SERMON OUTLINE:
Saul’s Jealousy
David’s loss
Jonathan's friendship
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• Two friends were walking through the woods when they thought they heard something.
• They turned around and saw a big black bear coming towards them.
• Both men started to run towards safety;
• When one of them stopped to change into training shoes.
• The other friend said
• 'You don't have time to change shoes. You can't outrun that bear!'
• The first friend replied;
• “I know I can't outrun the bear. I only have to outrun you!”
• TRANSITION:
• In times of danger, when the heat is on – you find out who your friends are!
Quote:
• The Poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge once described friendship as;
• “A sheltering tree”
• True friends are those who like a great leafy tree,
• Who spread themselves over us and provide us with shade from the sun
• Whose presence is a stand against the blast of winter’s wind of loneliness.
• A great sheltering tree – a good description for a friend!
• In chapter 20 of 1 Samuel we meet a man called Jonathan;
• Who was not just a ‘sheltering tree’ to David but was an entire forest!
Ill:
• In a recent survey on friendship;
• These were the qualities that were most valued in a friend:
• (1). The ability to keep confidences
• (2). Loyalty
• (3). Warmth and affection.
Ill:
• Jonathan who was a friend to David had those qualities in abundance;
• We see two sides to Jonathan’s loyalty and friendship in these early verses:
• Jonathan was a friend to David both to his face:
• i.e. He warned David to his face, that his father was out to kill him;
• (1 Samuel chapter 19 verses 1-3).
• Jonathan was also a friend to David:
• Behind David's back, when he wasn't around:
• (1 Samuel chapter 19 verse 4): "Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul".
• In this verse Jonathan defends David before his father King Saul,
• Arguing David's case, sticking up for David;
• Despite the consequences that would take place as a result of his actions.
• So when David need a friend and companion;
• He found a genuine mate in Jonathan.
• You will have already noted that friendship in previous studies (1 Samuel chapter 18).
Note:
• These two chapters that I have been asked to speak on cover 65 verses;
• So we are obviously not going through them verse by verse,
• Unless you want a very long sermon;
Ill:
• This week I was reading about the great Methodist preacher John Wesley;
• Who got so into his text that he hardly knew how to stop;
“…at Cardiff almost the whole town came together. Wesley spoke on the Beatitudes with such enlargement of heart, that he knew not how to give over,
so that they “continued three hours.”
• Well you will be glad to know that I don’t intend preaching for three hours;
• But I do want to divide these 65 verses into three headings.
• And pick out from them three key themes.
(1). Saul’s Jealousy (vs 1&9-10):
Quote: American Comedian Rodney Dangerfield used to joke about jealousy:
“My wife's jealousy is getting ridiculous.
The other day she looked at my calendar and wanted to know who May was".
Quote:
• More seriously Antisthenes (An-tis-then-es);
• Was a Greek philosopher and a pupil of Socrates – he said:
• "As iron is eaten away by rust, so the envious are consumed by their own passion".
As iron is eaten away by rust, so Saul was consumed by his jealous passion:
• Verse 1:
• “Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David.”
Verses 9-10:
“But an evil spirit from the LORD came on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the lyre, 10 Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape”.
Quote:
• The writer H.G. Wells says of one of his strange characters, Mr Polly;
• “He was not so much a human being as a civil war”
• That is a perfect description of Saul.
• He became a living civil war, miserable, possessed of an evil spirit,
• Mentally breaking down, a suspicious angry and jealous man.
• And as a result;
• He struck out against the most trusted and trustworthy servant in his camp – David.
• Because Saul was unable to deal with his jealousy of David;
• His appreciation of David soon turned into hatred;
• And this hatred consumed him and would cause him to try and kill David.
• Jealousy is of course a negative attribute in human beings;
• A trait that has spoilt many a relationship and caused endless damage.
• i.e. J&N (chatting to a couple just this week)
Application: Jealousy - What do we do?
