Friends bring out the best in each other. That's how you know you've got a good friend. Not only because you feel good, having a good time, but they bring out the best. And in Christianity, they bring out the righteousness in you. They don't tarnish the righteousness, they bring it out.
They make you want to love the Lord and obey the Lord. What good is loving the Lord if you don't plan to obey Him? That's why we struggle when we disobey God. But yet He's always forgiving. I know you messed up again.
That's okay. And if you're going to live another 500 years, God would say, I know you're going to mess up for 500 years' worth, but I'm going to love you every step of the way. This is Cross-Reference Radio with our pastor and teacher, Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel, Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of 1 Samuel.
Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about Cross-Reference Radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching. But for now, let's join Pastor Rick in 1 Samuel chapter 20 with today's edition of Cross-Reference Radio. 1 Samuel chapter 20. That's right, we're not perfect, but when we prove it people get irritated. How's that work?
Hated for nothing, that's what we're going to consider this evening. Brief review of The previous chapter, 1 Samuel 19, with Saul again threw a spear at David to kill him, and did not succeed, of course. Then he sent assassins to execute David in his own home. David flees, of course, to Samuel, where the school of the prophets was located. And at that time, David wrote the fifty-ninth Psalm.
While he is there hiding out with Samuel And just a brief look at that 59th Psalm, David wrote, Deliver me. From my enemies, O my God. Defend me from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloodthirsty men. And he goes on.
to talk about his desire that God would deliver him. Remembering the whole time he did nothing to deserve this. Actually they should have pinned more medals on David. And so there is David singing himself out of his problem by faith. The just shall live by faith.
But the mere fact that he rejoiced in God. did not deliver him from the problem for a long time. In fact, this problem intensifies.
So here is David unknowingly. contributing to the canon of scripture. And this problem is going to get worse.
Well, that was true of the Apostles, was it not? Their epistles they wrote Most of them knowing that they were going to die. The death of a martyr Well, Saul found out that David is there with Samuel. And Saul doesn't care that he's David is in church. He's going to kill him there anyway.
And so, of course, he stalks David to the school of the prophets. The Spirit overruled and overwhelmed Saul and And that stalled him long enough for David to Escape. Apparently, David doubled back to Gibeah, where Saul is from, where. Likely Jonathan had his own. Plot of land, and there David is going to meet up with Jonathan, his friend.
And two outstanding things about these two men is they loved God, they loved each other. And they were not willing to trade against each other for family or anybody else. And that will come out in this chapter. I might not comment on it, you'll see it yourself.
So let's look now at the first verse. Then David fled from Naoth in Ramah, And went and said to Jonathan, What have I done? What is my iniquity? And what is my sin before your Father, that he seeks my life? Every outward circumstance of David's life at this time seemed to insist that God's promises were a lie.
That God anointed David to be king. David's saying he's going to kill me. Promise is not going to be fulfilled. David fled to Naoth and Ramah. He felt, surely I'll be safe with Samuel.
The presence of God is there. That didn't work. not as he had planned it to work. It worked, but not as he thought it would. And this again is the story of a man for whom God has this, we can say, infinite plan in his case, because Messiah Jesus Christ is going to be directly connected.
to the offspring of David, which he has none at this point. Yeah, no children yet. For the line of Messiah to start. The way of the Lord is the way of struggle. We lose sight of that very quickly.
Especially when the pressure's on. Jesus warned us in many ways. I send you out as sheep amongst wolves. He did not say I send you into the wolf den. But he says I send you out there Where the wolves are.
And he also says this: because narrow is the gate, and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. It's a rough road. You gotta squeeze in.
So David here is talking to Jonathan. The son of the killer to be Saul, And he says, What have I done? What is my iniquity? What is the sin before my Father that He wants to kill me? What do I do to deserve this?
Of course, we know the answer. David, you hate it for nothing.
Well, the reason was, of course, that Saul was just so self-absorbed. that he hated anybody. Who dared cast a shadow? on his self-esteem. Saul thought the universe revolved around him, and we have a problem with it.
Who thinks this way? There are people that think this way. We'll cover the more of that, too. But Jonathan, of course, is not ready to admit this. He's still one of the people ignoring the elephant in the room.
No one wants to say He's out of his mind with the devil. That's why. No one wants to say, oh, you know, this is all. Today, they'd slap all sorts of titles. He's got this and disorder and that one, but it wouldn't fix any of it.
They'd just slap him with these titles. David wants it fixed. Imagine yourself in David's place. Few of us. are hated so intensely by somebody with enough power to do us much harm for so long.
