The following is a sermon preached at the First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, Mississippi. Amen. Well, please be seated. And let me invite you to turn back to 1 Samuel in your Bibles. And tonight we come to chapter 20. That's page 243 in the Pew Bibles. We've reached a difficult time in the life of David. God's Old Testament Messiah has become the now and not yet king of Israel. God rejected disobedient Saul as king, and in chapter 16, he anointed David as shepherd over his people, and yet the more Israel loved David, the more Saul felt threatened. But with every jealous attempt he made on David's life, God somehow delivered him. Chapter 19 read like a classic prison break movie, complete with a dummy hidden in the beds and David tying together his bedsheets and shimmying out down the window. But the agents God used to save his anointed were Saul's own children. Saul's daughter, Michal, now David's wife, and Saul's son and heir, Jonathan, David's best friend. Jonathan interceded for David, he made peace with Saul. And as chapter 20 opens, Jonathan is convinced that his father can be trusted. But verse three, David knows better. He knows there is just a step. between him and death. And so the friends come up with a plan to discover Saul's true intentions, a plan where both of them put their lives into each other's hands. For this to work, they will have to trust each other entirely. David will stay in hiding while everybody else in the royal household is celebrating the new moon festival and over dinner, Jonathan will watch his father's reaction. Will he take David's absence calmly or will his paranoia get the better of him? So let me pray for God's help and then we will pick up the narrative at chapter 20, verse 12. Let's pray together. Loving Heavenly Father, we too belong to a King whose reign is both now and not yet. He is seated victorious on the highest of thrones, and yet His rule is still despised and rejected. And sometimes, Lord, we feel that pressure to desert Him. And so we pray, through this ancient story and living word, would you feed our loyalty and love for King Jesus tonight, all to the glory of your name. Amen. Amen. 1 Samuel 20, verse 12. Jonathan said to David, The Lord, the God of Israel, be my witness. When I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if he is well disposed towards David, shall I not send and disclose it to you? But should it please my father to do you harm, the Lord do so to Jonathan, and more, if I do not disclose it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. May the Lord be with you as he has been with my father. If I am still alive, show me the steadfast love of the Lord that I may not die. And do not cut off your steadfast love from my house forever, when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth. And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, may the Lord take vengeance on David's enemies. And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul. Then Jonathan said to him, tomorrow is the new moon and you will be missed because your seat will be empty. On the third day, go down quickly to the place where you hid yourself when the matter was in hand and remain beside the stone heap. And so reading on at verse 24 after they've agreed some secret signals, David hid himself in the field. And when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food. The king sat on his seat, as at other times, on the seat by the wall. Jonathan sat opposite, and Abner sat by Saul's side, but David's place was empty. Yet Saul didn't say anything that day, for he thought, surely something's happened to him. He's not clean, surely he's not clean. But on the second day, the day after the new moon, David's place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, why has not the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today? Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem. He said, let me go for our clan holds a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. So now if I found favor in your eyes, let me get away and see my brothers. For this reason he's not come to the king's table. Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, you son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse lives on earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Therefore send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die. Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, why should he be put to death? What has he done? But Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death. And Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food for the second day of the month. For he was grieved for David because his father had disgraced him. In the morning, Jonathan went out into the field to the appointment with David, and with him a little boy. And he said to the boy, run and find the arrows that I shoot. As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. And when the boy came to the place of the arrow that Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the boy, is not the arrow behind you? And Jonathan called after the boy, hurry, be quick, do not stay. So Jonathan's boy gathered up the arrows and came to his master, but the boy knew nothing. