Sermon and Worship Resources

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2 Samuel 7:1-9

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... be his armor bearer, and then later to sing for him and play the harp to ease his migraine headaches. Samuel contains stories that are familiar to all of you. The wonderful story of David and Goliath. The beautiful story of David's friendship with Jonathan, King Saul's son. The sordid story of David and Bathsheba. And, the tragic story of David's family's disintegration, ending with the rebellion of his son, Abaslom, against his father, and then the death of Abaslom, and David crying in lament, "O Abaslom ...

2. God’s Protection Takes the Form of a Faithful Friend

1 Samuel 20:1-42

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... his own life in the process. David was finally forced to run away, setting the stage for the next part of the story: David needs to wander from place to place to escape Saul’s hostility. As in the previous chapters, the narrator presents contrasting responses to God’s chosen king. Saul becomes obsessed with killing David, while Jonathan continues to do everything in his power to protect David, even though, from the human perspective, it does not seem to be in his best interests (cf. 20:31, 33). Though ...

3. Friends

1 Samuel 18:1-4

Sermon

James Merritt

... his role as commander in chief of all of the armies and then gave David his belt which was the chief ornament of a soldier, worn only by the wealthy and by royalty which represented all that he could have had as king, but he was giving up for David. In those acts, Jonathan gave to David the single most important thing one friend ever gives to another and that is loyalty. In the Good New Translation of the Bible, Proverbs 18:24 says, "Some friendships do not last, but some friends are more loyal than ...

4. A Shepherd Who Became a Sovereign

2 Samuel 12:1-31

Sermon

R. Blaine Detrick

... , he possessed a magnetic personality. He had a charisma that drew people to him, and stirred them to an abiding loyalty and a deep love. Men and women alike: Samuel, the prophet ... Saul, the king ... Jonathan, the prince ... Joab, the general ... Hiram, king of Tyre ... Abiathar, the priest ... Abishai, the captain ... Bathsheba, Abigail, Michal, and the other women who crossed the path of David. Everybody (well, almost everybody) seemed to like him. There was something captivating and appealing ...

5. Bart and Homer, Father and Sons

1 Samuel 20:24-42

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... show and share love to discover the kingdom of God in our relationships In a world that knows more about Bart and Homer than basic freedoms; in a world where the spears of violence still "pin our children to the wall;" in a world where King Saul seems to reign, give thanks for Jonathan and David. Give thanks for the men who know how to love. I ended the sermon by saying it really has about three endings, but I chose the most personal one. I stepped out of the pulpit and expressed how much I love this church ...

6. Jonathan’s Faith Ignites a Victory

1 Sam 13:16–14:23

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... inactive, apparently waiting for an oracle from God (v. 3 refers to the ephod).3 It is ironic that a priestly descendant of Eli is with Saul, for we have here a king whose dynasty is doomed (13:13–14) collaborating with a priest whose dynasty was doomed (2:30–36).4 14:6 Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Jonathan respects the Lord’s sovereign freedom, but he still takes the initiative to act, with the confidence that the Lord is capable of delivering with even a few. Saul panics when his ...

7. The Lord Is with David

1 Samuel 18:1-30

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... s death and even then will not be completely resolved. Yet there is no conflict in the narrator’s mind. Through his description of events, he makes it clear that David is God’s chosen king. Everyone comes to love David (vv. 3, 16, 20), even Saul’s own son and heir apparent, Jonathan, and his own daughter Michal. Throughout the chapter, the narrator emphasizes that the Lord is with David, granting him success (vv. 5, 12, 14, 28, 30), while he characterizes Saul as angry, jealous, emotionally unstable ...

8. Fighting Wars and Keeping a Promise: David Establishes an Ideal of Kingship

2 Sam 8:1–10:19

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... the Lord’s promise: “Now I will make your name great” (2 Sam. 7:9).7 8:15 David reigned over all Israel. Jonathan’s prediction regarding David’s destiny has come true (1 Sam. 23:17). doing what was just and right for all his people. ... in the Old Testament. The horse, though stronger and faster than men (Jer. 12:5), is made of flesh, susceptible to physical weakness (1 Kings 18:5), and unable to resist the Lord’s power (Isa. 31:3). One might prepare the horse for battle, but success comes from ...