And yet, God says, I want this written down, I want it preserved, and I want my people to know the story. And if they know the story, they'll know what to do with this kind of information. When opportunity presents itself. In verse 2, so Jonathan said to him, By no means, you shall not die. Indeed, my father will do nothing, either great or small, without first telling me.
And why should my father hide this thing from me? It's not so. Still naïve. I mean, he's a good man. But that's his shortcoming.
Is he chest? Hope springs eternal. He doesn't want to admit this. He doesn't like it. And it's hard to think straight when you don't like something.
We call it being biased, being prejudiced in your processing and thought. I don't want it to be true, so I don't believe it. And So we don't fault him for it, we just notice it. It did prove to be true that David would not die as you shall not die, but not as Jonathan. Understood the story.
Jonathan really wanted Saul's promises, his father's promises to him that he'd leave David alone back in chapter 19, verse 6. He still held out hope for this. And Again, we may struggle to believe that someone is as evil as they truly are. Because we don't want them to be. We may love them, we may just like them, or we may just be very uncomfortable with the thought that a human being could be a psycho.
That's what Saul was. Because we can't see ourselves behaving this way.
So we project: okay, if I'm not going to do something that stupid. And I can't believe that my dad would do this. And so they downsize the evil that is right in front of them. I mean, he throws a spear at David. What do you say?
Well, you know, if he really wanted to get you, David, he would have. No, he just missed me. And that's what they do. They try to explain it away. And what do you answer?
You know, then you'd get into a disagreement. You know, and I say he missed, you say he wasn't trying to kill me. You weren't the target. But Jonathan's going to be the target. And he'll have a different tune to sing after that.
It never helps matters. to downsize the evil in others. It doesn't help anybody. You know, you see this, someone who maybe have a substance abuse problem, and you don't want to just downsize and let them get behind the steering wheel. Or fly your plane.
or a host of other things.
Sometimes we have to force ourselves to see what we're looking at. We have to force ourselves, turn, turn your head, look at the elephant. What is that over there? He says in verse 2, Indeed, my Father will do nothing, either great or small, without first telling me. Jonathan is delusional right now.
Well, not really. He believes this. He believes it's true, that his father confides in him. We know Saul. That sinister fool only would confide if it would get him something.
You know, he doesn't care any about his daughter, his son, anybody. The record is Very clear. And so Jonathan is applying his noble characteristics and his understanding of his relationship with his father. It is a mistake in this case. With another man, it could be true, not with this one.
He is being led by what he wants things to be and not how they are. And yet he's still being cautious enough. To meet with David privately. Verse 3. Then David took an oath again and said, Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, Do not let Jonathan know this.
Lest he be grieved. But truly, as Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, There is but a step between me and death. This is intense. This isn't just, you know, being picked on on social media. What do you do if you're being picked on on social media?
Uh I just, you know, who cares? You don't define who I am, God does. I don't need you to approve of me how I dri Well, some of you might need. No kidding. You don't need that.
If you live life as a popularity contest, you're going to be miserable. You're gonna be a little miserable anyway. Don't add to it. Find out who you are. It's called identity.
We identify with Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Well Anyway, the oath is made. Then David took an oath again, saying, By that he means he's bringing God into this. It's a serious matter. The Lord never goes out of sight with these two men. It's not like, you know what, we got this God.
No, the whole time, God is centered to how these two men are going to work this big problem out because they're what we would call tight. They're very close men. We don't read about their exploits together. They could have been on the battlefield together because we know David had gone out and fought with the Philistines.
Well, Jonathan wasn't home playing marbles while that was all happening.
So these men they have a bond. And it was built initially on the battlefield, that duel between David and Goliath, and it expanded. And this section, David's telling the story. At some point, David tells someone these things. And Jonathan may have contributed, and someone puts it together for us, the Holy Spirit overseeing the whole process.
But my point is, David knew how loved he was by Jonathan, and he knew that Jonathan knew how much he loved him back. It's a mutual love. When love gets out of balance, it's not as much fun, but when it's mutual. Then it's something very Very special. Your father certainly knows.
That I have found favor in your eyes. And he has said, Do not let Jonathan know this lest he be grieved.
Now, these men are talking. I don't know if David was animated or Jonathan, you know now your father. I don't think the Visine commercial guy, but I think he's just letting him know. Very gently. That You know your dad knows we're friends.
He's not going to come out and do it that way, Jonathan. Wake up! Saul caused this horrible drama, which otherwise would have been a great friendship. He ruins it. He ruined everything he touched, every single thing he touched.
