Does anybody know why in the book of Acts?
When Paul visited Barea, we are told that they were more noble
than the Jews in thessalonica. There's anybody.
Remember why One because they searched the Scriptures Daily to
see if what was being said. Was so so they were students of
the word of God. But before we are told that they
searched the scriptures, we are also told that they received the
word with all eagerness. There was a hunger, there was a
desperation, there is an expectation, there is a longing
and I believe that different churches are measured by the
same standard. There are some places that
receive the word with all eagerness.
And there are some places where you have to put your topical
sermon aside because of the conference theme and preach the
gospel because you wonder if they're even safe to begin with.
And I've been there many times before people who Come to church
with their Bibles. People who come distracted,
people who come with kind of an attitude of.
Let's see what you have for me preacher.
Let's see if you can make me cry.
Let's see if you can make me think the Holy Spirit testifies
about the brains that they came with an eagerness for the word
and it was proved by every time they heard something from Paul,
they searched the Scriptures Daily.
What's impressive about the fact that they searched the
Scriptures Daily? What's impressive about that?
Let me ask you this question, did they have goat Leather Bible
in their lap? They have apps to download on
their iPhones know. Where would they have to go to
search the Scriptures Daily? The synagogue most likely they
would have to run to the local synagogue and stay there and
examine the Scrolls that had no references.
No red letters. No commentaries necessarily and
they searched and they searched. Paul said that, this Jesus is
found in Isaiah. Let's go to the scroll of
Isaiah. Paul said that Moses spoke of
this Jesus. Let's, let's go to the Books of
Moses and they searched and they searched.
I pray that we would be a church that would be Noble because of
our eagerness to receive the scriptures with that being said,
meet me in the book of 1st Samuel, chapter 20, Pray with
me, please. One more time.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the written word.
We thank you Lord that in this place week after week we can be
with a band of people who are eager for the scriptures and who
do their due diligence to seek the word for themselves to see
if such things are. So we pray o God that this
himself because he's learning that this band of prophets by
the spirit of God is putting a halt to these men from pursuing
David and so in verse 22 of chapter 19 then he himself went
to Rama and To the great, well, that is insecure, who, and he
asked where our Samuel and David.
And one said, behold, they are nail with and Rama.
And he went there to Nathan drama and the spirit of God Came
Upon him also. And as he went, he prophesied,
until he came to nail it than drama and he to stripped off his
clothes. And he to prophesied before
Samuel, and lay naked, all that day, and all that night, thus,
it is said, is Saul also among the prophets We would hope that
after this moment that's all and his Endeavor to pursue David
would be brought to an end that he would cease from his raging
drunk in Fury and he would return to at least his own place
and never plan to come against a man who clearly has such favor
with God. But we're going to be
disappointed in this chapter because the man saw is
Relentless, it's almost a comical scene.
With Saul where he goes and the spirit of God falls upon him and
he's put on pause and he begins to prophesy and share the
wonders in the glories in the beauties of God as he is trying
to sin against God and against God's man.
And this is a clear illustration of the goodness of God.
Goodness of God toward Who David yeah his protection his love his
assurance that he is for him and not against him.
But it's also a picture of the goodness of God towards Saul.
because Saul In This Moment In His pursuit of great sin is
under a current of the pure and holy power of God saw in this
moment, as he is trying to sin against God is instead
apprehended and now he is a worshipper of God and he is
experiencing something that he's not known since the beginning of
his ministry when he was in right standing with God and God
allowed him to taste of his glory, in his ability in his
Grace. And it's God willing to allow
him to taste his grace and his Mercy even while he is pursuing
rebellion. And I hope, you know, your God
enough that if saw had chosen under this power and in this
moment to repent. And to plead for forgiveness and
to seek to be reconciled with his God, as he is, experiencing
what he wants. New that warm Fellowship that
closeness with the holy spirit that God would God would have
restored him and delivered him from that tormenting spirit that
was placed on him for discipline sake.
But he doesn't repent. He doesn't repent, even after
God forces him to disrobe himself to strip, himself of all
his Royal attire, forgot to say through that.
I'm the real King here. I'm the one who's really
Sovereign if I want to strip you naked and make you roll around
like a baby, I can do it in a moment.
And Saul still didn't repent. Here's the conclusion, no matter
how much God pursues man man is still capable of being so stiff.
Necked. Listen of God showers his
compassion. Like he does here with Saul or
God strikes. You with conviction we are
capable of still resisting. I've seen it.
I've seen it week after week after week.
You preach. You Preach.
You preach. And people still don't change.
I've sat with people who have had near-death experiences more
than one, they still don't change, they have moments of
concern, their conscious is alert, but then they go back to
their ways and oftentimes they're worse than where they
were before. And it is in this chapter
chapter 20, where we will cease all continue, and is sin, and
the spiralling consequences of his sin, not just in his own
life, but a sin often does in the lives of others.
And at the same time in chapter, 20, you and I are going to see
from David's perspective. We're going to be continually
convinced that on this journey toward Christ, likeness are many
tests. Many trials, many difficulties
the journey to the throne of Israel would not be void of
turbulence for David. In fact there would be great
moments where he would be even discourage as we're going to
find out and he would even despair all for us to see as the
people of God. And to learn for ourselves that
if we want to pursue a God has for us, it will be filled with
great seasons. Of Trials and temptations and
testing. At the same time we're going to
see how God is going to supply certain Graces.
