Life of Jonathan - Final

All right, good evening, welcome to the Baptist Tabernacle.

We are glad to have you here with us tonight. Let's all stand. We're going to get started by singing page number one hundred and forty four. What a day that will be.

Sing it out nice, loud. Here we go.

Hey, man, good singing to start us off tonight, let's go according to word of prayer and then I'll let you be seated. Definitely, father, we think, for this day. Thank you so much for each one of the folks that are back here with us again tonight. Thank you for the good services we had this morning, Lord, and for the encouragement that we received from your people and from your word. God bless our time together here tonight. May you be honored and glorified by everything that is said and done for us in Jesus name. Amen. All right. Thank you. May be seated. A couple of announcements for you, don't forget tonight, after the service, after the preaching is over, we will have a business meeting. Just for those of you that are concerned about these kind of things, we have to announce business means for two services. But one of those services can be the service in which the business meeting occurs. And so we will have that right afterwards and be real short, hopefully. And just one point of business to come and bring to you as the church membership for approval. And we'll explain more about that later. Then after that is over, we're going to have a fellowship church fellowship. We'll have pizza and drinks for everybody in the fellowship hall and then some volleyball games going in the gym and looking forward to this. Also, it's so beautiful outside. The sun will still be shining when the preacher's done. And so I'm sure the kids can go outside and play on the playground and your parents can go out there and take a look at it. And maybe that'll help our fundraising for the new playground, because you look like, oh, man, this is dangerous. But anyways, we will have that open and available. So we're looking forward to tonight's going to be a lot of fun, and I hope that you'll stick around for that. I will definitely have plenty for everybody. So stick around and help us out there. Coming up this week, several things going on. First, on Tuesday, if you would, if you're available and you would like to help us, we're going to be doing some work in the gardens out front, and that'll be starting at 10 a.m. We're going to pull all the old mount mulch output, new mulch down, plant some new flowers and get rid of some of the dead stuff and just make sure the front of the church looks really great for Easter Sunday and appreciate all those who help keep up the the gardens all through the year. Brother Raymond Misleader. Their brother Jerry asked me. He's not here. Jerry Schwartz, our new facilities manager, he said, are there like little elves that show up and fix everything in that garden? I see something. I think, man, I need to do this. And I show up the next morning and it's done. And I said, Oh, it's just Brother Raymond and mycelia. They're doing a great job of keeping everything watered and planted and looking clean and alive. But we'd like to give them a few extra hands to help with that. And so if you can help us out on Tuesday at 10 a.m. and as I said, this morning will serve you lunch afterwards. So that'll be a good time together. Ah, this Saturday is our Easter Egg Hunt. That'll be from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Registrational start at ten. Forty five lunch will be provided. We'll have hot dogs, chips and drink for everybody. We do need your help. If you haven't yet signed up to volunteer and you'd like to, there's a sign up sheet out on the welcome desk. And then if you haven't or if you would still like to donate some eggs, I'm pretty sure the jury was looking at it and I think we went over three thousand this morning. So that's great. And of course, any more that come in will be a huge blessing. The kids will get more, be able to grab some more of those eggs. We're going to have it separated by different age groups. And so we'll have the little little kids and the younger elementary all the way up to, I believe, twelve years, twelve years old. And so they'll be a fun time on Saturday. Great opportunity to invite friends or neighbors to come and just kind of see the church. For some people, it's a lot easier to come to a church after they've seen it. They've been inside. They just feel a little bit more at ease. And so that's why we do stuff like this, just to open our doors and let anybody in the community that would like to come and see what the inside of our church looks like. But then April 4th is Easter Sunday next Sunday, and we'll have a little bit of a different service schedule that day, early service at nine a.m., breakfast at ten, and then the late service at 11:00 am. I mean, no Sunday school and our children's program will be mainly for the second service. And so please keep that in mind as you make your plans for Easter Sunday. That's all my announcements. So let's all stand.

