Well, I invite you to turn tonight in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 20, 1 Samuel chapter 20, as we continue our study through this book, and we'll read this chapter tonight. That's found on page 310 in those Bibles that are in front of you, 310. Let's give our attention to the word of the Lord. We'll read this chapter. Then David fled from Nioth and Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, what have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father that he seeks my life? And he said to him, far from it, you shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing, either great or small, without disclosing it to me. And why should my father hide this from me? It is not so. But David vowed again, saying, your father knows well that i have found favor in your eyes and he thinks 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 and jonathan said to david whatever you say i will do for you david said to jonathan behold tomorrow is the new moon and i shall not fail to sit at the table with the king but let me go that i may hide myself in the field till the third day at evening if your father misses me at all then say, David earnestly asked, leave of me to run to Bethlehem, his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the clan. If he says good, it will be well with your servant. But if he is angry, then know that harm is determined by him. Therefore, deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. But if there is guilt in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father? And Jonathan said, far be it from you. If I knew that it was determined by my father that harm should come to you, would I not tell you? Then David said to Jonathan, who will tell me if your father answers you roughly? And Jonathan said to David, come, let us go out into the field. So they both went out into the field. And Jonathan said to David, the Lord God of Israel be witness. When I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow or the third day, behold, if he is well disposed toward David, shall i not then send and disclose it to you but should i please but should it please my father to do you harm the lord do so to jonathan and more also 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 I will shoot three arrows to the side of it as though I shot at a mark. And behold, I will send the boy saying, go find the arrows. If I say to the boy, look, the arrows are on this side of you, take them. Then you are to come. For as the Lord lives, it is safe for you and there is no danger. But if I say to the youth, look, the arrows are beyond you, then go for the Lord has sent you away. And as for the matter of which you and I have spoken, behold, the Lord is between you and me forever. So David hid himself in the field. 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, and David's place was empty. Yet Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought something has happened to him. He is not clean. Surely he is 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 have found favor in your eyes, let me get away and see my brothers. For this reason he has 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 the earth neither you nor your kingdom shall be established therefore send and bring him to me for he shall surely die and jonathan answered saul his father why should he be put to death what has he done but saul hurled his spirit of 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 the second day of the month for he was grieved for david because his father had disgraced him the morning in the morning jonathan went out into the field to the appointment with David and with him a little boy. And he said to his little 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 and said, is not the arrow beyond 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 and carry them into the city. And as soon as the boy had gone, David rose from beside the stone heap and fell on his face to the ground and bowed three times. And they kissed one another and they 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 and between my offspring and your offspring forever. And he rose and departed and Jonathan went into the city. And there ends the reading of God's word. It's hard to know today who we can trust really, isn't it? They say that for societies to function well, you have to have some measure of trust among neighbors for people to trust them, to trust politicians, to trust things to go well. there has to be some measure of trust for there to be a normal life and there to be life that goes on in common equity and justice and all of these things. I find it incredibly difficult in our day to trust people. I really do. I find it incredibly difficult to trust. Who am I to trust in our day? It's a difficult thing to trust my neighbor, especially now as a Christian. Most people today aren't about the truth, especially in political discourse. It's not about truth anymore. It's about whatever side somebody has taken, and the truth doesn't even matter. It's just about the cause. It's just about the agenda, and people will spew all kinds of lies just to further the agenda. Lying and dishonesty is a way of life for people. Who can you trust, really? Slander, destroying of reputations, gossip. This is our day in which we live. The question that is really before us tonight is who can we trust? And we think those, of course, the most we could trust obviously might be our family. There's that circle of trust, and hopefully that's never broken. But I say tonight that even in the course of life, family will fail you, Especially if you've put too much value there. You'll find failure even in family. Who is your trust in this