Sound Doctrine

Guest (Male): Look around today and you'll see a lot of hatred popping up in a lot of places. Hatred can do a lot of damage. Here's Pastor Jeff.

Jeff Johnson: Hatred is like a cancer. It just spreads. And it will consume you even to the point that you'll begin to lash out at your loved ones, those that you love. It'll grab a part of their lives and tear them down.

I think this is probably why Jesus said, "Love your enemies." Because He knew that if you didn't love your enemies, you'd end up hating your family. So He said, "Love your enemies." Because if you don't, your family will be next.

Guest (Male): What makes a good friend? How about this: faithfulness, godliness, and reliability. Friends are a real treasure and when you find one, you know you have something special. We all need them, and today on Sound Doctrine we'll see one of the all-time greats. Jonathan and David certainly had a fabulous friendship.

In 1 Samuel 20, we get a glimpse of the last time they'd see each other. It's a touching scene and a reminder of how God can use a friend in our life for good. Let's join Pastor Jeff Johnson now for today's final look at 1 Samuel 20.

Jeff Johnson: Jonathan again reminds David, "David, remember our covenant." Jonathan, again protecting his family's future. Verse 24: "So David hid himself in the field, and when the new moon was come, the king sat down to eat meat. The king sat on his seat as at other times, even upon the seat by the wall. And Jonathan arose, and Abner by Saul's side, and David's place was empty."

Nevertheless, Saul spoke not anything that day, for he thought something had befallen him. He is not clean, surely he is not clean. In other words, well, David got caught up in something weird, maybe touched a dead carcass or something and he had to go wash himself ceremonially all over again. And he had to do this whole thing because to come into the feast days, you had to be ceremonially clean. And he just figured he got hung up in the ceremony of cleansing and he was still doing that. Oh, he'll be here tomorrow. He's not here now. It's not a big deal. He'll be here tomorrow.

Verse 27: "And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David's place was empty. And Saul said unto Jonathan his son, 'Hey, why didn't David come, the son of Jesse, to meet, neither yesterday nor today?'" And Jonathan simply answered Saul, "David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem. And he said, 'Let me go, I pray thee, for our family has sacrifice in the city, and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there.'" Jonathan just added something a little bit more heavy to the story.

After all, David's brother commanded him to be there. "And now, if I have found favor in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore, he cometh not unto the king's table." Notice what happens, verse 30: "Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan and he said to him, 'Thou son of a perverse, rebellious woman!'" The woman's fault, man, that you're even around here. Blaming it on his mom. I don't understand. Well, it is a Middle Eastern type of rubbing it in the face.

And then he says, "Do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness?" And here's another Middle Eastern term of just saying, it's a shame. Your mother's ashamed of you for even birthing you, Jonathan. You're so confused. You're so wiped out. You're a lost cause.

Verse 31, Saul says, "For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, don't you know that thou shalt not be established nor thy kingdom? Wherefore, now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die." I want David. Bring him now, Jonathan. Jonathan, don't you see David's a stumbling stone to you, that you'll never get your kingdom as long as David is alive? Bring him to me. He's a dead man.

Saul is still trying to hold on to that which is not his. And I want you to see something here, that Saul knows what he's doing. He is going against what he knows God wants to set up. He is deliberately fighting the Lord and seeking to thwart God's purposes. And I'll tell you something, there's some people that just do that.

But what are you going to do? You think you're going to win by fighting God, by fighting His way to heaven, by saying no, it's another way, it's another philosophy, it can't be so one-wayish, it can't just be through Jesus only, and fighting it all the time. Do you think you're going to win?

Listen, he was trying to kill David, who had a huge hedge around him, a God-appointed hedge. And he was trying to get at David, and he could never get at David. He was fighting a losing battle, just like you are. By fighting God and His purpose in your life is to bring you unto Himself, that you would know Him, that you would love Him and serve Him.

You were created for His pleasure, and He gave a way for you to come into His presence and to do that which is going to make you the most happiest person in the world, and that is to do what you were created to do, and that is to worship the Lord and serve Him all the days of your life. Don't fight it. Do it, and you won't believe how God is going to move in your life.