We're missing page 262.

Yes, I know I'm missing. Three.

I can make my listener bleed. Jesus put condemning the violence in Berkeley. Yes, I know, Jesus, I can make the violence listener clean and Jimmy. Yes, I know, Jesus, I can make my listener claim.

Jesus condemning the violence in a clean and could sing, I'm going to sing one last song, There is a Redeemer, the words beat up on the screen for you. I think we've seen this before, so you should be pretty familiar with it, let's sing it out together.

Cheesus godson's.

Work is done in ice and.

Rivasi is.

OK, go back, get the words out there, and I really like this last verse, I don't wanna mess it up, OK?

It's really good. When I stand in glory, I'll see his face. Think about the words that were saying.

Think about what that day will be like. And if you can't say thank you all. My father at the end of this verse I hate to is that at the end of the first, you ought to be able to say thank you. Oh my father for giving us your son. All right. So let's think about this and sing it together when I sing in.

I will see his face.

We have our ushers come forward at this time and we'll receive our tithes and offerings tonight. And I trust that God will bless each of you as your faithful to give and support the ministry of the church, not just here in the Collinsville area, but around the world and elsewhere. Johnny Wade, if he has a mind to pray, ask God's blessing on the offering tonight.

Hey, man, you may be seated.

Hey, man, thank you for that, Miss Paula, I appreciate that. Tonight, where the man is going to be wrapping up his Life of Jonathan series, and it's supposed to be a February, Sunday night series. But here we are, almost the end of March. And he's just now getting to finish up his fourth message. And so we've got a lot of different unique things happening over the last several weeks. But I'm so grateful that that we can do this and have appreciated the messages we've heard thus far. Looking forward to the Matt has prepared for us tonight, so I know you'll listen well. And really, Matt, you come and preach God's light on your heart.

It would please turn in your Bibles to the book of First Samuel, chapter number twenty three as you're turning there, surely do appreciate the opportunity to preach and, um.

Never got to do it this much, I guess. Usually it's, uh, one night every so often, but I do appreciate, uh, Pasture's desire to, um, help me become a better steward of the gifts and abilities that God has given me to be a preacher of the gospel.

And I do cherish the opportunity.

And he would do twice better job than I would do and.

I every so often all like how how does he preach so well, I mean, how does he, like, make the robot sound so good, just like he is so animated and, um, and, uh, but, uh, do I rather hear him preach than listen to me?

So I don't know if he wants us to tell you this, so I'll ask forgiveness later.

So so we started transcribing our messages and it's just amazing to see what comes up after you get it transcribed. And it sounds almost nothing like the way you would want it to sound. Whenever I sing, it's all these weird words and phrases and insist we have to work on our diction and our pronunciation and make sure that we're understandable. And so that should help us as we critique ourselves.

And so you'll be a beneficiary of that? A beneficiary of it. There you go.

First annual September number twenty three. We've been going through the life of Jonathan. And if you haven't been with us for all four messages over the course of two months, you may not be where we are.

And so I'm trying to do my best to bring you up to speed. Just real quick. I don't have all the time in the world like pass that. I got to get done right before it gets dark. And so Jonathan is the son of Saul.

Saul is the king of Israel at this point. He's the first king of Israel. And so it's a very unique position. It's the first position that was made for Israel. And so so all those things that he shouldn't do, he disobeyed the Lord twice. Two things that he should have done, he didn't do, and God judged him for it. And God said he would remove him from being king. He rejected him as the king of Israel. And God said he's going to find a man after his own heart to replace Saul. And that man not knowing, too, Saul, is David.

David was the shepherd boy who defeated Goliath. And if you know anything about being in church, you probably have heard the story of David and Goliath, a tremendous story. Well, David and Jonathan have a very unique and a very close friendship. And we talked about the covenant that they made before the Lord. And tonight we'll look at the third installment of that or a reinstatement of that covenant that Jonathan made with David. And I hope after we're done here tonight, I entitled this message the need for more Jonathans. I pray and I hope that after hearing this message that you would want to emulate the life of Jonathan in your own life.