life? Where is trust found? I raise this question because David has reached this point. He can't trust anyone right now. The last chapter, four assassination attempts were made against him by the king of Israel. Every corner he's watching, every person he doesn't trust, this is where he's come. He is in absolute despair now for his life. What I love about this chapter is one individual shines where he puts his total trust. Who am I talking about? Well, we'll come back to that. But this is a larger story that is playing out here of our own friendship with God, if you will. a friend we can trust. I want to look at that tonight briefly with you, with this terribly fearful circumstance that has come on David, the reassuring arrangement that is a great help to David, and then a surprising outcome at the end of this. So that's how we're going to look at this here, this fearful thing that has happened, this reassuring arrangement, and then a surprising outcome at the end, which should be greatly encouraging to all of us. Last time, David is in flight he is at nioth remember samuel he had come to samuel and there had been a total flight from david fleeing saul for saul had tried to kill him now four times actually more than that as he attempted to hurl the spear at him and pin him to the wall he had sent men after him he had sent armies after him and it was a fascinating section last time as really in all these attempts david could not be touched could he because of the lord's providential care and undermining of all of these attacks of the madman saul he has become mad in the head this is an insane leader in israel right now is there any place to run that's another question that comes out where am i supposed to go at a time like this now this question is being pushed on us of what kind of certainty can we have in this life? Is there a place to run in times of distress and of fear? And when there are no answers, where am I to go and what am I to do? What do we do when the rug is pulled out from under us? And you can insert about a million circumstances here, couldn't you? That question is being answered in chapter 20. The last place David was, was in Nioth with Samuel. Saul now has been totally shamed. He's prophesying naked there, remember. But now David runs, and where does he run? He runs to Jonathan. When David fled from Nioth and Ramah, he came and stood before Jonathan. Here's what he said. I don't get it. What have I done? What is my guilt? Your father wants to kill me. He's seeking my life. David is absolutely panicked. He has nowhere to go. And the sense you get is he is bolting to the only person he can go to. He knows Saul wants to kill him, but he doesn't know why. He is really struggling. Why would he do this to me? What have I done to earn this? I've done no wrong. As a side note, I think you see that the pathway to David's own glory was a real pathway to suffering, wasn't it? A pathway of suffering. This was a hardship. this was a hard go for david to to make his way to the throne talk about suffering talk about death talk about attack talk about a difficult hard life for the man here we are jonathan seems ignorant of it at first far from it he would tell me he would tell me if he's going to do this to you my father does nothing great or small without disclosing it to me david why would my father hide this from me david comes back because he knows we're friends there is but a step you notice what he says between me and death well jonathan concedes and says okay what do you want to want me to do i'll do it now the scene here is fascinating it's the new moon uh this was a great feast in israel and it is dinner time and it's a distressing scenario where Paul has set up, Saul has set it up and expected all of Israel and his courts to gather around. There was a grand feast the king would hold. Everyone was expected to be there. In a sense, it was an honor for the king now, wasn't it? Of course, David knows Saul wants to kill him. Would you go to the feast? I mean, we make excuses not to go to the least of dinners, right? Would you go to this feast? course you wouldn't go to this feast. You would avoid this feast at all costs. You would do everything you can to get out of this feast. David has a plan. David has no paths from Saul. For the high school kids, David didn't get the pink slip. He needs to be there. It is death for him if he goes. So David comes to Jonathan with this plan. I'm going to hide in the field until the third day. If your father notices my absence, here's what I want you to say. David has asked me to leave and run to Bethlehem, his city, for the yearly sacrifice for his clan. If he says good, then everything's okay. If he gets angry, then I know that he's coming after me. Now, I want you to think about this just for a moment with me. Just pause and think about this scenario. He comes to Jonathan. Think about who this is for a moment. This is the king's son. Can you trust him? Jonathan said, far be it from you. If I knew that it was determined by my father that harm should come to you, would I not tell you, would he? This is a remarkable moment if you think about it. David said, who will tell me if your father answers you roughly? Jonathan said, come, let us go into the field. They go into the field, and here's Jonathan's answer. Jonathan says, if my father wants to harm you, I will be very discreet about this when we meet. I'm going to take my boy, we're going to do the normal routine that I do, and I'm going to go out in the morning, and I'm going to shoot arrows on the third day, and I'm going to shoot arrows. And if it lands far beyond you, then I am telling you that's the signal He's coming after you. If not, and I shoot close, and I hit