Encouraged in the King F.R.O.G

INTRO

This was a time in history were people did what was right in their own eyes and they rejected God as their King because they wanted a physical leader like the other nations, but God was still faithful to provide leaders for them. We will see when the leaders focused on living for God, the people flourished, but when they focused on themselves, they failed. In all of this the Lord used leaders successes and failures to ultimately point people back to Him as the perfect, faithful, selfless King that does not fail or give up on His people.

Week 1 - Hannah though has every right to play victim and turn from God, she Goes to the King, and doesn't let anything keep her from the Lord because she knew God was able to help.

Week 2 - Saul battled with insecurities, and we saw he had an encounter with the King. We learned that we can encounter the Lord daily and that God actually wants to meet with us daily.

Week 3 - The people’s cries were heard by God. We are heard by the King. The people were tempted to serve an evil king but they asked to be rescued and God heard, and used Saul to rescue them.

TEXT

Tonight look with me at 1 Samuel 23:15-18

1 Samuel 23:15–18 ESV

David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this.” And the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.

New Living Translation Chapter 23

16 Jonathan went to find David and encouraged him to stay strong in his faith in God

How are your friendships impacting you? or How are you impacting your friends?

1 Corinthians 15:33

1 Corinthians 15:33 ESV

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

You see because here in this passage we get a glimpse of a pretty awesome friendship.

BACKGROUND:

How many of you have heard the David and Goliath Story? You hear a reference to it a lot in sports when a lower ranked school beats a top ranked school, but this boy named David defeats this giant called Goliath. It was crazy, because it was like he displayed no fear. Maybe he did, but he ran out to meet this giant defeated him, and he became a great warrior for his people leading them to several victories, but Saul who we have talked about as the King, starts to become jealous of David, and his jealousy toward David eventually eats away at his heart and he tries to kill David several times even here in this passage we see Saul pursuing him to kill him. But Jonathan who was Saul’s son is best friends with David. So think about this with me from this text.

David’s best friends’ Dad is trying to kill him, and Jonathan comes to David in the wilderness where he is hiding to encourage him in the Lord.

“David was rescuing people(He was following God), Saul was trying to kill the innocent David, and Jonathan encouraged His friend to keep faith in the true King.”

Remember Saul is Jonathan’s father and he even tries to kill his own Son because he was so filled with rage, anger, jealousy. Just a side note:

A heart that doesn’t repent or confess will lead you to do things that are not good that you never thought you would do.

Yet, In the midst of all of this though Jonathan and David’s friendship continues to be highlighted in the text and especially here Jonathan encourages his friend David to keep faith in the true King!

How did Jonathan encourage David in the King or in the Lord?

- Jonathan showed up even during difficult seasons! 1 Samuel 23:16

1 Samuel 23:16 ESV

And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God.

Jonathan knew where his friend was and showed up. A lot of times one of the best things you can do for someone and even a friend that is going through a difficult time is to just be present. Know where your friends are mentally and emotionally? Like how are you doing? Take time to just be intentional about what is going on?

- Jonathan reminds David to trust God’s word/plan. 1 Samuel 23:17

1 Samuel 23:17 ESV

And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this.”

Jonathan is such a great friend because he reminds David of what God has done and will do, even if that meant he would not become king, even though he was the son of the king currently and was in position to be king after his father, he Knew God had anointed David and David was going to be king. He didn’t wine, dislike, and fall into the comparison trap “Why not Me?”, but he trusted the Lord, celebrated His friend, and cared more about his relationship with His friend than about his position or status.

- Jonathan is true to his own word. 1 Samuel 23:18

1 Samuel 23:18 ESV

And the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.

Jonathan is trustworthy. He makes a covenant to follow the Lord with David and to help David. He doesn’t turn around and go hunting him down to his father, or tell his father where he is, so that they could get rid of him and Jonathan could be come king, no the text says he went, encouraged him in the Lord and he went home. He wasn’t a fake friend.

Do you have fake friends or faith friends?

Are you a fake friend or faith friend?

Here is the truth when it comes to being a good friend, we all have dropped the ball. There are times were we have all be fake or messed up where we had an ulterior motive, or maybe a bad thought, or we didn’t keep our word, or we just acted one way around some and acted another way towards others.

The good news though is Jesus like we have said in our theme for 1 Samuel is He is the friend that is always there, He is always faithful, He always keeps His word, and He not only wants to be our Lord, Savior, Friend, but when we believe and follow Him, He gives us His Spirit to help us love like He loves, He helps us to be faithful as He is faithful, He helps us to know and speak truth like He is truth, to help us be wise as He is wise.

Do you have friends that encourage you to keep faith in Jesus? OR Are you encouraging friends to keep faith in Jesus?

How are your friends impacting you? OR how are you impacting your friends?

Trust in Jesus, the greatest friend, to help and make you a great faith friend.

Evaluate your friendships - are they impacting you not just in a good way but in a godly way. Are you impacting your friends in a godly way.

Be intentional about encouraging your friends in the King/Jesus. Know where they are emotionally, mentally, spiritually and be present.

Remind them of the truth and hope we have in Jesus, forgive them, ask for forgiveness, extend grace, walk with them.