A Test of Faithfulness - 1 Samuel 25-26

1 Samuel 18-20

Intro:

In the church, we talk a lot about discipleship, evangelism, mission, and worship—and rightly so. Some of us are moved by the beauty of a well-designed sanctuary. Others find deep connection in the rhythm and reverence of liturgy. All of these are valuable parts of life in the body of Christ.

But there’s another gift from God that holds tremendous power to shape us, strengthen us, and sustain us—yet it often goes under appreciated or unspoken. It’s what we might call Gospel Friendship.

When we think of the apostle Paul, “friendship” might not be the first word that comes to mind. We think of bold preaching, deep theology, and tireless mission. Yet behind Paul’s ministry is a quiet thread of relationships—friends who showed up when it mattered most.

In 2 Corinthians 7:5–6, Paul opens a window into his emotional world. He writes about being afflicted on every side—conflicts on the outside, fears within. He was discouraged and worn thin. But then he says, “But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus.” Not through a miracle or a vision, but through a person—a gospel friend. Titus’ presence revived Paul’s spirit and filled him with joy.

We see something similar in 2 Timothy 1:15–17. Paul recalls how almost everyone in Asia deserted him during his imprisonment—including leaders he once trusted. But one man stood out. “May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus,” Paul says, “for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains.” When others turned away, Onesiphorus ran toward the fire. He risked his own safety to find Paul and encourage him. That’s gospel friendship—faithful, sacrificial, and rooted in Christ.

Today, we’re going to explore this idea through one of the most moving examples of gospel friendship in Scripture—the story of David and Jonathan in 1 Samuel 18–20. In a world marked by jealousy, betrayal, and insecurity, their bond reveals something rare: a friendship anchored in covenant love and shaped by God’s purposes.

What we’ll see is that gospel friendship is more than just companionship. It’s a spiritual commitment to one another that reflects the very heart of Christ—a love that remains when others walk away, a loyalty that costs something, and a presence that speaks hope into the dark.

Let’s open our hearts and the Scriptures to see how God forms us, sustains us, and even protects us—through gospel friendship.

Pray

Last Sunday, we read the famous story of David conquering Goliath. And while that story tends to get a lot of attention, today we’ll see that there is far more to the story than we perhaps realized. When the Giant fell, that created a ripple affect in Israel that would ultimately continue all the way to today.

At the end of Chapter 17, David has defeated Goliath and paraded his head around Jerusalem. Then, 1 Samuel 17:57 and 58 says:

1 Samuel 17:57–58 ESV

And as soon as David returned from the striking down of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” And David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”

Goliath is dead. The battlefield has fallen silent. And David—this young, unknown shepherd—is brought before King Saul, still holding the severed head of the giant no one else dared to face.

It’s a stunning moment.

The boy with no armor, no military title, no recognition—stands victorious over the enemy that seemed undefeatable.

Saul, shocked, asks, “Whose son are you?” It’s not just a question of family—it’s a question of identity. How did someone like you do this?

And David’s answer is simple: “I am the son of your servant Jesse.” No self-promotion. No boasting. Just quiet confidence in the God who gave the victory.

This scene doesn’t just mark a military win—it’s a shadow of the Gospel. God raised up a humble, overlooked, boy from BETHLEHEM, to defeat the giant that mocked He and His beloved people.

Again— Jesus is the greater David, who faced the enemy no one else could conquer.

He too walked out of battle victorious—not with a head in His hand, but with death crushed beneath His feet.

And so the stillness and awe that filled the room, was not merely awe of this shepherd boy, but it was awe of God’s salvation.

And this leads us to our first, of five points that I want us to take away from today’s text in regard to Gospel Friendship:

1. Gospel Friendship Is Rooted in Covenant (1 Samuel 18:1-4)

1 Samuel 18:1–4 ESV

As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt.

David was still catching his breath from killing Goliath when something even more surprising happened—Jonathan, the crown prince of Israel, looked at this young shepherd-warrior and saw a kindred spirit. Without pomp or ceremony, Jonathan took off his royal robe and gave it to David, along with his sword, bow, and belt. It was more than friendship—it was a covenant. Jonathan, the heir to the throne, was willingly yielding his place to David.