So that David can endure and God has many packages of his mercy.
And in this chapter we're going to see that one of the things
that he provides this man of God who really wants to serve God
and obey God, he's going to bring him a friend. a friend
named Jonathan and Jonathan's name means Jehovah has given And
surely God has given Jonathan to David and surely The God Who has
given us his son in. Jesus Christ will not withhold
from us. All the other things that we
would need in order to Faithfully obey.
God in this little journey called life where we have one
shot to glorify him. So let's read in verse 1 of
chapter 20. Then David fled from nails and
in drama 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 and he set them 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, but David vowed again saying your father knows
well that I found favor in your eyes and he thinks do not.
Let Jonathan know this. Lest he be But truly as the Lord
lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me
and death. Then Jonathan said to David
whatever you say I will do for you.
Notice the first thing here in verse 1.
David fled Rama. He ran away from the place that
we just read. In chapter 19 were got for some
reason, he's such an a panic that he does something that
doesn't really make sense. And there's a scripture that
I've always quoted for the first part, and I never really
understood the second part, at least, how it related.
It's in Proverbs 29:25. And it says that the fear of,
man, lays a snare. It lays a trap, But he who
trusts in the Lord is safe. Again, I've always quoted that
verse to, to highlight how the fear of man is a trap.
It paralyzes, you, it keeps you on place, it holds you back from
moving forward and greater obedience to God.
But what's the relationship between the fear of, man, laying
a snare? But he who trusts in the Lord is
safe. and it's very simple at the person who trusts in God,
when there are Temptations to fear is safe from things like
what David is doing Say, from foolishness.
Safe from succumbing to Temptation, safe from fleshly
responses and reactions. Safe from unnecessary and
harmful speculations. See trusting in God, sobers your
judgment and it helps you make the right choice and it helps
you know, when to move and when not to move what to say and what
not to say. But when a person does not have
that trust, he is open to the fear of many things including
man. And when you fear man, you
forfeit a lot. And one of the things that you
forfeit is what we see here, David, you forfeit simple,
common sense. You are even clouded from seeing
the goodness of God. I mean you just saw God in his
spiritual power moving in to protect you and your still
fleeing. And in fact, you would think
that as he comes to Jonathan, He wouldn't complain, he wouldn't
interrogate. He would come elated.
Not dejected. He would come saying God is
faithful Jonathan let me tell you how God just protected me in
Rama. Let me tell you how no King, no
soldiers, no band. No Army can stand against God
can stand against those who are in Christ but instead he comes
to Jonathan so discouraged. It's something that we never
seen David do before. I mean the guy killed lions and
bears, the man killed a guy. Bryant one-on-one, this man had
many campaigns where he's slaughtered hundreds and maybe
even thousands of philistine soldiers.
And now offers sudden David for the first time at least recorded
is shown to be concerned about his death.
He comes to Jonathan and he he wants to inquire.
He wants answers. He wants to know.
Where do I go from here? Hey, Jonathan.
I need to know where your dad stands, am I going to be labeled
falsely as a fugitive? Am I going to be an outcast, or
are we gonna have to go through this again, where I reconcile
with your father? I want to know where your dad
stands, and I want to know where you stand on top of that
actually. And as you approach is Jonathan
to interrogate him, we get a glimpse of this man's disparity,
he's saying There's only about one step between death and
myself. I've never seen David like this,
in our studies so far. We've never seen David like
this. And nothing could be further
from the truth. David really believe that.
All it would take is one small opportunity and he was finished,
he would never become king, he would never occupy the throne.
He would never fulfill his call. And what David is bleeding in
this moment? What is, what many people
believe in life? That man is actually Sovereign
over God. That the president is Sovereign
over a God, that a virus is Sovereign over God.
That laws are sovereign over. God, You want to see how David
was so wrong. Look at the words here, he says
again there is but a step at the end of verse 3 between me and
death there is but a step. You know what that means?
Let me illustrate One step and I'm gone.
Can I tell you that? God had a different plan for
David. You don't have to turn there but
it's a wonderful reference to put beside this.
If you're taking notes and acts 1336, look what is said about
David's life. For David and acts 13364 David
after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation
fell asleep. And was laid with his fathers
and saw corruption. In David's mind.
In This Moment, he thought all that was going to take as one
step and I'm finished. God, gives commentary through
Paul and this was the reality. You're not going anywhere until
you serve your purpose and your generation and guess who can't
stop that. Saul, guess who can't stop that,
all of Israel, if they choose to come against, you cannot Prevail
over my sovereign plan for your life.
What David needed to understand what is God, is Sovereign not
Saul, but here's the point, even such great men of God can
succumb to such lows. Where you become so forgetful of
what God is. Not even if it happened
yesterday, even if it's written here, even if you have journal
entries upon journal entries, we are still susceptible to
forgetting the faithfulness of God.
Not just forgetting his faith as forgetting, his sovereignty.
See what David failed to realize was every breath that I take has
been permitted, David comes up and he says what's going on
here? What's going on at my deserving
of this, am I actually guilty of something and Jonathan answers.