So if you would, please, once you found your place in First Samuel, chapter number twenty three, we're going to read three verses. So chapter chapter twenty three, verse sixteen. So if you would please stand in reverence of God's word.

Just a few verses here tonight, starting in verse number sixteen.

And Jonathan sole son arose and went to David into the wood and strengthened his hand and God, let's repeat that together and strengthened his hand in God, and he said that to him, fear not. For the hand of Saul, my father shall not find me and thou shall be king over Israel and I shall be next until the end thou also so my father knoweth. And that also saw my father know it and they made a and they too made a covenant before the Lord and David a boat in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

Let's pray, Father, again.

We come before you, uh, this morning, sorry, this evening, as we did this morning, asking for your help or to speak to our hearts tonight. From your word, I pray that you would do so in Jesus name. I ask these things. A man may be seated. So we have to realize why Jonathan is even coming to David in the first place. Sol got to a point where he didn't want David to be around anymore.

He saw David as a threat to his kingship to be the next king over Israel. And so Sol started to chase after David, and it was pretty known to David that Saul was trying to kill him. And so David was forced out of his home, forced out of his city, and now is on the run for his life. And Saul is out to kill him. And David along the way has met up with a few people and asked for their help, him elec if you want to go ahead and keep your place. And for Samuel, chapter twenty three.

Let's go over to Chapter 20. See. That's right.

Chapter twenty one, just a few verses here, David is on the run from Gibeah phrase, Saul was in Libya and he's on the run from Saul and he comes to a place called Knob. Knob is a place that was given to the priest. This is the dwelling place. And Amalek was the priest.

And David asked for his help. And it says, then came David to knob to him like the priest. And he was afraid at the meeting of David and said to him, Why are they all alone? And no man with this? It would be strange for David to come to a hill by himself since he was the king's son in law.

And Elimelech has no idea about the feud that Saul has with David. He has no clue about this, this this news that David's is on the run. And David said that to him, like the priests, the king hath commanded me a business. And that said unto me, let no man know anything of the business.

Where about I send the and what I have commanded the I have appointed my servant to such and such a place. Now, therefore, what is under the iron hand. Give me five loaves of bread in my hand and what there is present.

And so David one hand likes help and we're not going to read the entire account because our main story is about Jonathan. And so David gets help from him. And then from there David goes to Gath, which is the land of the Philistines, and he has to frame himself or make himself look like a mad man. Spetz going off his beard and he he he convinces them that he's gone crazy. And then the king, Akaash, didn't want to kill David. And David then escapes from Gath and comes to a place called the Cave of Adlam. And so David is is making his way away from Saul, getting help wherever it's it can be found. And he tried to get help there at Gath and didn't find any help thinking that Saul would never go to Gath to find David.

But he couldn't find there a place to hide because the Philistines hated David. And so David then departed in Chapter twenty two, look in verse number one. David therefore departed thence and escaped to the cave adlam and when his brother and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him.

And everyone that is in distress and every one that was in debt, everyone that was discontented gathered themselves under him and became and he became captain over them. And they were with him, about four hundred men. And verses three through five, David decides to take his father's house, his brothers, his nieces and nephews, his mom and dad. And they're going to stay in Moab so that if in case Saul is going to use them against him or kill his family, at least they would be safe in the land of Moab.

And he able to get the help that he needed by the king of Moab and his family was staying there. You say, why on earth would David have to find a place to hide his family?