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter. And Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy and said to him, go, carry them to the city. And as soon as the boy had gone, David rose from his place behind the stone heap and fell on his face to the ground and bowed three times. And they kissed one another and wept with one another, David weeping the most. Then Jonathan said to David, go in peace, because we have sworn, both of us, in the name of the Lord, saying, the Lord shall be between me and you, between my offspring and your offspring forever. And he rose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city. Amen, this is God's word. Sometimes when you read a truly good story, your heart starts to get stuck to the characters, doesn't it? Before you know it, you are far more invested in their drama than you realised. And when it's time to say goodbye to them, there's a kind of grief you have to go through. And if you let them, Jonathan and David, we'll grow on you like that. Tonight, we meet two friends under extraordinary pressure to abandon one another. And there is one burning question that drives the pathos and keeps us gripped to the narrative. Will Jonathan's loyalty hold to this friend he loves? Anyone who's ever longed for true friendship has to find this passage deeply moving. We were told back in chapter 18 that Jonathan's soul was knit to David's. He loved him as his own soul. Or again, in chapter 19, verse one, he delights in this friend. Isn't that a beautiful thing? Later, David will say to him, your love for me was extraordinary. And maybe that is what makes it so extraordinary to us. Despite so many modern takes on this friendship, there's never even a hint in the text of any romantic involvement between these two. It is never anything other than the sort of strong, loyal friendship so many men in our age struggle to find. And that makes the chapter 20 question all the more sharp. Can this friendship bear the weight of what is about to be thrown at it? You see, David knows something that at the start of chapter 20, Jonathan can't quite bring himself to believe. He knows that Jonathan's father would happily kill him to keep the crown and the glory for himself. And that means, before long, loyal Jonathan will come under enormous pressure to pick aside his father or his friends. And Jonathan, he also knows a thing or two about power in the ancient world, doesn't he? With a new regime, there are certain pragmatic things that have to be done, and one of those is liquidating the rivals. A friendship like this with the former heir to the throne, that's a nice, soppy idea, but you don't have to look far, even in Israel's own history, to see that it doesn't really happen. Jonathan is surely the man in all the world with the most to lose through David's success. For David to increase, Jonathan has to diminish. But he also knows that this is about far more than an ordinary human friendship. He knows the truth that Shakespeare puts into the mouth of King Richard. Not all the water in the rough rude sea can wash the balm off from an anointed king. For Jonathan, this is about trust. in the will of God. And so two chapters back, he entered into a covenant with David, his friend. He stripped off his own royal robes, his armour, his sword, his symbols of power, and he placed them on David. Jonathan emptied himself It was as if, without a word, he divested himself of his claims to the throne. And in chapter 20, that becomes explicit. We know here that however much Jonathan may have dreamed of inheriting the crown, he is convinced that his future lies with Yahweh's Christ. Jonathan doesn't simply delight in his friend. He delights in his anointed king. So let's ask ourselves then, first prayers, can we say the same tonight? Is that why we're here this evening in a world where evening church is dying away? Are we here to delight in God's King? I hope we are. Maybe you noticed that it was Jonathan in our passage who pushes the narrative forward. He has all the lines, he initiates the plan, and nine times, Jonathan invokes the name of the Lord because Jonathan's loyal love for God's anointed is a supreme example of faith for us. This is a history of love trusted, love tested, And right at the very end, love's tears. Firstly then, verses 12 to 23, let's look at love trusted. David is about to be left on his own, hiding in a field, wondering in verse 10 how he will ever know if his worst fears are confirmed. And so do you see how Jonathan starts in verse 12? Trust me, friend. I swear by the God we love that I will come back and tell you the truth." And so here is the crown prince, Saul's heir, taking on himself the responsibility before God to protect the only living human who can prevent him from taking the throne when his father dies. And then he utters the words that confirm explicitly everything his actions in the book so far have shown. Look at the end of verse 13. May the Lord be with you as he has been with my father. Do you see what he's saying there? He's recognizing the transfer of the crown. You are the anointed one, not me. Would God's spirit dwell in you the way it used to dwell on Saul? So 1 Samuel 20 is not the story of David grasping the throne. This is the story of Jonathan surrendering it. He will give up a kingdom simply to be found in David and known as his. One of our Christmas traditions back in Britain is to pull these little Christmas crackers at the start of our meal and inside each one is a gift and a joke and a little paper crown. And even the most monumental killjoy of a British father has to unfold that brightly coloured crown and wear it on his head for the rest of the meal because it's Christmas and those are the rules. But when the celebrations end, there's this sort of awkward game of chicken to see who will be the first person to surreptitiously take off that little party hat. And the nightmare scenario is that you forget you're still wearing it, and the neighbour comes to the door, and there you are, a full-grown adult with a bright pink paper crown sitting on your head. Well, Jonathan knows, doesn't he, that it doesn't matter what precious metals it's made of. In the end, any crown he pretends to wear will just be another paper hat. God has set his anointed, his king, on Zion's hill and he shall reign forever and ever. So I wonder how many of us are still clinging proudly to our little paper hats, full-blown adults, failing to recognize that Jesus is king and only he can reign. What a monumental act of faith for Jonathan to let go of his claim to the throne and put