1 Sam. 18:1-5 — Jonathan may not have known what this commitment would mean for him: 

  • Self-Emptying - Jonathan removes royal garments and gives them away.  He voluntarily relinquishes privilege. This echoes the pattern later seen in Christ’s humiliation. 
  • Covenant Love - Jonathan loves David despite personal cost. Christ loves His people at infinitely greater cost. 
  • Mediation - He absorbs hostility from Saul because of his loyalty to David. Jonathan repeatedly stands between Saul and David. 
  • Preservation of the King - Jonathan’s covenant actions help preserve David’s life. God uses covenant love to protect His anointed. 

 Q: What makes covenant community different from every other kind of community? 

A: Where God's people lay down their ambitions to love around his anointed king, God commands blessing and life. 

 John 13:34-35 CSB, "I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. [35] By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." 

 Psalm 133:1-3 CSB How delightfully good when brothers live together in harmony! [2] It is like fine oil on the head, running down on the beard, running down Aaron's beard onto his robes. [3] It is like the dew of Hermon falling on the mountains of Zion. For there the LORD has appointed the blessing- life forevermore. 

 Biblical FRIENDSHIP is not: 

  • Personality COMPATIBILITY 
  • PREFERENCE agreement 
  • CONFLICT avoidance 

Biblical friendship is: Shared covenant LOVE & LOYALTY to God’s King. 

 Trust in Christ is the SAFE PLACE from which we can explore and enter trust in one another. Not all at once, and not blindly. But… 

  • Some of us look for SAFETY in PEOPLE. If they treat us well, we feel secure, and if they don't, we fall apart.  
  • Others of us look for safety in DISTANCE. We keep people far enough away that no one can hurt us. 

Both are ways of finding safety somewhere other than Christ.  

 Two questions 

  1. Where is your safety resting? On how people treat you, on how far you keep them away, or on the faithfulness of Christ to you?
  2. Where has the fear of being hurt again kept you from going first with someone God has put in your life? 

 Application: This week, take one small, safe step toward one person. Invite them to your “table.” Give it time.