And the reason he did this, wasn’t because he and David rooted for the same sports team, or they just “hit it off” no, Johnathan was a man of faith. We’ve read about the victory that God granted Johnathan in response to his trust in the Lord, and in David, Johnathan saw a brother…not in blood, but through faith.

He saw in David, not only God’s faithfulness, but His very image, as David was “a man after God’s own heart.”

Not a perfect man, but a man of courage, whose boldness came from conviction in the Living God.

And so, it was that shared faith, that shared dependance on God to redeem and save, that knit them together as gospel brothers.

In a world—and sometimes even a church culture—where relationships are often built on affinity, convenience, or status, Jonathan and David model something deeper: a friendship forged in shared dependence on God. Gospel friendship says, “If God is with you, I will be too.” It says, “I see the image of God in you, and I will walk with you in covenant love—even if it costs me something.”

This is what the church needs: not shallow connection, but deep, covenantal friendship, rooted in our shared identity in Christ.

Gospel Friendship is marked by love, a kind of love that yields, a kind of love that is quick to forgive wrongs, a friendship that 1 Corinthians says bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

This kind of friendship reflects the heart of Jesus, who laid aside His glory for the sake of His friends.

These Friends betrayed Him, disappointed Him, and even hurt Him. But His love for them was firmly rooted in His love for the Father to whom He was knit, One who would never betray Him, and who deeply loved the broken men and women He called His friends.

Like Jesus, Johnathan loved David, not because of what he had done, but because of what God had done!

But in Saul, we see the opposite of God’s love:

David went wherever Saul sent him and succeeded wildly. The army admired him. The people (and specifically the ladies) sang songs about him:

1 Samuel 18:7 ESV

And the women sang to one another as they celebrated, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”

While Johnathan looked at David and saw God’s faithfulness, Saul looked at the same thing, and allowed jealousy to creep into his soul like a poison.

And it’s worth noting, that last week’s text told us that a wicked spirit had come upon Saul.

This is the work that wicked spirits seek to do, they desire to take God’s covenant, mock it like Goliath, and destroy it by minimizing the gospel that has united us, and making much of the broken flesh that seeks the glory of self.

And so from that day on, Saul was bitter toward David.

And when bitterness it allowed to take root, and isn’t dealt with through repentance and reconciliation, it spreads.

Previously, we saw that when this spirit tormented Saul, David would play his music and Saul would find some solace, but now, the sound of David’s music only stirs Saul’s anger all the more, and as David plays the Lyre, Saul is holding a spear in his hand—and he hurled it at David. Twice. David escaped both times, but the tension only grew.

Because Saul was not only bitter, he was afraid—he could see that God was with David.

So he tried to sideline him by making him a military commander, hoping he'd die in battle. But David kept succeeding.

Then Saul tried another trap: offering David his daughter Michal as a wife, asking only for a gruesome bride price—100 Philistine foreskins. Saul was sure David would be killed. Instead, David killed 200 Philistines and brought back their proof. Saul had no choice but to give him Michal, and scripture tells us, that like Johnathan, she loved David.

And now Saul was truly terrified of David. Everyone loved him. But Saul’s jealousy and bitterness had grown into hate.

Which leads to our second point:

2. Gospel Friendship Stands Firm in Times of Trial (1 Samuel 19:1-7)

Saul’s hatred boiled over. He told his servants and even Jonathan: “Kill David.”

But Jonathan had his brothers back, and he helps him and warns him to hide from the one who sought to kill him.

And then, in perhaps the most courageous form of love, he speaks truth to his father, saying:

1 Samuel 19:4–7 ESV

And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have brought good to you. For he took his life in his hand and he struck down the Philistine, and the Lord worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?” And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death.” And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan reported to him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.

Jonathan loves David enough to protect him—but here we also see something just as powerful: he loves Saul too. He loves his dad enough to tell him the truth.

And let’s be honest—for a lot of us, this is where Christian friendship hits a wall. I’ll care for you, pray for you, help you out when you’re hurting—but to love someone enough to confront them? To say, “Hey, I think you’re wrong here”? That’s hard. That kind of love costs something.

