Covenant is a major theme in the Bible which is organized around God's covenants with His people. A covenant is an agreement with mutual obligations which stipulates blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. God's covenants with us display His lovingkindness (Hebrew hesed), in that He graciously meets the needs of those who are united to Him by covenant.
Covenants between believers should share the features of God's covenants with us as we make commitments and show lovingkindness to one another. The most significant human covenant is marriage. A key to success in marriage is understanding and fulfilling our covenant obligations.
David and Jonathan made a covenant of friendship (18:3) which is tested in I Samuel 20. David is being pursued by Jonathan's father, King Saul, who wants to kill him. David flees to Jonathan and seeks covenant lovingkindness from Jonathan, even though it will cost Jonathan much to fulfill his promise. Jonathan, remarkably, looks ahead to a future in which David will be the powerful one and Jonathan's family will be those who are at risk. Jonathan secures David's promise to show lovingkindness to his household in the years to come.
When we see how David and Jonathan kept their covenant, we are reminded of God's covenant faithfulness to us, supremely expressed in the work of Christ. We also are reminded of how we should keep our commitments to our families, our church, and our friends.
SERMON ACTIVITY
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