4 Lessons on Christ-centered Friendship

We have been learning a lot about the Kingdom era in the bible this week at the Kanakuk Institute. I am loving going deeper and diving into the Old Testament. Wait, did that really just come out of my mouth?? To be honest, studying the Old Testament in scripture has always seemed like a daunting task and it was really hard for me to get excited about studying it. I knew a lot of the stories and have read most of the O.T. books at different points and just thought it was about genealogies, history, weird laws, wars, kings and prophets. I thought it was dry and boring and could not apply to my life, so why study it? 

Little did I know, I would soon have my mind blown by the rich and deeper meaning, people, history and the “golden thread” that connects all the stories in the bible. It is so amazing to see the connections all throughout the Old Testament stories and prophecies that point to the coming of a messiah- Jesus Christ.

A little information on how the bible is broken down: The word “Bible” means ‘Books’ and the Holy Bible that we have today is broken into 66 unique books. The first 39 books are called the “Old Testament” that was written before Christ came and tells us the story of creation, the fall of man being led into sin by satan, many stories of how God interacted with his people, gives them the Law to live by, and points us to a coming messiah that would come and redeem us from our sin. The New testament is made up of 27 books and they reveal the son of God, the miraculous works of Jesus, his death on the cross, taking our place and paying the penalty for our sins, his resurrection and life, paving the way for us to believe in Him and live in a relationship with him. The books show the perseverance of the early christians and proclaims to us how to live a new life surrendered to Jesus!

The New Testament is the fulfillment of all of the prophecies of the Old Testament and our anticipation in the O.T. is here- Jesus is the golden thread! The O.T. anticipates the coming of the one true God that was to come and fulfill all of the promises and prophecies. The New Testament is the manifestation of the messiah, the one they had been anticipating! God sent his son Jesus to fulfill the law and the prophets.  Jesus said “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17 The books lay out how we are to live in grace by FAITH, trust in the Lord and walk in the good works he has laid out for us.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10

Jesus is the great REDEEMER! Jesus came so that we could have a relationship with the Father, and he fills us with peace and joy as we rest in the peace and hope only HE can bring. He gives us the promises of eternal life with Him and fills us with hope as we wait on his return.

One of my favorite stories I have learned so from the Old Testament comes from the book of 1 Samuel in the Kingdom era. It is a story of true and lasting friendship and it has really made an impression on me.

It is the story of the friendship between Jonathon and David and much can be learned from their friendship! They were both princes of Israel, one by birth (Jonathon), the other by marriage (David).They were both in line to assume the throne of Israel. But one of them, David, had been given a promise from God when he was 15 years old that he would be the heir to the throne one day. Both were mighty men of valor and were respected and trusted by the men they led in battle. Each had accomplished great feats, relying on God for victory. They were loyal to one another and to their king. David and Jonathon could have been enemies and rivals, yet they set aside jealousy, resentment, bitterness, competition and lust for power, choosing instead to become the closest of friends. It is said that Jonathon loved David as his own soul. God had given them this gift of friendship as it says he “knitted their souls together.” This is a great example of true friendship- that when Jonathan, who, in spite of his father King Saul’s jealousy, pursuit of David, and attempts to kill him, stood by his friend. You will find that story in 1 Samuel chapter 18 through chapter 20. Some pertinent passages are1 Samuel 18:1-4;19: 4-7;20:11-17,41-42. 

Observation:

            Read: 1 Samuel 23:15-18 says “And David was afraid because Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the Wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose, and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. And he said to him, “Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you; Saul my father also knows this.” And the two of them made a covenant before the LORD; David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.

            Context: David is going from place to place in the Wilderness of Ziph (about 30 miles south of Jerusalem), trying to stay out of King Saul’s path, who is trying desperately to kill David because he believes he is a threat to the throne. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, loves David as he does his own self and hears that he is in the Wilderness of Ziph, and travels down to strengthen his hand in God.

This encounter between Jonathan and David illustrates at least four lessons about helping each other fight the fight of faith.

1. David was afraidand in trouble and needed a friend.

2. Jonathon saw this need and intentionally rose and went to him.

3. Jonathon strengthened David’s hand in GOD.

4. Jonathon reminded him of the promises of God.

Interpretation:

God uses us to help each other fight the fight of faith successfully day in and day out until the end. He uses us to strengthen each other in the Lord. God has appointed a means by which he will enable us to hold our confidence firm to the end as stated in Hebrews 3:12–14, read: “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.”

