Point Church I The Life of David • Week 3 | David and Johnathan I Matthew Bradham

Devotional

Day 1: Souls Knit Together in Shared Faith

Jonathan’s soul was "knit" to David’s not because of shared hobbies or status, but because they both saw God as their ultimate deliverer. Their friendship began when Jonathan recognized David’s radical trust in God during the Goliath showdown—a trust that mirrored his own. True godly friendship starts when two people share a common heartbeat for God’s power and purposes, not just surface-level connections. This bond outlasts changing circumstances because it’s anchored in the unchanging character of God. Such friendships don’t just make life enjoyable—they make faith durable. [20:50]

“After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.”
(1 Samuel 18:1-4, NIV)

Reflection: Who in your life shares your raw, unguarded passion for God’s glory? How could you intentionally cultivate a friendship that fuels—not just fits—your faith?

Day 2: Gifting Robes and Recognizing Royalty

Jonathan surrendered his princely robe and weapons to David, symbolizing his belief in God’s calling over David’s life—even when it cost him his own future. Godly friends don’t compete with God’s work in others; they celebrate it. They see potential others overlook and name it boldly. Jonathan’s gifts weren’t mere generosity—they were prophetic acts, affirming truths David hadn’t yet fully grasped. Such friendships refuse to let fear or insecurity silence encouragement. [27:18]

“Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.”
(1 Samuel 18:3-4, NIV)

Reflection: When has someone’s belief in you altered your trajectory? Who needs you to “give your robe”—to sacrificially affirm God’s purpose in their life today?

Day 3: Defending Friends in the Shadow of Saul’s Spear

When Saul ordered David’s death, Jonathan risked his position and safety to protect his friend. He didn’t just warn David—he publicly defended his character, refusing to join Saul’s slander. Godly friendship means speaking well of others when they’re absent, not just when they’re present. It’s choosing loyalty over convenience, even when opposition arises. Jonathan’s courage reminds us that real love acts, not just emotes. [39:35]

“Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David and warned him… Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said, ‘Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly.’”
(1 Samuel 19:1-5, NIV)

Reflection: Is there a friend you’ve quietly criticized lately? How could you intentionally “speak well” of them today—both to others and to God in prayer?

Day 4: Covenant Tears in the Wilderness of Ziph

David and Jonathan wept together in a field, their covenant friendship strained by distance and danger. Yet their tears weren’t a farewell—they renewed their vow: “The Lord is witness between you and me forever.” Godly friendships grieve losses but cling to covenantal love that outlasts proximity. Like God’s love for us, these bonds aren’t based on convenience but commitment, thriving even when shared moments grow scarce. [42:57]

“While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life. And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. ‘Don’t be afraid,’ he said. ‘My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you.’”
(1 Samuel 23:15-18, NIV)

Reflection: Which friendship feels strained by life’s chaos? How can you reaffirm your commitment without demanding more than this season allows?

Day 5: Strengthening in God, Not Ourselves

Jonathan didn’t bring David weapons or supplies in the wilderness—he brought him the one thing that mattered: reminders of God’s faithfulness. Godly friends don’t just say “you’ve got this”—they point to the God who’s got you. They replace empty platitudes with Scripture’s promises, helping others see beyond their fears to the King who holds their future. [48:22]

“Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. ‘Don’t be afraid,’ he said. ‘My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.’”
(1 Samuel 23:16-17, NIV)

Reflection: When a friend shares a struggle, do you default to pep talks or prayer? How could you more intentionally point them to God’s strength this week?

Sermon Summary

David’s story keeps showing that God provides, but almost never in the way anybody would have predicted. God gave David courage through a lion, a bear, and a giant, but 1 Samuel 18 shows one of the greatest gifts David ever received: the gift of a friend. Jonathan becomes one of the primary ways David holds on, keeps faith, keeps fighting, and stays the course.

