A Jonathan Kind Of Love

1 Sam 18:1-4

18:1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father’s house.

3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

John 13:1

13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

INTRO:

Everybody needs a friend. We need people in our lives who can stand with us through the hard times, who can be there to put an arm around us when we cry and be there to laugh with us during the good. I want you to meet a man you would be proud to call a friend. I want you to see how he made his friendship count in another person’s life. I want you to meet Jonathan.

I want you to see Jonathan today. Jonathan was the kind of man you would want for a friend. He was the son of the King, the Prince, heir to the throne of Israel. He was more than just a prince, he was a warrior. The first time we see Jonathan, in I Samuel 13, he is leading Israel’s armies to victory. He was not only a leader of men, he was a true hero.

In I Samuel 14, you see him and his armor bearer going to reconnoiter, spy out the enemy camp, and as they climb the cliff to see into the camp, the armor-bearer becomes afraid. Jonathan encourages him by reminding him that God was with them and that God could deliver the enemy into their hand whether they were many or few. As they enter the camp, God comes on Jonathan and he begins to attack the enemy’s camp. We know the Lord was with him because the ground began to shake and the Philistines fled before Jonathan. A great victory is won because Jonathan attacks the enemy single handedly. No wonder the Bible says that the people “loved” Jonathan. He was a true hero!

If you want to see Jonathan’s heart, you can see it, not in his own victories but when David defeats Goliath. In those days the armies would face off against one another. They would wave the flags, shout insults and build up their courage to attack. In one such battle, out of the enemy camp steps the giant, Goliath, and he challenges Israel to send someone out to fight him. No one came. They were afraid. I am sure that Jonathan’s father, Saul, would not allow Jonathan to go out and fight Goliath or he would have went. David hears the challenge and he goes out to fight the giant with a sling and in the Name of the Lord. David kills Goliath and it leads to a great victory for Israel. As David returns and enters the camp they are singing his praises.

What is Jonathan’s reaction? After all, he had been the hero. He had been the people’s choice and now there is a new “hero” on the scene. The natural response is to belittle, to discount the victory, to make excuses.. “Oh, that Goliath wasn’t that big.. I could have taken on that Goliath and his brothers.. I would have went but Saul wouldn’t let me..”

Not Jonathan! In David he saw a boldness, a faith in God that was like his own. The bible says that their souls were knit together. They were of the same spirit, the same heart. They became instant friends. No, more than “just” friends, they became best friends. There was a love there. The love that one would have for a brother, a brother that was the spirit image of you. These two men, related in spirit and in heart, make a covenant of friendship. They exchange cloaks. THEY ARE SAYING AND SHOWING GREAT LOVE!!

IF YOU WOULD ALLOW ME I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE LOVE OF JONATHAN FOR HIS FRIEND DAVID AND PAINT TO YOU IT’S NEW TESTAMENT FULFILLMENT….THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT JONATHAN DID TO DAVID TO SHOW HIM HIS LOVE….

1.     HE CLOTHED HIM

1 Sam 18:4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

The first thing we see that Jonathan did to show his love to David was clothe him…

CHRIST HATHED CLOTHED US

Matt 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

How many times has God taken us in our naked shame and clothed us with his love….It is God’s desire that we would wear His name that we would be clothed in righteousness & humility….

It doesn’t matter where you have been….

LEGION

The man in the Bible who had been so possessed with devils.  I believe these devils were welcomed into his heart through sins that he had committed.  He was a man who had made mistakes…A man who had problems in his life….These devils possessed him so greatly and mightily that he began to cut himself….but more than that he stripped himself of his garments and ran madly through the graveyards living in torment…..BUT THEN CAME JESUS…

Luke 8:30 And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.31 And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.

32 And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.

33 Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.34 When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.35 Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid

THIS IS WHAT THE LORD WANTS TO DO WITH YOUR PAST. HE HAS A JONATHAN KIND OF LOVE. HE WANTS TO CLOTHE YOU WITH HIS LOVE.

2.     HE STRENGTHENED HIM

1 Sam 23:15 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.

16 And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

HAVE YOU EVER FELT LIKE YOU WERE RUNNING FOR YOUR LIFE…YOU DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO???  AND AFTER RUNNING FOR SO LONG YOU BEGIN TO WEAK AND TIRED AND WEARY, YOU NEED A LITTLE STRENGTH!!!

JESUS CHRIST CAN GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH YOU NEED

Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

2 Cor 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

GOD HAS A JONATHAN KIND OF LOVE….AND HE WILL GIVE YOU STRENGTH

Ps 138:3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

3.     HE GAVE ALL

1 Sam 18:4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

JONATHAN STRIPPED HIMSELF OF EVERYTHING HE HAD AND GAVE IT TO DAVID!!

JESUS CHRIST GAVE HIS ALL FOR YOU

Phil 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

CHRIST LEFT THE PAVILLIONS OF HEAVEN CAME DOWN AND BECAME MAN AND THEN DIED AS A THIEF AND HE DID IT FOR YOU ….HE GAVE ALL FOR YOU…

4.     HE SAVED HIM

There is 1 last thing that Jonathan did for David that I would like to share with you.

1 Sam 20:30-21:1

30 Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, 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?

31 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.

32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?

33 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.

34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.

35 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.

36 And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

37 And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee?

38 And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.

39 But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

40 And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.

41 And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.

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 for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

JONATHAN LEFT THE TABLE OF HIS RAGING FATHER TO TELL DAVID…TO FLEE…IF JONATHAN HAD NOT WARNED DAVID…OF SAULS WRATH TO KILL HIM…DAVID WOULD HAVE BEEN FOUND AND EXECUTED….BY WARNING DAVID OF PENDING DANGER ….JONATHAN SAVED HIS LIFE….

CHRIST HAS SENT PREACHERS ALONG…WITH A JONATHAN SPIRIT TO SAY I LOVE YOU….SAVE YOURSELF!