Well, not too soon after David finds a safe place for his family in verse six, it says that Saul is seeking for David and he finds out from a man named Domergue. Dog was there whenever David went to a hymn like The Priest for Help. Doleac was detained there and he saw that Hilik, the priest, helped David and so did Clag goes and tattletales on a him and saying, you know, there's a person that's helping David that's helping your enemy. And so what happens is that Saul calls him Melech and all his father's house, all the priests that were of his father's house to come to Saul. And so they're so I'll ask him, like, why have you helped David and Anvers 14 it says this then Elimelech answer the king and said. Who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king's son in law, and go with that thy bidding and is honorable in thine house, so him saying, you know, I thought I was helping the right person. I thought I was helping your servant. I thought I was doing a good thing helping your son in law because he didn't know the feud that had happened between Saul and David. And it says in verse number 15, did I then begin to inquire of God for him, be it far from me, not the King impute anything unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father for thy servant? No, with nothing of all this, less or more. And the king said, thou shalt die, surely die. Amalek thou in all my father's house in the King. Saul commanded his servants to kill the priests that were there, a hemlock and all his father's house. Well, they didn't do that. They're afraid to kill the priest. Well, there was Doleac. Boag was a worthless scum of an individual and he goes ahead with his sword and he kills 70 plus people. They are right in front of Saul, all the priests that were there to meet Saul Heimlich and all his father's house says he sorry, not 70 plus is a four score. So that's 80 scores. Twenty eighty five persons that did where the Lenine thought. So at that point, though, Boag kills before Saul, all of the Himalaya and his families, the men that were priests. And then after that, the town that him like lived in and verse number 19 and nob, the city of the priest, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children, sucklings and oxen and ass's and sheep with the edge of the sword. So after he sent Doleac to kill the priest, he sent more men to nab where the priest lived to kill the entire people that lived in that priestly setting. Saul is sending a very clear message that anyone who helps David is going to pay for it with their life.

So anyone who sides with David is concerted, considered a person of treason, he is or he or she is considered an enemy of Saul.

And so Saul is sending a very clear message that anyone that helps David.

Is going to die.

So that's a scary thing because four hundred men have joined themselves with David. David is not only now responsible for saving his own life, he's responsible for caring for four hundred more men who have made him their captive. And an inverse number 20, it says this look in chapter twenty two verse. And actually there's more information that we need to go over. And one of the sons of him, like the son of a high tub named Abaya Athar, escaped. So one of the priests escaped and fled after David and Goliath. Our show, David, that Saul had slain the Lourdes priest and David sent into by a thought. I knew it that I knew it that day when the enemy was there, that he would surely tell Saul, I have occasion. Listen to what says I have occasioned the death of all the person of my father's house. Daviss, I am responsible for what has happened.

I knew it. I shouldn't have done it. I am responsible for all the people that have died there at verse twenty three, a Bible with me if not free. That siegert my life, my life. But with me, thou shalt be in safeguard.

I want you to to put yourself into the the life of David.

Just think about what it would be like to be a faithful servant of your team, a faithful servant of God, that all of a sudden your whole life being turned upside down, the people that you once confided in and trusted and thought were there to help you and to think good thoughts of you and and do nice things for you and to trust you. All those things are now flipped on its end and David is on the run for his life and anyone who helps him. He's considering this if they help me, then their life is in my hands.

I'm responsible for them, and so David is thinking now he's discouraged, he's distraught that not only his life is upside down, he's on the run and people that have helped him are now dead. Now he's thinking about I'm just considering the idea of four hundred more people are with him. And now by author, the other pre-season he's taking care of, he's responsible for their life.

And now we get to chapter twenty three. We're still building the background of when Jonathan comes to David. Look in chapter twenty three, a couple verses that I want to show you here. David's on the run. David's hiding out. He's a captain, the four hundred man by authors.

Their source is still chasing after him and he's going to put to death anyone who helps him. Verse number twenty three. Then they told David saying, behold, the Philistines fight against Keila and they rob the threshing floor. So Philistines had come up to steal from the Israelites to more than likely take over that part of the land. Therefore, David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord sent it to him, go and smite the Philistines and save Keila.

