Heart of Faithfulness

INTRODUCTION

As we continue through Samuel and our study of Becoming God's Person, We have looked at what type of heart it takes to be Gods person.

This week as you open to 1 Samuel Chapter 20 I have a little story for you.

At a Wednesday evening church meeting a very wealthy man rose to give his testimony. “I’m a millionaire,” he said, “and I attribute it all to the rich blessings of God in my life. I can still remember the turning point in my faith, like it was yesterday: I had just earned my first dollar and I went to a church meeting that night. The speaker was a missionary who told about his work. I knew that I only had a dollar bill and had to either give it all to God's work or nothing at all. So at that moment I decided to give my whole dollar to God. I believe that God blessed that decision, and that is why I am a rich man today.”

As he finished it was clear that everyone had been moved by this man’s story. But, as he took his seat, a little old lady sitting in the same pew leaned over and said: “Wonderful story! I dare you to do it again!”

BIBLE VERSE

1 Samuel 20:1-42 (ESV)

Jonathan Warns David

20 Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?” 2 And he said to him, “Far from it! You shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me. And why should my father hide this from me? It is not so.” 3 But David vowed again, saying, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he thinks, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.’ But truly, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.” 4 Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.” 5 David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit at table with the king. But let me go, that I may hide myself in the field till the third day at evening. 6 If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the clan.’ 7 If he says, ‘Good!’ it will be well with your servant, but if he is angry, then know that harm is determined by him. 8 Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. But if there is guilt in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?” 9 And Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! If I knew that it was determined by my father that harm should come to you, would I not tell you?” 10 Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?” 11 And Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So they both went out into the field.

12 And Jonathan said to David, “The Lord, the God of Israel, be witness! When I have sounded out my father, about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if he is well disposed toward David, shall I not then send and disclose it to you? 13 But should it please my father to do you harm, the Lord do so to Jonathan and more also if I do not disclose it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. May the Lord be with you, as he has been with my father. 14 If I am still alive, show me the steadfast love of the Lord, that I may not die; 15 and do not cut off your steadfast love from my house forever, when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” 16 And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord take vengeance on David’s enemies.” 17 And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

18 Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty. 19 On the third day go down quickly to the place where you hid yourself when the matter was in hand, and remain beside the stone heap. 20 And I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I shot at a mark. 21 And behold, I will send the boy, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you, take them,’ then you are to come, for, as the Lord lives, it is safe for you and there is no danger. 22 But if I say to the youth, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go, for the Lord has sent you away. 23 And as for the matter of which you and I have spoken, behold, the Lord is between you and me forever.”

24 So David hid himself in the field. And when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food. 25 The king sat on his seat, as at other times, on the seat by the wall. Jonathan sat opposite, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty.

26 Yet Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him. He is not clean; surely he is not clean.” 27 But on the second day, the day after the new moon, David’s place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has not the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?” 28 Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem. 29 He said, ‘Let me go, for our clan holds a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. So now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away and see my brothers.’ For this reason he has not come to the king’s table.”

30 Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? 31 For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Therefore send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.” 32 Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” 33 But Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death. 34 And Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had disgraced him.

35 In the morning Jonathan went out into the field to the appointment with David, and with him a little boy. 36 And he said to his boy, “Run and find the arrows that I shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37 And when the boy came to the place of the arrow that Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the boy and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?” 38 And Jonathan called after the boy, “Hurry! Be quick! Do not stay!” So Jonathan’s boy gathered up the arrows and came to his master. 39 But the boy knew nothing. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 40 And Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy and said to him, “Go and carry them to the city.” 41 And as soon as the boy had gone, David rose from beside the stone heap and fell on his face to the ground and bowed three times. And they kissed one another and wept with one another, David weeping the most. 42 Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’ ” And he rose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.

