Jesus. Would you lift your

37:31hands to the Lord right now and tell him

37:33thank you that you're at his table

37:36because of his sacrifice, because of his

37:38blood? Come on. Would you let him know

37:40I'm thankful? I'm grateful, Lord. I know

37:42I don't deserve to be here, but thank

37:44you.

37:56Shak.

37:59Hallelujah.

38:04[laughter]

38:13>> You know what David said? David said,

38:15"You can come eat at my table and you're

38:18going to eat there continually."

38:22>> He didn't say, "You're going to come

38:23here for a Thursday afternoon lunch."

38:26He didn't say, "I'm just going to bring

38:27you to a Sunday brunch." He said, "I

38:29want you to sit at this table and you

38:31can eat here continually." David wasn't

38:34giving Mphibicheth a meal. He was giving

38:37him a place in his life. Anybody can be

38:40compassionate for an hour. Anybody can

38:42serve somebody a Thanksgiving meal.

38:44Anybody can hand somebody $20 at a

38:47stoplight. But biblical hospitality says

38:50there's room in my life for you.

38:54>> [cheering]

38:55>> Oh God, help us right now. As for Mashiv

38:58Mphibicheth, he says, "He shall eat at

39:01my table continually as one of the

39:04king's sons." He's not going to sit here

39:06and we're all going to stare at him and

39:08try to remind him with our glances of

39:10where he came from. We're not going to

39:12stare him down and make him think like

39:14he's less than everybody else that's got

39:16their feet at this table. No. When he

39:18sits here, it's continually. I want you

39:20to come sit and laugh with us. I want

39:23you to come sit and talk with us and

39:25recline with us. I want to spend and

39:27share my life with you.

39:32>> Come on. Aren't you thankful that Jesus

39:34didn't invite you to an altar one time

39:36and say, "Wasn't that good? Hope you

39:38enjoy the rest of your life." Aren't you

39:40thankful that you didn't get up from

39:41this water and go, "Wow, what a pure,

39:43powerful experience." And Jesus walk

39:45away and say, "You're welcome. See you

39:47later." Aren't you thankful that Jesus

39:48said, "No, I'm coming into you and I'm

39:51you're going to be in me and we're going

39:52to share our life together." Jesus said,

39:54"Come on, pull up a chair and sit at my

39:57table."

39:59Oh, every morning I get up, I come to

40:01this table. I know I don't deserve to be

40:03there. It's only by the grace of God.

40:05That's why I wake up grateful and

40:06thankful and humble because I know it's

40:09only by his goodness and his kindness

40:11that I'm here today. [cheering]

40:23Come on, gentlemen. Just because we got

40:25our coats on doesn't mean that we

40:26deserve a place at this table. I want

40:28you to remember Jesus gave up his coat

40:30at the cross.

40:33Jesus gave up his coat at the cross.

40:35They gambled over it so that somebody

40:37could take it home with them. Jesus was

40:39always giving. Jesus was saying, "I'm

40:41not about the I'm about to give it to

40:43you. I'm about to give it to you. I want

40:45you to wear that. I want you to put that

40:46on. I want you to have that. Jesus said,

40:49I want you to sit at my table. How could

40:51I be any less? I don't care where you've

40:53come from or who you are. You're welcome

40:56at the table.

41:00>> Hallelujah.

41:03>> I'm almost done. You all right? I'm

41:04almost done. Mphibicheth.

41:09He sat at the table. And I want you to

41:12know this that his condition

41:14was lame in both of his feet.

41:17>> His condition

41:19>> didn't determine his position.

41:24>> You we just read an entire chapter in 2

41:26Samuel chapter 9:es 1-3.

41:29>> And the chapter ends stating something

41:32it already told us in the story. It

41:35says, "And he was laying on both his

41:39feet." We already know that the story

41:42already told us that.

41:44Why did the Holy Spirit inspire the

41:46writer Samuel to put this back in?

41:51He was lame on both feet.

41:55Zeba had already introduced him as

41:57Jonathan's son. Remember, he's lame in

41:59both feet.

42:00Why would he tell us that again?

