February 6, 2022
Our message series we’re in is about a new beginning, about starting fresh this year. We’re focusing on the most important things in life. The first week we talked about having a New Heart. We looked at the story of the Woman at the Well and learned we can achieve a new heart only by listening to, prioritizing and connecting with Jesus.
The second week we looked at the story of Joshua, how the words God spoke to him, “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid, for the Lord your God is with you, wherever you go” helped him overcome challenges. We learned when we give the word of God our daily attention, God gives us a transformed, new mind.
The third week, we talked about prayer, and how God wants to answer our requests and bless us. When we persist in prayer, we get a new focus on God and things eternal.
Today we are talking about friends. Friends are so important in our lives. Friends support and encourage us and help us stay on the right path.
This week Belgian Olympic Athlete Kim Meylemans was in tears. A month before the Olympics she had Covid and recovered from it. Then she had tested negative for Covid 12 times before coming to China. When she arrived in China, she was shocked that she tested positive. She had to go into isolation. She then had two negative test results over the next three days. She thought she would be free to leave isolation and go to the Olympic Village. But instead, she was taken to another facility for isolation.
There she made a video, where she broke down in tears. She said it is very hard for her, she isn’t sure if she can handle 7 more days in isolation, and then compete.
The Olympic committee listened and within hours brought her to the Olympic Village.
Spending 10 days all are alone is pretty hard for most of us. Some people like time alone, while others like to be around people most of the time. But even most introverts would have a hard time being far from home, with nobody around.
Life is better when we have people in our lives. We need friends and family. Having friends makes you happier and helps you deal with the ups and down of life. Friends encourage you and help you stay on the right path in life.
In the Bible, David and Jonathan are unlikely friends, but their friendship is strong and powerful throughout their lives and beyond.
When David killed Goliath, Saul was the King of Israel, and Jonathan was Saul’s son. You might think Jonathan, who could become King after his father died, would see David as a threat, because he was so brave and killed the giant Goliath. But it wasn’t that way at all. 1 Samuel 18 says that after David killed the Giant, he went and talked to King Saul. It says then Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. It’s very fortunate for David that Jonathan was a great friend! I think God’s hand was in this friendship. King Saul at first was glad for David killing the giant. But David was very successful in the army. And King Saul became jealous of David’s success and was afraid of him and his popularity. 1 Samuel 19 says that Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning: go into hiding and stay there.” Then Jonathan went and spoke with his father, saying David has been a great help to him. And Saul listened to his son.”
That didn’t end Saul’s ideas of going after David. But in the end, David lived, in part because he had such a good friend in Jonathan.
It’s not good for us to be alone, and that why God gave us friends!
Friendships are powerful for three reasons: they help us overlook differences, friends look out for one another, and friendships help us carry on the blessing!
First, friendships help us overlook differences. Jonathan and David are unlikely friends. Because Jonathan is the son of King Saul. He could inherit the throne and be king once his father dies. But he is friends with David, who is very impressive to the people of Israel, for what a great warrior he is. Where King Saul thinks of David as a threat to his power, Jonathan doesn’t mind at all! He saves David from King Saul.
Today there are so many differences anymore where we villainize the people who think or act differently: in politics, nationality, denomination or religion, age, and so on. But in reality, there is no one who acts or thinks exactly the same as you. We can talk about what’s wrong with those people. But when you have a friend, you overlook differences. They may have a different opinion. But I don’t care, that’s my good friend! Friendships help us overlook differences.
Second, friendships are powerful because friends look out for one another. Jonathan looked out for David and made sure his father, King Saul, didn’t kill him. Friends encourage and support each other. Jesus could have ministered on his own. But he didn’t. He had 12 disciples, and he had his friends Mary, Martha and Lazarus, there were more friends and followers. Paul was a great missionary and teacher, and we think of him on his own. But he had friends help travel with him and help him, too: Silas, Barnabas, Prisca and Aquila and many more. We need the encouragement of a friend. I think one of the worst feelings as a parent is if your kid has friend trouble. It’s heartbreaking to lose a friend. We all need some good friends because we need people looking out for us. And our friends need us too!
Third, friends pass on the blessing. Unfortunately, both King Saul and Jonathan died in battle with the Philistines. When David heard this, he ripped his clothes to ribbons, mourned and said:
“O my dear brother Jonathan, I’m crushed by your death.
Your friendship was a miracle-wonder, love far exceeding anything I’ve known—or ever hope to know.” –2 Samuel 1:26
David knew what a blessing, a miracle it was to have Jonathan as his friend. And David was going to pass on the blessing of that friendship to someone else. When David becomes king, he wants to know if anyone from Saul’s household is left. He hears that Mephibosheth, Jonathon’s son, survives. Mephibosheth has a disability, so David brings him to his castle and takes care of him. Jonathan’s son is now part of David’s family.
It’s not good for us to be alone! That’s why friendship is a gift from God!
My challenge for your this week, is to consider joining a group at church: at Trinity the Women’s Guild is back and meeting this Tuesday. At St. Peter’s there is an adult Sunday school, Bible study, Ladies’ Aid and other groups. Or you can be part of a team that serves together, preparing communion together or serving together at the food pantry. We aren’t meant to be alone, and like David said, friendship is a miracle-wonder.
In a day when it’s easy to have enemies, we all need friends! We learn to value people and overlook differences from our friendships, we learn what love is! We learn to look out for and encourage others, and we’re encouraged and supported by our friends. And we pass on the friendship, showing kindness and love to others out of the joy of what we have received. This year you can have a new beginning. The miracle-wonder of friends, a gift from God, can be a support and blessing to you, and help you to be your best. Amen.
Maureen Duffy-Guy's blog 