Lesson 19

background notes

doctrinal points
1.  Forgiveness and restoration are provided for all in salvation.

2.  Believing and receiving are all that is required for salvation.

practical application
Praise the Lord! Our crippled feet are covered forever.

questions

1.   Read 1 Samuel 20:14-17.  What was the covenant that David made with Jonathan?
2.   What was the standard practice when a new king came into power?
3.   How is the fallen dynasty of Saul a picture of fallen mankind?
4.   Who took the initiative in the relationship between Mephibosheth and David? 
   

answers

1.   David promised to show the kindness of the Lord to Jonathan and to his descendants.
2.   The new king would quickly put to death all descendants of the former king to eliminate any possible rival threats to the throne.  The best the descendants could hope for was exile.
3.   Man was created by God and given a kingly position in God’s creation.  But, like Saul, man turned away from the Lord in disobedience and fell from his royal position into sin.
4.   David took the initiative in searching out Mephibosheth.  Perhaps Mephibosheth’s attitude had been that David was someone to fear and hide from so as to avoid confrontation.  Likewise, as members of the fallen human race we were not seeking God.  Now we have come to know the love and compassion of the King (Luke 19:10 and Colossians 1:21-22).

 
 
discuss\ consider
1.  Review the story of Mephibosheth as a picture of the undeserving mercy and over-whelming grace which God has shown us.  What part of this story means the most to you?  For more information check out the Devotion for Growing Christians entitled “Mephibosheth and Me” at our website, www.growingchristians.org/dfgc

2.  Discuss the many ways that people try to earn their salvation.  Mephibosheth’s lameness and his position in Saul’s family illustrate our extreme unworthiness before the King.  Yet God reaches out to us with salvation; all we must do is believe and receive.

challenge
Our crippled condition because our sin has been covered by God’s grace and will be remembered no more.  Read Ephesians 2:6-7 aloud in praise to the Lord.

 

memorize

“I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died today, then it would have pleased you well.”  2 Samuel 19:6

“Do not let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember what wrong your servant did on the day that my lord the king left Jerusalem, that the king should take it to heart.”  2 Samuel 19:19