42:06Because David's kindness

42:08didn't change everything about

42:10Mphibicheth's condition.

42:12He was still lame.

42:15He still carried the consequences of

42:16being dropped as a child. He still had a

42:19past. He still had limitations.

42:22>> But something's changed.

42:26He's lame on his feet. But by verse 11,

42:30the Bible says, "As for Mphibicheth, he

42:33shall eat at my table as one of the

42:37king's sons."

42:40>> His condition had not changed, but his

42:44position had.

42:47>> His feet were still lame, but his place

42:52had changed.

42:54The scars of his past were real.

42:57>> But now he had a seat at the king's

43:00table.

43:01>> He had been dropped, but what happened

43:04to him no longer determined where he

43:06belonged.

43:08>> He belonged at the king's table.

43:14>> Somebody, I need you to hear this today.

43:15Because grace doesn't mean that you

43:17suddenly have no history. It doesn't

43:19mean the consequences of every decision

43:21disappear. It doesn't mean that you

43:22don't have scars and it doesn't mean

43:24that you forget what happened to you.

43:26But what it does mean is that your past

43:30no longer gets the final word about who

43:33you are.

43:37[cheering and applause]

43:40>> When you are brought into his family at

43:42his table,

43:45>> your worst moment

43:47doesn't get to name you anymore.

43:51Your addiction doesn't get to name you

43:54anymore.

43:56>> Your failure doesn't get to define you

43:59anymore.

44:00>> Your divorce doesn't get to name you

44:02anymore. Not at his table. Your wounds

44:05don't get to name you anymore. Your past

44:09doesn't get to name you anymore. The

44:10king, and only the king, gets to name

44:14you.

44:17And the king says, "You belong here."

44:23>> That's the power of the table.

44:26>> That's the power of the table.

44:28>> Mphibicheth,

44:30he didn't have to stop being lame before

44:33David gave him a place. We've got to

44:36stop waiting for people

44:39>> to fit our criteria

44:42>> before we invite them to our table.

44:46Come hurt. Come with a cigarette between

44:49your fingers,

44:51>> but come to the table.

44:55>> Come broken,

44:57come wounded,

44:59>> but come sit at my table.

45:02>> Come be a part of my life.

45:06>> Let me introduce you to somebody

45:09who gave me a place at his table.

45:13Jesus,

45:15what are you doing? I'm allowing people

45:19at my table.

45:22And many publicans and sinners, Matthew

45:249 says, came and sat down with Jesus and

45:30his disciples.

45:32Jesus, do you know [snorts] who's at

45:35your table?

45:38Do you know who you're sitting with?

45:42Do you know who's washing your feet

45:44right now? Do you know who's worshiping

45:47you in the altar?

45:49Come on. Do you know who came to life

45:51group me? Do you know that person?

45:55And Jesus answered,

45:57"They that be whole,

45:59don't need a physician."

46:02Those

46:06that are already perfect, as if there

46:09was such a thing, don't need Jesus.

46:14>> Those that are whole, you don't need to

46:17go to the doctor. But they that are

46:19sick.

46:21Pharisees wanted a table full of people

46:23that looked like them, smelled like

46:25them, acted like them. And it was all

46:27pretense because Jesus looked at the

46:29Pharisees and said, "You're just whited

46:31supplers full of dead men's bones.

46:33That's all that you are. You're making

46:34people twice as worse."

46:38Jesus just kept pulling up chairs for

46:40broken people. Zakius,

46:44Mary,

46:45Matthew, sinners, people with

46:48reputations.

46:51And Jesus said, "The kingdom suffereth

46:54violence,

46:56and the violent take it by force."

47:01You know what that means?

47:03Jesus was talking about those tax

47:05collectors and sinners that were

47:08pressing their way into the kingdom.

47:11>> Why? Because they had an invitation

47:14to the scene.

47:17And you and I have the greatest

47:19opportunity in the world to invite

47:22somebody

47:24to sit at our table. Come on,

47:28come sit with me. Revelation says, "The

47:31spirit,

47:33big S, that's his spirit." The spirit

47:36and the bride. Say, "That's me."