the target close to the target, then you'll know that there is no evil intended for you. As for the matter of which you and I have spoken, behold, the Lord is between me and you forever. Jonathan is next in line for the throne. This is his dad. I want you to stop and feel that just for a moment. This is dad. There is a bond between father and son that is not easily broken. No matter how messed up things might be, we don't just break that bond. David has asked for Jonathan's loyalty to stand with him against the king of Israel, against his own father. David has essentially asked Jonathan to lie for him. He didn't go to Bethlehem. so bring it back to the question who can you trust in life who really can you trust in life why would ever david ever think that he could trust jonathan that's my question in this text why would david ever think that he could trust jonathan blood is always thicker than everything else scripture show us that over and over again You don't cross family, especially when this is Saul. Totally fearful circumstance. It shows how desperate he is, doesn't it? Jonathan has to go tell dad. All Jonathan has to do to get the throne, and Saul even recognizes this when he yells at Jonathan, he says, do you know what you're doing? You're losing your throne, and you are ashamed of your mother. You're throwing it all away for him. All Jonathan has to do is say, he's right over there by the sticks. Go get him. It's over. Well, would you give your trust to Jonathan? Would you give your trust to Jonathan? Would you trust him? Knowing that he is heir to the throne. That's the dilemma. Now let's think for a minute then about what is stronger than blood here. There's an arrangement that is really remarkable in this section. I want everyone to look down at verse 8. It's the crucial verse in this section. It's full of loaded words you can't miss. Listen to this. Therefore, deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you but if there's guilt in me kill me yourself for what for why should you bring me to your father do you remember what happened back in chapter 18 after David had killed Goliath after he had finished speaking remember what was said the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David Jonathan loved him as his own soul and and Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his house Jonathan this is 18 verse 3, Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as his own soul. The key to this whole section, the key to this whole chapter is covenant. The key to this whole section is covenant. You know what a covenant is. Boys and girls, a pact, an agreement, A mate between two parties, they have agreements, they have stipulations, they have curses, they have blessings. And there has to be a trust and fidelity that between these parties, the promises and the obligations are going to be kept. Covenants were serious things. What's fascinating here is how David describes it. The word for deal kindly with me is a loaded word. It's kesed. please show this faithfulness to your servant please show the emphasis here is please show this loyalty this faithfulness this dependability um it it was this um pledge by jonathan of absolute fidelity and loyalty to david that david was asking for that's a remarkable moment isn't it a covenant was made again here cut again in the midst of death and attack and assault and confusion and hostility and that is the only arrangement david is running to that is the only arrangement David is running to in other words because the covenant was in place David had someone in this life in whom he could absolutely trust when everything was falling apart what do you run to when everything's falling apart Some make a covenant with the bottle, don't they? Some make a covenant with all kinds of sin. What do you run to when everything falls apart? None of it delivers. None of it satisfies. None of it helps. All of it leads to worse problems. Who do you run to when everything's falling apart? I love what one pastor said. in confusion and trouble you take yourself to the one person who's made a covenant with you this is the bible this is biblical language he's using this is what the bible's telling us in david's disintegrating worlds there was yet one space of sanity one refuge still intact Jonathan there was a covenant and there David could expect kesed faithfulness now I ask who can we really trust when everything is falling apart when in life and what we face and what we go through and you can insert it here when health is crumbling when you're under assault when your enemies rise up against you when your sin rises up against you when you feel hopeless when you are full of despair when you are a mess when you have to run to a field and you want to be alone here's my question tonight who's made a covenant with you? who's made a covenant with you? There is someone. There is someone you can trust. Where do you see the first covenant made? With clarity. It was spoken of. But you have to go back to Genesis 15, don't you? And there was Abraham standing there. And the Lord said, I want you to split the rows. We're going to cut the covenant. I'm going to cut the covenant. And you're going to stand over here. And I'm going to pass through those rows. And you know what? I am pledging myself to fulfill all my promises to you. The author of Hebrews comes along. And the author of Hebrews says, listen, God can't lie. He did it by two immutable things, promise and oath. For it's impossible for God to lie. Whatever he's ever promised you in this life, what has he promised you? Well, you could sum it up as the Heidelberg sums it up. Forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. There's a lot more he's promised. He