So David's thinking, you know what, my my duty to protect Israel and to fight for my king is not over yet. He still wants to be with Israel to fight for Israel, to help Israel and to fight against the Lord's enemies, and he goes to ask God, what should I do?

And God commands him, go up and fight against the Philistines that. But David told his big anniversary and David's been studied.

And behold, we be afraid here in Judah how much more than if we come to Keyla against the armies of the Philistines. They're saying we're in trouble where we are right now and we're hiding now. You're asking us to put our lives in danger and fighting against armed men who also want to destroy us.

And David inquires of the Lord again. It says the Lord answered and said, Arise, go down tequila, and I will deliver the Philistines into their hands. So David, verse five and his men went tequila and fought with the Philistines and brought away their cattle and smote them with a great slaughter. So, David, say the inhabitants of Heela. And so David on the run.

Now responsible for the lives of those who trust him or helping him decide to fight against the Lord's enemies, to still do the work that God is leading him to do, and it should be that the people of Keyla would be thankful that David and his men have come to help them.

But David, knowing Sol are being told that Sol saw mischief against it, would know that coming out into the open, getting away from the whole getting away from the the safe part of where they were hiding, being now in front of all of the inhabitants of Keila, that word would get to Saul. And so David inquires, if Sol is going to come after him and the verses to follow, then he inquires as if the if the people of Keyla will give him up and God says they'll give you up, the people that should have rewarded him, the people that should have thanked him are now the people who are allying with Saul. Why would they do that? Because they would be put to death if they helped.

David, don't you see here the mess that David's in, anywhere in which he goes, there's going to be trouble. Any good thing that he does? There's going to be opposition. And so you can imagine the temptation, the distress, the discouragement of this servant of God that he's going up against. He's trying to do that, which is right. And everywhere he goes, there are going to be enemies that are up against him.

Let's look here and verse 13. Of Chapter twenty three.

Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, so they had already grown from four hundred to six hundred, so there's something good that's David that David is doing. He probably got some help from the inhabitants of Keila. But then you go from four hundred men you're responsible for. Now you're going to six hundred men that you're responsible for.

That have now put their life in danger following David.

It says this, and they arose in a part of town of Chela and went with our server, they could and it was told, Saul, that David was escaped from Keyla and he forbear to go for. So David what? So Saul was trying to find David, but because David inquired of the Lord to leave, God delivered him from Saul and Saul Forbear to go forth versus 14. And verse 14 is more of a summary of what's going to happen in the next chapter. And verse 14, says US and David, a boat in the wilderness and strongholds and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Zeph. And Saul saw him every day, but God delivered him not into his hands. And David Saul first. And David saw that Saul King Saul was come out to seek his life and David was in the wilderness of Zeph in a wood. So a couple of things that I want to bring to your your thinking as we look at David right now, David does not know the end of the story.

He does not have the same knowledge that the readers have right now. He doesn't know that Sol was going to die in battle or Jonathan was going to die in battle.

I want you to understand that right now, all that David knows is this, that God threw Samuel, the prophet has anointed him to be king in place of soul. David doesn't know when he's going to be king. He doesn't know how soon it's going to happen. He didn't as of right now, it doesn't look too promising of what's going to take place in his life before he's king. And so all that David knows is this, that God has anointed him to be king over Israel. He doesn't know what the future holds for him necessarily. And so we have more information that he has, Saul. Has been told by God through the Prophet Samuel that God has rejected him for being king. He, too, does not know what we know. He doesn't know that he's going to die later on in battle. He doesn't know that his son is going to die. Jonathan is going to die in battle. Actually, three of his sons are going to die in battle. He doesn't know that. All he knows is this. God has rejected him and he wants to do everything in his power to prevent that from happening. Do you understand what we're saying? He doesn't know the future. He's trying to make sure that he is trying to prevent what God has said to him will not happen and not be king. David is not I don't know is of my my opinion that David does not know that God has rejected salt. I don't think Psagot got up until this year. Listen, guys. God told me, I'm not going to be your king today.