Godly friendship begins with a shared heart for God. Jonathan does not simply see a cool giant killer and decide to grab some clout. Jonathan sees in David the same kind of faith that once made him say, “Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving whether by many or by few.” David says the same kind of thing to Goliath: “The battle is the Lord’s.” Jonathan’s soul gets knit to David’s soul because this guy gets God the way Jonathan gets God. Christian friendship cannot stop at hobbies, restaurants, sports, stage of life, or personality. Those things can be doorways, but Christ has to be the foundation because everything else changes and Jesus does not.

Godly friends also call out God’s work in one another. Jonathan gives David his robe, tunic, sword, bow, and belt, and those gifts are not random friendship swag. The prince and warrior recognizes God’s hand on the shepherd boy and basically says with his actions, “These might belong to you.” Jonathan sees David’s calling before David seems to fully see it himself. That kind of friend is not threatened by God blessing somebody else. Jonathan has every reason to compete, but his heart says, “It ain’t about me.”

Godly friendship also stays committed when life gets hard. David and Jonathan’s friendship is covenantal, not contractual. A contract asks what can be gained from the other person, but covenant says, “I’m with you till the end.” Jonathan speaks well of David when Saul wants him dead, and that small detail matters. Character shows up in what gets said when a friend is not around to hear it.

Godly friends strengthen one another in God. Jonathan comes to David in the wilderness and helps him find strength in God. He does not offer shallow advice like “believe in yourself” or “you are enough.” He points David back to the God who is enough. The call is not only to ask God for a Jonathan, but to be a Jonathan: to encourage, show up, speak life, and help somebody else hold on.

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Key Takeaways

1. Christ anchors Christian friendship. [25:06] Christian friendship cannot survive on shared hobbies alone because hobbies, schedules, and stages of life all shift. A friendship built on Christ has a foundation that does not move when circumstances do. The deepest kind of friend helps another believer love Jesus more, not just laugh more or relax more. [25:06]
2. Friends name God’s fingerprints. [31:08] Jonathan sees God’s hand on David before David fully understands what God is doing. A godly friend has eyes to notice gifts, callings, courage, and grace that another person may be too discouraged to see. One sentence of Spirit-led encouragement can become a marker of God’s faithfulness for years. [31:08]
3. Covenant stays in the valley. [36:42] David and Jonathan’s friendship begins on a mountaintop, but it is tested when Saul starts hunting David. Covenant friendship does not disappear when life becomes inconvenient, heavy, or messy. The gospel trains friendship to show patience and grace instead of treating people like contracts. [36:42]
4. Words protect absent friends. [39:35] Jonathan defends David by speaking well of him to Saul. A friend’s character is revealed in private conversations, especially when another person’s flaws are easy to mention. Loyalty often looks less dramatic than expected: it sounds like refusing to join quiet criticism. [39:35]
5. Jonathan-like friendship goes first. [50:06] The first move is not only asking God to send a faithful friend. The first move can be becoming that kind of friend for somebody else. Encouragement, prayer, a call, a text, Scripture, or showing up in grief may become the very place where deeper friendship is formed.

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Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[15:32] - David’s Unexpected Gift of Friendship
[17:45] - No Solo Christians
[18:27] - Godly Friends Share a Heart for God
[20:29] - Jonathan’s Soul Knit to David
[22:43] - David and Jonathan’s Shared Faith
[25:06] - Christ as the Friendship Foundation
[27:18] - Friends Call Out God’s Work
[31:40] - Friendship Costs Something
[36:42] - Covenant Friendship in the Valley
[39:35] - Speaking Well of a Friend
[45:06] - The Beauty of Deep Friendship
[47:21] - Friends Strengthen One Another in God
[50:06] - Be a Jonathan
[52:38] - Friendship as Gospel Witness

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
1 Samuel 18:1-4 (ESV)
As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt.