himself in the Messiah's hands. Sometimes giving up our little crowns might be the bravest thing we ever do because he knows, doesn't he, that this battle between his father and his friend cannot end well for him. What poignant words those are in verse 14. If, if I'm still alive, show me the steadfast love of the Lord. This is a story of love trusted, isn't it? Jonathan sees what nobody else in this book has yet seen. He sees verse 15, there will come a day when the Lord cuts off every enemy of his anointed king from the face of the earth. his Messiah's kingdom will have no end and every knee shall bow. And so only one thing matters, and it is that he and his house are not cut off from the Messiah's love along with his enemies. Just notice how big a confession it is he's making here. Sometimes people act as if these Old Testament saints only ever saw the shadows, that for them it was all about this worldly promises. But that is not what Jonathan's asking for, is it? Do you see how focused he is throughout this chapter on the future? Even if I'm gone, verse 15, do not cut off your steadfast love from my house forever. This is not just a covenant between friends, it's a covenant between his house, his future, and the house of his Messiah. That permanence, that forgiveness, it's stressed again in verse 23, and again right at the end, verse 42. He is putting all of his hope, his family's hope, in God's anointed king taking the throne. In fact, I wonder if the closest analogue for what he's asking might be the thief on the cross. Do you remember his request to God's Messiah, Lord, when you come into your kingdom? Remember me. I wonder if you had to put your life entirely into the hands of somebody else and simply trust that their love for you was going to be enough for them to come through for you. I wonder what it would take for you to have confidence in them. What sort of love can bear that trust? Well, the answer here is covenant love, isn't it? That's the language that David and Jonathan come back to again and again. We have made a solemn, binding commitment to one another. In fact, it's even stronger than that, isn't it? Verse 14, show me the steadfast love, the covenant love of the Lord. That is what God's anointed king is meant to do. And so when his father, Jonathan's father, piles all the worldly shame and pressure he can muster onto Jonathan's shoulders, Even then, he will choose David's throne over his own. And in the same way, when all the wisdom of the world will tell David that Jonathan's rival house needs to be purged, he will go out of his way to find one surviving son. He will hunt down Mephibosheth, Jonathan's crippled boy, and show him what Jonathan asks for here. the steadfast love of the Lord." Well, for the next little paragraph, Jonathan comes up with his plan for how he'll let David know whether or not it's safe, whether he needs to run. Earlier on in the story, Saul had David followed by his henchmen, so presumably they've got to go through this whole palaver with the little boy in the arrows and the cloak and dagger signals, just so that if anyone happens to be watching, Jonathan can still get his message safely to his friend. And then comes what must have been One of the most difficult moments in Jonathan's life, the most awkward family dinner he's ever sat through, and that is verses 24 to 34, where his loyalty is put to the ultimate test. Love has been trusted, and now in 24 to 34, we see love tested. And one thing we get in this scene is a brilliant little character study of what jealousy does to a human being. Notice the little eyewitness details. Saul is introduced here as sitting with his back to the wall. Apparently, verse 25, that's his usual position. And maybe already that gives us a sense that he's been brooding away on David's popularity. His paranoia has been growing. And then he notices David's empty chair and his mind begins to whir. Is he out there plotting? No, surely, he tells himself, there's an explanation. He's got himself unclean. He'll be back tomorrow. But the next day comes and David's spot is empty again. And now it's too much for Saul. Notice the revealing name that he starts to use from now on in the book when he turns on Jonathan in verse 27. Why has not the son of Jesse come to the meal? Another little clue that in Saul's jealous mind, this has become a rivalry between two houses. It's an earthly power struggle. Well, Jonathan comes up with his prearranged story. He pretends that David has chosen a feast in his own hometown rather than with the king. And for Saul, that is like a red rag to the bull. But here's the curious thing. When his anger explodes, it's against Jonathan, not David. Do you see that? You son of a not very nice thing to call your mother. Don't I know that you have chosen that son of Jesse to your own shame, to the shame of your mother's nakedness. It seems like such a strange insult, doesn't it? But I wonder if this is actually Saul at his most perceptive. He knows somehow that Jonathan has picked a side and he knows what it means for his son. Don't you realize, verse 31, that as long as that son of Jesse survives, you will never ever be allowed to take the crown for yourself. Can't you see that? That's why he's shaming his mother, his family, because humanly, He's given up the whole purpose for which he was born, to succeed to the throne. Saul sees how big a sacrifice Jonathan's made. And for Saul, that earthly power and prestige is the thing he clings to tighter than anything. We've seen it all along, haven't we? The more the spotlight and the glory shone on David, the more Saul was filled with bitterness because that's what counts. And just like so many of us, he could only see God's choice as a threat to him, someone who will take away from him what he cannot bear to lose. God's king is a threat to his rule, his happiness, his legacy. Whereas Jonathan comes to the diametrically