Jon
Desert Song
Our God
Your Love Never Fails
You Alone
Jesus You're More Than A Friend
Stephen
5th Sunday of Advent
Luke 1
Jon
1 Samuel 18:1-4, 19:4-6, 20:40-41
Talk about friends
David and Jonathan
Friendship is an amazing experience, but there are so many dimensions
Friends we can be retarded with
Part of the joy is just being with friends, not the destinations
Not just our own context, want to put it up against this story
This is a story of humanity, of people coming together
Consistent themes
1. Friends are consistent
In this text, Jonathan made a covenant with David
Closest we have is a marriage vow
Spend the rest of our lives together
What a covenant relationship is not
Lot of users in our culture
Users ask if I move into this relationship are my needs met
Covenant relationship, your needs come 2nd
Ebb and a flow to all relationships
Sometimes they can’t give back to you all the time
I’m not gonna bail when you freak out
When you look at the human heart, it was built for relationships
God in Genesis already has a sense of community, but He wants to commune with us
Always come back to Eden
We didn’t just lose connection with God, we lost connection to each other
Blame shifting, defenses, excuses
Hiding from God AND one another
We desperately need to be known and loved
To still embrace me after finding out about the darkness
How much our culture affects the way we approach relationships
Our foundation built upon the teachings of Jesus Christ
Apply beatitudes to relationships
Salt and light
Conflict
Bringing out the best
Salt brings flavor
Light causes growth
Salt causes thirst
Uplifting
Forgive one another
Yes is yes, no is no
Mean it
Don’t just please people
What about prayer? Do we pray with friends? Is it a focus?
How are we building relationships correctly?
LA is all about networking
Affects our view on relationships
Is this relationship going to take me to a certain stage of life?
Race, gender, $$$, type, profession, contacts, abilities, gifts, looks
Your natural relationships – are they just your class or grab bag?
A true friend will never size you up
They’re gonna do everything they can to make you everything God has designed you to be
Friends need to know weaknesses
Aren’t emotional breakdowns fantastic?
Don’t they embarrass you?
Don’t run away
Some people don’t have filters
Jonathan’s needs go into deficit
He lost the trust of his father, the rights to his throne,
Hostility from dad, sacrificial relationship with David, ends with Jonathan getting killed
I want to be the person that helps you
No better friend than humble and gentle at heart
This is what I think a kingdom looks like
A true friend will stand with you no matter what
Am I consistent in my friendships?
2. Vulnerability
I love you as much as I love my own soul
Imagine being on the receiving end of that
When we start telling secrets about your life
Is that risky or what
I’ll know I’ve got real friend when they give a secret back
I know everything about you and could wreck you, but I’m not going anywhere
Matthew Kennedy doesn’t have much of a filter
He asked me once if I was just a counselor, and I committed to him, and we have an incredible friendship
20 David weeps the most, knowing what Jonathan has sacrificed
How can I be this friend today?
You have to BE a covenant friend
David’s life was spared so that he could step into the place God needed him, because of Jonathan’s sacrifice
When you know you deserved accolades and you friend gets them – do you rejoice?
The human heart desires the words – “I will never leave you”
When you hand someone a sword, you give them the handle
Risky position
I will serve you to my death
Jonathan could have agreed with his dad, had David killed and taken the throne
Could have also sided with David, killed Saul and ruled as buddies
But he saw God’s call on David’s life
Killed on Mt. Gilbo
Proverbs 22:6
John 15:12-17
If it wasn’t for Jonathan, David wouldn’t have been king
Jesus turned the sword on himself
Jesus on the cross = vulnerable
Father forgive them for they know not what they do
That is where we get the power to be a covenant friend
Jesus was stripped of His robe and power
How can I not do that for others?
In Jesus I am loved to my core
And He likes us too!
I know you, I know your darkness
I’m going to bring salt, light, truth, and yes
Ryan and Shannon
Only You???