Very interestingly we read it. He said this can't be.
It's very difficult for me to believe what you're saying
because I know my dad and we have this thing.
We have this thing that as long as I have known him, there's
nothing small or great that he with holds for me before he
plans to do something, he always tells me.
About it. He always ask my counselee,
always ask my permission, and so I've heard nothing of him,
chasing you, while you were at Samuel.
So I can't believe that this is true.
But it was true. whether Jonathan realize it or believe
that didn't change the fact that it was true, And I read that and
I thought to myself, what do we make of this?
Because Jonathan is perplexed, he knew Saul to be a certain
person and to do something consistently.
And now he's being told something that contradicts what
he is known. But this is the sad thing and
listen, I know this isn't going to really uplift you, but I need
to tell you because it will prepare you for potential
disappointments in life, especially with people, I want
you to realize through this a principle about the fickleness
of man. people in your life are capable of changing, especially
if they don't fear God, People in life though, you've probably
known them for years. On end, they probably been a
certain way for so long under the right circumstances.
After not being walking with the Lord, and the right way can
change drastically, and that's what Jonathan experience with
his father. Jonathan thought, his father was
one person and all for a sudden he's learned that he is not the
person you thought he was. And so I want to prepare you
from for potential pain in life to be Garden to be shielded,
man. Will fail you?
Man? Will disappoint you even the
most unlikely even those that might perplex you, even the
thought of entertaining of them doing something that you never
thought they would do. Yes, it's possible for them to
do it. But here's the joy, Jesus will
never fail you because he never changes.
He never changes. He never changes because he does
not need to change to change implies that you need to better
yourself and we know that about Christ.
He's perfect. To change means that you have
the potential of sinning and we know that our Lord cannot sin.
And so whatever God says, that's what he is.
And that's what he'll do. Jesus is the same yesterday
today and forever. And so you can know one thing.
Your Lord will never disappoint you though.
Men will and the reason for that change with sauce in crept in
Sin crept in and overtook his heart over took his soul and
sin, when it rains in a person's life, does not cease to corrode
and destroy everything and anything even relationships,
even the most prized relationships in life, it is
cancerous and this is a reminder that when we think sin only
affects us, we are under deception.
Even though you think that the sin that you are entertaining,
your life, only affects Or maybe the person you're sinning
against or sinning with that is never the case.
It actually reaches to resources and relationships that you never
thought it would reach its much, more catastrophic than we can
imagine. But we don't think that way we
think that we can manage and control our sin.
I want to tell you tonight, something that you've probably
heard a hundred times what it's worth hearing.
One more time. I'm sure you can choose your sin
but you can never choose the consequence of that sin.
You can determine what you will do and knowingly because it's
wrong. You will do it, but God's
forgiving and he's merciful. But let me tell you something,
you can never manage the magnitude of the consequence of
that sin. It's like trying to grasp the
wind. It's like trying to Manage the
ocean, it will have its way and you might be shocked to realize
how far it will go because here's what happens.
Saul was sinning against David Saul had his own personal
emotional issues but we have ever thought that it would
destroy this this bond with his son to such a degree that it
actually fractured a specific practice that they shared
together. My dad tells me everything but,
but Saul's jealousy was so Fierce that it actually began to
mingle with that and erode something as precious and as As
my herbal as a father and his son, his son, sharing something
beautiful a trust and a transparency sin is vicious.
And so, he was perplexed. But David wisely assess the
situation. He says, look, your dad knows
that we have this relationship. Your dad knows that if your
father misses me at all. Then say David earnestly asked
leave of me to run to Bethlehem his City for.
There's a yearly sacrifice there for all the clan and he says
good, it will be well with your servant, but if he is angry,
then know that harm is determined by him.
See what I see with David here is that Jonathan is not, it's
not buying this whole thing about Saul really wanting to
kill him. You know why what happened in
the previous chapter between Jonathan and Saul?
Can anybody remind us? What happened?
It was a precious thing. It was a glorious thing who
remembers Yeah Jonathan confronts his father point-blank
without trickery and it just speaks honestly, what are you
trying to do against David? The man's done?
Nothing wrong and saw gave him his word as long as the Lord
lives, I will not put him to death and not only that he
brings David back into his court.
That's the last thing that Jonathan was exposed to
concerning the situation and now offers sudden David shows up and
he's like your dad's trying to kill me and he's like, hold on I
saw him repent. Supposedly, I saw him change his
ways. You know you're telling me
something that that I apparently is opposite of my experience.
And David doesn't condemn, Jonathan, David doesn't slap him
upside, the head. David doesn't scream at him.
David doesn't shake him by the collar, David displays, a
patient's. And he says, let me show you
this to be true. I read that and I admired David
for this because it shows again, the need to be a certain way
with our Brothers and Sisters in Christ.
Listen, you want to be A disciple of Jesus Christ.
You want to disciple other people, then know this it will
require forbearance, it will require a great deal.
Of maturity, because every single one of us in this place
are operating at a different level of understanding and a
different level of maturity. And some of us see things
clearer than others, some of us know things deeper than others.
Some of us have greater skill and ability socially practically
in Ministry than others. And so the Bible instructions in
the New Testament, you're going to have different kind of
characters in The and the local body.