I can hear Jonathan. He's saying, "Dad, were you hanging around with the prophets for? I thought you were a good guy. I mean, have you lost it? What are you talking about, bring David here that he can die? I mean, David's one of the buddies of Samuel and the prophet. I thought you were one of those guys." I'm sure Jonathan's confused.

Parents can do some things that really can confuse their kids. I mean, you say one thing and you do another. "Dad, I'm a little confused right now, okay? You're out there going, 'Thus saith the Lord,' and you're doing a good thing, and then you go, 'Bring David in and I'll kill him.' I'm a little confused."

Verse 32: "Jonathan answered Saul his father and said unto him, 'Wherefore shall he be slain? I mean, why do you want to kill David? What has David done?' And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him, whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David." In other words, Jonathan said, "Okay, Dad, I got the point. No longer confused. Yes, you have lost it. And I know where you're coming from. You're after me now."

Now Saul has totally gone insane. He's seeking to kill his son. I want you to see that the plan has backfired somewhat, that David and Jonathan had. We try to do our little plans. Yes, God can use plans, but they were kind of trying to devise something here, but it almost backfired on them. Jonathan almost got killed.

There's something about hatred that is very wicked, and yet it's a funny thing, hatred. It's deep, isn't it? Saul starts out his hatred towards his foes, and he hated his enemies. But then it turns, and now he hates his family.

Hatred is like a cancer. It just spreads. And it will consume you even to the point that you'll begin to lash out at your loved ones, those that you love. It'll grab a part of their lives and tear them down. I think this is probably why Jesus said, "Love your enemies." Because He knew that if you didn't love your enemies, you'd end up hating your family. So He said, "Love your enemies." Because if you don't, your family will be next.

It's kind of like a man that burns his house down to destroy the mouse that he hated so much in it. "What are you doing?" "Well, I hate the mouse." "Why'd you burn your whole house down?" "To get the mouse. I hate that little sucker. I'm going to kill him." Well, you killed him, but your home's gone.

Anger and hatred and bitterness is like a cloud. It's the root of bitterness that seeks to well up inside of us. It not only will be a cloud over your life and destroy you, but it'll destroy others. It'll eventually destroy your home. We've got to deal with the hatred. We've got to deal with the anger.

We've got to come to the Lord and say, "Lord, give me Your love. Help me to love as You loved. Lord, You said that we're to forgive one another even as You have forgiven us." You see, we need to keep that in perspective, don't we? He has forgiven us so much that we can then turn around and forgive others no matter what they might try to do to us, that we do not let the past and what our parents did to us affect us today so it won't affect our children.

That the anger and the hatred and whatever the frustration, the unforgiveness will stop now in Jesus' name and it will not continue to our children. That we will begin to forgive as Jesus taught us, with His power in us, so our children will also be able to forgive and to walk as Jesus did. And they won't be confused.

We can be loosed from unforgiveness and hatred and anger. God can wash it away in the blood of Jesus. That was an awesome sacrifice. He loves you. And it paid. He had to pay a price. And when you forgive, you've got to pay a price too, don't you? You have to say, "Okay, I have every right to really get back at you and to hate you and this and that. But I'm going to commit this whole situation to God who judges righteously."

And you know what? He's going to take care of everything down the road. So I'm not going to deal with it, because it messes my life up. Not only does it mess my life up, it messes my family's life up. And so I'm just not going to deal with it. I'm going to give it to the Lord, man, and I'm going to be set free from it, because it's pulling me down and it's pulling my family down.

I'm going to release it to the Lord. The Bible says we're to bless those that curse us, to love them. And that'll set us free.

Hatred throws spears. Look at verse 34: "So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger." He was in righteous anger here. "And he did eat no meat the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David because his father had done him shame."

And it came to pass in the morning that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him. And he said unto his lad, "Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot." And as the lad ran, he shot the arrow beyond him. And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad and said, "It is not the arrow beyond thee?" And Jonathan cried after the lad, "Make speed, haste, stay not!"

