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June 1927
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water in My name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you: he shall not lose his reward.” If we love Jesus we prove that we are His friends by doing what He would do in our places. It is the love of Christ and our loyal friend ship for Him that prompt us to do kind things. Primary Teacher. Lesson Story: I have in my hand some smooth stories. In our wonderful story last week a boy picked up five, smooth stones. What did he do with one of the stories? (Review, bringing out David’s absolute dependence upon God.) Today we are to hear of two young men who were great friends. One was David, and his friend was the son of King Saul, whose name was Jonathan. King Saul was very happy at first when the giant Goliath was killed, but when people began to praise David, Saul became jealous of David. You know,, boys and girls, jealousy is a very wicked and dangerous thing. It surely is a giant, and we cannot kill that giant ourselves; we need Jesus to help us,, -but King Saul was not letting God have His way in his life, so he let jealousy haye a place in his heart. Every time Saul heard people praise or give honor to David, he became angry, and one day while David was playing on his harp for _Saul, the king threw a spear at David and tried to kill him. Now Jonathan loved David dearly, and he was greatly grieved to think his father would try to hurt David, who had been so kind to Saul. When Saul saw that Jonathan was standing up for David, he became so angry he even threw a spear at his own son. What an awful thing ,sin is, and if we give it just the tiniest little space in our hearts it will grow and grow, just like it did in Saul’s heart. Jonathan loved David, and made plans to ¡save him from his angry father, the king/ (Tell the story of David hiding in the field, and how Jonathan helped him to escape.) Now David and Jonathan know that Saul really intends to kill David, and that they must say good-bye to each other. It is very hard to part with those whom we love. David and Jonathan kissed one another and wept with one another. Then these two friends made an agreement that they would always love and help each other and their children. David promised he would be kind to Jonathan’s children and Jonathan promised the same to David. So it was that in God’s name these two friends promised to be true to each other forever. It is lovely to have true friends who will love and help us. Can you tell me who is the dearest friend we can have? Yes, Jesus is the dearest and truest friend we can have. He never fails us. Our memory verse tells us that a friend loveth at all times? Is Jesus your friend?
good toward him; that David had risked his life for the good of Israel; that Jeho vah had wrought a great victory for all Israel through him; and that Saul on that occasion had rej oiced in this great de liverance. With these facts before his father, Jonathan plead with him, “Where fore wilt thou sin against innocent blood to slay David without a cause?" This speech, on account of its pointedness and sincerity, reminds one of Judah’s speech before Joseph, Gen. 44:18-34. Likewise, it reminds one of the earnest praying and in tercession of our Lord in behalf of His friends, as we see in various places in the Gospel records:^ To this pleading Saul yielded), and permitted David to return, and for the time being treated him as if there had been no estrangement between them. It was not long, however, until Satan took advantage of the weakness of Saul’s char acter and stirred up jealousy and suspicion to the point that Saul again attempted to slay David. Concluding that there could be no hope of permanent peace between Saul and himself, David left the court for good. • At Various times Saul attempted to kill him, but by the grace and protection of God he was spared. The turbulent times through which David passed successfully, remind the faithful child of God that God is his refuge, and that the Angel of Je hovah encamps, ’round about them that fear Him, and delivers them. Not long before Saul’s death, he real ized the sad failure which he had made in life, and made this confession to David: "For I will no more do thee harm, because my life is precious in thine eyes this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have erred exceedingly.” One who allows his fleshly nature to predominate, giving way to the desires of the flesh, is making the same mistake which Saul made. Notwith standing all of the injustices which Saul did toward David, the latter maintained himself as a child of God, refusing to re turn evil for evil. Finally, the day dawned when Saul was ushered into the presence of his God. At this same time Jonathan passed into the great beyond. When David heard that his true, life-long friend had gone hence, together with him who had so very unjustly persecuted him, he, together with his men, rent his clothes, mourned, wept and fasted. As a memorial for both friend and foe, David wrote the “'Song of the Bow," recorded in II Samuel 1:19-27. .United were David and Jonathan in life, even unto death. Two Good Friends I Samuel 20:35-42 . Memory Verse: “A friend loveth at all times.” Prov. 17:17a. Approach: Show the children a glass of cold water. It seems a very small thing; yet given to one suffering from thirst it is worth more than gold. As
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. Christ, the eternal God, who was with the Father in the beginning and “was God,” gladly and willingly offered to lay aside the glory, which He had with the Father, to enter the human family by way of the virgin birth; to humble him self as a servant; to live with men, and labor for them, and finally to suffer the ignominious death of the cross, that we, through His death and sufferings, might live. He sacrificed all for us, " For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor, that we through His poverty might become rich." Not only did Christ give up everything for us, but He has entered into covenant relationship with all who will truly accept Him, and give their hearts to Him, as Jonathan did to David and vice versa. Those entering into the blood covenant of Christ are the “saints” of whom the Psalmist spoke, “Gather my saints together unto me, those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice." Since we have en tered into such blessed fellowship with Him, He no longer calls us servants, but friends; and to us he has revealed the secrets dearest to His heart, recorded in His word. These secrets in His word are hidden from the wise and the prudent, but are understood by those who are in fel lowship with Him and who have spiritual discernment. As soon as this blessed fellowship was established between these two friends, Satan was determined to wreck it. He attempted to do so by stirring up jealousy on the part of Saul, Jonathan’s father. When the war was over, the women, un fortunately and unwisely, sang, " Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands." Jealousy, as is seen in many ' portions of the Scriptures, has injured the soul and life of many of God’s ser vants. Oh, that redeemed men and women, could learn the one great secret which was the outstanding characteristic of John the Baptist! John, according to the gospel records, was very popular, until Christ, after His baptism, stepped forth and began his public ministry, at which time the crowd ceased to follow John and turned to Jesus. Jealousy began to rankle in the hearts of some of John’s disciples in be half of their beloved leader. In reply to them, John, a greater than whom had not been born of woman up to that time, said, “A man can receive nothing except it have been given him from Heaven. Ye, your selves, bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but I am sent before Him. . . . He must increase but I must de crease." Whenever God’s people have the same attitude as exemplified by John, the cause of our Master will move on glori ously. True friendship is that which can weather the strongest gales of life. Jona than’s loyalty to David was put to the acid test when his father gave orders to slay David. Though Jonathan loved his father dearly, his love and loyalty to David did not diminish. Being true, he began to reason with his father concerning the sin ful attitude which Saul had taken toward David. In the conversation, Jonathan was very courteous and resoectful to his father, as all children should be toward their parents. He pointed out that his father, in his contemplated act, would sin against David; that David had not sinned against him; that David’s works had been only
Fred S. Shepard’s Blackboard Outline
we go through life, day by day, we are constantly meet i ng those who are in need of some little kindness, which, given to each of them, will be as a glass of cold water, refreshing, s a t i s f y ing and comforting. “Whosoever shall give you a cup of cold
F—aithfulness R—eliability I —nterest E—arnestness N—earness D—evotedness A friend loveth at all times. Prov. 17:17.
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