1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:07,240 Amen. What a tremendous hymn we're 2 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:11,360 going to turn in our Bible. The second Samuel. 3 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:21,520 The second Samuel I'm going to read from the chapter 1. 4 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:32,080 Find Judges and Ruth. Just keep coming on. 5 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:35,320 You'll eventually get to first Samuel. 6 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:49,510 Come to second Samuel, Second Samuel chapter 1, Second Samuel 7 00:00:49,510 --> 00:00:51,510 chapter 1. We're going to read from verse 8 00:00:51,510 --> 00:00:53,830 13. Let's hear the word of God, 9 00:00:54,270 --> 00:00:58,910 reading of course from the King James Bible, Second Samuel 10 00:00:58,910 --> 00:01:05,239 chapter one, verse 13. And David said unto the young 11 00:01:05,239 --> 00:01:09,280 man that told him, Whence art thy? 12 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:17,680 And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite. 13 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:25,040 And David said unto him, How was thou not afraid to stretch forth 14 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:28,920 thine hand to destroy the Lord's anointed? 15 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:34,400 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, 16 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:39,440 and fall upon them. And he smote him that he died. 17 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:46,560 And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head, for thy 18 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:52,360 mouth have testified against thee, saying, I have slain the 19 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:57,320 Lord's anointed. And David lamented with this 20 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:05,120 lamentation over soul, and over Jonathan his son also he bade 21 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:09,199 them teach the children of Judah the use of the bull. 22 00:02:10,479 --> 00:02:14,520 Behold, it is written in the book of Joshua. 23 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:19,880 The beauty of Israel is slaying upon thy high places. 24 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:28,000 How are the mighty fallen? Tell it not in Gath, publish it 25 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:31,960 not in the streets of Ashkelon. Let the daughters of the 26 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:37,000 Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised 27 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:41,120 triumph. Ye mountains of Gilboa, let 28 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:45,840 there be no Jew, neither let there be rain upon you, nor 29 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:50,960 fields of offerings for there the shield of the mighty is 30 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:56,800 vilely castaway, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been 31 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:02,840 anointed with oil from the blood of the slain, from the fat of 32 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:08,200 the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword 33 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:13,880 of soil Saul returned not empty. Saul and Jonathan were lovely 34 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:17,360 and pleasant in their lives and in their death. 35 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:20,840 They were not divided. They were swifter than eagles, 36 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:25,160 they were stronger than lions. He, daughters of Israel, weep 37 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:31,280 over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet with other delights, who 38 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:34,120 put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. 39 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:38,120 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle? 40 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:42,920 Oh, Jonathan, thou was slain in thy high places. 41 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:47,080 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan. 42 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:51,320 Very pleasant hast thy been unto me. 43 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:56,360 Thy love to me was wonderful. Passing the love of woman. 44 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:02,040 How art the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished. 45 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:04,480 Amen. We know God will stump with His 46 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:08,160 own divine approval and blessing this reading of His own precious 47 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:15,440 and infallible word. The My text tonight is taken 48 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:19,760 from Second Samuel chapter one, verse 26. 49 00:04:21,519 --> 00:04:26,240 David said I'm distressed for thee my brother Jonathan, very 50 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:30,480 pleasant has thou been unto me. Thy love to me was wonderful. 51 00:04:30,840 --> 00:04:35,720 Passing the love of woman and have entitled this message a 52 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:39,400 wondrous love in the time of weeping. 53 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:44,360 These words were spoken by David upon hearing the news of the 54 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:48,800 death of Jonathan. Jonathan was King Saul's son, 55 00:04:49,280 --> 00:04:52,880 but Jonathan was also one of David's best friend. 56 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:58,720 And once David discovered this sad news of Jonathan's death, he 57 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:05,160 was plunged into a moment and a period of deep sorrow and 58 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:09,200 genuine mourning. His words here, I believe, are 59 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:13,960 deeply personal. They are painfully honest, but 60 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:18,520 they're also profoundly helpful. You see, this was a sacred 61 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:21,920 moment, yet it was also a sorrowful one. 62 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:26,920 Why was it sacred? Because it speaks of love, a 63 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:31,560 wonderful love, a true, genuine friendship. 64 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:40,000 It speaks of Providence. Here it's sorrowful because of 65 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:45,080 whether it was the wonderful love of a loved one or the 66 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:52,280 wonderful love of a dear friend, we know and feel the deep winds 67 00:05:52,280 --> 00:05:55,360 of loss. When death comes. 