And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows and came to his master. The sign was sure. And notice how the lad would run after the arrows because arrows were expensive in those days, and you always have a kid go out as you're target practicing, get the arrows and bring them back to you. But the lad knew not anything that was going on. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

And Jonathan gave his artillery to his lad and said unto him, "Go carry them to the city." So the plan is carried out. Jonathan's hand, as he pulls back that bow, becomes God's hand. Because God is going to give the message through Jonathan, but still God's in charge here. Remember, He's always in charge. And I'm sure Jonathan, it hurt him to pull it back so far. And David was waiting, still waiting.

And he let the arrow go. And David, when he saw the arrow go beyond, he knew in his heart what had taken place. That God was sending him away. And I'm sure he didn't like it.

Sometimes God allows us to go through something or experience something that we just don't like. But it is God's will and there is a purpose in it and there is a plan with it as we trust Him. The arrow went beyond. This was God's will. If he stayed, he would certainly die.

So David would have to go from vessel to vessel. It's a tough thing when you're being poured out, man. It hurts. You're freaking out. What's going on? I just lost my job. What is happening? Our house burned down. What is going on? And vessel to vessel. And all of a sudden God's, again, He's in charge. He's in control. There's a purpose, there's a reason.

And then David turned, alone with God, he goes off. But I don't think he was alone with God. I think that statement is wrong. You're never alone with God. I mean, when God is with you and you know His presence is with you, you're not alone, right? No man never has to be alone again. Isn't that great? He's with us. His rod and His staff, they comfort us. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, He's with me. The presence of the Lord.

Verse 41: "And as soon as the lad was gone, David rose out of the place toward the south and fell on his face to the ground and bowed himself three times, and they kissed one another and wept with one another until David exceeded." This was their last meeting together, these two friends that were being torn apart by jealousy and hatred. Very moving moment that we see here as these two realize that they have to separate.

And I want you to note this because later on you're going to see it. It's so plain that neither one of these guys, David nor Jonathan, allowed anger or resentment to grab hold of their lives. They didn't lash out because they were treated wrongly, because Saul had lost his mind, because Saul was crazy. They didn't let that affect their lives. They didn't harbor a grudge, okay? They didn't go around saying, "Well, I was dealt dirty so I'm going to deal dirty," or "I was sold down the river," so that's the way I am.

Listen, if you don't guard yourself, you're going to not only ruin yourself, you're going to ruin your whole home. We have to guard ourselves by the love of Jesus. Guard our hearts because you can hold a grudge, you can have resentment and anger if you let it come in. You let it take its root, man, it'll devour your life and it'll devour your family. But neither one of these guys let it happen. They were men of God looking to the Lord. "Lord, we commit Saul to You. You're going to deal with him. We're not going to deal with it."

David kept his word as far as taking care of Jonathan. Jonathan would eventually, we're going to see him, he is going to die. David would raise Jonathan's son. And I thought this is interesting. It's the same way with us, because Jesus died for us, God now cares for us for His Son's sake. Because of what Jesus did for us, He now cares for us. We are experiencing His provision forever and ever, His awesome abundance. It's great.

Verse 42: "And Jonathan said to David, 'Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, "The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed forever." And he arose and departed.'" And notice, "And Jonathan went into the city." Where'd David go? He kind of slithered off into the wilderness.

I thought for a moment, Jonathan doesn't side with David. Do you see? Why didn't Jonathan just say, "Okay, Dad, adios. I'm going with David. David's my buddy. You did this to David, you did it to me. I'm leaving with David." No, Jonathan went back to be with his dad. You say, "Well, that's very honorable thing." Well, it is. But I want you to notice this, that Jonathan doesn't side with David, neither does he suffer with David. And he will neither reign with David.

That's interesting. The Lord has called us to Himself, to follow Him all the days of our lives. That we would experience persecution, we would suffer. It's not strange. It's not something, you know, if they did it to our Lord, they're going to do it to us. Yes, we will suffer persecution. Yes, we will have trials. But as we suffer, so will we reign with Him. You see? Yes, we need to follow our Lord, the Son of David, the greater than David, all the days of our life because of what we see coming. Jonathan didn't do that.

