FRIENDzone - Next Level (1 Samuel 20:11-17)
First week: Introduced the biblical call for friendships in the context of Jesus.
Second week: Raised the bar and defined what close friendship was.
1Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. —1 Samuel 18:1
This week: Continue to raise the bar on the study of friendship.
A figure on Concentric Circles found in Drew Hunter’s book, Made For Friendship…
FRIENDzone Survey
What is your greatest hindrance in creating/maintaining friendships?
42.4% — Busyness
15.2% — Putting in the effort
13% — Lack of confidence
12% — Guarded from previous hurt
9.8% — Fear of rejection
11And Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out into the field. 12Then Jonathan said to David: “The Lord God of Israel is witness! When I have sounded out my father sometime tomorrow, or the third day, and indeed there is good toward David, and I do not send to you and tell you, 13may the Lord do so and much more to Jonathan. But if it pleases my father to do you evil, then I will report it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And the Lord be with you as He has been with my father. 14And you shall not only show me the kindness of the Lord while I still live, that I may not die; 15but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” 16So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the Lord require it at the hand of David’s enemies.” 17Now Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul. —1 Samuel 20:11-17
took it to the next level.
3Then 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 the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.” 4So Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you.” —1 Samuel 20:3-4
With everyone knowing the obvious, Jonathan lets David find safety and protection. This is essentially picking David over his father. These were choices that would have warranted death.
took it to the next level.
14And you shall not only show me the kindness of the Lord while I still live, that I may not die; 15but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth. —1 Samuel 20:14-15
There wasn’t many opportunities to take care of Jonathan physically but we encounter a situation later in life when David mades good on his covenant.
1Now David said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He said, “At your service!” 3Then the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.” 4So the king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.” 5Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar. 6Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, “Mephibosheth?” And he answered, “Here is your servant!” 7So David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.” 8Then he bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?” 9And the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “I have given to your master’s son all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. 10You therefore, and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s son shall eat bread at my table always.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will your servant do.” “As for Mephibosheth,” said the king, “he shall eat at my table like one of the king’s sons.” 12Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micha. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth. 13So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king’s table. And he was lame in both his feet. —2 Samuel 9:1-13
What does this mean for us?
David’s survival depended on it.
Jonathan and his lineage depended on it.
Your life will depend on it.
is the ultimate example of taking to the next level.
13Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. —John 15:13
Our friendship with Jesus propels us to friendship with others.
5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. —Philippians 2:5-8