1 Samuel 20

Faithful Friends are God’s blessings!

In this time and age, you can have thousands of friends in Social Media / Facebook. They are virtual friends but not all them are real friends.

It is really difficult to find real and loyal friends.

Proverbs 20:6 NLT

6 Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?

Friendship is one of the most precious gifts we can have in our lives. A true friend supports, encourages, challenges, and inspires us to be better versions of ourselves. A true friend stands by our side through thick and thin, shares our joys and sorrows, understands us, and accepts us for who we are.

Proverbs 18:24 NLT

24 There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.

Jonathan and David’s friendship is a wonderful picture of a “real friend sticks closer than a brother”.

Their friendship has become a blessing to each other. They are both faithful worshippers of YHWH and they were used by God to bless each other as they supported encouraged, and shared each others joys and sorrows.

In this passage we read that Saul persisted in his efforts to kill David, but Jonathan saved David again, risking his own life in the process.

The Lord protected David through his loyal friend and brother in the faith, Jonathan.

Here is our passage the clear theme that emerges is this:

Sometimes God protects his chosen servants through other faithful servants (friends) who are willing to put God’s agenda above self-interest.

3 ways to become a faithful Christian that God will use to fulfill His purposes and bless God’s people.

‌I. Prioritizing God’s agenda above self-interest.

Jonathan’s self denial was evident in choosing to help David despite knowing that David is his rival to the throne. (vv.1-32)

Jonathan understood that God’s agenda for David is to be serve God as the next King of Israel and Jonathan acted in away that is aligned to the agenda of God by helping David escaped from harm.

David left Ramah and went to Jonathan in Gibeah and asks why Saul wants him killed (v. 1).

Jonathan was not aware about Saul’s plans to kill David and so He helped David to devise a plan to test King Saul if he still wanted to kill David (vv.4-7)

Jonathan believes that God was with David and he promised to help get David into safety (v.13)

David confirmed his suspicions that Saul will try to kill him after the New Moon Festival (vv. 27-30).

For Saul, David’s death is the only for Jonathan to become the next King (vv.31-32) but Jonathan sided with David.

Jonathan was giving up a kingdom in obedience to God and for the love of his friend, David.

Timeless Truth: God protects and preserves His people by using other faithful servants who are willing to put God’s agenda above self-interest.

Gospel: Jesus gave up His comfort in heaven in obedience to the Father, and for the love of his creation.

Romans 5:8 NASB95

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

God’s agenda is to bring the Gospel to all the nations so that people will come to believe and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior. and God uses Christians to be God’s representative and mouthpiece to bring in the harvest of souls.

Like Jonathan, we are to give up our pretended rights to reign. We are to acclaim David’s descendant Jesus as our Christ, as God’s King. We are to bind our future to his; to give up control to him. We are to be like John the Baptist, who accepted of his younger cousin Jesus: “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30).

Yet by this very act of self-renunciation, we gain a future under the protection of Jesus. Jesus says: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it” (Mark 8:34–35).

Illustration:

A business that primarily aims to glorify God and blesses customers and employees over profit.

A parent that sacrifices the sleep and rest to take care of the children.

A son or daughter that supports the aging parents despite having just enough for self.

Application:

A. Start prioritizing God’s agenda over self-interest by being a faithful steward of God’s resources.

B. Start prioritizing God’s agenda over self-interest by trusting that God sees your heart and he will honor your good deeds and sacrifices.

Transition: You become a faithful Christian that God shall use to fulfill His purposes

when you prioritize God’s agenda over self-interest. And it is not an easy thing to do. It is difficult.

It is a sacrifice and an obligation as Christians.

It is also difficult because in this evil world doing the right things sometimes is repaid with evil. Not all people will be happy if you do the right thing. And that leads me to the second point.

II. Prepare to face hardships for choosing what is right.

Jonathan’s life was put in danger because he chose what is right - to protect the innocent David. (v.33)

Saul tried to kill Jonathan, the same way he tried to kill David (v.33) but Jonathan did not waiver and continued to do what was right by telling David about Saul’s intention to kill David.

Timeless Truths:

True friendship is tested and proven through hardship.

Your commitment is validated and confirmed through testing.

The Lord allows difficult situation to test our hearts and our commitments to God.

Illustration:

The ten Boom family were members of the Dutch Reformed Church, which protested Nazi persecution of Jews as an injustice to fellow human beings and an insult to divine authority

Corrie Ten Boom and her family risked their lives as they used their house as a hiding place for the Jews to escape from death by the Nazis.

By choosing to save some of his Jewish friends and neighbors from the Nazis during the Holocaust, Corrie Ten Boom and her family was arrested and tortured by the Nazis. 4 of her family members died in prison. It was estimated that about 800 Jews were saved the the Ten Boom family.

Soon when she was released she released a book called “The Hiding Place”. The main life lesson of the book is the sovereignty of God: "All our times are in God's hands, even the difficult ones." and as God’s people we need to be prepared to face hardships that God’s allows by doing what is right in the midts of evil.

Can you imagine being captive, tortured, beaten, and starved by Nazis? I can tell you what my intentions would be: I’d wish harm and evil upon them. But Corrie? Though a challenging process for her, she chose to see her enemies as people for whom Christ also died; she prayed for and forgave them.

Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him. (247)

Application:

1. Chose what is right even if means people will do you wrong.

2. Embrace hardships as they come for God knows and God will empower you to overcome.

Do not ran-away from the hardships that God will allow as you do what is right and pleasing to Him.

Transition: You and I shall become a faithful Christian that God will use to bless others when we are prepared to face hardships for choosing what is right. Hardships are intimidating and could become a factor for our inability to honor our obligations and commitments. That

III. Persist in honoring your obligation and commitments through dependence in God.

Jonathan and David both honored the covenant they made in the name of the LORD (vv.35-42)

Jonathan honored his commitment to inform David and allowed David to escape from Saul’s evil intention.

Jonathan wished for David to be safe and is confident that David will be faithful to the covenant when he becomes King (v.42, cf. vv.15-16). David honored his covenant with Jonathan 2 Samuel 21:7

2 Samuel 21:7 NASB95

7 But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the oath of the Lord which was between them, between David and Saul’s son Jonathan.

Timeless Truth:

Being committed to God means honoring your obligations and commitments here on Earth.

Loyalty and commitment within human relationships is important in the life of God’s people as it reflects the character of God.

Application:

1. Examine and maintain your loyalty in marriage by putting God in the center.

Ephesians 5:33“33 Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.”

2. Fulfill your family obligations (as parent and as children) as your worship to God.

1 Timothy 5:8 “8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

3. Honor your vows and commitments (workplace, business, friends).

Numbers 30:2 “2 “If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or takes an oath to bind himself with a binding obligation, he shall not violate his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.”

Conclusion:

We have a greater friend in Jesus, a friend who will always be loyal to us. A friend who will not abandon us.

John 15:13–15 ESV

13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

Let us be loyal friends like Jesus.