cuts that covenant. He says, I will be absolutely faithful to it. You split the animals and this covenant is for you and your seed forever, Abraham. Jonathan is so Christ-like here, isn't he? The Lord Himself made the pledge. The Lord Himself promised Chesed to us. I read it from Psalm 117 tonight for the opening, the call to worship. This word is everywhere in the Scriptures to tell you His faithfulness. He doesn't break His promises. Who do we run to? Jesus. he's your friend. He said that to you. You are my friends, John 15. He's your friend. He will never fail you. He will never leave you. He will never break the terms. That means that no matter what happens to us in this life, there is always one who is reliable, always one who is faithful, and didn't he demonstrate it? And his father is not Saul. The Heavenly Father is a good Heavenly Father. The Heavenly Father is a kind. One, as Jesus said in John 16, when I am lifted up and you have the Holy Spirit, you'll know how much my Father loves you. You see, this covenant arrangement of grace is stronger than any earthly relationship that we have. Well, I close tonight then with a surprising outcome. Can you ever get anything good out of a situation like this? That's the question, isn't it? What happens? Here's what happens. They all sit down for the new moon feast. David is absent. First day, Saul says nothing. He says, ah, he's unclean. He's unclean. He better be here tomorrow. Second day comes. Where is he, Jonathan? oh he asked me if he could go down to Bethlehem to his clan and I said sure he could do it you wicked son and he blows his top I mean talk about rage full of everything wrong with this man he blows his top he is angry he is furious he's yelling he even in the middle of the feast thrust his spirit, his own son, to kill him. Well, his anger was kindled so bad, you are a son of a perverse, rebellious woman. I know that you've chosen the son of Jesse. I know that you've chosen him and you've lost your own throne in doing it. Therefore, send him, bring him to me, for he shall die. Jonathan says, why should he be put to death? He's done nothing. Spear flies. Jonathan realizes his dad's going to kill David. So he goes out in the field with his boy, making sure nobody notices, because he's under close surveillance, I guarantee it. Takes the boy, and he shoots the arrow long and far. And then, as everyone realized he was doing his daily routine, he sends the boy away, and David comes and weeps, and they fall and they weep. for all of this pain and suffering and injustice. What's the surprising outcome? What's the surprising outcome? The news is bad, isn't it? We live in a hostile world right now. Is there any good news coming in this world right now about us, to us, from them? Is there anything good you're going to hear this week from the world to us? Nothing. They hate us. It's verse 42. 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 and between my offspring and your offspring forever. Wow. Who's in the middle of this covenant they made? Who's the one upholding this? Who's the one securing? Who's the one protecting? The Lord. Peace. I find that remarkable, remarkable thing I've reflected on this week. I thought, how could you ever have peace in the middle of this? And Jonathan speaks words of peace in the middle of this and David is able to leave in peace in the midst of this. And that's his power resting on it. after the resurrection, what is the first words that Jesus spoke to us? First words that came out? My peace I give to you. My peace I leave with you. Not as the world gives. I give you peace. That is what He's promised us. You have protection and a covenant of grace with the one to whom it matters. Fear not him who can kill the body. Fear him who can kill the body and soul in hell. Saul's in deep trouble. He's messed with the wrong God. And he's messed with the wrong people. I want to leave you with this thought, though, tonight. Who can you trust? Well, it should be that the greatest place of trust now happens in the household of faith, right? Those in whom are members of this covenant of grace. That we can say tonight that the place of trust in this life is now shared among all of those in Christ Jesus. That I really believe in this life that I can trust you. I'm saying that personally. I really feel that in this church I trust you. I could come to my brothers and sisters in times of distress and I could lean on you and I could confess to you and I trust you that you would have the best interest for me. Isn't that the beautiful thing that should flow out of this? And that you should look at your brothers and sisters the same way. That's a beautiful thing. Trust. And we can have it in this life. In the household of faith. So I think the words here are wonderful tonight. Go in peace. Go out into this week, beginning today, with real peace. And enjoy what you have in this beautiful covenant of grace where the Lord Jesus Christ is your keeper and the Lord Jesus Christ will hold on to you the whole way. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you that we can trust you in this life. Thank you that that trust is firm and sure because it's based on your covenant of grace and your promises, which it's impossible for God to lie. And that you will fulfill your good plans and good purposes as you said you would do. So give us confidence in what you've put into place. And thank you for showing us this tonight. In the midst of hostility, in the midst of hatred, we do have a place of refuge always as we come to Jesus, our true friend, and see that expressed in the lives of those whom he loves. Thank you, Father, for this time of worship. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.