68 00:05:56,120 --> 00:06:01,120 David doesn't hide his grief. He doesn't pretend all is OK. 69 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,720 He speaks clearly and plainly. Think of these words. 70 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:09,280 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan. 71 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:14,160 Isn't it wonderful that the Bible gives permission to 72 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:18,560 grieve? You see, genuine grief is not 73 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:23,960 unbelief. Tears are not trivial. 74 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:28,400 Many people, when a loved one dies, shed tears. 75 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:33,080 But those are tears of love. And of course, those tears of 76 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:36,880 love flow freely because that individual or those individuals 77 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:42,720 are enduring and processing the shock of bodily separation of 78 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:48,920 their loved one. Saul's son Jonathan would have 79 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:53,000 normally been expected to be the heir to the throne. 80 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:58,560 It would normally in the passage of time, he would be the one who 81 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:01,000 would occupy his father's throne. 82 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:06,280 David was a shepherd boy, yet he was the one chosen instead of 83 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:10,280 Jonathan to be king. And even though Jonathan knew 84 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:14,480 that David was chosen by God to be king, you would have expected 85 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:16,680 a conflict between these two boys. 86 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:20,920 But there was no conflict. Rather there was a concourse. 87 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:24,960 You'd expect fighting between these two boys, The heir to the 88 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:29,560 throne and a shepherd boy. No, but there was no fighting 89 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:34,200 between them, but rather one of the greatest displays of 90 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:39,040 friendship. You see, true friendship is one 91 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:43,280 of the greatest in human relationships. 92 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:47,600 I only say 1 because there's others. 93 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:52,600 Remember, Proverbs 17 and seven says that a friend loveth at all 94 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:56,200 times, and a brother is born for adversity. 95 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:05,240 David and Jonathan were true friends, real friends, and they 96 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:10,680 had a genuine, wondrous love for one another. 97 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:18,480 And this friendship of David and Jonathan, as we see here, David 98 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:20,520 mourning the loss of his best friend. 99 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:27,440 Yet that friendship between David and Jonathan is a pater, I 100 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:32,159 believe, of the godly friendship between Jesus Christ and his 101 00:08:32,159 --> 00:08:34,840 people. See, true friends are not just 102 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:38,440 acquaintances. True friends just don't know 103 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:41,880 each other. True friends are not just united 104 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:47,880 with a common bond of faith. We can maybe say culture as 105 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:57,080 well, maybe loving the Lord. No, it's deeper, it's more 106 00:08:57,080 --> 00:09:03,440 personal. Because true friendship is a 107 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:09,800 life of loving loyalty toward another individual. 108 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:23,120 In fact, David's and Jonathan's relationship and friendship is 109 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:27,960 but a shadow of Christ's friendship and relationship with 110 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:30,080 His people. You see, here's something that I 111 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:34,120 want you to think about. The Lord Jesus Christ is not 112 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:35,720 just our prophet, priest, and king. 113 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:41,600 The Lord Jesus Christ is not just the Redeemer and the 114 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:45,680 righteous judge, but He's our friend. 115 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:52,960 Remember what Proverbs chapter 18 and verse 24 tells us? 116 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:58,920 Proverbs 18 and verse 24, it says this, A man that hath 117 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:02,080 friends must show himself friendly, and there's a friend, 118 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:06,000 the stick of closer than a brother, that's the Lord Jesus. 119 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:09,720 And Solomon, the wisest of kings, spoke of the Lord, and 120 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:16,400 this is what he said, This is my beloved, and this is my friend. 121 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:22,920 The Lord Jesus was known as the friend of sinners and publicans. 122 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:27,360 He often met with individuals, He talked with them, He he 123 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:29,120 mingled with them, He ate with them. 124 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:32,880 Remember what he said to his own disciples before He left them in 125 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:36,960 the upper room? You're my friends if you do 126 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:40,360 whatsoever I command you. And when I thought of this text 127 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:44,280 of scripture, thought of funerals, the week that has gone 128 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:50,000 past, this text came to my mind. A wondrous love in the time of 129 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:51,840 weeping. Listen to the words again. 130 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:55,520 And I give you a wee out lying. I am distress for thee, my 131 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:59,160 brother Jonathan. Very pleasant hast thou been 132 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:02,560 unto me. Thy love to me was wonderful. 133 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:06,680 Passing the love of woman now 4 things very quickly. 