(1). First, acknowledge those feelings.
• ill: Just as with alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling etc.
• You cannot overcome the problem if you do not acknowledge that there is a problem.
• You can't eliminate something that you won't admit is there.
• So be honest with yourself of how you are feeling and why.
(2). Pray - Ask for God's strength to overcome these feelings.
• As soon as those thoughts or feeling come into your heart;
• That are not kind or loving, capture it and pray about it.
• Begin praying for the person you are jealous over;
• God will not necessary change them but he will change your attitude towards them.
• So begin to pray for them.
(3). Know who YOU are in Christ Jesus.
• Jealousy stems from the insecurity in our lives;
• And the feeling of being threatened in whatever position we want to be in.
• Realize that God has made you just the way He wants you to be,
• He has made you were certain gifts and talents;
• If it his will he will opportunities or a position to use those talents.
• In other words you will not need to manipulate situations;
• God opens doors when the time and opportunities are right.
(4). Talk with a friend or trusted confidant:
• We all at times need the advice and guidance of other people in our lives;
• And if you have a problem with jealousy a good friend or confidant;
• Will help you be aware of the problem and offer some support and advice to cope with it!
(2). David’s loss:
Quote: Gene Tierney
“Jealousy is, I think, the worst of all faults because it makes a victim of both parties.”
• David was the victim of Saul’s jealousy;
• Remember as we read these chapters that David has done nothing wrong;
• He has been a model of humility, dependability, and integrity.
• He has done right…
• But everything is about to go wrong for him!
• Even though he has done nothing to deserve such treatment.
• At this point in the narrative David is an officer in Saul’s army;
• Possible commanding a battalion or a division of men.
• Verse 8 tells us that:
• In this role of leadership he went out and battled the Philistines and defeated them.
Notice:
• Having won another great victory – on behalf of King Saul and the nation;
• Look at King Saul’s reaction to David in verse 10:
“Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape”.
Now I want you to take note of certain words in this passage:
• First word is found in verse 10: "Escape".
• Second is found in verse 18: “Fled".
• Take note of them because you are going to read them time after time after time:
• In the next few chapters of this book.
• At this point in the narrative David is now a fugitive, an outlaw, a man on the run.
• From now on David will have no real place to call his home.
• Saul puts out a contract on David's life – making him the most wanted man in the nation;
• And Saul will force David to lose everything and I mean everything!
• I can’t emphasise that word EVERYTHING enough - just scan over chapters 19 to 22.
First of all David lost his position (19: 8-10).
(a).
• Read chapter 19 verse 9b:
• “While David was playing the lyre”
• Don't forget David was the kings musician,
• He was the palaces number one performer.
• We read in chapter 16 of how David got the ‘gig’,
• David went from shepherd boy and food delivery boy to the kings #one musician;
• Can you imagine the pride his family felt and the envy his enemies must have endured.
• But now he was fleeing from Saul, never to return to his position in the palace.
(b).
• Not only as musician but also as the King's heroic soldier, the military leader.
• Verses 8-10 list his latest victory over the Philistine army.
• He would go over night from hero to zero – from hero to outlaw.
• All this happened because of the kings jealousy:
• David lost his position.
(2). He lost his wife (19: 11-12).
“Saul sent men to David’s house to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed.” 12 So Michal let David down through a window, and he fled and escaped”.
• Saul pursued David right to his home.
• And he would have caught and killed him if Michal his wife had not warned him;
• And helped him to escape.
• David knew the heart-ache of losing a loved one;
• He lost his wife!
• Not because of death or divorce but forced to live apart by circumstances.
Ill:
• Speaking to a Nigerian man this morning;
• Now he has left his wife & children behind in Nigeria;
• As he comes to study for three years in the UK.
• That is going to be very tough but he can at least email, talk on the phone or Skype his family;
• He will return to Nigeria during the summer break for a few weeks.