opposite conclusion, doesn't he? He knows that if he wants to secure his happiness, his legacy, his family's future, he'll do it by laying down his claim to rule and giving it to the king he loves. Is that not the age-old struggle? in every human heart? Is Jesus' rule over everything I call precious something for me to fear? Or can you delight in being forgotten if Jesus gets all the glory It is the struggle which quite literally sets father against son. And now, in his anger, Saul says the quiet bit right out loud. God's anointed must die, verse 31. It's either me or him. And this is when Jonathan's beautiful loyalty really shines. His own father has hit him with shame, with guilt, with an appeal to power, with raw anger. And yet still, verse 32, he stands up to his father to defend the innocence of God's King. What has he ever done except save you and this whole kingdom? Well, would your loyalty burn like that if you were sitting around the dinner table? I love that my kids are here in the day school. It's a million miles away from schools back home where there was so much sneering at Jesus, but I know they can't be sheltered from that forever. You kids here, are you ready for the day you face a college professor, a boss, a friend who hates God's King for something he's never done? And will your loyal love for Jesus make you stand up and face what comes. Saul's response is not nice, is it? It is to throw a spear at his own boy. I don't know how your father's day's gone, but I hope better than that. Now, it has to be said that flinging spears around in a tantrum has become something of a nasty little habit for Saul by this point in the narrative, but so far, it's always been David on the receiving end. And thankfully, Saul seems to have hilariously bad aim. He's like those stormtroopers in Star Wars, isn't he? Who fire their little laser guns all over the place like crazy, but somehow never seem to hit their mark. The kings of the earth shake their puny fists against the Lord and his anointed, and God in his heaven has another chuckle and dials up the gravity, just for a second, and the spear falls short. Here's the beautiful thing though, what has happened to Jonathan by the end of this scene? Even as he's given up his crown, Jonathan has started to look more and more like the king he loves. He's suffering David's fate now, isn't he? He's taking the anger and the hatred meant for David. He's enjoying the protection that David enjoyed. And the thing that really upsets him in verse 34 isn't that his own father tries to impale him, no. It's that his father disgraced the David he loves. That grieves him. When we put our hope in God's King, we become so identified with him and he with us that we start to look the same. We face Jesus' battles, we hurt when the world dishonors Jesus. We enjoy his rewards. You and I will never be God's anointed King. We are not the David in this story, but we can be a Jonathan. By God's grace, I wonder if he was the best king Israel never had, who when his love was tested, when shame and spears were hurled at him, stood loyally by God's Christ. Well, finally, as we close, verses 35 to 42, show us love's tears. Morning comes and Jonathan hurries down to the field where David is hiding with some poor unsuspecting boy in tow who's been dragged out of bed because apparently the crown prince fancies some target practice. And Jonathan goes through the whole Arrow routine to give the signal he dreaded most. You were right. My father wants you dead. Run. But the moment he's made sure they're alone, it's as if David throws caution to the wind. He cannot leave without saying goodbye. And this is so poignant, isn't it? They seem to know that this side of glory, they will never again be able to sit down together on the porch and just enjoy each other's company. As it turns out, they will meet briefly one more time But the only way this ends is with death. And so the friends weep, and David weeps the most. Isn't that strange? So far it's been Jonathan's love. The text has stressed again and again, but there is something about that loyal kind of love which is deeply moving to see. Well, one last time, verse 42, Jonathan reiterates the one truth that lets these friends bear what's about to happen. They may never see each other again in this life, and yet they are bound by a bond that nothing on earth can sever. The Lord shall be between me and you, my seed and your seed forever. And because of that, we can go in peace. Now nothing, nothing in the weeks and months ahead is going to be peaceful. In fact, it will be bloodshed for everyone they love. And yet there is a kind of love, the eternal covenant love God shows his people through his crucified king that brings peace even when the ground gives way. ultimate peace and security, the peace that lets Jonathan know that the ones he leaves behind will be okay, the king will take care of them, and one day in a better kingdom, he will see his friend face to face. Brothers and sisters, when we put our souls into the hands of God's anointed, that is what we're trusting, isn't it? One day, each one of us will close our eyes in utter weakness, and no power on earth will be able to help us. And yet, even then, we can pray to our King, our friend, and say, there is peace between me and you, so show me the covenant love of the Lord, love that can bear the weight of all your earthly loyalty right now, because it's love you can trust in life and in death. Let's pray. Lord Jesus, we confess that often we are far more like Simon Peter than loyal Jonathan. We're tempted to abandon you or we let the world make us feel ashamed of you. Or like Saul, we cling to our own pride and position instead of trusting you. And so we thank you that you are the Good Shepherd, the King who rules with the loyal love of the Lord. Would we rest confident in that love this week with all our hope in your kingdom to come. Amen.