9. Song Of Loss Song Of Hope

2 Samuel 1:1-16

Sermon

Charles Curley

... has virtually defined the meaning of friendship down through the generations. "The soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul." - 1 Samuel 18:1 The difficulty was that Jonathan was Saul's son and heir. Jonathan was to be the next king of Israel, following his father, King Saul. God had disinherited Jonathan, dethroned Saul, and sent Samuel to anoint David King of Israel - but Saul and Jonathan didn't know that yet. Oh, Saul knew there was something wrong with ...

10. The “Nine Lives” of David

1 Samuel 19:1-24

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... fully supports David, while Saul tries to murder him.4Jonathan’s loyalty to David also supports the narrator’s presentation of David as one who is not seeking to usurp Saul’s throne, for Jonathan would not favor a traitor. 19:4 Let not the king do wrong to his servant David. Jonathan’s words testify to David’s innocence and Saul’s guilt; as such they contribute powerfully to the narrator’s agenda of exonerating David and indicting Saul. what he has done has benefited you greatly. In ...

11. Three Arrows

1 Samuel 20:1-42

Sermon

... from the prying ears of spies. They met to reaffirm their covenant of friendship, and devised a test to see if David should continue in Saul’s court. David suggested to Jonathan that he leave the king’s table for a few days. Israel’s kings usually ate with only their closest advisors. In Saul’s case, he dined with his son Jonathan, his general Abner, and his lyre player, David. No women were allowed at his table, as is still the custom with Middle Eastern sheiks. While David hid in the valley of ...

12. David and Jonathan

1 Samuel 20:1-42

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... reaffirm his covenant with David. According to verse 13, Jonathan fully expects David to be the next king, and he wants David to promise that he will be kind to Jonathan’s family even after he takes the throne. Often a king from a new dynasty would put to death the descendants of the previous king. David reaffirms his oath to show “unfailing kindness” to Jonathan and his family (20:14–15). When he becomes king, David will remember his oath to Jonathan and make special provision for his crippled son ...

13. Saul's Jealousy of David

1 Samuel 18:1-30

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... and Michal herself become mere tools in the ongoing power struggle. Saul thinks that that love may be the means of bringing David down, and David uses it to further his own desire to be the king’s son-in-law. This is the only place in the OT narratives where a woman is described as loving a man. As when Jonathan’s love for David was introduced, there is no mention of David having any feelings for Michal. David’s response to Saul’s inquiries (v. 23) is this time part of a cultural game intended to ...

14. David's Victories

2 Samuel 8:1-14

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... . 11), so perhaps it is best to take David’s actions at face value. He may be blameworthy in forgetting about Jonathan’s family for this period of time, but when the thought eventually comes to mind he seeks to make amends and ... Mephibosheth (v. 6) refer to themselves as David’s servant, or, in modern terms, his loyal subject. This is probably a polite response to the king’s greeting but may be a deliberate attempt to set themselves apart from any group that might oppose David. 9:6 21:8 speaks ...

15. David's Officials

2 Samuel 8:15-18

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

16. David on the Run

1 Sam 21:1–22:5

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... realized the truth and warned David. The situation looked bleak for David, but he still had a devoted friend and protector in Jonathan. The narrator keeps David’s destiny before us through the words of Jonathan, who prayed for David’s well-being (20:13, 16), expressed his confidence that the Lord would subdue David’s enemies (20:15–16), and renewed his allegiance to the future king (20:17). Though David is still on the run, he has every reason to be confident: after all, David has escaped once ...

17. David's Lament for Saul and Jonathan

2 Samuel 1:17-27

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... to Israel, at least enabling the economy to be better than it had previously been. For this and other reasons it was appropriate that, though the women of Philistia may be rejoicing, the women of Israel should weep for the death of their king. 1:25–26 As the poem begins to focus on Jonathan the emphasis changes from the national mourning to David’s personal grief for the friend who had been such a support to him in bad times as well as good. The care of women for him David perhaps took for granted, but ...

