Breaking the Spirit of Lodebar
Pastor Erickson preaches from 1 Samuel 16 and 2 Samuel 9 on Mephibosheth, the lame son of Jonathan who lived hidden in Lodebar, a dry place of no word, until King David called him to eat at his table. Pointing to David and to Jesus, who both refused to be offended when they were overlooked, he calls believers to let go of offense and shame, leave Lodebar behind and come to the King's table.
The message in 6 points
A boy dropped and hidden
Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, was five years old when his nurse fled with him after Saul and Jonathan were slain, and he fell and became lame on his feet. Pastor Erickson says many people are living spiritually in a place they do not want to live.
52:33Offense leads people away
He believes the greatest way a person ends up backslidden is by becoming offended, often over trivial things. Hurt people replay what was said or written in their minds until offense becomes a way of life.
58:57Lodebar, the place of no word
David asks if anyone is left of Saul's house to show kindness for Jonathan's sake, and finds Mephibosheth in Lodebar. Lodebar means no word, no communication and no pasture, a dry place where it is easy to justify feeling sorry for yourself. He says he has been in that dry place himself.
1:04:01Invited to the king's table
David tells Mephibosheth not to fear, restores Saul's land to him and says he will eat bread at the king's table continually. Mephibosheth calls himself a dead dog, because he is full of shame, and his name means the voice of shame.
1:10:53David refused to be offended
David knew how it felt to be forgotten: left out when Samuel came, sent back to the sheep after he was anointed, sent with bread and cheese instead of a sword, and mocked by his brother. He kept worshiping and serving, and went on to face the giant. Jesus was also rejected at home and told his disciples to shake off the dust and keep walking.
1:15:17Leave Lodebar for the King's table
Offense will come, and only the one who holds it suffers. At the king's table shame is covered even though Mephibosheth was still lame on both feet, and he says the name Chronicles gives him means to resist. He opens the altar to anyone ready to break the spirit of Lodebar and come to the table.
1:44:32
In his words
“I believe that the greatest way that a person can find themselves in a backslidden state is to become offended.”
“If you allow God to train you up in the wilderness, he will allow you to get into the king's throne room and you'll do stuff you never dreamed of doing.”
“I want you to know something today, the king's table hides a whole lot of mess, a whole lot of shame that you might be feeling in your life.”
Taken word for word from the video, with punctuation added.
Scripture
He reads
1 Samuel 16:10-11
10Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these. 11And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
King James Version.
2 Samuel 4:4
4And Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.
King James Version.
2 Samuel 9:1-4
1And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake? 2And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he. 3And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet. 4And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.
King James Version.
2 Samuel 9:7-8
7And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. 8And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?
King James Version.
1 Samuel 16:18
18Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.
King James Version.
1 Samuel 17:28-29
28And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. 29And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
King James Version.
2 Samuel 9:13
13So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king’s table; and was lame on both his feet.
King James Version.
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