I don't think he did that, nor do I think David. David has wisdom. He behaved himself very wisely before Saul and even Samuel before he anointed David said if Saul finds out that I'm going to anoint someone, he's going to kill me. And so David would have wisdom enough not to tell everyone, hey, hey, guys, listen up.

You're not going to believe what happened. The prophet came to anoint me and I'm going to be the next king. It's probably wise enough not to tell anyone about that information, so David doesn't know what soul knows and Soul doesn't know what David knows. And Jonathan has no idea about what they know. He doesn't know, but here's what they have found out. The Bible says that that the spirit of the Lord came upon David after he had been anointed and that Saul, I believe, in chapter number 18, had saw that the Lord was with David. And so it was evident in David's life that God was with him. And that was a very it was very frightening to Saul because the spirit of God departed from Saul and now was on David. And so it was obvious to Saul that David could be a threat to his kingdom. And it was even obvious to Jonathan that God is doing something special with David, even though he had not heard anything about the anointing of David.

Now back to our story here. David is is thinking that Saul is going to continue to follow him the rest of his life, that Saul is not going to give up. That song is going to continue to seek his seek after him in verse 16, the Bible says this. This is where we just read at the very beginning, and Jonathan Saul's on arose and went to David into the wood. I don't believe personally that that that Jonathan, now I can't prove this, but I don't believe personally that that Jonathan would have accompanied his father on this manhunt for David.

What I do believe is that whenever Saul had gone against the Philistines, that's when Jonathan would join against the battle. But in the pursuit of David, I believe that Jonathan stayed home. But it's amazing to me that his father forebears to go after him, probably because now he's got a six hundred man army, but also that he's in a stronghold that Jonathan arises where he is from and he goes into the wood and the Bible says this and strengthen his hand in God. And this is what he says that strengthens his hand and God. And he said it in Fearnot.

So pretty tough statement to tell someone. Listen, I know my dad is trying to kill you and anyone who helps you is going to be put to death if they're found out.

But, Fearnot. Says Fear not for the hand of Saul, My father shall not find me and thou shall be king over Israel.

He didn't know that David had been anointed, and so he believed by the evidence that he had his discerning ability to see that God is with David and not with his father, said, you know what, David, my my father is not going to find you and you're going to be king of Israel. But what he says next is very important. And I shall be next on to the. And that also saw my father know knoweth, he says, whenever you're king, I'm not going to fight against you. I'm not going to try to rise up the army is against, you know, I am going to accept that you are going to be king and I, the prince of King of the king.

I am going to submit to what God is doing. I'm going to submit to you as my king. And so Jonathan went to not only encourage his friend, but also to support his friend. In verse 18, the two made a covenant before the Lord and David, a boat in the wood, and Jonathan went into his house. You say, why is this so important? And I think it's important that we conclude the the life of Jonathan and this on these three versus. As you read about the life of David, Saul and Jonathan. David is the protagonist and souls, the antagonist, and Jonathan somewhere in between.

But every time you read about how Saul responds to David, you see a a contrast on how Jonathan responds to David. So wants to do everything in his power.

To not to not follow what God is doing, I want you to see that so wanted to maintain what he wanted to take place, he did not want to lose the kingdom that he had. He wanted to maintain it. He did not want to surrender what he wanted in order to get what God wanted. Jonathan on the opposite side, was willing to surrender the kingdom in order to give what God wanted. OK, you understand that. But more importantly, that why can't Jonathan just stay home and say, you know what, I just don't want to in the middle of it, I just want to stay home and I just hope Dave is doing OK. Jonathan made it a point to go to his friend. He he may have heard what had happened and he may have heard what had happened to Chela and how people just would give them up. He knew that David was still fighting for Israel. He knew that David was still on their side.

