The Value Of A True Friend Series

DAVID—A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART

05—THE VALUE OF A TRUE FRIEND

TEXT: 1 Samuel 18:1-4

1 Samuel 18:1-4 KJV And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. [2] And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house. [3] Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. [4] And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

I. INTRODUCTION—FRIENDS

A. General

Clarence Macartney—One cannot always choose his vocation or surroundings in the world but one can choose his friends.

Charles Spurgeon—I would rather be chained in a dungeon, wrist to wrist with a Christian, than to live forever with the wicked in the sunshine of happiness.

Samuel Johnson—A man should keep his friendships in a state of constant repair.

F. W. Boreham—The man who has learned to keep his friendships in perfect repair is a very wise workman indeed.

Ralph Waldo Emerson—The glory of friendship is not in the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is in the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him.

-There are many people in life today who are tromping along with heavy hearts and great mental burdens. They have a poignant regret about a certain hour they met a friend whom now they will say, “Oh, if I had never met him! If I had never known him!”

There was a city in ancient Greece that was noted for its honey. The honey that came from Heraclea was sweet to the taste and exhilarating to all who ate it. But the reason that it was so good was because it had been poisoned with the nectar of aconite. The aconite is a member of the buttercup family and when the bees would gather its nectar and make the honey it was fatal to those who consumed it. There are friends who entertain, thrill, and excite us—but like Heraclea’s honey, there is deadly poison in them.

-More often than not, people make the huge mistake of minimizing the impact that other people have on their life. Almost all of our sorrows can be traced to friendships with the wrong people and our joys can be traced to friendships with the right people.

B. Biblical

John 15:13-15 KJV Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. [14] Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. [15] Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Proverbs 11:13 KJV A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 KJV [9] Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. [10] For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. [11] Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? [12] And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

-The Proverbs have the ability to show some characteristics about friendship:

16:28—Friends will stick with you. (18:24)

17:17—Friends will not jump ship with the going gets rough.

18:24—Friends are scarce.

26:18-19—Friends will be sensitive to your feelings.

27:6—Friends will speak the truth to you.

27:9—Friends will be available for counsel.

27:17—Friends will sharpen you.

-It is clear that we must understand how important that friends have in our lives.

II. DAVID AND JONATHON

A. Things That Led to This Friendship

-This passage of Scripture, actually 1 Samuel 18-20, gives to us one of the most famous of all friendships in the Bible. It is that of David and Jonathon. As time progressed, they actually became brother-in-laws because of David’s marriage to Michal.

-Despite the calamitous events that would cause David to have to flee to the wilderness, one of the bright spots was his friendship with Jonathon. In fact, I have come to understand that there are elements of the grace of God in the meanest of life’s circumstances and in David’s story this is one of them.

• He had to pass through the consequences of Saul’s maddening jealousy.