• Before coming back to the UK to carry on his studies.
David was forced to leave his wife and it was total cut off!
• As far as I know there was no future contact;
• He never returned to Michal;
• He was separated for good.
• Some here know the heart-ache of losing a loved one;
• It might be death or it might be divorce but the separation has taken place;
• And there is a big chasm in the heart.
(3). He lost his mentor (19: 18 & 20: 1).
“When David had fled and made his escape, he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there”.
• Chapter 20 verse 1:
• “Then David fled from Naioth at Ramah”
Forced to flee for his life David runs straight to Samuel the prophet.
• Samuel was the one who had anointed him as king;
• Samuel had advised and guided him in the past.
• Samuel had prayed for him and with him – he was a spiritual advisor and support.
Once David informs Samuel of his situation:
• Samuel suggests they both take refuge in Naioth;
• Naioth seemed a good place to hide.
Ill:
• In an archaeological dig in Naioth;
• The archaeologists found ancient remains of what we would call condominiums;
• That is houses built back to back, side to side, top to bottom – a maze like arrangement.
• No wonder Samuel says go down to Naioth;
• It was a great place to hide out and feel safe.
• And yet even there someone informs Saul of David’s hiding place;
• Chapter 19 verse 19;
• “ Word came to Saul: “David is in Naioth at Ramah”; 20 so he sent men to capture him”.
Forced to flee for his life David must leave Samuel the prophet.
• Leave Samuel was the one who had anointed him as king;
• Leave Samuel had advised and guided him in the past.
• Leave Samuel had prayed for him and with him – he was a spiritual advisor and support.
(4). He lost his best friend (20: 1-3 & 42).
• At the start of chapter 20 David reveals his emotions to Jonathan:
• Verse 1b:
• “What have I done? What is my crime?
• How have I wronged your father that he is trying to take my life?"
• Verse 3b:
• ‘Yet as surely as the Lord lives & as you live, there is only a step between me & death.”
Note:
• Don’t miss those last words: “there is only a step between me & death.”
• Most of us have never had anybody threatening our lives;
• Most of us have never been perused by a mad man and an army of troops.
• For David the pressure and the stress of the situation;
• Feels like death is ‘dodging his steps’.
• Chapter 20 is a very dramatic story;
• Rather than me trying to tell it here in a hurry;
• You would be much better off when you get home;
• To set aside some time to read and reflect on it.
Because of the danger Jonathan and David decided to part and go their separate ways:
• For David another support, another crutch is removed.
• Jonathan will go one way and David would go the another.
• Remember Jonathan is David’s “sheltering tree”
• And now the pressure is really on;
• David is reaching breaking point.
• As he experiences enforced loneliness
And although it is not our passage let me just point out one more things he lost:
(5). He even loses his self-respect (21: 10):
• David ends up running to the city of Gath.
• Gath was the home of Goliath – the giant if a man that David had killed in battle.
• Gath was the London, the Houses of Parliament to the Philistine people.
• The man who had killed their champion had voluntarily walked into enemy territory;
• As you might expect he was recognised immediately.
• ill: David Beckham trying to be anonymous in your city;
• It is only a matter of time before he is recognised.
• David was not stupid and he knew how vulnerable his situation was;
• And so to save his life David is forced to feign madness and pretends to be insane.
• Verse 13b:
“He acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard”.
• The people of Gath must have looked at him and said: “How the mighty have fallen”
• In fact they did but they used other words:
• To describe the fact that David has been stripped of his dignity.
• Chapter 21 verses 11&12:
“But the servants of Achish said to Achish king of Gath,
“Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one they sing about in their dances:
“‘Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his tens of thousands’?”
• The mighty David has been stripped of his dignity.
• And forced to feign insanity to survive.
David knew what it was to lose everything:
• He has lost his position.
• He has lost his wife.
• He has lost his mentor.
• He has lost his closest friend Jonathan.
• He has even lost his self-respect!