But Jonathan goes there. He puts Saul’s sin out on the table. He doesn’t attack him, but he also doesn’t dance around the issue. He basically says:

“You’re not seeing clearly—David hasn’t done anything wrong to you.”

“Your perspective’s warped—David’s actually been loyal and helpful.”

“You know this! You saw it with your own eyes and celebrated it.”

“So what are you doing trying to kill him?”

It’s bold. It’s risky. But that’s real love. Jonathan knows that true friendship, true love, doesn’t just protect someone from danger—it also tries to pull them back from the edge of sin. And sometimes that means speaking truth even when it’s uncomfortable.

And here’s the deeper irony: jealousy and bitterness have this sneaky way of turning us into the very thing we claim to have been hurt by.

I feel rejected... so I reject others.

I feel unseen... so I withhold my attention.

I feel betrayed... so I betray trust in return.

It’s like Saul felt threatened and unloved—and instead of dealing with that before God, he let it twist him. And now he’s trying to hurt the one person who’s been nothing but faithful to him.

That’s why we need friends like Jonathan—people who love us enough to say, “Hey, man this bitterness isn’t just hurting others—it’s destroying you too.”

And we also need to be that kind of friend, even when it’s awkward or costly.

Because that’s what gospel friendship does—it doesn’t just keep peace, it speaks truth in love.

And Saul seems to receive this word and appeared to relent saying. “As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death.”

But peace didn’t last, because notice, while Saul recieved Johnathan’s counsel, he didn’t repent, he didn’t kill the sin, he cut a weed without pulling the roots…and it grew back.

David went back to war, won again, and the evil spirit returned to torment Saul. Once more, Saul hurled a spear at David while he played music. Once more, David dodged it.

That night, Saul sent men to David’s house to kill him. But Michal, his wife, helped him slip out through a window. She placed an idol in the bed, covered it with a goat-hair wig, and bought David time.

When the assassins came, Michal claimed David was sick in bed. They went back to Saul, who ordered them to bring him anyway—bed and all. But when they pulled back the covers, they found the idol.

Meanwhile, David ran to Samuel at Ramah.

Saul sent messengers to capture David, but something strange happened—they began to prophesy as soon as they arrived. So he sent more. Same result. A third group—same again.

Frustrated, Saul went himself. But the Spirit of God overtook him too.

Saul had tried everything—commands, schemes, manipulation, and now, personal pursuit. But even he couldn’t overpower the Spirit of God.

As he approached the very place where David was hiding, the Spirit overtook him. And in a twist that no one saw coming, Saul—the king—stripped off his royal robes and lay exposed, prophesying on the ground all day and night.

This is a picture of:

human power being humbled, and

pride being dismantled and taken away.

People stood back and asked, “Is Saul among the prophets?” Not because they were impressed—but because they were stunned. This was the king unraveling in the presence of God.

But even with all that, David’s life was still in danger.

Saul’s divine encounter didn’t mean the threat was gone.

So David, in a season where he felt desperate and confused, goes back to the one person he knows he can trust, because:

3. Gospel Friendship Is Honest (1 Samuel 20:1-23)

Chapter 20 begins with David in a dark place. You ever experience that?

David knows God is for him, but he’s struggling to convince his heart of of what his head knows to be true.

He’s anxious and on edge. He’s confused and desperate, and he needs help.

Charles Spurgeon is known by many as the “Prince of Preachers.” He Pastored the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London for 38 years, and during that time, he became known throughout the world for his eloquence and theological depth. Yet, those in his congregation, and specifically, his friends and elders, knew there was more to the story then what was written about in the papers.

Spurgeon frequently experienced what has commonly been called the "dark night of the soul" throughout much of his ministry.

He struggled not just fleeting bouts of sadness—but through recurring seasons of deep spiritual and emotional anguish that he openly acknowledged and often preached about.