Observation Questions

What specific actions did Jonathan take to demonstrate his commitment to David in 1 Samuel 18:1-4?
According to the sermon, why did Jonathan’s soul become “knit” to David’s, and what did they share in common? [22:43]
How did Jonathan defend David when Saul wanted to kill him, and what does this reveal about his character? [39:35]

Interpretation Questions

Why might Jonathan’s gifts of his robe, armor, and weapons (1 Samuel 18:4) symbolize more than friendship? How could this act foreshadow David’s future role?
The sermon describes Jonathan and David’s friendship as “covenantal, not contractual.” What is the difference between these two types of relationships, and why does covenant matter in hardship? [36:42]
How does Jonathan’s encouragement to David in 1 Samuel 23:16 (“help him find strength in God”) contrast with worldly advice like “believe in yourself”? [49:17]

Application Questions

Who in your life helps you “love Jesus more” rather than just “laugh more or relax more”? How could you intentionally strengthen that relationship this week? [25:06]
Think of a friend who might need encouragement. What specific gift, calling, or act of courage could you name in their life to remind them of God’s faithfulness? [31:08]
When have you struggled to celebrate a friend’s success or blessing? What practical step could you take to cultivate a heart that rejoices in God’s work in others? [33:57]
How might your words about a friend change if you knew they’d hear them? What is one way to practice speaking well of others, especially when they’re not present? [39:35]
The sermon challenges believers to “be a Jonathan” before asking for one. Who in your community, workplace, or church could you intentionally encourage or support this week? [50:06]
Reflect on a time when a friend stood by you in a “valley” season. How did their loyalty impact your faith? How can you pay that forward? [36:42]

Sermon Clips

51s

“``Those things can become the doorway into friendships. They tend to be, but they are not meant to be of the friendship. Why? Like why is it matter that in our Christian friendships that Christ is the foundation? Well, should just be obvious. He should be the foundation of everything in our lives including our friendships. But friendships including Christian friendships, like they should be about something deeper than just common you know things we you know hobbies and stuff. Why? Because guess what? Hobbies change. Interests change. Life changes. People move away. Jobs change. Kids grow up. But a friendship built on Christ has a foundation that outlasts the things that change. Why? Because he doesn't. Jesus doesn't change, which means my friendships don't need to change like shifting shadows because my God doesn't.”

57s

“Don't tell me that. Tell the gospel says believe in your God. Yes. Alright? The god you know, the world says, hey, you friends just need to say you are enough. Guess what? You're not. Okay? The gospel says he is enough. Christ is enough. That's what Jonathan's coming to tell him. The world says, hey, just find inner strength. We as Christians can say, find the only inner strength you have, which is the spirit of God that's been placed inside of you. There is a world of difference between these two different types of advice because guess what? That advice we give to the world gives from friends, your strength runs out, mine does too, but God never does. Praise God. Amen. That's why Jonathan points David there. And and and to me, like, that that is what true friendship does is it strengthens, it comes along, and it tries to strengthen them in God. It's giving them what more than they could ever give themselves.”

44s

“Jonathan looked at David and thought, that's someone who helped me love God more. Can I ask you a question? Who in your life helps you love Jesus more? Don't you don't need to say it a lot, but just think about that. Who helps you love God more? Not just laugh more, not just relax more, not just, you know, eat better food. Know, who actually strengthens your faith? Who reminds you continually of God's promises and challenges you to obey him? Those are the friendships worth fighting for. Also, guess what? I'm not scolding your current Christian current Christian friendships. If yours right now don't sound like that, make them like that. The only thing holding it back is you and the other person and somebody's gotta lead the way.”

51s

“Sometimes they see God's fingerprints on your life before you do. Jonathan was that kind of a friend for David. But here's what I find even more remarkable. Jonathan wasn't just recognizing David's future, he was surrendering his own. Like friendship is costly. Now I'm not saying every friendship you have to like give someone your future job, but but like every friendship should involve some level of sacrifice or that's not really a friendship. That's just somebody you're looking to gain something from. And that's why friendships don't work so much is because we just look for people that make us feel a certain way and make us laugh a certain way and make us enjoy whatever. Like friendships should be costly because no genuine loving relationship is absent of sacrifice. He was surrendering his own future for David to have his.”

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