And so it's going to require a great deal of restraint and
patience in order for discipleship to truly flourish,
Here's proof of that. And first Thessalonians 5, 14.
Paul says and we urge you, we urge you Brothers, admonish the
idol. Encourage the faint-hearted,
help the weak be patient with them all.
Admonish the idle, those who are lazy, those who are not
necessarily committed, those, they need to be shaken up more
than the regular person admonish them.
Encourage the faint-hearted, there are some who are more
susceptible to discouragement and others I then had the
humility to say hear what you have to say.
It's amazing. It's amazing how we are so quick
to give up on people. Although, they're a little
awkward. They seem to think differently.
They seem to be socially off. Well, welcome to the church.
Are we not supposed to bring in people and through our gifts and
through Christ in US, witness the transforming power of God.
It's as though, we want everybody to come in perfectly
intact, theologically precise. From top to bottom, no issues.
No corks. No, you're going to have
different people with different backgrounds and different
bruises and different records. And it's going to require us to
partner with the spirit of God to say, you might be a little
different. You might not understand that
you might not see it like you're supposed to see it but let's
work together and see God, transform your life.
That's where church becomes church when you do life with
people and you're willing to pay a price to see Christ in them.
Jonathan said to David whatever you say I will do for you.
Whatever you say I will do for you.
And you know why I'm encouraged by that because it contrast
sauce all change with. Jonathan saw was one way for so
many years and all for sudden because the flesh took over.
He performs something that Jonathan never thought he would
do, but I see in Jonathan and you're going to see for the rest
of the study, a consistent fellow concrete, man.
He was unsure shaken. He was a moved.
Yeah, he had moments of doubt, maybe had moments like this,
where he questioning, but the men down deep inside was solid.
He was reliable. He was Instant, let's strive to
be like that. In fact, Jonathan here is given
to David in this great test in this episode that required great
endurance. Jonathan was given to reflect
the relationship that you and I should be sharing with our
master and our Lord. As you heard Jesus doesn't
change. He is reliable.
He was always available. He supplies.
The Graces that we need in order to be, strengthened to strive to
christlikeness. And I look at Jonathan here.
And I see a man. Who is a friend like Jesus?
And he almost even Echoes. The same words as Jesus though.
Jonathan obviously is not God and he's not saying David pray
to me. He's making himself available to
David, and Jesus himself, says, whatever you ask, I will give
whatever you ask in my name. It will be done.
And when I look at Jonathan here, I realized I realized at
least two things about a true friend in Christ.
I realize, at least two things. The first thing is this Jonathan
was a friend to David in both the good and the bad.
Does anybody believe in here that the Bible speaks about
friendships? Do you believe Jesus taught
about friendships? Where do you believe you just
taught about substitutionary? Atonement.
Now, Jesus spoke about friendships and we're going to
get to that in a moment. See when Christ wants to form
you and shape, you, it's in every facet of your life, every
expression of your existence and guess what?
You have friends you have relationships and God wants
Christ to shine through that. David was a friend, rather
Jonathan was a friend to David through the good and the bad.
It was easy to be supportive of David, it was easy to make a
covenant with David when he was the hero of Israel and
everybody's singing his praise and everybody loves David now.
David is going to be labeled falsely as a criminal.
Now David is going to be an outcast.
He's gonna be pushed out of the Palace of his home.
Everything linked about his life, his livelihood, his
family, his job is connected to Saul and I because saw was in a
bad mood. David has to flee and Saul is
going to spread slander and accusation and yet Jonathan at
this moment is saying I'm with you in this buddy.
I'm here with you. Do you see the great risk of
this? Here's the point for us to
consider Jonathan. Was there for David at every
point of his life even when it would cost Jonathan something to
be David's friend. The man could have stepped back.
I look at Jonathan and the man could have stepped back and said
hey look this is getting confusing.
My dad said he forgave you. Now you're saying that he's
trying to kill you. Look this is between you and
him. It was nice, knowing you.
I really believe you're going to become the king of Israel.
I'll support you from a distance.
You guys figure it out. Maybe I'll bump into you.
God bless you. Could have done that.
No, he persisted. Is it loving David?
When it's hard to love David. Jonathan is going to sacrifice
for David even though it might cost Jonathan a great price
which brings us to the second point.
Please remember why Jonathan is doing this with David?
What was the reason why Jonathan was willing to cling to David
even at the expense of his own job?
And more importantly the relationship with his father,
does anybody remember when we brought that up?
Why? He loved the truth.
Jonathan was a man of God and Jonathan was not a respecter of
persons. I hope we would be such people
and when it came to an ultimatum when it came to a circumstance
where there was a clear divide by what is true and what is
false Jonathan stood on the side of truth, no matter who stood on
the other side and David was on the side of Truth saw was on the
side of wickedness. And this man chose to be David's
friend because he saw in David a man after God's heart, who would
obey him at any cost and Johnson.
That's a person that I will stand by and he does.
And that's Jesus friendship toward us.
This might wound, you, I'm sorry, but it's true.
Jesus Is Friendship is conditional.
It's open to everyone, but it's based on a condition, not
everybody's a friend of Christ. And not everybody.
This Christ consider a friend. Because Jesus said in John,
14:15 verse, 14, you are my friends.
If you do what I command you, you are my friends.