He battled intense bouts of depression for most of his adult life. He described it as a "mental midnight" and often used vivid imagery to express the overwhelming darkness he felt:

“I could say with Job, ‘My soul chooseth strangling rather than life.’ I could readily enough have laid violent hands upon myself, to escape from my misery of spirit.” — Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students

He also suffered from multiple chronic illnesses, including gout, kidney disease, and rheumatism, which caused him intense pain and often confined him to bed. The physical suffering compounded his emotional struggles and led to long absences from preaching, which grieved him deeply. He once wrote:

“I have been brought very low. My flesh has been tortured with pain and my spirit has been prostrate with depression.”

In the midst of these bouts, he was no stranger to criticism. Despite being one of the most renowned preachers of his time, he faced relentless critique from other pastors, the press, and even within his own denomination. The pressures of leading a large church (the Metropolitan Tabernacle), running a publishing ministry, and overseeing charitable institutions wore heavily on him.

And as a result, like David, Spurgeon endured periods where God felt distant, and he felt unworthy and abandoned.

And these weren't passing doubts, but deep wrestling matches with God.

But even in the midst of these, he clung to his faith, writing:

“I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.”

In the midst of such obstacles, how did one manage to stay faithful for nearly four decades?

Surely, God’s grace is the answer; but one of the primary ways that God made that grace evident to Spurgeon, was through Gospel Friendships:

Amongst Spurgeon’s closest brothers were the elders who served alongside him. On at least one occasion (I am guessing a Monday) Spurgeon went to the Elders to resign in a season of darkness, and they rejected his resignation, knowing that what their brother needed was not to quit, but to be cared for.

And when his physical ailments overwhelmed him, the elders were known to physically aid him in getting up into the pulpit.

And during the later part of his ministry, Spurgeon would find friendship in a young Timothy type, named William Harrald who served as his assistant. And the care and encouragement William offered Spurgeon was so obvious, that the deacons of Metropolitan gave William the title of “the most faithful of faithful friends.

Perhaps it was these brothers that were on his heart when he preached these words in a sermon titled “A Faithful Friend” where he said:

"Those are tight friends that will come the nearest to us when we are in the most distress; but those are not friends who speed themselves away when ill times come."

 David returned, confused and desperate, and he needed a friend to draw near, and he found Jonathan and pleaded, “What have I done? Why does your father want me dead?”

Johnathan was still hopeful, but David knew that “there was but a step between he and death.”

And in 1 Samuel 20:4 Johnathan is fully present for his brother:

1 Samuel 20:4 ESV

Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.”

The events that would unfold after this verse would prove David right, and Jonathan would face the reality that his friend was in harms way and that he couldn’t repair the circumstances, but that didn’t stop him from being there for 1 Samuel 20:17 says:

1 Samuel 20:17 ESV

And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

You can forget an acquaintance. You might drift from a friend. But who forgets their own soul? Jonathan’s love for David was deep, covenantal, and enduring—anchored not in what David could do for him, but in who David was to him.

And in that posture, we get foreshadowing of the words Christ would speak, when He would instruct us to: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Not casually. But sacrificially, loyally, even dare I say, stubbornly.

This covenant love between Jonathan and David was rare in that moment of redemptive history—but now, through Christ, it’s not meant to be rare at all. In fact, I’d argue it’s meant to be the new normal for those who live under a better covenant.

In the church, we’re not just teammates or fellow attendees. We’re called to love one another as if each other’s soul were our own. That’s not optional. That’s not idealistic. That’s the shape of gospel friendship.

And if you’re not committed to that, then you’re not getting out of this what God intended.

Because this love we’re called to, is the kind of love that doesn't walk away.

The kind that bears burdens,

speaks truth,

and stays when things get heavy.

And friends, in the midst of spiritual warfare, things on this side of eternity will get heavy for those who walk in faith.

And for David, the weight he had been carrying was about to get heavier. Saul was not going to relent on his own accord, and so David is preparing to go and hide, and in a state of fear, anxiety, and grief, he shares a moment of profound, honest vulnerability with his friend:

1 Samuel 20:40–41 ESV

And Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy and said to him, “Go and carry them to the city.” 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.

Now, some of you were with me right up until that verse, right?

I get it—you’re thinking, “I love you, bro, but I ain’t kissing you!”