134 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:12,000 The painful distress of love. Can you feel the weight of these 135 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:16,280 words? I am distress for thee, my 136 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:22,160 brother Jonathan. You see, David is experiencing 137 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:27,840 here the reality of godly grief. Oh yes, he's a man after God's 138 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:31,080 own heart. Yet he was a man who knew grief, 139 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:36,680 a man who wept bitter tears, a man who knew the painful sorrow 140 00:11:36,680 --> 00:11:40,760 of heart. You see, deep love always 141 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:44,520 results in deep grief. David doesn't hide his sorrow, 142 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:49,160 he honours it. David is not rebuked for being 143 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:52,680 sorrowful. No, he is recorded here in the 144 00:11:52,680 --> 00:11:55,880 Bible. The Bible doesn't silence grief, 145 00:11:56,760 --> 00:12:00,840 it sanctifies it. And this pain reminds us of 146 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:06,040 something very important. Death is an enemy. 147 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:10,000 Death was never part of God's original creation. 148 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:12,520 It entered the world because of sin. 149 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:16,360 Remember we read there in the book of Romans, in Romans 150 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:22,400 chapter 5 and in the verse 12. Wherefore as by one man sin 151 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:25,040 entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death 152 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:27,720 passed upon all men for that all of sin. 153 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:32,760 Romans 6 and 23 tells us for the wages of sin is death. 154 00:12:32,760 --> 00:12:37,560 Sin pays wages and death, remember? 155 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:43,960 Whenever it comes, we discover the death of a loved one hurts. 156 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:52,080 It feels unnatural. It takes us away from all that 157 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:57,200 we knew and loved, the places we lived, the people we loved, the 158 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:00,320 possessions we liked. And you see, that's how I feel 159 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:03,680 this evening about the death of Mr Andy Alexander. 160 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:07,800 He was my spiritual father. He was a personal friend. 161 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:10,920 He was a confidant in earlier times. 162 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:13,360 The death of the Reverend Roy Stewart. 163 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:17,200 I know exactly how her brother David McCullough feels this 164 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:21,000 evening. The death of Mr Joe Peyton down 165 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:23,080 in Tandrige, the death of others. 166 00:13:25,680 --> 00:13:27,560 You see, there's a reminder here. 167 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:31,720 There's two ways to die. All men will die. 168 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:36,560 You can die in Christ. Blessed are the dead which die 169 00:13:36,560 --> 00:13:39,480 in the Lord, or you can die without Christ. 170 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:42,080 Jesus said if you die in your sins, where I am there, you 171 00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:44,680 can't come. But there's not only two ways to 172 00:13:44,680 --> 00:13:47,200 die, but there's two ways to grieve. 173 00:13:47,560 --> 00:13:51,440 See, there is a grief that is without hope and many tonight 174 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:53,880 don't know and love the Lord Jesus Christ. 175 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:57,680 Many tonight when they're plunged into death and sorrow 176 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:00,600 that they know nothing of real gospel victory. 177 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:03,320 They they know nothing of gospel comfort. 178 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:06,480 They know nothing of the certainty and the enjoyment that 179 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:09,600 comes through trusting Christ as Lord and Saviour. 180 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:12,160 But there's another way to grieve. 181 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:15,880 There's a grief that flows from a heart of love. 182 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:22,160 Isn't it wonderful to know if we think of Revelation chapter 14 183 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:27,160 and in the verse 13, a very special verse that says in 184 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:30,200 Revelation chapter 14 and the verse 13. 185 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:33,640 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, right, blessed 186 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:36,880 are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth. 187 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:39,640 Yeah, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours 188 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:46,760 and their works do follow them whenever a loved one dies in 189 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:53,560 Christ, having professed A genuine love for Christ as Lord 190 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:58,120 and Saviour, and are anchored in the wonderful promises of God, 191 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:03,560 what tremendous gospel comfort flows from that to the hearts of 192 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:07,560 those who feel that hurt and sense that loss. 193 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:10,480 See, David here's not questioning God. 194 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:16,600 He is quoting something. He is telling us how he feels. 195 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:22,360 I am distress for thee. He's expressing his emotion. 196 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:29,520 Here's the true cost of love in a fallen sinful word. 197 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:32,560 There's an old preacher one time said true grace doesn't make the 198 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:37,560 heart less tender. Rather, it makes it more tender. 199 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:42,240 You see, the closer the friendship, the deeper the 200 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:48,160 feeling of loss. That's the first point. 201 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:52,520 The second point, as we go on from the painful distress of 202 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:55,880 love, is the providential depth of love. 203 00:15:56,640 --> 00:16:03,520 Notice these words my brother Jonathan David calls Jonathan my 204 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:07,040 brother. Now this is more than sentiment. 