If you do what I command you, You heard me say the past couple
of weeks that you and I must stand for truth, no matter what
it costs us, and for Jonathan, it would cost him very much with
his own father. And the reason why Jonathan is
partnering with David's, not because David made him laugh
more. It's not because he he had a
presence about him, he was entertaining.
It was not because David was famous and he was willing to
ignore his family so that he can have some kind of claim to
popularity, nothing of the sort. It was because David was walking
in the light. and John says I will I will be with you and for
you as long as you walk for Christ and for his glory Base
your friendships on truth. Base your relationships in your
decisions and your defense on truth and you will know great
reward, and you will know the best of relationships.
So David says, well if you're if you're saying do whatever.
I tell you let me tell you. Let's make a plan and you heard
it. There's a new moon, Feast, I'm
supposed to be there because that's how KooKoo saw was Saul
was so crazy that he's trying to kill the man, but he still
expecting him to come to dinner. That's what feasts with my
family. Why are you lying?
Why do you why do you have to do, do it this way?
There's so many other ways that you could have done it, why did
you have to convince? Jonathan was clearly a man of
God to be deceptive in this attempt to try to reveal Saul's
attitude about you. You didn't have to do this.
But don't you love the scriptures?
The scriptures are very honest, and they're not biased.
You know, if you want, any argument for the validity of the
word of God consider this, that the authors of many of the books
did not hide their faults in their failures.
If I knew that I was going to write something that was going
to be known as God's revelation to mankind.
I would try my best to try to erase the parts where I look
like a fool. Like Peter denying Christ and
the disciples fleeing from Jesus when he was arrested.
When you look at David and this moment you, and I know him as
the psalmist, as a worship song writer you.
And I know him as the man after God's heart, the man who stood
before Giants. And you know what I learned
about David and what you will continue to learn about David as
well. This man did not handle pressure
very well, he didn't When the temperature was just right when
it was intense, when it was hot, this man could not handle it.
And often times he gave in, he gave in to the flesh.
And you would think that through tests and life David, you're a
man after God's heart, surely you're going to radiate
faithfulness in and christ-like character but no he lies.
He gives into the same temptation as his wife.
McHale, when Saul comes to say where's David?
And she says he's sick. And he threatened to kill me.
It's amazing. How pressure can really reveal
what's in US. And I want you to see how David
does this in another place. Go to First Samuel chapter 27,
You want to see a weakness of this, man of God, here is one of
his weaknesses. Look at first Samuel. 27 verse
1. Then David said, in his heart.
Now I Shall Perish One Day by the hand of Saul.
There is nothing better for me than that.
I should escape to the land of the Philistines than Saul will
despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel and
I shall Escape out of his hand. Are you serious?
So this man is clearly
discouraged because of the prolong efforts of Saul who
would not give up coming after him and it came to a point near
the end of the study were the man says this guy is going to
get me. It's a matter of time before he
takes out my life. And so listen to how he thinks
there is nothing better for me than to go to the land of the
Philistines. Nothing better.
May I remind you was it ever a profitable outcome for the
people of Israel to leave the promised land and go to
neighboring Nations? No, no, no.
Just go and ask Naomi when her husband, left her and her son's
to the land of Moab. How did that turn out?
Okay. Go ask Abraham went in a famine,
took his family and his employees to Egypt.
How did that turn out? And yet David In This Moment.
When the temperature is right, when the pressure is great.
Is consoling himself to go to the Philistines?
When God seems silent. And When Trials, increase in its
intensity concerning the darkness and the Temptation, our
hearts will never fail to suggest sinful Solutions.
Notice. It says, David said, where we're
in his heart, his heart spoke to him in this moment and said, go
to the land of the Philistines. It's amazing, how and great
seasons of testing, and Grace seasons.
Were, our faith is demanded of us.
House in becomes more attractive as a way of medicating
ourselves. How lies and cheating becomes a
source of Refuge for us. It escaped further, discomfort
to try to eliminate further problems.
It's amazing how the flesh comes alive when we've been hurt by
somebody to retaliate with the flesh?
It's amazing. What the heart will recommend to
you. It's amazing what your own
heart. Never mind the devil.
This is it, a devil came? He says, in his own heart that
same heart that wrote Psalm. 23 said, go to the land of the
Philistines. So then how do we avoid these
mistakes? How do we, how do we better
secure ourselves? So that when we are visited by
unsuspecting difficulties, Our hearts will be able to preach to
us something different. Remember what the psalmist said
in Psalm 119 verse 11, I have done.
What I have stored up your word in my heart that I may do.
What? And I sinned against you, I've
hidden Thy word in my heart that I may not sin against thee.
Do you understand the implication?
I have hidden Thy word in my heart pay attention now I have
hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against
thee. Meaning what?
There is a responsibility for the believer.
That in times of tranquility and peace, you still make an
investment of the reservoir of the word of God in your soul.
you must in times of great, peace, never fail to neglect
your Devotion, to the word, your memorization of the word, your
study of the word because it will prepare you for when life
squeezes you You and I must be like Joseph.
What did Joseph do? Joseph gathered in the grain
during the time of harvest and was prepared for the famine.
Had Joseph waited for the famine to gather in.
It would have been too difficult.