He was willing to go to his friend, make it a point to show his support. And also to encourage the spirit of the Lord. To show that he was willing to sacrifice in order for God's will to take place. That's the main idea. You're like, that's great, I'm glad that that's the main idea. I mean, what does that have to do with you and I? There are Davids in this world, there are souls in this world, and they're also Jonathans in this world. David, are people that God is using to do mighty things through there, there are people who want to follow God. There are people that God uses to bring about great and amazing things. There are people that are sensitive to the will of God and willing to stand for. Right. But they are also people that. The souls of this world don't like there are also people that whenever they do right, they are facing opposition, that they have pretty tough decisions to make when it when it means following God. It's David. It was life and death.

It was a tough decisions that he had to make to do. I'd want him to do it. It wasn't easy. There's a lot of temptation. There was a lot of trials.

There was a lot of discouragement. But the Davids of this world don't need Salz. They don't need people that see what God's doing and say, you know what? I don't want that because that means it's going to cost me something. I don't I don't want the the Davids of this world to follow God, because if they follow God, I'm going to have to sacrifice something. OK.

The Jonathans are those who realize that they'll have to sacrifice something because they want God's will to be done.

They're willing to pay the cost. In order to see God's will take place.

As a youth pastor, I've noticed that after camp.

Uh, when kids go to summer camp, they make a lot of decisions for the Lord. And when they get home, they face Jonathans insults. They face people that don't like what God's doing because it's going to cost them things. They won't get to hang out with the same friend they hung out with before, they don't get to do the same things that they did once before with their friends. And so they to do everything in their power to say, you know what, you really don't want to give those things up. You know, God doesn't really want you to do this with your life.

Come on, you're just I mean, this is all emotion, right?

That's just you really don't want to give up our friendship so you can do what God wants you to do. So those are the souls. The Jonathan's, on the other hand, are saying. And what? I realize that that's going to cost some things in our life, but I'm going to follow what God is doing in your life as well. I know, I know God is doing a marvelous work in your life, and since you're my friend, I'm going to realize that that's probably things I shouldn't do either. I'm going to I'm going to follow what God is doing in your life because God's working in your life. And so they realize there's going to be some sacrifices that will be made. But they're willing to give those things up to follow the leadership of God in their friend's life. You know, that also happens in marriages. I'm so glad that after nine years living in El Paso. I believe the Lord was leading me to come here. So glad my wife didn't say a hold on.

Know I know it might sound funny the way I'm doing this, but it's not funny because it does happen. Or the wife will say. I don't think that's what God wants. After all.

I'm not going to leave nine years of the families and the friends and the stability that we have here to go do what you think God wants you to do.

That's assault.

Who obviously the Lord's working in her husband's life, obviously. They also the is making a lot of sacrifice to. And that's kind of hard for the husband. I didn't want to leave all my friendships, I didn't want to have to be only on a phone call 12 hours away. But I'd rather follow God and God wants me to do and I'm willing to make that sacrifice and I'm so glad I had a Jonathan Esq wife as if this is what God has for you.

This is what God has for me. It happens. A lot of times.

And the lives of families and friends with parents and children or God's doing something in this person's life and the parents, as you know what? I don't think God has called you into the ministry because that means you have to give up this scholarship, that means that all the money that I've spent on this was for nothing. All that doesn't happen, but it does happen. It does happen where the ministry becomes well, let's after we try a four year college, then if you fail, we'll let you do what God wants you to do.

That's the sole. That's not a Jonathan. Jonathan says, you know what, sweetheart, I'm going to pray with you. Uh. And we're going to seek the will of the Lord. And this is what God wants, I'm 100 percent behind you. I remember when I told my mom. I was going to ministry. She was all for it. I told my dad. I thought I was doing some stupid.

Why would you give up the all the all the all the intellect you have in this area of life to go do this? I'm so glad my dad came around and he did finally end up supporting me on it. But that was hard. That's the last thing I needed for I was wanted to I wanted to leave the life on all the things I had to do, what God wants me to do, which was a hard decision for me then to have someone I care about and their influence I care about. Tell me that dumb. You shouldn't do that, you.