205 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:08,680 You see, I believe it was special. 206 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:13,600 They were not blood related, they were not blood relatives, 207 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:17,840 but both men didn't know and love the Lord. 208 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:21,560 As I've told you, this was not just a friendship. 209 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:24,560 This was a deep, genuine friendship. 210 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:30,040 This was a life of loving loyalty to one another, a bond 211 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:32,640 that was formed providentially by God. 212 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:39,080 A true covenant friendship is one of the sweetest gifts God 213 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:43,400 gives us in this life. The Lord in His Providence 214 00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:49,560 brings people together into our lives, not by accident, but by 215 00:16:49,560 --> 00:16:52,640 design. And He uses those very people to 216 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:56,640 shape us, to show us how to live, to strengthen us. 217 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:01,960 David and Jonathan had a friendship knit together by God, 218 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:07,400 not accidentally, but providential, easy and reformed 219 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:10,079 theology. We believe that God not only 220 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:15,280 sovereignly orders the great events of history, but also 221 00:17:15,280 --> 00:17:20,720 orders the relationships that shape and strengthen our lives. 222 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:29,240 The person you meet, the friends that you love, the one that you 223 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:35,840 helped or helped you, the brother or sister that you 224 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:41,160 leaned on, those are not just random blessings, but they are 225 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:44,080 gifts. I believe from the hand of God. 226 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:51,840 A friend loveth at all times. Such friendship, such care. 227 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:57,720 They're rare, but when God grants them, they become 228 00:17:57,800 --> 00:17:59,920 instruments of grace. Now. 229 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:03,520 Now think of how God uses the people that are brought into our 230 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:07,400 lives on the journey. Think of the individuals that 231 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:10,960 have pointed us to Christ and showed and taught us our need of 232 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:13,640 Him. Think of those who have 233 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:16,240 encouraged us when we were weak and maybe at the point of 234 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:18,200 despair and wanted to quit and give up. 235 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:22,320 Think of those who corrected us. We went astray and said, ah, 236 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:24,480 brother or sister, that's sin. That's wrong. 237 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:28,000 You need to repent. Think about those who have aided 238 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:30,520 us and strengthened us in our walk with God. 239 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:35,120 Think of those who have walked beside us in days of affliction, 240 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:38,720 in days of adversity, in days of tears. 241 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:46,080 You see, true, genuine friends are part of the means of grace 242 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:49,120 to our soul. Let me illustrate very quickly. 243 00:18:50,840 --> 00:18:53,640 I met Andy Alexander when I was 16 years of age. 244 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:56,960 I started to serve my time as an apprentice Carpenter in a place 245 00:18:56,960 --> 00:18:59,640 called LMA Construction in Coleraine. 246 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:05,680 Andy was a very quiet man. He went to church 3 times, twice 247 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:07,200 on the Sunday and once through the week. 248 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:10,320 He didn't curse, didn't drink, he didn't smoke, he didn't 249 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:12,800 gamble and he didn't read The Sun newspaper. 250 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:16,880 I watched his life. This sweet man was different 251 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:18,400 from everybody else that worked there. 252 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:22,680 He was happy, he smiled, and when something went wrong at 253 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:26,080 work, as it often does, he didn't get mad. 254 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:28,800 He didn't get upset when I screwed up the joiners 255 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:32,640 workbench, some task he'd give me to do as an apprentice, he 256 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:36,640 didn't get mad. He then re showed me how the 257 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:42,160 thing ought to be done. At 18 I spoke to him about 258 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:46,440 church I I said to him, if the church is the answer, I would 259 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:49,000 like to come to church. Andy at that time my life was 260 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:51,120 spiralling out of control. I've already told this, but we 261 00:19:51,120 --> 00:19:56,760 have testimony and remember him leaving down his tools at the 262 00:19:56,760 --> 00:20:00,000 bench and coming and putting his arm around me and he said this. 263 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,800 The church hasn't got the answer, but Christ has. 264 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:05,240 That was the double Dutch. I didn't know what that meant, 265 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:09,520 but two weeks later, the Providence of God or thinking 266 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:12,680 about God's Providence one Friday night. 267 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:16,600 He invited me to a tent mission in Limavady. 268 00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:21,040 He paid for a pane of glass that I had broken, and on that basis 269 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:24,160 I went with him to Limavady. That night, for the first time 270 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:26,520 ever, I heard the Gospel. John 10 and 10. 