2 Samuel 9:10-11 (NKJV) You therefore, and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s son shall eat bread at my table always.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will your servant do.” “As for Mephibosheth,” said the king, “he shall eat at my table like one of the king’s sons.”
The Bible reveals to us on two occasions how God’s children are treated in the family. One is the parable of the prodigal son, and the other is King David’s treatment of Mephibosheth after the death of Jonathan. Because of his covenant with Jonathan, King David treated Mephibosheth as one of his sons. Similarly, we are in covenant relationship with God through the blood of Jesus, and as His children, we also have certain rights, privileges, and abilities.
David is a type of Christ who redeems, restores, and returns us to our Father’s table in peace. Typically, every new king who ascended to the throne after victory over his enemies would kill all the previous king’s descendants to safeguard himself from revolts. Instead of killing Mephibosheth, however, King David showed forth the kindness and graciousness of God. He went the extra mile to honour the covenant relationship with Jonathan by adopting and treating Mephibosheth as one of his sons by allowing him to dine at His table with his other sons daily. If King David, being an earthly king, was able to show forth the kindness of God and honour the covenant, how much more would God treat us as sons and daughters through the blood covenant! We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. That’s the entitlement of sonship!
Jesus came to restore our relationship with God and gave us the right to become children of God. He wants us to behave like children in God’s kingdom, knowing our rights and privileges. This position of sonship has been sealed with the Holy Spirit in our hearts and is irrevocable.
Have you taken time lately to have a heart-to-heart talk with your Heavenly Father, and jot down the words that rise from your heart when the Holy Spirit speaks to you? He wants to speak to you, affirm His love for you and comfort you, but are you listening as a child of the Heavenly Father, or as a defendant in the courtroom or a slave in the master’s house? As a child of the living God, we should dwell in the house of the Heavenly Father and enjoy His presence.
Psalm 27:4 (NKJV) One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.
Sermon Series: Sonship
你如何看待神
撒母耳记下9:10-11你和你的众子、仆人要为你主人的儿子米非波设耕种田地，把所产的拿来供他食用；他却要常与我同席吃饭。」洗巴有十五个儿子，二十个仆人。 11洗巴对王说：「凡我主我王吩咐仆人的，仆人都必遵行。」王又说：「米非波设必与我同席吃饭，如王的儿子一样。」
圣经有两处向我们揭示了神的孩子在家庭里是如何被对待。一个是浪子的比喻，另一个是在约拿单死后大卫王对米非波设的态度。大卫王因与约拿单立约，就把米非波设当作自己的儿子。同样，我们通过耶稣的宝血与神立约，作为祂的孩子，我们也有某些权利、特权和能力。
大卫预表了基督的救赎，修复，并使我们平安地回到父的餐桌上。通常，每一位战胜敌人后继位的国王都会杀死前任国王的所有后裔。这是为了保护现任国王，不会面临来自前一个国王后裔的叛乱。大卫王非但没有杀米非波设，反而向他显出神的慈爱和恩典。大卫王为了遵守与约拿单的盟约关系，把米非波设当作儿子一样收养和对待。米非波设被允许每天与大卫其他的王子一起在王的餐桌上吃饭。大卫王作为一个地上的国王尚且能表现出神的仁慈和信守盟约，那么神更能通过宝血的盟约把我们当作儿子或女儿对待！我们是神的后嗣，与基督同作后嗣！这是作为儿子的权利！
耶稣来恢复我们与神的关系，并给我们成为神儿女的权利。祂希望我们表现得像在神的国度里的孩子一样，知道自己拥有的权利和特权。圣灵已在我们的心中把儿子的身份确认了并且不可更改的。
你们最近有没有花时间坐下来与天父进行一次心与心的交谈？当圣灵对你说话时，你是否花时间记下从你心中升起的话语？祂想和你说话，肯定祂对你的爱，给予你安慰。问题出于你是否作为天父的孩子在聆听，还是作为法庭上的被告或主人家里的奴仆在倾听？作为永生神的孩子，你应该住在天父的家里，享受祂的同在。
诗篇27:4 有一件事，我曾求耶和華，我仍要尋求：就是一生一世住在耶和華的殿中，
瞻仰他的榮美，在他的殿裏求問。
讲章系列：作为儿子的身份
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