From here, David begins his life as a fugitive, running in danger constantly, living in the wilderness. Not a pretty picture, but incredible things would happen from this moment on in David's life.

My prayer as I went over this chapter is that God help us to be as Jonathan, except for that one situation where he didn't go with David. He didn't suffer with David, so he didn't reign with David. That's the one thing. But when you look at Jonathan, this guy was something. He obeyed God first in his life.

And really as we obey God first in our lives, as we become as affectionate as Jonathan was, as generous—this guy was very generous. He was strong, he was fearless in battle. He was never afraid to speak the truth. Jonathan said it like it was. God help us to be that same way. And he was devoted to his family, and he was devoted to his friends. Jonathan was a devoted brother to the end.

And you know what I thought about their friendship, David and Jonathan? I said, "Lord, that's a friendship that You want to develop with each of us, that we need to cultivate with You." What a friend I have in Jesus. Is He your friend? Are you more in love with Him today than you were yesterday? Is the love relationship with you and your Lord growing day in and day out? It should be, it needs to be. He wants it to be.

That when He returns as King, we will rejoice in His coming. You know what I mean? To those that love His appearing, He's coming for them. Do you love His appearing? Are you in love with Him? Or have you drifted away from your first love? You need to come back. You need to repent, that you are now allowing other things in your life to take you away from your love relationship and you need to recommit yourself to Him. Do your first works over again. Fall in love with Him. Get back into the love letter. Find out how much He loves you. And as you receive His love, so you will respond. We love Him because He first loved us. There's a response there.

I'd like to end with Matthew chapter 10. Would you turn there with me? Look at this what Jesus says in Matthew chapter 10, and we'll start with verse 32. Matthew 10, verse 32. Jesus is speaking here and He says, "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven."

And then in verse 37: "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. He that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me. He that finds his life shall lose it, and he that loses his life for my sake shall find it."

Guest (Male): Are you ready and willing to put your life on the line for Jesus Christ? We hope so. Pastor Jeff Johnson will be back in a few moments to urge us to do just that, here on Sound Doctrine. It's our sincere hope that you've been blessed by the words spoken today by Pastor Jeff, as we continue verse by verse through the book of 1 Samuel.

This great Old Testament account contains some of the most practical lessons we can learn about being a believer in Jesus Christ in the 21st century. If you'd like to hear this study again, you have a few options. First, go online to sounddoctrineradio.org where you'll find a massive archive under messages. We're also on oneplace.com and you can listen wherever you get your podcasts, too.

Take Sound Doctrine with you wherever you go through the Sound Doctrine Radio app. You can download that today from sounddoctrineradio.org. And if the Lord is leading you to give to the ministry, first of all, thank you very much. Giving to the ministry is really easy to do at sounddoctrineradio.org by clicking the give tab in the top right-hand corner. Your gifts will be put to good use, helping others around the world build their lives on the sound doctrine contained in God's word. Now, here's Pastor Jeff once again to bring today's edition of Sound Doctrine to a close.

Jeff Johnson: What a friendship. What a closeness. What an all-out just saying, "Lord, I want to lose my life in You." Because if I seek to save my life, if I seek to find the way that leads to eternal life, I'm going to wipe out. But if I seek to lose my life in You, if I just give You my life, You're going to give me that proper love relationship with You, and not only with You, with my family.

That as I love my wife, I'm loving You. And You're going to give me a love for my wife and my children. God's good. And so that friendship that He wants to develop in our hearts. Maybe you don't know Him as a friend that walks with you and talks with you. You're really missing it. He wants you to come this morning. He wants to get to know you. He wants you to receive Him as your Lord and Savior. And you know what He'll do? He'll come to live inside of you. He'll meet you.

Guest (Male): David is on the run, fleeing from Saul. We'll hear more about it next time on Sound Doctrine when our study in 1 Samuel takes us to chapter 21. This program is brought to you by Calvary Chapel Downey.