271 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:28,800 I'm come that you might have life and that you might have it 272 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:31,960 more abundantly. I heard this call from the 273 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:34,520 Reverend Sam Workman, young man, young woman, you're in this 274 00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:35,920 church tonight and you're looking for life. 275 00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:38,280 You're trying to find it in sexual fulfilment out of 276 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:40,120 marriage. You're trying to find it through 277 00:20:40,120 --> 00:20:42,880 experimentation with drugs and and alcohol. 278 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:45,200 And, and, and then he said, Nate, you're blocked out of your 279 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,600 head and you, you maybe wake up and you wonder where you're at 280 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:51,000 or you're you're maybe waking up in the horrors of drink and 281 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:52,960 you're thinking to yourself, what's life all about? 282 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:56,200 And, and, and, and, and, and, and this is a rat race. 283 00:20:56,440 --> 00:20:58,760 And he says, come with me tonight, come with me. 284 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:02,440 He said, young man, I want to introduce you to the giver of 285 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:04,600 life. We'll see. 286 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:06,400 That night I come under conviction of sin. 287 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:08,040 I didn't know what conviction was. 288 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:12,760 Andy drove me home the 14 miles to Coleraine. 289 00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:16,960 I was to go on with Andy's assistance to Kelly's and 290 00:21:16,960 --> 00:21:19,200 Portrush to meet up with others and I couldn't go. 291 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:22,440 Cut a Long story short, I went back to church on Sunday. 292 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:24,920 I haven't been there for five years. 293 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:29,880 I sat in Sunday's seat, told off left, spoke to the rector after 294 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:31,760 the service. He said, young man, sorry 295 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:35,040 there's not much I can do for you. 10:00 PM at night, I'm 296 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:36,520 walking the streets of Coleraine. 297 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:40,800 I'm under conviction. I'm afraid I'm thinking I'm 298 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:43,400 going to go to hell thinking of all the bad things that I have 299 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:45,880 done. And I wouldn't want to glorify 300 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:48,240 the devil by telling you some of those things. 301 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:52,240 But again, you see God in Providence had another man who 302 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:55,600 also worked in LMA construction and his name was Jackson 303 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:57,640 Mcvicker and he was in the year a few some days ago. 304 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:00,240 And we say hello to Jackson and Jean if they're listening in 305 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:03,720 this evening. He gave me a little tract cut. 306 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:07,560 Long story short, I took it home bedside of Roman Catholic 307 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:10,240 lodging house in James, the street in Coleraine and I knelt 308 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:14,520 down at the side of the bed and I said to the Lord, Lord, I'm a 309 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:16,560 Sinner. I've done a lot of bad things 310 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:20,400 and you forgive sin and I'm asking you now in Jesus name, in 311 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:23,040 the ground of the blood to forgive me my sin. 312 00:22:23,680 --> 00:22:25,000 Get off my knees and went to bed. 313 00:22:25,320 --> 00:22:27,720 Got up on the Monday morning, was at work early. 314 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:29,280 I'd asked a neighbour for a Bible. 315 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:32,720 I went and told Andy, I remember he's a quiet man. 316 00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:35,440 He had one word here was the word great. 317 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:37,640 That was it. Great. 318 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:43,840 I remember standing up in a workshop bench and testifying 319 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:46,960 that I would trust with the Lord and no more drink or cigarettes 320 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:50,520 or cursing or some newspapers for David and they laughed and 321 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:52,760 mocked. You know what the Reverend Sam 322 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:55,280 Workman used to say? Friends can laugh you into hell. 323 00:22:56,000 --> 00:23:01,200 They'll never laugh you out of it. 3 weeks later, I then 324 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:04,160 started attending the Coleraine Congregational Church. 325 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:08,640 At that time friendships were formed. 326 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:11,920 I, I named some of the families deliberately, the McFarlane 327 00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:13,680 family, Reverend Colin McFarlane was here. 328 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:19,560 Who's now in the glory? The McClellan family, related to 329 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:22,600 the Alexander family. The Alexander family, Oliver, 330 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:25,240 Andy and the five girls. The Atchison family. 331 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:30,960 Mr Paul Atchison's the minister over there in the Congregational 332 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:35,120 Church in Newton Arch. Now the the Norris family. 333 00:23:36,120 --> 00:23:38,720 There's a number of others. The Hare family. 334 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:41,480 Raymond Hare used to own Hare brothers. 335 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:44,240 Still have a companion Bible that he gave me. 336 00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:48,280 The Johnston family, 2 dear ladies who were unclaimed 337 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:52,080 treasures, as they called themselves, called Fanny and 338 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:54,120 Rachel. And you know, there's a wee 339 00:23:54,120 --> 00:23:57,200 story that I must tell you one day we were in Bally Sally. 