• And remember not because he was sinful or foolish in his choices;
• He is an innocent man hounded by a mad and evil king.
Quote: Anne Johnson Flint:
• “Pressed out of measure and pressed to all length;
• Pressed so intensely it seems beyond strength.
• Pressed in the body and pressed in the soul;
• Pressed in the mind to the dark surges rill.
• Pressed by foes, and pressed by friends;
• Pressed by pressure, till life nearly ends.
• Pressed into loving the self and the rod;
• Pressed into knowing no helper but God.
• Pressed into liberty where nothing clings;
• Pressed into faith for impossible things.
• Pressed into living a life in the Lord;
• Pressed into living a Christ-life-out-poured”
For the follower of God:
• Things may not always be logical and fair;
• But there is purpose in what happens;
• These events and circumstances help shape our lives;
• Making us more Christ-like in our character and giving us wisdom for our calling.
• These experiences would make David Israel’s greatest king;
• And perhaps Israel’s greatest song writer.
Quote:
“The tree that never had to fight
For sun and sky and air and light,
That stood out in the open plain
And always got its share of rain,
Never became a forest king
But lived and died a scrubby thing.
The man who never had to toil
To heaven from the common soil,
Who never had to win his share
Of sun and sky and light and air,
Never became a manly man,
But lived and died as he began.
Good timber does not grow in ease;
The stronger wind, the tougher trees;
The farther sky, the greater length;
The more the storm, the more the strength;
By sun and cold, by rain and snows,
In tree or man, good timber grows.
Where thickest stands the forest growth
We find the patriarchs of them both;
And they hold converse with the stars
Whose broken branches show the scars
Of many winds and of much strife —
This is the common law of life”.
(3). David & Jonathan (20: 3-4).
• You will have already seen the extent of this friendship;
• In 1 Samuel chapter 18 verses 1,3-4.
• Here we see another example of Jonathan becoming a ‘sheltering tree’ to David
“But David took an oath and said, “Your father knows very well that I have found favour (Grace) in your eyes, and he has said to himself, ‘Jonathan must not know this or he will be grieved.’ Yet as surely as the LORD lives and as you live, there is only a step between me and death.”
4 Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for you.”
• I mentioned earlier that chapter 20 is a very dramatic story;
• We have touched on it but rather than me trying to tell it here in a hurry;
• Again let me suggest that you would be much better off when you get home;
• To set aside some time to read and reflect on it.
• So for my final point:
• I thought it would be beneficial to finish with an application on friendship.
(1st). True friends are precious.
• In difficult times, we need a friend as well as God.
• ill: Little boy "Someone with skin on!"
• We all need friends to help us, encourage us and enrich our lives;
• We need someone who accepts us for who we are!
Ill:
• The Bible is not silent when it comes to the subject of friendship.
• The word "friend" is found about ninety times in the Bible.
ill:
• When God saw Adam’s loneliness;
• He gave him a wife not a bible verse or a hymn book.
In both the Old & New Testaments the idea of a good friend involves three components:
• (1). Association.
• Someone who will give us time.
• (2). Association and loyalty.
• Someone who keeps confidences and stands by you.
• (3). Association, loyalty and affection.
• Quote: Little boy who said: "Someone who knows all about you and likes you just the same."
• These three qualities are woven throughout the story.
• Of David and Jonathan.
(2nd). True friends encourage:
• Or to quote the Bible Proverbs chapter 27 verse 17:
• “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
• In other words:
• “True friends build you up”
When you read about the friendship of David and Jonathan:
• They argued together,
• They wept together.
• And they spurred each other on spiritually,
• They encouraged one another.
Each of us has times in life when things come upon us that we wouldn’t choose to go through:
• But nevertheless, we find we have to go through them;
• And it is at times like that we need true friends.
• True friends who will encourage us and help us do what we have to do;
• By supporting us in the midst of it all.