1. Faithful When Times are Difficult

EXPLANATION

Life is starting to get very difficult for David so he goes to his dear friend Jonathan once again. Jonathan, apparently not knowing all that has transpired since he last spoke with his father.Saul knowing Jonathans faithfulness to David begins to exclude him form his plans. Jonathan thinking he still was in his fathers confidence and an advisor to him disagrees with David. So they launch a plan to determine Saul’s intention. Jonathan finds out very quickly that David was right. Not only that but it puts his life into danger also.

33 But Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death. 34 And Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had disgraced him.

At this point David and Jonathan are living in a world that is out to cancel them. Literally.

ILLUSTRATION

Archibald Rutledge tells about a man who worked in one of the great forests of the South. His faithful dog burned to death in a great fire that had swept through the forest. Rutledge said the little dog had been left under a tree to guard his master's dinner pail and wouldn’t leave it even when the flames roared around him. The worker was brokenhearted when he found the charred remains of his little friend. With tears streaming down his face, he said: “I always had to be careful what I told him to do, because I knew he would do it.” This, and more, is the kind of obedience to which Christ has called us

APPLICATION

Faithful to our Promises

Faithful to our Giving

Faithful to our Lord

We have to learn to take the heat and stay in the kitchen

2. Faithful to God's Plans

EXPLANATION

God has decided that David should rule.

Saul has tried to make his own plans and is unfaithful to God

But Jonathan has held faithful to Gods plans.

These verses show Jonathan knows the consequences of our actions. He knows he will lose the kingdom

ILLUSTRATION

An elderly Christian lady, who was crippled with arthritis, used to hobble to the services of the church on crutches. It was a great ordeal and required of her a considerable amount of toil and pain. A friend of hers observed her regular and faithful attendance and asked, “How do you manage to be at every service?” Her answer was, “My heart gets there first, and my old legs just follow after.”

APPLICATION

Faithful not to forsake the fellowship

Faithful to do what God wants you to do for a living

I am talented at teaching math. I think I would do well in Architecture. If I would have gone either direction one probably would have said that I found my calling. But my calling is from God not my talents. In fact he often times uses us in our weakness to show his strength.

But this goes further than just jobs. It goes to everything we do. Going on a mission trip, Not hanging with certain people, the way we talk, the way we act. God has a plan for our lives that covers even the most small aspects. We are to be faithful to that plan

3. Faithful As He Is Faithful

BIBLE VERSE

2 Timothy 2:1-13 (ESV)

A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus

2 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. 3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 The saying is trustworthy, for:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;

12  if we endure, we will also reign with him;

if we deny him, he also will deny us;

13  if we are faithless, he remains faithful—

for he cannot deny himself.

EXPLANATION

We are to be faithful because he always is faithful to us.

This doesn't mean life will be roses and sunshine, but instead he will help us through the toughest situations and his name can be made known through these times.

ILLUSTRATION

The story is told about a little boy who had been invited to a friend’s birthday party. He was so excited and started counting the days until the party. But the morning of the party he was devastated when he found that a blizzard had struck their little town. The snow was falling in wet, heavy flakes, and the wind was howling. “I don’t think you should go to the party,” his father said. The little boy was so disappointed.

He began to pester his father, begging to be allowed to go. Finally, much to his surprise, his dad said, “All right, you can go to the party.” The little boy bundled up in his hat and coat and mittens and started down the street to his friend’s house. As he traveled on his clothes started to become damp and his hands and feet became numb. The wind continued to whip and chapped his face. He knew he was halfway there, but he also came to the understanding he couldn’t make it there or home. Slowly he realized he should have listened to his father. Not know what to do because he couldn’t go on nor could he go back he just sat down there in the snow.

Just as he started feeling scared and reality sat in was when his father picked him up and carried him back home. His father had followed him the entire time.There may be times when we feel like we are alone, but in truth we are always surrounded by the love and goodness of God. There is never a time when we are truly on our own. Even when we do not believe Him as we should

APPLICATION

Are you faithful in the good times?

Bad Times?

Career?

Job?

He was faithful to die for us and forgive us even when we were unfaithful. So today will you make a commitment to be

faithful to him? For the fist time or just again. Then tomorrow then the next and so on