340 00:23:57,440 --> 00:23:59,560 All right. That's a way down in Coleraine. 341 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:02,000 That's a very good. Well, we'll not say nothing more 342 00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:04,160 about Bally Sally housing this date, Right? 343 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:07,680 And it's a wet morning, Andy and these out in the van. 344 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:10,880 We're going to do a wee Homer. And he wanted to go home and get 345 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:12,880 his lunch for he had forgot it all right? 346 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,800 And he was upstairs having a toilet break. 347 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:18,800 And I'm waiting and Andy standing with the back to the 348 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:20,640 fire. The fire is not lit, although 349 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:22,720 it's set. And when I turn around, I see a 350 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:26,520 picture of my dad and Andy on the mantelpiece. 351 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:30,200 I didn't really know my dad because my dad died when I was 352 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:35,680 young like my mother. So I said to him, Andy, that's 353 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:39,000 my dad there. You and him are standing with 354 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:43,680 your arm around each other. Oh yes, he says. 355 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:46,920 We worked together a long time ago. 356 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:50,840 We shared a lodging house in Belfast when we worked on Samson 357 00:24:50,840 --> 00:24:52,960 and Goliath, setting the blood mats there. 358 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:56,200 He says, I'm awful proud of that, that I knew your dad. 359 00:24:57,480 --> 00:25:00,840 Well, so am I. You see, that was God in 360 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:03,240 Providence. I'll tell you another wee thing 361 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:06,160 that happened in the Coleraine Congregational Church basement 362 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:08,440 hall. We were working there, Andy and 363 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:10,240 me. I was his apprentice and there's 364 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:12,960 another man, Misty Eddie Norris, and he looked at me and he said 365 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:15,520 I know who you are, son. You're you're Gerry Mclachlan's 366 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:18,240 son. And I said, Oh yes, but did you 367 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:20,360 know my dad? No, I'm son. 368 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:23,720 I was there the night he gave us testimony in Cologne, Orange 369 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:27,720 Hall in Coleraine. And then he went away to Belfast 370 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:29,800 by Andy and the both of them backslid. 371 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:31,760 Think they'd get in there? We better drink, son. 372 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:35,760 But Andy, come back to the Lord. Now. 373 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:40,280 That was thrilling because you see, God in Providence had 374 00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:46,080 placed me to work alongside a man who was my dad's best friend 375 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:50,000 in his younger days. And I'm proud to say tonight 376 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:54,840 from this pulpit that Andy Alexander was a good loyal 377 00:25:54,920 --> 00:26:00,080 friend, not just to me, but a friend to the Reverend Colin 378 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:06,080 McFarland, a friend to others, a friend who was loving, a friend 379 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:11,440 who was loyal, and a friend who was life giving of his time, his 380 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:14,480 talent. You see, the friendship between 381 00:26:14,720 --> 00:26:17,600 David and Jonathan was not by accident. 382 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:22,280 It was not by chance. It was by divine design. 383 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:25,040 And that's why I called it there this evening. 384 00:26:25,360 --> 00:26:31,080 As you think about those words, the providential, not just the 385 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:34,800 painful desire, but the providential depth of that love. 386 00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:37,320 But one final thing. Bear with me. 387 00:26:37,760 --> 00:26:40,560 Think of the pleasant description of love. 388 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:45,600 Notice what it says in the text. Very pleasant has thou been unto 389 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:48,320 me. Thy love to me was wonderful. 390 00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:50,600 Now think with me as we wrap this up. 391 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:53,200 Think of the existence of this love. 392 00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:59,320 Love is the highest form and emotional connection that we can 393 00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:04,240 have in relationships. David and Jonathan had real 394 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:08,120 moments of joy and laughter. They had fellowship. 395 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:11,400 David remembered their conversations in the words that 396 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:14,200 were spoken. David remembered their times of 397 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:17,320 communion together. He remembered their conquest 398 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:19,120 together. He remembered their 399 00:27:19,120 --> 00:27:23,000 companionship together. Even going to the House of God. 400 00:27:23,280 --> 00:27:27,920 David recalled it all. It was not overlooked in his 401 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:31,440 grief. He enjoyed the pleasant memories 402 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:36,160 of fellowship. He remembered not just the loss 403 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:40,000 of his dear friend, but he remembered the life. 404 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:43,560 And that's why at funeral times we have a celebration of the 405 00:27:43,560 --> 00:27:46,200 life because we want to remember the life that was lived, 406 00:27:46,360 --> 00:27:50,080 remember the legacy that was left, remember the shared 407 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:54,800 experiences for family and friends because when they recall 408 00:27:54,800 --> 00:28:00,000 it, the memory, as David says, very pleasant, has now been unto 409 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:03,080 me. Now you think also very quickly 410 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:05,560 here of the expression of this love. 411 00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:09,600 Notice what it says in the text. Thy love to me was wonderful. 