And a man like Abner didn't figure it out, probably ever. Imum. meet up with Joab, and that will be the end of him much later. But David is aware of Jonathan's gullibility here concerning his dad. and Saul's cover up and thirst for blood.
and many a murderer, has been good to those whom they choose to be good to.
Well, they kill other people. And this is the story here. The single word for that is nepotism. A nepotist shows great favor to the people of his choice, usually family. and great Wrath towards the enemies or objects of their abuse.
He continues, but truly, here in verse three. As Yahweh lives. And as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death. Tell you one outstanding thing about Jonathan, and he finds out all this about his dad. He honors his mother and father.
He never says my dad is a cook. But he just suppresses it's not his role, it's not for him to do. And it's quite honorable. Just Jonathan, this great character in Scripture. But here, again, in verse 4: truly Yahweh lives.
And as your soul lives, There was but a step between me and death.
So Davis replied to Jonathan's naivete as, um, he's going to kill me. If you're given the chance, I'm dead as soon as possible. And David is going to struggle to keep his eyes on Yahweh for the next few years. He's probably. It was early twenties right now.
Very early 20s. And as mentioned, Psalm 59 records something about his struggle. Verse 4.
So Jonathan said to David, Whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you. I think there's great passion in this. David, you know. I don't see it this way, but Whatever you tell, just tell me what you want. And if I can do that, I'm going to do that.
This is a friend, and friends bring out the best in each other, and that's how you know you've got a good friend. Not only because you feel good, having a good time, but they bring out the best. And in Christianity, they bring out the righteousness in you. They don't tarnish the righteousness, they bring it out. They make you want to love the Lord and obey the Lord.
What good is loving the Lord if you don't plan to obey him? That's why we struggle when we disobey God. But yet he's always forgiving. I know you messed up again. That's okay.
And if you're going to live another 500 years, God would say, I know you're going to mess up for 500 years' worth, but I'm going to love you every step of the way. And there are going to be times where you won't love yourself. Because of your sin. I'll love you.
Well you're gonna find a bargain like that. anywhere else. It kind of Arrangement of friendship between God and man is made in heaven. Not China. Oh, that would be the White House.
Oh, excuse me. Anyway. Verse five. I'm sorry. I'm not sorry.
Verse 5, David said to Jonathan, Indeed, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king to eat, but let me go that I may hide in the field until the third day at evening. You know, no matter how old you get, you just feel childish sometimes. You know, the whole new moon, what they do with the old one. Anyway. The new moon is the beginning of the Jewish month.
And, you know, there's no moon. Invisible. It's hidden. But they have a lunar calendar and it is accompanied by a festival. This goes back to Numbers chapter 10.
We have so much information we have to skip over that reading of it, but Numbers 10:10 is one place where you can find the authority for this. And it seems to have just expanded to the family unit, where this became a time of. Festival for families. It was used for Saul and his staff at his palace. And you were expected to be there just in the military today.
You cannot just say, you know what, I'm. I'm gonna go, you know. I'm going to miss formation. You better not. You've got to be there, and you have to get permission to miss these things because you are an indentured slave.
You have signed yourself to be a servant. Whatever the contract is.
Well, David was indentured, but it was an endless, he couldn't terminate it, it was till death.
So he says here in verse five And I should not fail to sit with the king to eat. He means I have to make these staff meals, the staff dinner at the new moon. I can miss all the other days of the month, but this is Compulsory, I have to be there. He says, But let me go that I may hide in the field until the third day at evening. And this would be the second day of the month, the day that they're talking, the day of the new moon, and then the day after that, and that's in the story.
You can go. Crazy. Trying to make all of these things reconcile. You will, you can most of the time, but they are very difficult because you have got to remember so many things. They're going to be two meals.
Yeah, how does that happen? I thought it was just the celebration of the new moon.
Well, there's sundown to sundown.
So that's where you get the two meals in the one-day span. I mean, it's just, you have to remember little things like that. For it to make sense. Anyway, I don't care how many times you go through the scripture, it is always a lot there. It is never I got this one.
Well, it is when you, you know, the Lord gives it to you for an application, but as a student, just no bottom to it. Verse 6. If your father misses me at all, then say, David earnestly asked permission of me that he might. Run over to Bethlehem. His city.
But there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family. And so the family, evidently, David's family, had a New Moon Festival yearly that coincided with this staff meeting. And David is saying, I'm going to go to that. dinner with my family and that will be my alibi. No evidence that David is lying to cover it up.
