Tuesday is Two Days after Sunday

I’m going to start trying to write a little something mid-week about the sermon(s) I hear on Sunday.  I have a tendency to hear the sermon, remember it long enough to talk about it with the children on our drive, and then promptly leave it behind.  I’m hoping that revisiting it a couple of days later that I’ll re-present to myself the truths I heard and so practice what ought to be practice or understand what ought to be understood. I want to re-member.

I don’t want these posts to be a “review” of the sermon(s) I hear.  I don’t plan to evaluate them or judge the style in any way.  I do plan to link the sermon from the web whenever available.

Church: Grace Coastal Church
Pastor: Sam Joyner
Title: The Kindness of God
Passage: II Samuel 9:1-13

As we were traveling home from vacation on Sunday, we stopped to visit Grace Coastal Church.  Pastor Joyner taught on the passage where David deliberately sought out any of Saul’s family still living.  Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, was found at Lo-debar.  Pastor Joyner translated Lo-debar as “Place of Desert/Wilderness.” Mephibosheth is brought to King David’s palace, his property restored, his seat at the king’s table assured.  David showed extraordinary, super-natural kindness to Mephibosheth because of his covenant relationship with Jonathan.

Jesus came and sought his people in the wilderness.  He restores them to their inheritance; they are seated at his table forever.  He shows God’s lovingkindness; that extraordinary, super-natural kindness full of grace and mercy.

As Christians, we have these examples to teach us to pursue an active kindness.  Instead of a passive “let me know if you need anything” conditional kindness, we should follow David and Jesus’ example to determine what is needed and act.  And, we need to be careful to act somewhat indiscriminately … we should act this way to our enemies as well as our friends … and we should give in greater measure than we think is necessary.

This caused me to think about how I can actively be kind to those around me; particularly my husband and children.  Then those in my neighborhood and church.

This sermon gave me much to consider, repent of, and strive to do better.