The Voice of an Empty Seat by Pastor Josh Payne

[upbeat music] If not, when I get ready to read it, it'll be on the screen, but 2 Samuel, Chapter 9.

One of the most beautiful stories in all of scripture.

It's a story of a man living in obscurity, carrying the wounds of yesterday and convinced his story was over.

But while he thought he had been forgotten, God was setting something in motion.

Please hear me today.

There are moments when Heaven starts looking for someone that nobody else is looking for.

Yes.

And when God starts searching, He has a way of finding people in places they never expected to be found.

Right.

Max Lucado writes it like this.

He said, "King David's life couldn't be better.

Just crowned, his palace smells like fresh paint, and his city architect is laying out new neighborhoods.

God's Ark indwells the tabernacle, gold and silver are overflowing the king's coffers.

Israel's enemies maintain their distance.

The days of running and hiding from Saul are a distant memory, but something stirs in the spirit of David.

In the midst of his new life, David remembers a promise from his old one.

'Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?' Confusion furrows the faces of David's court.

Why bother with the children of Saul? This is a new era, a new administration.

Who cares about the old guard? David does, because he remembers the covenant he made with Jonathan.

When Saul threatened to kill Jonathan, when Saul threatened to kill David, Jonathan sought to save him and Jonathan succeeded and made this request.

He said, 'If I make it through this alive, continue to be my covenant friend.

And if I die, keep the covenant friendship with my family forever.' And now David hears the echoes of that moment.

So some advisors summon a man by the name of Ziba, a former servant of Saul, and they, they presented a question to him, 'Do you know any...

Do you know of any surviving members of Saul's household?' And Ziba answers, 'Yes, one of Jonathan's sons is still alive.'" But listen to how he describes him.

Not by his name, not by his heritage, not by his potential.

He describes him by his condition.

He has a son, but he's crippled in both feet.

And that's the same thing the world and the enemy does.

They reduce people to their weaknesses.

They label them by their condition, and their struggle, and their wounds, and their battles, and...

But I thank God that when Heaven starts looking for me, God doesn't see me the way that everybody else sees me.

[congregation applauding] Somebody needs to rejoice right now.

People see your condition.

God sees the covenant.

People seize your pain.

God sees your purpose.

People see what happened to you.

God sees what He promised over you.

And while Ziba saw a crippled man, David saw a covenant waiting to be fulfilled.

And Mephibosheth is living in an inhospitable village called Lo-debar.

The name means without pastor.

Mephibosheth was hiding there until the king sends for him.

And we pick it up 2 Samuel Chapter 9, Verses 5 through 7.

"Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.

Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage.

And David said, 'Mephibosheth?' And he answered, 'Behold, I am your servant.' David said to him, 'Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father, Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul, your father.'" Watch this.

"'And you shall eat at my table always.'" [congregation applauding] Let, let, let me go ahead and, and set the theme for this sermon today.

The gospel is more than a story of people finding their way to the king.

It's the story of a king who goes looking for the forgotten, and the wounded, and the overlooked until every seat that grace has prepared is filled.

[congregation applauding] So I'ma, I'ma, I'ma talk to you for a little while on this topic today, the voice of an empty seat.

The voice of an empty seat.

God, I need you today.

I need your power.

I need your presence.

God, thank you.

Thank you for loving us despite our issues, and our conditions, and our circumstances, God.

Thank you for giving us a place at your table.

God, let this word find good ground.

Let it produce in our lives.

In Jesus' name we pray.

Somebody shout amen.

Amen.

Give the Lord one more hand clap of praise.

You may be seated this morning.