"SPECIAL BLESSING" THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER

I Samuel 18:1-4
1And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
2And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.
3Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
4And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

As we follow the life of David through the scriptures we see that he was blessed of God. One of the ways God blessed David was giving him a friend that he could depend on during difficult times.

David’s closest friend was Jonathan… the name Jonathan means Jehovah has given.
God gave David a friend in Jonathan, he was a true friend.

In life we have had many casual acquaintances, but friends…true friends are very difficult to come by… If you have a friend who is true and trustworthy, who loves you and supports you in good times and in bad times, then you are a blessed individual.

What is a real friend? One person said, “A friend--a true friend is the first person who comes in when the whole world has gone out.” Another said, “A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you today just the way you are.”

The Bible says that a friend loveth at all times and a brother is born for adversity…A friend is one who sticks closer than a brother.

I want to take a look at this friendship between David and Jonathan. I also want us to see how their friendship parallels our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ…

You realize of course that Jonathan was a Prince! He was the son of Saul and heir to the throne…David on the other hand was a “nobody” from a family of nobodies; a poor shepherd boy… With these thoughts in mind let me speak to you about the Prince and the Pauper…

Jonathan Had an Uncommon Love for David
Verse 4 - Jonathan took off his princely robe and placed it on David…he even gave David his sword, his bow and his girdle/belt…In other words, Jonathan willingly laid aside the symbols of his position as the crown prince of Israel and gave them to David. This is a picture of a love that involves personal and profound sacrifice…a picture of uncommon love! Not common in our world today!

Why would Jonathan do such a thing? Somehow, Jonathan knew that David would be the next King…He didn’t get mad, he didn’t get jealous, and he didn’t whine or complain or seek to take David’s life… Instead, this prince took off his own robe, his own sword, his own girdle and put it on this young pauper, David…this kind of love is uncommon!

In ancient times this action would have meant that Jonathan was transferring all of his rights and privileges as a prince to David… Just as Jonathan laid aside the royal robe and gave it to David; Jesus has done the same for you and me.

Philippians 2:5-8 - 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Like David we were paupers, all our righteousness is as filthy rags…until the Prince of Glory came along and put His own robe upon us… praise God for His uncommon love!

Jonathan Had an Uncomplicated Love for David
Verse 1 - We are told that Jonathan loved David… and their souls were knitted together. Knit together - to tie or bind together… Evidently Jonathan saw something in David that caused him to love David genuinely. I believe it was the work of the Holy Spirit of God!

We were nobodies like David…poor, wretched, lost sinners, not deserving of His love. But Jesus came along and proved his love for us. His love was not complicated by our merit… nothing we could have done… but He loved us anyway!

Ephesians 2:4-6 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

His love is primary – Even when we didn’t love Him, He loved us!
I John 4:10, 19 - 10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins…19We love him because He first loved us.

His love is perpetual – His love had no beginning and no end; it is everlasting!
Jeremiah 31:3 – 3The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.

His love is proven – When we did nothing for Him; when we were criminals in relation to His law; and when we did not even know Him…He loved us to death!
Romans 5:8 - 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus has an uncomplicated love for you. It’s not based on our worth or our offering… it’s based on His worth and His offering!

Jonathan Had an Unconditional Love for David
Verse 3 - Jonathan loved David as his own soul. In fact, He loved David so deeply that it caused problems between him and his father Saul. Jonathan helped David escape his father’s wrath on several occasions. Saul even tried to kill Jonathan once because of his love for David… Yet in spite of the difficulties, Jonathan remained true to David to the very end. His love was unconditional.

Verse 3 - They made a covenant with one another… a covenant is more than a promise, it is a guarantee. It is a binding, life or death agreement. (Pro athletes should try this)

We find recorded in II Samuel 1 the death of Jonathan. Here are David’s words about Jonathan… 25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. 26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. 27 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

Their unconditional love for one another and their commitment to stand by that love is another picture of God’s love for us. It is not affected by our behavior; not affected by His feelings; not affected by our responses to Him; not affected by circumstances… His love is not affected by anything at all! It is totally unconditionally!

In fact, did you know that there is nothing that you can do that will make the Lord stop loving you! And there’s nothing that can separate you from His love:

Rom. 8:38-39 - For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Since nothing we did made the Lord start loving us, then there’s nothing we can do that will ever make Him stop loving us. Thank God for His unconditional love!

Closing:
Jonathan’s love for David was uncommon, uncomplicated and unconditional… Wouldn’t it be nice to have a friend like Jonathan? You do! His name is Jesus… and just like Jonathan was God’s gracious gift to David… Jesus is God’s gracious gift to us.
Aren’t you glad that the Prince of Glory loves paupers like me and you?

Oh, what a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and grief to bear.
What a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer.

You and I have a friend is Jesus… He loves you uncommonly, uncomplicatedly and unconditionally… BUT you must come to him with your sins, your grief and your souls if you want to benefit from His great love! Will you come today?

Senior Pastor John Sweat. Sr
Crossroads Baptist Church
1595 Baxley Road
Middleburg, Florida