He's not telling the whole story, nor is he obligated to tell the whole story. You don't either. You don't tell the whole story. Because if you did, you'd go down to the courthouse routinely and tell them you were speeding. Oh, that was me.
I went fifty-six and a fifty-five.
Some of you I've noticed. As I passed you. Anyway. You know, of a selfie stick, you want to give some people an accelerator stick where you just hear, push this, shove this onto your accelerator.
Okay, I'm having fun.
Somebody's like, I'm a slow driver, I know, just stay to the side. The shoulder of the road. Yeah.
Okay. All right, let's finish this here. Verse 7. Let me pause there. You younger Christians, you newer drivers, I am not encouraging you to speed.
I am encouraging you to stay out of my way. It's almost not tricky. All right. And I don't speed, I just go faster than what they say I should. Verse 7: if he says thus, It is well.
Your servant will be safe. David is going, this ain't gonna happen. But Jonathan, I gotta say it to you, because you're just dense in the head. And this is a serious problem. It's a serious problem to be hunted for your life, and your best friend doesn't believe it.
It's a big problem. He says, but if he is very angry, be sure that evil is determined by him.
Well, Saul is going to be very angry at being denied the chance to slaughter David at the meal, at the sacrificial meal. David's supposed to be the sacrifice, according to Saul. Who cares about what God wants? I want to kill him. And so David needed Jonathan to see this.
And he knew David would play music and he probably would glance up and see Saul glaring at him with hatred. A dirty look? with daggers. And he knew he was hated by this point, and he had given up on it. It's all was irretrievable.
There was no way to get them back. And he never does come back. And as far as we know, whatever happens between him and God is beyond us, but between. man and his service towards God and man, we have the full story. Why is it that victims of gross wrongs and the circumstances that they have to suffer.
are so easily misunderstood even by loved ones. Why is it? You know, if something happens to you, somebody, they broke into my car.
Well, you shouldn't have parked it there. Why am I the villain? I'm the victim here. I mean, it's a difference, you know, if you go in a bad neighborhood with cash hanging out of your pockets and you get mugged.
Well, that's different. But to be a genuine victim. And have people say, well, you must have done something wrong. I'm like that a little bit. If the washing machine acts up or something, what'd you do?
It just can't be the machine, it has to be you. But on a larger scale This is As you read the story, this is some of what's going on here in part of the lesson.
Someone clearly doing you wrong while others make excuses for the run that's doing the wrong. Why? Why doesn't Jonathan say, listen, I saw him with that spirit thing in you, I know he hates you, I've seen him glaring at you with that look, I know he hates you. Why didn't he just do that and skip this whole step? Because humans aren't that way.
We are very complex in the positive and in the negative. And that's why people, you know, what is the meaning of life? Why do I do what I do? Let's sit down and talk about me for an hour. God says, okay, come to church.
Come to Calvary Chapel. You get a whole hour of talking about you in my presence. Just by opening the Word of God. Verse 8. Therefore, you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant with Yahweh with you.
Nevertheless, if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, why should you bring me to your father? And David, let's get it over with. And you know, when you're the victim, sometimes you begin to second-guess yourself. Maybe I did something to deserve this. What did I do?
Nothing. Again, David, you're hated for absolutely nothing by this man. And most people can't understand it because it has not happened to them. They lack. discernment and perception.
They can't look at this and say, what is really happening here? Or even ask God, show me what is going on. If you're going to be used more and more as a Christian, you want those skills to be able to perceive, to know what's truly going on as best you can. And so, verse 9 But Jonathan said, Far be it from you for if I knew certainly that evil was determined by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you? In other words, I would tell you, Jonathan, wake up.
Wake up! It's not It's not as happy as you think it is there in Gieah. Verse 10 And David said to Jonathan, Who will tell me? Or What if your father answers you roughly?
So they're trying to figure out a plan. How are they going to Verify or validate David's fears. And he's looking For answers from Jonathan about notifying him about how this is going to do. Again, David has no illusion about Saul's many attempts to murder him, just everybody else does. And man, I would not want to be David in this situation.
Yeah.
Thanks for joining us for today's edition of Cross Reference Radio. This is the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel, Mechanicsville, in Virginia. Currently, Pastor Rick is in the book of 1 Samuel. If you'd like to listen again to this or other messages or share it with someone you know, please visit crossreferenceradio.com. Here, you can also listen to interviews with Pastor Rick to learn more about his life and ministry.
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