18. Friendship? Yes, Please!

2 Samuel 11:1-27

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

... to carry." This portion of the text calls us to get involved with others, to help them carry their burdens, withstand their adversaries, overcome their problems. That's what my favorite Old Testament character Jonathan did for David. David was a young lonely shepherd boy when Samuel anointed him a future king. He later killed the giant Goliath with his slingshot, excelled as a poet and musician, and proved himself again and again on the battlefield. The women used to sing, "Saul has killed his thousands ...

19. Tell It Not in Gath!

2 Samuel 1:1-16, 1 Samuel 31:1-13

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... interpret the incident in that manner. The death of Saul and his sons clears the pathway to the throne for David, but he does not celebrate. When he finds out about Saul’s death, he executes the man who claims to have killed the king. He also composes a lament for Saul and Jonathan as a somber testimony of his loyalty. As his first act after being enthroned in Hebron, he will later reward the men of Jabesh Gilead for their loyalty to Saul (1 Sam. 31:11–13; 2 Sam. 2:1–7). The narrator absolves David ...

20. Saul on the Rampage

1 Samuel 22:6-23

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... 21 Abiathar reports to David that Saul had the audacity to kill “the priests of the Lord.” were unwilling to raise a hand. The scene is reminiscent of an earlier incident when Saul’s men refused to allow Saul to kill Jonathan (14:45). In both cases Saul’s servants risk the king’s anger because they know he is intending to kill the innocent. By including their reactions in the story, the narrator enhances his portrait of Saul as one who is unfit to rule. 22:18 Doeg the Edomite turned and struck ...

21. Saul Forfeits a Dynasty

1 Samuel 13:1-15

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... after his own heart” in the structure of verses 13–14.6 This suggests that the latter refers to a character quality of the new king. Furthermore, the phrase “according to your heart” is used in 14:7 by Jonathan’s armor-bearer to emphasize that he is “with” Jonathan in “heart and soul,” that is, loyal to Jonathan and committed to whatever Jonathan decides to do.7 appointed him ruler. The Lord announces that he will terminate Saul’s royal dynasty and replace him with another whom he has ...

22. Acquaintances Or Friends?

2 Samuel 16:15--17:29

Sermon

Arthur H. Kolsti

... of Naomi and her daughter-in-law, Ruth, who stayed by her side through thick and thin. The other is the friendship whose beginning is highlighted in today's first reading, the bonding of Jonathan and David. You are certainly familiar with David. You may not be as knowledgeable about Jonathan, the eldest son of the tormented first king of Israel, Saul. He is worth knowing. Reflect on his story and a configuration of adjectives will come to mind: generous, gallant, loyal, sympathetic, valiant, magnanimous ...

23. Proper 8

2 Corinthians 8:1-15, 2 Samuel 1:17-27, Mark 5:21-43

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... clearly through this elegy over the two men. David's unselfishness can be seen in the fact that David does not rejoice that those who stood in the way of his becoming king are slain. The love he had for Jonathan was greater that his love for any woman (v. 26). Old Testament: Deuteronomy 15:7-11 Epistle: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9, 13-15 The rift between Paul and the Corinthian Church has been healed. The apostle turns his attention to the physical needs of the church in Jerusalem. He ...

24. David Saves Keilah

1 Samuel 23:1-6

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... plan there was no way Saul could succeed in killing him, must have given David renewed encouragement and strength. Jonathan again makes it clear not only that he is aware that David will replace Saul as king but also that he has no intention of opposing this. Saul’s awareness of this is not unrealistic optimism on Jonathan’s part; it is confirmed by Saul (24:20). Saul had heard God’s word and knew Jonathan’s perspective. His efforts to find and kill David are part of an attempt to change the future ...

25. Saul Pursues David

1 Samuel 23:7-29

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

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