412 00:28:09,680 --> 00:28:12,600 We were singing as the love of Jesus, something wonderful. 413 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:17,880 You see, he was not diminishing other relationships, but he's 414 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:21,480 delighting in the relationship that he had with Jonathan 415 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:29,040 because he was delighting in the depth of a faithful purity of 416 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:32,880 Jonathan's love. It was a special love, a 417 00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:36,080 sacrificial love. It was a sweet love. 418 00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:40,200 It was a steadfast love. You see, this boy, the King's 419 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:44,680 son, stood by David, supported David, strengthened David, even 420 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:48,240 when it meant surrendering his own claim to the throne. 421 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:52,000 I put it to you, this is true covenant love. 422 00:28:52,840 --> 00:28:57,240 Here's a mark of true love. Jeremiah 31 and three. 423 00:28:57,240 --> 00:28:59,600 God says I've loved you with an everlasting love. 424 00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:04,240 You never ever doubt that the Lord loves you. 425 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:09,560 Sometimes the devil will fill that mine with that thought, but 426 00:29:09,560 --> 00:29:11,960 just remember this, the Bible says. 427 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:15,440 But God commanded his love toward us, and while we were yet 428 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:21,520 sinners, Christ died for us. And over there in first John 429 00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:26,040 chapter 4 and in the verse 10, we read here in his love, not 430 00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:29,120 that we love God, but He loved us and sent the Son to be the 431 00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:33,840 repatiation for our sins. Verse 19 He says we love him 432 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:37,440 because He first loved us. Is he? 433 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:41,240 Why did God set his love on us? We were sinners. 434 00:29:41,440 --> 00:29:43,480 We were dead in trespasses and sins. 435 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:46,920 We were blind to God. We couldn't see spiritual truth 436 00:29:47,360 --> 00:29:50,920 or see that we had a soul and needed to be saved, that we we 437 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:54,040 were diseased in our affections. We know love or fear or thought 438 00:29:54,040 --> 00:29:57,720 of God and then that state and condition with a heart full of 439 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:04,040 depravity and a love for sin. Then this wonderful love of God 440 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:10,720 was revealed to us and I believe tonight all true love as a 441 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:14,720 reflection of the greatest love of all. 442 00:30:16,040 --> 00:30:18,600 And I'll tell you tonight, there is no love like the love of 443 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:22,200 Jesus, whether it's the love of two friends in a covenant 444 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:26,040 relationship like David and Jonathan or the love of true 445 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:28,800 friends like Andy Alexander that did Colin McFarlane. 446 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:31,240 We've seen a wee picture of them standing with their arm around 447 00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:33,200 each other. And I was thinking of the love 448 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:34,880 and I knew the love that they had. 449 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:37,840 Reverend Colin McFarlane left a special letter that was read 450 00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:40,440 out. It was never read before. 451 00:30:41,320 --> 00:30:45,480 It was given before he died, sealed, and then it was read out 452 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:50,400 at the funeral and it spoke about my best friend. 453 00:30:52,080 --> 00:30:55,280 But you see all of that, even the love of a man to the woman 454 00:30:56,320 --> 00:31:02,840 it peels into in comparison, when we think of the love of 455 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:05,480 Jesus, there is no love like the love of Jesus. 456 00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:09,080 Now let me ask as we wrap this up, do you know the love of 457 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:13,560 Christ tonight is that love of Jesus gripped your heart and 458 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:16,360 night Peter remember was asked the question love us to me. 459 00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:20,200 Do you love him tonight? Is your heart one with him? 460 00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:24,520 Can you say with Solomon, this is my beloved, this is my 461 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:26,080 friend. We we love him. 462 00:31:26,080 --> 00:31:30,480 Why because he first loved us gave himself for us. 463 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:33,640 This little glimpse of the Saviour's love. 464 00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:38,800 We can recall the love of Christ, especially in times of 465 00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:44,120 trouble, especially in times of hardship and distress. 466 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:49,360 See, even in such times as that your heart and mind can be full 467 00:31:49,360 --> 00:31:55,680 of thankfulness. Nothing can break our heart or 468 00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:59,360 deliver us from coldness or worldliness or waywardness, but 469 00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:02,720 a glimpse and a taste of the love of Jesus. 