It would've been too overwhelming, and it would have
been too late. And that's how you have, many
people relate to the word of God, they run to it when they
need help, they run to it when they're Only in trouble.
And oftentimes, they're so overcome by the tides of
Temptation and trials. They can't even make it to the
book. And so there is a call for us
now, in times of Great Piece of quietness, of success of
prosperity, to invest the word, I have hidden Thy word in my
heart. That I might not sin against
you, because when you put the word in you and in life squeezes
you, what you will hear are the promises of God, the
faithfulness of God, not bow to Philistines. so I see here, an
example of the necessity of mastering the word, it's not a
matter of whether you feel like it or not, you need to.
It's a matter of survival. Never mind devotion.
You need to. If you really believe that this
word is like breath and food, it won't even be a thought of
whether or not you should spend time in it.
And you'd be amazed to know how old come to your rescue and
times where you are suffocating in a season.
Of suffering. David didn't handle pressure.
And the most exemplary way. But God is patient and God
supplied a friend. Verse 8.
Therefore deal kindly with your servant for you have brought
your servant into a coven of the Lord with you.
But if there is guilt and me kill me yourself for, why should
you bring me to your father's? Okay listen if you're in on this
Just take me on right now. If you're in cahoots with your
dad. If your dad somehow convince you
about me, you're the next one in line.
So why don't we make this easy? Let me die a more honorable
death and why don't you just take me out right now and I
don't have to go before your crazy father.
And Jonathan reassures him in verse 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.
What? I not tell you, I would tell you
David David. If I really knew that he was
chasing you out into Rama, I would have warned you about it.
Now, look at verse 12. This is interesting and Jonathan
said to David the Lord, the Lord, the god of Israel be
witnessed 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 sin and
disclose it to you? So say look, if I knew my dad
was gonna kill you, I would tell you.
And guess what? If my dad is favorable toward
you, I'm going to tell you. What's the principal here of a
true Godly friend? As I was studying.
Those realizing this is, this is really a lot of principles about
what true friendship looks like in the kingdom of God.
You want to know who his true friend to you.
You want to know somebody who really loves God and loves you,
they aren't afraid to tell you the truth.
If it's bad news they'll tell you if it's good news they'll
tell you if it's bad information to let you know if it's good
information to let you know, a true friend will rebuke you when
it is necessary and a true friend will not forget to Build
You Up. And to strengthen you and your
faith. And that's what Jonathan is
displaying here. Look, if it's going to hurt you,
I'll tell you anyway because I love you.
And if it's going to build you up and erase, all the fears in
the imaginations, you have. I'm going to tell you, I'm going
to tell you the truth. That's a true friend.
You know, sometimes I walk about my day and I have something
here, I have something here and I talked to like 15 people, not
one person told me anything. I says you're not my friend.
Because a true friend would say hey there's something there,
man, you're embarrassing yourself, get rid of it.
That's a true friend. You what I say?
Every time somebody says that says your your, I say jokingly
but I mean, you're a true friend.
Thank you for telling me the truth.
I didn't I it's embarrassing right now, but thank you for
further embarrassment is going to be avoided.
God bless you. We think that love doesn't mean
that we do not sit down with those that we love and correct
them and sometimes even shake them up.
But we do it in love and not just to those who are Brothers
and Sisters in Christ. We are truly a friend to this
world to our brothers and Humanity.
When we choose not to be afraid to share the bad news about the
Bible and the good news about the Bible.
The wrath of God and the love of God, the Judgment of Christ and
the mercy of Christ. There's great debate about how
we should preach to the world. It's amazing, the theories that
people come up with to try to Advocate their agenda and their
frame of mind of how we should talk to sinners.
Just go through the book. Just end the argument here.
When I go to the book of Acts, I see a balance.
Can I show you one example? Just in case you bump into
somebody who might be a genuine believer, but is struggling with
this idea of how to present the Full Gospel, the whole counsel
of God, to the Lost. This is a great place to
highlight. If you haven't highlighting acts
10:42, we are told by Peter, what he was given by Christ to
preach to the world. And it says in Acts 10 42 and he
commanded us. Okay?
Now, if anybody debates, this isn't Peters idea, he commended
us. And he commanded us to preach to
the people. And to testify that he is the
one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.
Could you imagine that that Jesus actually commanded the
apostles to preach? What Jesus Christ is going to
judge you. He's going to judge the living,
and the dead, that there is a Judgment Day.
It's unfathomable. Jesus came in at?
Are you sure Peter? That wasn't your idea.
Is it wasn't you James and John that came up?
No, he commanded us to preach to what?
Well, God loves you. Yeah, he does love you but he's
going to judge you if you don't respond to that love.
He commanded us to preach to the people that he is the one who is
the judge, the living, and the dead, but look at the balance in
verse 43 to him all the prophets, bear witness that
everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.
Through his name. There's the balance.
Yes, there's a judgment to come, but there's a forgiveness to
avoid it. Yes Christ is Judge, but he also
wants you to know that he is relational and he wants to
reconcile you as he forgives you through his blood.
So, be balanced and be like Jonathan who is willing to share
The Bad and The Good, the things that are hard to hear and the
things that are lovely to hear. Not only to become a friend to
the brother and sister in Christ.
We become a true friend to this world.
