When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. David said, "Mephibosheth!" "Your servant," he replied. "Don't be afraid," David said to him, "for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table." Mephibosheth bowed down and said, "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?" (2 Samuel 9:6-8 NIV)

David remembered his covenant with Jonathan. Though he was in a position of power and needed to answer to none, he knew he must answer to God. David asked a former servant of Saul if there were any of Saul¦s family left. Only Mephibpsheth the son of Jonathan survived. He was crippled in both feet. Mephibosheth came fearing for his life, but David only wanted to bless him. He restored all the land that belonged to Saul and appointed the servant of Saul and the servant¦s family to care for him. He also gave him a place at his table. That meant he would always eat the best and have fellowship with the King¦s family. Mephibosheth was shocked. Who am I that you would notice a dead dog like me?

We are a lot like Mephibosheth. We are really powerless to do much. We are lame in our own way. Our family (mankind) sought his life. Though Jesus is anointed King, like David, we served another. Our family lost the conflict but He still loves us and keeps his covenant toward us. He only seeks to do us good. He calls us to come before Him and we tremble as if He would destroy us. He says, §Fear not. I will surely show you kindness for the sake of the father of the faithful Abraham¦s sake, and his seed Christ Jesus. From now on, eat at my table. Have fellowship with His family and eat the Word provided for you.

Evening

Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." (Mark 2:4-5 NIV)

Jesus spent time out in the wilderness areas so that He could minister to those who had desperate needs. They are the ones that would make the journey out to meet with Him. One return visit to Capernaum, the crowd was so thick that some men broke open the roof to lower their paralyzed friend down to Jesus, who was teaching inside.

Jesus saw the faith of this man¦s friends and told him his sins were forgiven. Immediately Jesus sensed the religious leaders unbelief in His ability to forgive. Sins are offenses against God. Only the one offended has the right to forgive. To help the crowd understand that He had the power to forgive, He asked them which was easier, to forgive sins, or to say to a paralyzed man, §Stand and walk¨? Then He declared that it was so they would know He had power to forgive sins that He told the man to rise and walk.

I can imagine the sense of anticipation in the room. The crowd had probably seen this man for years, lying on his mat. Then the wonder of him getting up must have put them in total awe. The passage says they were amazed and praised God. Now they had to face a religious paradigm shift. They had looked to sacrifices, all their lives, as the means to God¦s forgiveness. The man standing before them says it is in His power to forgive, making them right with God. When Jesus shows up in our life, a lot of our theology goes out the window, and we realize it is all about Him. He has the authority to make me right with God. He is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. I need only come to Him in faith. I hope this encourages you to take others to Him in faith. When He sees your faith in what He can do for your friend, He will forgive them, too.