470 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:05,520 Surely we can say tonight this we don't meditate on them 471 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:07,760 enough. Surely we can say this. 472 00:32:07,760 --> 00:32:12,000 We often rush headlong into sin, sinful paths, and sinful ways. 473 00:32:12,560 --> 00:32:16,040 Oftentimes we forget the great urgency to be where Christ is. 474 00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:18,960 That's why it's important to be at morning worship, evening 475 00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:22,480 worship, the prayer meeting, because He is there for two or 476 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:25,240 three are gathered together. I am there and we're there to 477 00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:31,720 meet with Him. Instead of having closer ties 478 00:32:31,720 --> 00:32:34,800 with the world, we should have closer ties with Him. 479 00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:40,120 Who is the Word? Where's our hunger and thirst 480 00:32:40,520 --> 00:32:43,400 for the Word? See, little or no hunger for the 481 00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:47,240 Word is a sign that we're not filled with a deep sense of the 482 00:32:47,240 --> 00:32:50,600 love of Jesus. We need a sight of Him. 483 00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:54,080 We need a taste of Him very quickly, and our time is gone. 484 00:32:54,280 --> 00:32:58,320 The evidence of this love. See, one day He would come to 485 00:32:58,320 --> 00:33:01,760 live in a palace. He killed Goliath of Gath. 486 00:33:02,720 --> 00:33:06,920 First Samuel 18, verse 4. And whenever he came in, he came 487 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:09,760 in with a shepherd dress. I don't know what it looked 488 00:33:09,760 --> 00:33:11,240 like. We could get an artist's 489 00:33:11,240 --> 00:33:14,120 impression. Just the rags of a shepherd boy. 490 00:33:14,120 --> 00:33:17,800 Imagine him coming to the palace and a lot of tethering going on. 491 00:33:18,960 --> 00:33:21,640 Not on head nod and you know, look at the cut of hem. 492 00:33:22,280 --> 00:33:24,480 Well, do you know what Jonathan the King's son did? 493 00:33:25,680 --> 00:33:31,120 He gave him his clothes, He gave him his royal robes, He gave him 494 00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:34,440 his sword, He gave him his bow, He gave him his girdle, He gave 495 00:33:34,440 --> 00:33:38,560 him his horse. Jonathan gave his royal robes to 496 00:33:38,560 --> 00:33:41,800 David. You see the love that David 497 00:33:41,800 --> 00:33:45,480 experienced. And Jonathan points us again to 498 00:33:45,480 --> 00:33:49,200 Christ. Because the Lord Jesus stripped 499 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:54,160 off his clothes at the cross, and the Lord Jesus gloved 500 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:57,560 himself in the garments of our unrighteousness. 501 00:33:58,080 --> 00:34:01,360 He was made sin for us, that is He. 502 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:04,880 He bore the guilt and punishment of our sin as He died in the 503 00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:07,960 cross in an offer sails. We were not fit to enter into 504 00:34:07,960 --> 00:34:10,679 heaven. We were sinful and unclean. 505 00:34:12,360 --> 00:34:17,080 The Lord Jesus went to the cross after His resurrection. 506 00:34:17,320 --> 00:34:20,120 He stood before the Father's throne, and He stands there 507 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:22,480 clothed in the garments of righteousness in our room 508 00:34:22,480 --> 00:34:24,760 instead. And because He is there in 509 00:34:24,760 --> 00:34:27,679 heaven, we can enjoy pardon from all sin. 510 00:34:28,199 --> 00:34:31,080 The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all the We 511 00:34:31,080 --> 00:34:34,840 can enjoy the Father's presence because he says, no, I'm with 512 00:34:34,840 --> 00:34:36,920 you always. We can enjoy the Father's 513 00:34:36,920 --> 00:34:39,280 provision. We can enjoy the the the 514 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:44,560 Father's protection. Jonathan promised to defend 515 00:34:44,560 --> 00:34:49,440 David, to protect David, even when Saul's father wanted to put 516 00:34:49,440 --> 00:34:51,880 David to death. David and Jonathan made a 517 00:34:51,880 --> 00:34:54,960 covenant of friendship that they would not turn on each other, 518 00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:57,080 that they would trust each other. 519 00:34:57,520 --> 00:35:01,440 See, that's the evidence of this love, and it's expressed in 520 00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:05,640 their last meeting. The last meeting I had with Andy 521 00:35:05,640 --> 00:35:09,960 Alexander was in the nursing home in Cornfields. 522 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:13,240 The last meeting that David and Jonathan had is recorded in 523 00:35:13,240 --> 00:35:16,320 First Samuel chapter 20, verse 41. 524 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:19,920 They could not bear to be parted from one another. 525 00:35:21,640 --> 00:35:26,280 That place was a place of tears. That place was an intimate 526 00:35:26,280 --> 00:35:34,440 embrace. The design, the purposeful 527 00:35:34,440 --> 00:35:43,200 design of love was displayed. I wonder tonight, do you know 528 00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:47,000 Christ? Are you trusting him as he your 529 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:50,520 Lord, as he your Saviour? I believe that David didn't 530 00:35:50,520 --> 00:35:53,520 fully understand why. Jonathan, his life ended as a 531 00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:57,360 dead, he died in battle. Of course he didn't understand 532 00:35:57,360 --> 00:36:01,800 it. He'd do answers, but he had a 533 00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:04,360 trust in the purposeful sovereignty of God. 534 00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:08,240 The purposeful design of love was displayed here. 535 00:36:09,040 --> 00:36:11,600 He affirms that God is not mistaken. 536 00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:14,960 Job remember said the Lord giveth the Lord of taken away. 537 00:36:15,200 --> 00:36:18,600 Blessed be the name of the Lord. This is not about resignation. 538 00:36:18,600 --> 00:36:22,680 This is about rest and trust. God is not absent in the hours 539 00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:26,280 of grief, in the hours of loss. Our life is not random. 540 00:36:27,120 --> 00:36:31,240 Our lifespan is numbered. Our life bounds are set. 541 00:36:32,760 --> 00:36:36,720 And if we think of those words as we finish, isn't the love of 542 00:36:36,720 --> 00:36:40,680 Jesus something wonderful? Again, I press home this truth. 543 00:36:40,680 --> 00:36:43,600 Do you know Him? Are you trusting Him? 544 00:36:44,080 --> 00:36:47,360 Have you turned from your sin? Have you believed in the Lord 545 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:49,240 Jesus Christ? It says believe in the Lord 546 00:36:49,240 --> 00:36:52,240 Jesus Christ and as you behave, not try harder, not do better, 547 00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:58,040 but believe Have you believed? Have you put your trust in 548 00:36:58,040 --> 00:37:01,240 Christ? He's entered into heaven on our 549 00:37:01,240 --> 00:37:05,040 behalf. He's praying now with the ground 550 00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:07,800 of the shed blood before his face. 551 00:37:10,040 --> 00:37:15,760 David's love for Jonathan, John, his love for David past the the 552 00:37:15,760 --> 00:37:20,000 love of woman. Can you think of David having 553 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:24,440 two waves and yet he says both of them together. 554 00:37:24,720 --> 00:37:28,840 Jonathan's love was greater than the love of his wife to him. 555 00:37:29,760 --> 00:37:33,920 A godly life leaves a legacy. A godly life continues to speak. 556 00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:41,040 A godly life touches lives. I trust and pray this evening 557 00:37:41,040 --> 00:37:44,720 that what I've said that the Lord will bless and apply this 558 00:37:44,720 --> 00:37:46,560 truth to our.