That doesn't know what true friendship is. so, we come back
to our text, And this plan is set out and I want you to see
something as we scroll down to verse 14, and we're almost done
here. There's no way we can cover this
whole chapter tonight. If I'm still alive, show me the
steadfast love of the Lord that I may not die 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 and Jonathan
made a covenant with the House of David saying may the Lord
take Vengeance on David's enemies.
So what's happening here is David and Jonathan come to an
agreement. I'm going to go to this Feast.
I'm going to sit down with my dad and his men in our family.
You're not going to be there. I'm going to see if your dad's
going to ask about you and if he does ask about you, I'm going to
tell him that you're at your hometown with your family and
let's see how sorry acts but David, I have something to
require of you. I need something from you David.
And I see the wisdom here of how God designs.
Another point of a healthy christ-like, flourishing
relationship. Whether it's with your wife,
whether it's your other husband, or any friend, or brother, or
sister and blood or in the faith.
Many of us pointed Jonathan, as an example of the person who
gives he gave encouragement, he gave his time, he gave his
resources, he gave everything, he could give as an expression
of his love great. But Jonathan also needed.
Jonathan also needed to receive. He was a person that had certain
things that needed to be ministered to And for people to
point to Jonathan to make demands on others, look how
Jonathan gav, gav, gav gav, and then impose and make these
unrealistic expectations. Those people also need to
realize that Jonathan here needed to receive the same love
and sacrifice that he was willing to share.
And so it's the harmony, it's the Symphony of give-and-take
not just take, take take, take take, no.
I'm willing to give but it also need to receive and that's how
you see this flow of Grace and any relationship that as much as
you are willing to give and to receive your also willing to
sacrifice on your end. Very basic principle but it's so
hard for us. I mean, we have counseling such
as in conferences about it, but what's his request look, you're
going to be king. When you do become king, please
don't kill my kids. Don't kill my Offspring.
Don't kill my seed. Please.
Why? Because it was a common practice
in ancient times that when somebody was elected to be king,
that one of the first things he would do is eliminate any
threats and the descendants of those people who would try to
overthrow that standing King and it's obvious that Saul is an
enemy to David. Jonathan is related to Saul and
here's the issue. You David when you become king,
please spare my descendants. Please have mercy on my
Descendants. The David.
Keep that promise he did. But let me ask you this read
closely. What else do you learn about
Jonathan through these words? Read it and here's a hint,
compare. what Jonathan believed about David, to what David
believed about David, what did David believe about
himself in this chapter about his future?
I'm what? I'm one step away from death.
What did Jonathan believe about David's future?
You're going to be king. Do you see the wording here?
he says in the second part of verse 15, when the Lord cuts
off, every one of the enemies of Davey, didn't say if It's a
matter of time. You're going to be the next
king. God has anointed you.
God has called you God, has prepared, you and God will lead
you Faithfully. You know what, I see here.
This is almost shattering to our Sunday school experience.
Jonathan is showing more faith in David has.
Jonathan has more faith about David's future than David, does
about his own future. Could you imagine that?
You want a true friend? Do you want to be a true friend?
Never fail to remind your brother or sister about the
promises of God. Never failed to encourage them
about their purpose, in the kingdom of God about their value
in the local church about their gifts, and giftings, and how God
has wired them never withhold. The compassion.
And the language of love, that would stir them on into the path
of Holiness. Jonathan made this a practice in
his life. This wasn't a one-time deal.
If you want to see it, go to First, Samuel 23, I want you to
see in another place. And look at verse 17 of 1st,
Samuel 23. And he said to him, this is
Jonathan to David again and he said to him.
And first, Samuel 23:17 do not fear for the hand of Saul.
My father shall not find. You you shall be king over
Israel and I shall be next to you saw.
My father, also knows this King David.
You are going to see God's purposes prevail.
You are going to be who God called you to be.
You know, it's so incredible. I think I learned something
about faith that I didn't realize and it's the extent of
its power. When a man has Faith the benefit
of that Faith exceeds it blessing you it can bless
others. You're trusting, God can be so
profound. And so deep.
And so true, they can actually Supply the strength necessary
for those who might not have that faith.
If I may say this way, faith is so powerful that you can lend it
to someone else. You need your own faith of
course especially when your relationship with Christ.
But I say that to illustrate the point that this man's trusting
God was so real and so convincing, That when he stepped
into the presence of David David could receive from that and be
fueled by it. And we look at a great man, like
David, and we think of great men and women who've done great
things for God throughout history.
And what we often fail to do is realize that they're human and
they're susceptible to discouragement and despair.
And I wonder if heaven will tell the story of those who are
unknown, who didn't have books written about him that blue wind
into their sales. Like Jonathan does for David.
You might not be the next king of Israel.
But the Holy Spirit records, what Jonathan does as a
contribution to this man's Devotion to Christ.
Faith can be so real in your life that it can actually Supply
strength to others who might not have it in the moment.
Who can actually borrow that Faith, who can, who can actually
see that trust you have in God and it bring light and hope to
them to just make it to another day.
As in David's case, I'm currently reading the book of
Acts and this is where I'm ending.
And I saw something so profound to me in light of this.
It was when Paul was on that ship to Rome and a storm comes
and knocks them back and forth for two weeks and four days of
says, there was no sun or moon and they were ready to call it a
day. Meaning, they were ready to die.
