David and Jonathan

Good morning & Welcome to New Hope!

We find ourselves in week 3 of a series on the biblical character David. We began in and are introduced to this young shepherd boy who was out tending sheep for his father...

Last week we pushed on to and explored one of the most known events of the OT - David and Goliath...

This week we continue moving through 1 Samuel by looking at the first few verses in chapter 18. But before we read those verses, may I be so bold this morning as to say that we have a friendship epidemic? There’s something wrong with friendships today. Friendships aren’t what they used to be. I don’t even know if the word still carries the same meaning as it used to - friends…followers...

May I be so bold this morning as to say that we have a friendship epidemic?

What are wrong with friendships today?

1. Too busy - calendars are full

Too busy

calendars are full / not much margin for others

What’s in it for me?

Me-focused / what can i get from the relationship

They’re surface level

They’re not deep - Social media / friends with people haven’t seen in over a year

There’s very little commitment

Something better comes along / bump in the road

First of all, let me say that friendships are important. You need friends…I need friends...We need friends! We were created with one another in mind. We can never become all that God wants us to be without friendships.

You may have heard it said, “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.”

Dale Carnegie said, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”

“A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.”

And you’re saying to yourself…I thought we were in a study on the life of David?

And you’re saying to yourself…I thought we were in a study on the life of David?

What’s in it for me?

Me-focused

They’re surface level

They’re not deep - Social media

There’s very little commitment

I’m not willing to fight for the friendship

I’d like to contrast that with

Osmosis...

Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.

One of the greatest tasks in life is building great friendships - Warren

(NLT)

1After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king’s son. There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David.

Friendships are a gift from God

2From that day on Saul kept David with him and wouldn’t let him return home.

(NIV) Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Did a wedding yesterday and part of the service - I looked at the groom & said, “Ron…Jane is a gift from God. Jane…Ron is a gift from God.”

God gives us people / puts people in our lives for a multitude of reasons.

You ever have that person in your life

2From that day on Saul kept David with him and wouldn’t let him return home.

3And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself.

4Jonathan sealed the pact by taking off his robe and giving it to David, together with his tunic, sword, bow, and belt.

(NIV) Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

17Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Friendships will cost us something

Let’s not forget who Jonathan was and who Jonathan was to become - He was the King’s oldest son / next in line to the throne to be King. These things not only cost Jonathan something, there was no price to be put on these things.

Robe - Garment signifying that he was royalty - take my stature, my rank, my throne

Tunic/Uniform - Jonathan was a warrior. He had been victorious and decorated in battle. Take my uniform, take my honors, take my merit, take the credit for all the battles I’ve won.

Sword - This was a precious gift. tells us that at the time there were only 2 swords in all of Israel - Saul and Jonathan. The Philistines had not allowed the Israelites to have blacksmiths.

Bow - This may have been Jonathan’s most prize possession.

Belt - Lastly this is the thing that sort of holds it all together. I don’t know that there was anything Jonathan wasn’t willing to give to his friend David.

Let me say it this way - Good friendships should cost you something. If it doesn’t, I’d question how good the friendship is. I’d question how good of a friend each of you are.

I believe it’s the way of Jesus that we look to the interests of others.

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. 3Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

1Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?

2Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

3Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.

4Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

Let me also say this… If it’s always costing & costing you, eventually you’ll go bankrupt. A good friendship will have both credits and debits.

Friendships help sustain us through life

What we find over the next several chapters is how valuable this friendship really is for David specifically. Saul was extremely jealous of David and conspired to kill him on several occasions. Jonathan helped keep David safe from his father.

Have you ever been refreshed by a friend? Have you ever been sustained by a friend?

If you want to go fast go alone; If you want to go far go with a friend.

We were created for community; We were created for one another; we were created for relationship;

So as we wrap up:

Our vision at New Hope is to become a church known for relationships, discipleship, and multiplication.

Our strategy as a church, how we will become known for these things, is to be focused on relationships, discipleship, & multiplication.

And to be effective at doing relationships well our strategy is to get connected in a Life Group - great way to make life-long friends.

To find new friends inside the walls of the church. And lastly is to be intentional about making friends outside the church.

So the challenge this morning is for us to make friends inside these walls. So a few weeks ago I shared this encouragement and want to share it again - find someone this morning and introduce yourself. Make a new friend. It can make all the difference in the world.