Sermon Tone Analysis

Recently there was a news story about a Baptist Church in Washington DC.

This "church" was not featured because revival had broken out, or because dozens had been saved, or because they had sent out many missionaries, or raised significant sums of money for missions.

They didn't make the news because God was doing ANYTHING significant in their midst.

They made the news because this church (which had cut ties with SBC) had called to serve as co-pastors a "married" lesbian couple.

IF you think the church can hide from this issue any longer, you are sadly mistaken.

We must be firmly biblical in both our stand for the truth, and our loving and grace filled call of repentance and faith in the Gospel available to all who believe.

Answering the Charges

There is much re-interpretation these days of the friendship between David and Jonathan, advocating that they were homosexual lovers, and since David was a man after God's own heart, there must not be anything wrong or sinful or unnatural or dishonorable about homosexual relationships.

I believe we must answer these charges:

1.

To show the absurdity of them.

2. To defend the plain meaning of Scripture.

3. To show the importance and beauty of real, genuine friendships with people of the same sex.

A Brief History

David has been anointed King by Samuel.

He has played the lyre for King Saul.

(probably as a child)

He has defeated goliath (probably as an older teen)

Jonathan was Saul's son.

He was a shrewd warrior with a sharp mind.

He was a "go until you get a no" kind of leader in his own right.

The Beginning of a Great Friendship

Note: Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.

Is there some sexual overtone to this? Context is important.

In the same chapter it is said Israel and Judah loved David (16), Michal loved David (20), King Saul pretended to delight in David, and said all his servants loved David (22).

If you extend the context to chapter 16, you find that Saul loved David in his early days (16.21),

The Depth of a Great Friendship

chapter 20 leading up to verse 17 is all about Jonathan's love for David, his covenant with David, he desires that David's love for him be extended to his household should he die, and he frequently appeals to the Lord's loving kindness as the basis for their covenant.

Should we view that all Israel, Judah, Saul, Saul's servants, Michal, Jonathan, and even God all love David in some homosexual way?

This is absurd.

And let's not forget verses 40-42.

It is no longer safe for David in Saul's House.

The realization that David and Jonathan would be parting company led to this exchange.

1.

Note David's greeting of deference.

2. Note they kissed each other.

Again, is this sexual?

In the Bible I could find couples kissing, prophets kissing kings as they were anointed, father's kissing sons, grandfathers kissing grandkids, brothers kissing, SIL FIL kissing, DIL MIL kissing, people kissing idols, etc. NT Greet each other with a holy kiss.

In Middle East, this is still often a custom.

IF this was some homoerotic thing, they could have run off together.

Conspired to kill King Saul, etc. Remember that David wouldn't touch Saul even when he had opportuninty.

And don't forget the weeping.

I remember being in a hay field with my dear friend Nelson Medlock just a day or two after my best friend died.

He took my sunglasses off, and said "I can see you are still weeping.

Take some time for yourself and get through your loss.

and he put some money in my hand and sent me on my way."

The End of a Great Friendship

As time marched on Saul and Jonathan fell in war.

I have been to the city Beth-Shan where the Philistines hung their bodies up.

When David got the news, he wrote a song.

He calls Jonathan a fallen mighty warrior.

He says he has been a friend, or lovely, or pleasant, or agreeable.

Used to refer to Holy Land...

It was pleasant, used to refer to God's Word ....

It is pleasant, used to refer knowledge and wisdom, and used to talk about consuming something in secret that is not yours.

And solomon uses it to describe a woman.

David is saying that his covenant relationship with Jonathan was better than any love he had known.

By the way, David did have a problem, and it was not homosexual, but hetero sexual WOMEN.

The P.S. of a Great Friendship

We could learn much from this friendship.

It is enduring.

It provokes to godliness.

It seeks to do the right thing.

It is sacrificial

I would encourage you to seek out good, godly, and deep friendships with people of the same sex.