• Often times, this doesn’t even require us to say anything.
• It’s is simply enough that they are there.
Ill:
• A young boy was sent to the corner store by his mother to buy a loaf of bread.
• He was gone much longer than it should have taken him.
• When he finally returned, his mother asked,
• "Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick about you."
• "Well," he answered, "I saw my friend Johnny by the side of the road with a broken bicycle;
• He was crying. So I stopped to help him."
• "I didn’t know you knew anything about fixing bikes," his mother said.
• "I don’t," he replied. "I just stayed there and cried with him."
• Encouragement means coming alongside to impart courage to another.
• True friend come alongside us to lend support to us.
(3rd). True Friends value us..
• Jonathan would again and again make decisions that put David first;
• He made sacrifices!
Ill:
Back in the fifteenth century, in a tiny village near Nuremberg,
• Lived a family with eighteen children.
• To keep food on the table the father, a goldsmith by profession,
• Worked almost eighteen hours a day at his trade
• And any other paying chore he could find in the neighbourhood.
• Despite their seemingly hopeless condition, two of the children had a dream.
• They both wanted to pursue their talent for art,
• But they knew full well that their father would never be financially able;
• To send either of them to Nuremberg to study at the Academy.
• After many discussions, the two boys finally worked out a pact.
• They would toss a coin.
• The loser would go down into the nearby mines and, with his earnings,
• Support his brother while he attended the academy.
• Then, when that brother who won the toss completed his studies,
• He would support the other brother while he attended school.
• They tossed a coin and Albrecht won the toss and went off to Nuremberg.
• Albert went down into the mines.
• And, for the next four years, financed his brother,
• Whose work at the academy was almost an immediate sensation.
• By the time he graduated,
• He was beginning to earn considerable fees for his commissioned works.
When he returned to his village,
• The family held a festive dinner to celebrate his triumphant homecoming.
• After the meal,
• Albrecht rose to drink a toast to his beloved brother for the years of sacrifice;
• That had enabled Albrecht to fulfil his ambition.
• His closing words were, "And now, Albert, blessed brother of mine, it is your turn.
• Now you can go to Nuremberg to pursue your dream, and I will take care of you."
Albert rose and said softly,
• "No, brother. I cannot go to Nuremberg. It is too late for me.
• Look what four years in the mines have done to my hands!
• The bones in every finger have been smashed at least once,
• And lately I have been suffering from arthritis so badly in my right hand;
• That I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast,
• Much less make delicate lines with a pen or a brush. No, brother, for me it is too late."
More than 450 years have passed since that family reunion:
• By now, hundreds of Albrecht Durer’s masterful portraits;
• Hang in every great museum in the world,
• But the odds are great that you, like most people, are familiar with only one of them.
• You very well may have a reproduction hanging in your home or office.
• To pay homage to Albert for all that he had sacrificed,
• Albrecht Durer drew his brother’s hands with palms together and fingers stretched skyward.
• He called his powerful drawing simply "Hands,"
• But the world has renamed his tribute of love "The Praying Hands."
• It is a tribute to true friendship,
• A love that is willing to do whatever is required to see another succeed.
(4th). We all need a friend of our own sex.
• Not a wife, girlfriend.
• Our emotions are too involved and so often those emotions rule.
• We all need someone objective, no personal direct interest,
• But someone we can trust & who knows where we are coming from.
Again I am not thinking of anything sexual:
• But man to man, woman to woman,
• You can talk and share things, in a unique and different way.
• The Bible says:
• "Faithful are the wounds of a friend".
(5th). We all need friendship with God.
• The key factor that bonded David and Jonathan.
• Was their friendship with God.
• The Bible (Proverbs chapter 18 verse 24) tells us that
• "But there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother".
• One who never leaves us, never forsakes us, one who is always there!
• If we choose his friendship.
• Friendship is of course twofold.
• A – Admit. B – Believe. C – Consider. D – Do.
