Sermon 2 Samuel 4:4 “Broken Ankle”
New Covenant Church
August 12, 2018
I will begin this morning by thanking Paul Wilbanks for filling this pulpit for the last two weeks. Two weeks ago I was on vacation and Paul had several weeks to prepare. Last week he found out that I had broken my ankle and stepped in on real short notice. So, thank you, Paul. Let’s pray.
“Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)
On the first day of August, I was preparing to come back to work after a short vacation. I had accompanied Grace to New York City. While Grace attended a conference, I engaged in some urban hiking. I visited the grand churches of 5th avenue. And I spent some quality time in Central Park. But now I had to get back to work because there was so much to do. I had to pastor this church and with all the people in and out of hospitals and recovering from surgery I had a lot of visits and calls to make. I had to continue to develop my sermon series on Ephesians. I had to support the Pastor Search Committee as they loaded our Ministry Information Form on Church Leadership Connections. I had to support the Sanctuary Committee as we approach the Ignite Committee of New Castle Presbytery for a grant. I had to support the Education Committee launch youth activities. And I had to prepare for September when we will launch Believe, Living the Story of the Bible to become like Jesus and coordinate what we do in worship with what we do in Christian Education for all ages. So as you can see my plate was full.
So on Wednesday morning, August 1, I was rushing around getting ready to come to church. I fixed my regular bowl of cereal and some coffee and when out on the patio to eat breakfast. Then I remembered that I had left my phone next to my recliner. So I went back into the kitchen to fetch it. When I stepped up onto the kitchen floor my right foot slipped and I fell. I couldn’t get up so I called for Grace. And then made my way, painfully to the living room couch.
Later that afternoon I was scheduled for an appointment with my doctor for an ordinary check-up. I went to the doctor in a wheelchair. And after looking at some x rays he said that I had broken my ankle. Thankfully it was a simple fracture that requires no surgery. But I have to keep weight off the leg, keep it elevated, and keep ice on it. The orthopedic surgeon gave me a boot and said that ankle should heal in six to eight weeks.
So, for that last 12 days, I have had plenty of time to think about what God is up to. I remembered Psalm 121, “(the Lord) will not let your foot slip. And for all my life God has protected me from serious falls. But last week God let my foot slip. Why? And I was confident that Jesus will heal my ankle. In Mark 2 he healed a paralytic instantly. But in my case, his healing will take 6-8 weeks. Why?
Then I remembered the date of my fall, August 1. August 1 was the eleventh anniversary of my beginning pastoral ministry. Four months before my ordination in 2007 I became the Student Pastor of Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles on August 1. So the first of August was a significant date, in my life.
August 1 is also important because as a pastor I usually take some time off in August. And I had planned to take some time off in August this year to, but I was just too busy. Not only did I have to pastor this church, but I also had to moderate New Castle Presbytery through a time of transition with a Pastor Retreat coming up next month and new Tech Committee I am trying to form. And Grace needs my help with her new ministry in Delaware City. So I was too busy to take time off this month.
But God had other plans. God wanted me to rest. A Sabbath rest is not optional. It is the way the world was created. So God gave me a rest whether I wanted it or not. God gave me 6-8 weeks of Sabbath rest with a broken ankle. And so I have actually been richly blessed.
Let’s turn now to the scripture I have for you this day.
2 Samuel 4:4 (Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became disabled. His name was Mephibosheth.)
Mephibosheth was born in the lap of luxury and power. His grandfather was the great King Saul of Israel. And one day Mephibosheth was destined to serve as king. But his grandfather and father were killed in battle. And with the death of Saul, Mephibosheth’s destiny changed. He was just five years old. His nanny picked him to flee the palace, but in the confusion that followed the nanny dropped him and he broke both of his ankles. Sadly, Mephibosheth’s ankles never healed right and he was lame for life.
King Saul was succeeded by King David. And after consolidating his power David asked to speak with Ziba, King Saul primary servant. He asked Ziba if there were any of the children or grandchildren of Saul left alive. Ordinarily, in ancient times, a new king would kill everyone from the previous dynasty. But not David. He showed kindness toward the children of Saul. So Mephibosheth, with his broken ankles, was summoned to Jerusalem. His ancestral land was returned to him. Ziba became his chief steward. But highest honor Mephibosheth received was to eat at the same table every day with King David.
David could have killed Mephibosheth. But he didn’t. Rather David returned Mephibosheth’s wealth and honor. Why did do this? It was an act of grace born out of love.
This is how our God treats us. God could kill us for what we have done. But God forgives us and restores to us our status as his children.
Years later David’s son Absalom launched a civil war. David left Jerusalem with his army to fight Absalom in the wilderness. Ziba, Mephibosheth’s steward, came to David with donkeys full of provisions for the army. But there was no Mephibosheth. Ziba told David that Mephibosheth had remained in Jerusalem to try to re-establish his grandfather’s kingdom. David was so angry he gave all of Mephibosheth’s land to Ziba.
But when the battle was over and the victorious King David was returning to Jerusalem he was greeted by Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth had not cared for his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes. And David asked him why he had stayed behind. He replied that he had asked Ziba to prepare a donkey for him, but Ziba betrayed him and left him behind. Now David was angry at Ziba for lying, but Mephibosheth asked David to forgive him and let him keep the property. All Mephibosheth wanted was to continue eating at David’s table.
What do we learn from all this? When God shows grace, forgiveness, love, and compassion to someone that person becomes gracious, forgiving, loving and compassionate people. So too with us. God has been gracious and compassionate toward us, forgiving and loving. And now we become a people who graciously and compassionately love and forgive others.
Years later there was a great famine in Israel. David asked the Lord about this. And God told David that the famine was punishment for a massacre of Gibeonites at the hand of King Saul. So David approached the Gibeonites to ask what should be done. They wanted to avenge the massacre by killing all of the descendants of King Saul that remained. The only exception was Mephibosheth. David insisted that his life be spared because of the promise David had made to Mephibosheth’s father Jonathan. And so Mephibosheth’s life was spared.
God loves us and forgives us. God wants us to love and forgive other just as he loves and forgives us. And when we do all this, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, God promises us eternal life. God used a man with two broken ankles to show us the power of gracious and compassionate love and forgiveness.
And God showed me that a broken ankle was the consequence of being too busy. So God has given me rest for the month of August. I plan to be here on Sundays because being in church will help the healing. But I won’t have office hours and I won’t be visiting you. I will be praying and I ask you for your continued prayers. Let’s pray.
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