And yet, Paul one among hundreds on that same ship was the true
shining star if I can use that analogy.
This man, this one man out of the hundreds on that same boat.
Had so much faith in God that energized that entire ship.
And actually brought life and hope to all of those men on that
boat. And I thought to myself, look
how magnetic faith can be Look at how one person, one person in
a family. One person in a church, one
person in a workplace. One person in a school can
actually bring the whole place to a recognition of the goodness
of God. Because Saul is on that boat and
all for a sudden, he comes on that Dock.
And I can just see those men holding onto poles.
Other ones holding on to each other and these grown men who
have just turned into mush and Paul shows up and he gives this
little discourse about, it's all going to be good.
We're going to make it, I'm sure.
Somebody says, how do you know? Well, an angel visited me says
we're on our way. I got to get to Rome.
And then Paul says, something that tells me what maximum faith
is, would you like to know how you have maximum Faith?
Would you like to know how you can have such a faith that it
can impact others? Who might not even be born
again. Acts 27, verse 25.
This is what Paul says to these prisoners and to these Roman
soldiers. So take heart to men.
For, I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been
told. Take heart guys because I, you
can take heart because I have faith that whatever God had said
will come to pass. Exactly, not 90% 100% whatever
God had said. I believe that it will be
exactly done according to the word.
And in this context, it had to do with their safety, had to do
with their Deliverance, because of Paul's presence on that ship.
And you know, what happened to these men.
You scroll down to verse 36, then they all were encouraged
and ate some food themselves. Then they were encouraged.
Why were they encouraged? Because there was one person who
had enough faith in God. Why can they endure this trial?
It wasn't there. One man's faith in their
presence. Gave them enough.
Hope to see another day. And that's what this world needs
to see today. Paul wasn't behind a Pulpit when
he inspired these 200. Something, man.
Paul was in a prisoner ship. and we are not told that these men
came to Christ necessarily, but it's an illustration of just how
powerful ones relationship of God can be Did I say that was
the last verse? Sorry, it's not.
This is the last verse. In Acts 16.
I want you to see one more thing.
And if you haven't paid attention up to this point, I
encourage you to pay attention at this point and acts 16:1
verse Paul and Silas are in prison.
Now, look at this, in verse 25, about midnight, Paul and Silas
were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were
listening to them. I read that the other day and
the thing that popped out to me was the prisoners were listening
to them, the prisoners were listening to them.
What does that mean? It means this the Paul and Silas
or were in a great trial, a great pit, a great testing of
their faith and whether they realize it or not, there was an
unbelieving crowd observing them.
Christian. whether you audiences is one or a hundred or thousand
or a million, what a wonderful lesson for us to consider that
when we are enduring things, for the sake of Christ, There's an
unbelieving cousin watching you. There's an unbelieving husband
watching you. There's an unbelieving best
friend, who is an atheist. Who saw you come to Christ and
change watching you. And in those moments were we are
hard-pressed. Where we got the doctor's report
and we have been notified of an Affliction of a disease that
might be terminal or when a child has horrific lie.
Been bedridden or when finances are.
A very limited in those moments. Listen to this.
We can either testify to an unbelieving crowd, that he still
worthy to be praised. Or we can cause them to question
if Christ can really be trusted. Jonathan supplied strength to
David when David didn't have enough faith for himself.
Will pause here and continue next week.
May God help us be true friends for his glory.
Lord, we ask you tonight. With all that we've heard that
you would give us the ability to digest it and we ask In This
Moment tonight. That this should be a house.
Well, we can testify one. Another Jehovah has given.
God has given to me a friend. And so, and so God has given me
a friend and my elders. God has given me a friend.
And this person, and that person.
Lord, we realized that we each have a story that's being
written by you and many stories read differently.
But Lord, whether it's Jonathan to David or Titus to Paul.
You have given us Graces and people to be able to continue on
this path. Lord keep us from being a man
like Saul. who allowed sin to change him and the way he
treated others, But Lord, we look at a man like Jonathan and
we see a reflection of your friendship toward us.
Always, reliable, trustworthy, Covenant of Love, A Love that
doesn't give up so easily, a love.
That is secure a love that invites us to come for comfort
and counsel may we reflect your friendship?
May we be a people who stand for truth, even if we have to stand
alone, maybe people who stand for truth, even if it costs us
resources or relationships. And Lord.
When man, fails us, we look to Christ.
And we see him who is never disappointed us, who will never
disappoint us. But we want to be like our
Christ. And so Lord.
In this place, Infuse the power to have such faith in you to be.
So conformed to the glory of the Lord, that what we have in our
hearts with touch other hearts. and whether we in the presence
of believers who were discouraged, whether we are in
the presence of unbelieving people, May our faith.
Our trust in you, make an impression on others.
We cannot do that in our own strength that has to be Christ
in us. The hope of glory, the holy
spirit in us. The power that you have promised
for those who would obey that Great Commission in this place
tonight. We worship you in light of the
great wisdom that you've provided for you are The God Who
is concerned about every aspect of your Tabernacle, your temple,
your people. We give you all the praise
tonight because we have hidden Thy word in our hearts.
That we may not sin against thee.
In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.