Four things we can learn from Jonathan’s meeting with David

1. Everyone’s need for deep Christian friendships

A.     Christian fellowship and companionship is not just for new believers. It is for every believer! We NEVER grow out of our need for the ministry of other Christians. No one is beyond the need for daily exhortation in the fight of faith.

B.     Even the strongest leaders need Christian friendship to strengthen their hands in God. David was a good man. David was deep. David was an outstanding leader. David was a strong warrior. David was a man after God’s own heart. Yet, even still, David NEEDED Jonathan. Every believer needs help to persevere in the faith.

C.     Never think that someone is so far above you that you can’t be God’s instrument to give strength. We must never think someone is so strong that they do not need our encouragement in the Lord. David was no doubt superior to Jonathan in strength and intelligence and depth of theological understanding, but verse 16 says that Jonathan went and strengthened his hand in God.

Point 1 conclusion: We never outgrow our need for daily exhortation. WE ALL NEED friends to strengthen our hands in God and we need to BE THAT FRIEND that points others to God. Even the greatest Christians, the most courageous fighters of the faith, are not above the need to have their hands strengthened in God. In fact, the enemy may be attacking them in a greater way and their need for strengthening in God becomes even more imperative!

2. A Conscious and Intentional Effort

The second lesson we learn from Jonathon is that strengthening a person’s hand in God involves conscious and intentional effort. The mark of Christian maturity is that you build into your life the intention and the occasions to strengthen someone’s hand in God.

A.    It is intentional and on purpose! You don’t just do it on a whim, you rise and go down to help your friend! Read verse 16: “And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose, and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God.”

B.     Jonathan did not accidentally meet David in Horesh (though that happens at times!). He PLANNED to go and strengthen him. What a difference it would make if we woke up in the morning and made a PLAN to purposefully and intentionally strengthen someone’s hand in God!

Point 2 Conclusion: Emphasis is on the importance of having a cluster of friends in the faith with the mutual agreement that you will continually point each other to Jesus Christ for hope and strength.

3. Strengthening Each Other in God

The third lesson is that we are to strengthen others in God.

A.     The scripture says he rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. The whole point of Christian friendship is to point each other to Christ, not man, for help and strength. We must develop Christ centered friendships.

B.     When we give others strength, we are to give them strength in GOD, NOT in OURSELVES. Verse 16 does not say that Jonathan came all that way to Horesh to strengthen David’s self-esteem, self-confidence or pet his ego. He went to strengthen his hand in God.

Point 3 Conclusion: Every Christian group of friends should exist to strengthen each other’s hands in God and not in man. “Jonathan rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God.”

4. Remind Each Other of the Promises of God

So how does Jonathon strengthen Davids hand in God?

A.     Read:(verse 17): “Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you; Saul my father also knows this.”

B.     In chapter 16, the prophet Samuel had anointed David as a boy to be king over Israel. So the way Jonathan strengthened David’s hand in God was to remind him of a promise that God had made (1 Samuel 16:12). Saul could not succeed against David because God was for him. So Jonathan strengthened David’s hand in God by reminding him of his calling in the purposes of God.

Point 4 Conclusion: It is the same with us as believers, we strengthen each other’s hands in God by reminding each other about the promises of God that are especially suited for each other’s needs. 

We must KNOW the promises of God to be able to remind others what they are in order to strengthen them in the Lord!

Application:

·      How can we know the promises of God?  *Renew your mind and saturate yourself in the Word of God! Psalm 1 says, meditate on the word day and night and then you will be a fountain of living water and will strengthen the hands of many in God.  

·      How can we develop the kind of Christian relationships in which you help each other hold fast to the promises of God and escape the deceitfulness of sin?

·      Do you have a cluster of friends committed (intentionally) to helping each other fight the fight of faith in this way?

·      Whose hand are you going to strengthen in God today? This week?

·      How can we exhort one another day in and day out to stand fast and continue firm in the faith?

Pray: Let us strengthen each other’s hands in God!

More great truths and insights about friendship from the examples of Jonathon and David can be found here.

Thanks for reading! I hope you have gained some marvelous insights into God’s word. I am so glad God has opened my eyes to how rich and deep are the promises of God in the Old Testament! May we always cling to his promises and build one another up in the Lord!  

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up…” -1 Thessalonians 5:11

Love,

D Pro