But before you check out, let’s pause for a moment and understand what’s really going on here. This isn’t awkward—this is sacred.

In the ancient world, a kiss was a meaningful sign of affection, respect, and covenant. You might recall back in chapter 10, when the prophet Samuel kissed Saul when anointing him king (1 Samuel 10:1). That kiss was a sign of divine calling and honor. The same is true here.

Jonathan sends his young armor bearer away because he knows this moment requires privacy—David is now a fugitive, and Saul’s paranoia has reached a boiling point. This goodbye is more than emotional; it’s dangerous.

When the boy leaves, David falls on his face and bows three times—just a profound act of honor and humility. Though God has chosen him as king, David still honors Jonathan as the rightful prince of Israel.

And then—they kissed one another. Not as something strange but a deeply respectful, cultural expression of brotherly love and loyalty. This was a farewell between two men bound not only by friendship, but by covenant.

Each of them, cared about the other, just as much, if not more than, they cared for themselves. And this covenant, was a decision they made, they chose, in response to God’s grace, to love and seek the good of one another at all costs.

And this kind of love, this kind of friendship, has real weight to it, and so when it’s time to depart, knowing that either one of them might die in the days ahead, they weep together, and David weeps the most.

Do you have a friend in the church that you can weep with?

If so—praise God. Don’t let that go. Fight for it. Be there no matter what. Forgive quickly. Love unconditionally. That kind of friendship is a gift, and it’s worth protecting.

But if not—I’d ask you to consider: why?

In my experience, when people feel disconnected or lonely in the church, their tendency often mirrors Adam in the garden. When God confronted him, he didn’t examine his own heart—he pointed the finger elsewhere.

A guarded heart is defensive—even about being guarded.

So let me gently ask: is the problem really that out of 200 people, none of them care? Or is it possible that the answer lies within your own heart?

Maybe you’re afraid. Maybe it’s scary to be as vulnerable as David, or as sacrificial as Jonathan. It’s way easier, to believe a lie, then to do the work of laying your pride down. And so, without even realizing it, you find it easier to assume people are against you—like Saul did—than to risk being known and loved, to put yourself out there and admit your need.

And in doing so, you trade gospel brother and sisterhood, for casual acquaintances and talk about the weather.

But the gospel offers us something far greater friend, for:

4. God Is at the Center of Gospel Friendship (1 Samuel 20:42)

As we close this morning, let’s consider the final verse of 1 Samuel 20:

1 Samuel 20:42 ESV

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.

Regarding this verse, Matthew Henry writes in his commentary:

“The separation of two such faithful friends was grievous to both, but Christians need not sorrow, as men without hope; but being one with Christ, they are one with each other, and will meet in his presence ere long, to part no more.”

In other words, gospel friendships transcend earthly ties, because they’re anchored in an eternal covenant with God.

To be united by common interests is well and good, but to be united by eternal hope, that’s something else entirely, that’s a gift of the divine!

As you reflect on your own relationships within this church, consider the depth of commitment, sacrifice, and vulnerability exemplified by David and Jonathan.

Are your friendships marked by such covenantal love?

Let this moment inspire you—not just to long for that kind of friendship, but to pursue it, to cultivate it, and to cherish gospel-centered relationships that reflect God’s enduring love.

Because even when David was surrounded by enemies and uncertainty, he was not alone. God was quietly and powerfully at work—providing spiritual friends, divine intervention, and covenant promises that sustained him.

And the same is true for us. Our lives are not secure because we live without conflict, but because we belong to a covenant-keeping God—one who so loved us that He laid down His life so we might be united to Him in salvation and to one another in His Body.

At the cross, Jesus didn’t just make a way for you to be forgiven—He made a way for you to belong.

Belong to Him.

Belong to His people.

Bound not by preference or personality, but by the blood of a Savior who calls us friends.

So may we be a church marked by that kind of love.

May we be friends who stay, who sacrifice, who weep, who forgive, who fight for one another—not because it’s easy, but because God is at the center.

And because He first loved us.

For that, let us give thanks - Pray

Communion - Read John 15:12-17.