Just do what's easy, do do what other people are doing, why would you why would you do that?

Could be a wife close to her husband who says, you know what, sweetheart? I really think we should be giving more to missions. Jonathan's say, sweetheart, I don't think you know what you're talking about. You know, our budget. Do you know what we have to pay for?

You know, the things that, you know, if we don't do this and we're in it, we're in trouble. See, that's a Jonathan sorry, that's assault. Jonathan would say so. I want to play with you. And this is what the Lord has led on your heart. I want to see if he'll leave it on my heart.

And we'll follow the lead in this. Oh, it's going to it's going to it's going to cost us something.

I mean, we may have to give a lot of things up that we enjoy. You may not get to have those date nights. We may not be able to do all these things that we got to do.

But if the Lord is leading you to do this, I want to see if you leave me. An Jonathans want to follow God's will at any cost, regardless of what they have to sacrifice. Jonathan could have been king. He could have been just like his dad says, you know what, I know Dave is my friend and all, but I'm not willing to give up the kingdom for. Maybe, maybe God's not really at work in his life and in selfishness, say, you know what, I want to keep what's rightfully mine when I worked hard for. What I paid so much more for, so much for what I've done so much hard work for, so that's that's the soul mindset. The Jonathan mindset is. Its laws will I'm willing to do it. I'm willing to allow my kids to go to a different country, not to see my grandkids like I want to, but I'm willing to let my kids serve the Lord because it's God's will.

You know, sweetheart, and we may have to go in the ministry and we may not be able to live the life that we were living, but there is a country that God's calling us to. There's an open spot in the mission field.

I won't what God has for me. Life says, all right. It's the Lord's will. Why would I go against God's will?

So what are you tonight? I don't know, whatever the Lord maybe it could be, there's a number of things. And is working on your your heart to give something up, maybe it's alcohol. Habit smoking.

Maybe it's movies you shouldn't watch, maybe it's music you shouldn't listen to and God's working in one of the the life of your spouse, your child, and it's just like you have influence, you have authority, you get to make the decisions. I don't know if I want to do that.

And if God's working in their life, maybe you can consider this, maybe God would work in your life the same way. So let's let's really seek the Lord, let's let's try it. Let's let's make that decision. Let me sacrifice those things because. Let's follow the law. That's what Jonathans do willing to sacrifice in order to follow Lord, even though it's going to cost them much. So you already know Jonathan. You saw.

Maybe you are, David, and you're in the midst of it, you're fighting hard and you just need someone to come along, come alongside you and say, listen, I'm for you. I want to help you and encourage you, I'm glad you made that decision. I'm glad that you're serving Lord in that capacity. I'm so glad you're here tonight. I just want to encourage you. Yeah, yeah, you sacrificed another Sunday night. I'm glad you're here tonight. It's a good thing you're giving God your time.

Let's pray father in heaven. Or to need you to work tonight. I pray that you have worked. And, uh. I. I couldn't imagine. What David felt when he lost his friend. And that friendship was was built upon the right things.

And I know we can be that type of friend to others. And I can look back in my life and see the Jonathans in my life, both men and women who sacrificed to invest in my spiritual life. I pray, Lord, that they would be more jonathans in our church. Whether it's a spouse, husband or wife, son or daughter, seeing the work of God in someone's life and wants to encourage that work, not to stomp it out. I pray, Lord, that you continue to work in our midst here tonight and Jesus name, I pray as we stand to our feet as pastor come up, take a.

We've got to spoken to your heart this evening when I open up the altar for you to come and pray. Maybe there's something that God has laid on your heart that you know there are, David. They're trying to do something for the Lord. And you say, you know what, I want to be a Jonathan to that person, not a soul. Uh, if God has spoken to you tonight, as we see page three ninety four, I need the every hour you respond as God has led you.

‍