Sermon on 1 Samuel 18

Series title: Leadership Lessons from a Shepherd King

Sermon Title: How to keep your cool in an up and down world (I Sam 18)

1) Make good friends (vs 1-4)

2) Keep fighting, keep playing, even when the spears are flying (5-16)

3) Know your place - stay humble (17-27)

4) Work hard even in the presence of your enemies, God is with you (28-30)

David and Jonathan become good friends - awesome example of friendship.  It is complicated by Saul.  

From the beginning it should be a rivalry for the future throne.  But it never is. 

As we will see next week, when push comes to shove Jonathan choses his duty to his father over his loyalty to David, but there friendship survives.

Jonathan is older than David.  Jonathan saves David's life.  

Jonathan is a man of God, like David.  Saul turns his back on God, and suffers a long slow decent further and further from God.

Saul tries to get rid of David eight different ways

1) Spear

2) Spear

3) Promote (too high, too fast)

4) Offer daughter (when he shows off for girl, Philistines will kill him)

5) Take back offer of daughter (wait for David's anger to flair)

6) Michal, the snare (distracted and dead)

7) Turn up the heat on David to marry Michal (David will not be able to handle the pressure)

8) Attach an act of bravery to the marriage arrangement (David will be killed in battle)

Saul remained his enemy the rest of his days.  

How does David survive in a toxic environment?

1) David keeps doing what he knows how to do 

2) David stays humble, thus avoid the "pride" traps.   (vs 18, 23)

3) Find a way to succeed, even in the presence of your enemies, so that others will know that God is with you (v 28)