SpringhillGNV's Presentation Group
Sunday, June 28th 2026 - 4th Sunday

      • Psalm 150KJV1900

  • Let It Rise
  • Lord You're Mighty
  • Oh How We Love You
  • Pass Me Not - Hymn
  • 1 Samuel 20:1–13 HCSB
    1 David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What did I do wrong? How have I sinned against your father so that he wants to take my life?” 2 Jonathan said to him, “No, you won’t die. Listen, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without telling me. So why would he hide this matter from me? This can’t be true.” 3 But David said, “Your father certainly knows that you have come to look favorably on me. He has said, ‘Jonathan must not know of this, or else he will be grieved.’ ” David also swore, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, there is but a step between me and death.” 4 Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.” 5 So David told him, “Look, tomorrow is the New Moon, and I’m supposed to sit down and eat with the king. Instead, let me go, and I’ll hide in the field until the third night. 6 If your father misses me at all, say, ‘David urgently requested my permission to quickly go to his town Bethlehem for an annual sacrifice there involving the whole clan.’ 7 If he says, ‘Good,’ then your servant is safe, but if he becomes angry, you will know he has evil intentions. 8 Deal faithfully with your servant, for you have brought me into a covenant with you before the Lord. If I have done anything wrong, then kill me yourself; why take me to your father?” 9 “No!” Jonathan responded. “If I ever find out my father has evil intentions against you, wouldn’t I tell you about it?” 10 So David asked Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?” 11 He answered David, “Come on, let’s go out to the field.” So both of them went out to the field. 12 “By the Lord, the God of Israel, I will sound out my father by this time tomorrow or the next day. If I find out that he is favorable toward you, will I not send for you and tell you? 13 If my father intends to bring evil on you, may God punish Jonathan and do so severely if I do not tell you and send you away so you may go in peace. May the Lord be with you, just as He was with my father.

    Chased and Chosen

    Main Idea: In 1 Samuel 20:1-13, David stands in the painful space between divine calling and human hostility, discovering that being chosen by God does not exempt him from being chased by Saul. This passage teaches that God's providence often works through honest lament, faithful friendship, and wise discernment. The heart God honors trusts God's purpose while walking through danger with humility, wisdom, and faith.
    Key Verse
    1 Samuel 20:3 “And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.”
    Introduction
    Springhill, on Father’s Day, we rightly begin by giving honor to fathers who have sought to do well. We thank God for fathers who stayed, sacrificed, prayed, provided, protected, corrected, coached, and covered their families with love. A faithful father is one of God’s gracious gifts to a family, to a church, and to a community.
    Yet Father’s Day also invites us into a deeper honesty. For every father in the room knows there have been moments when he did not get it all right. There are words some men wish they could retrieve, decisions they wish they could revisit, seasons they wish they could redeem, and moments when they were physically present in the house but emotionally absent from the heart of the family. There are times when pressure overwhelmed them, pride blinded them, anger mastered them, or fear caused them to mishandle the very people God had entrusted to their care.
    Whether in life, literature, or popular culture, we have seen both inspiring and troubling portraits of fatherhood. We remember figures like Fred G. Sanford from Sanford and Son, whose rough edges were often wrapped around deep affection; James Evans from Good Times, whose sternness was joined to sacrifice and responsibility; and Heathcliff Huxtable from The Cosby Show, whose character represented wisdom, warmth, humor, and presence in the life of his family.
    But we have also seen darker portraits of fatherhood. One that comes to mind is “Mister” from The Color Purple. He was cruel, controlling, and spiritually damaged. His harshness wounded those around him, and his brokenness nearly reproduced itself in his son Harpo. He had received a distorted model of manhood, and for a time, he passed that distortion down. Yet one of the redemptive notes in that story is that Harpo did not have to remain bound by the pattern he inherited. By grace, growth, and painful self-examination, he began to become a different kind of man.
    That is a serious word for Father’s Day: fatherhood is powerful because it can bless forward, but it can also wound forward. A father’s faith can shape generations, but so can a father’s fear. A father’s love can cover a house, but so can a father’s anger. A father’s wisdom can guide a child, but so can a father’s brokenness mislead one. The question is not whether fathers have influence. The question is what kind of influence they are carrying.
    And that brings us directly into 1 Samuel 20. In this text, we meet a father who had authority but lacked spiritual health. Saul was not merely the king of Israel; he was Jonathan’s father. Yet in this chapter, Saul allows jealousy to poison his judgment, fear to distort his leadership, and rage to damage his own son. He is so threatened by David’s future that he cannot celebrate Jonathan’s faithfulness. He is so committed to protecting his throne that he nearly destroys his family. He is so angry at the man God has chosen that he throws a weapon at the son God had given him.
    Saul shows us what happens when a father, a leader, or any believer refuses to bring his brokenness under the rule of God. Sin does not remain private. It eventually enters the house, sits at the table, and shapes the atmosphere.
    Sin speaks through our tone. It shows up in our children’s memories. It wounds people who were never meant to carry the weight of our unresolved battles.
    But the grace of this passage is that even when one father fails, God still knows how to protect the future. Saul fails as a father, but Jonathan chooses faithfulness. Saul mishandles his authority, but God preserves David’s destiny, through Jonathan. Saul loses control at the table, but God is still working in the field. Saul’s rage is real, but it is not sovereign. Saul’s failure is painful, but it is not final.
    That truth connects beautifully to our text. In 1 Samuel 20, David is not being chased by a foreign enemy. He is being pursued by Saul, the king of Israel and the father of his closest friend, Jonathan. David has served Saul faithfully, fought his battles, honored his authority, and strengthened his kingdom. Yet Saul seeks his life.
    This chapter reminds us that being chosen by God does not mean being exempt from trouble. David is anointed, yet afflicted. Called, yet criticized. Favored, yet fleeing. He is destined for the throne, but presently hiding from danger.
    Many believers understand that tension. You have tried to do right, yet trouble still found you. You have remained faithful, yet misunderstanding still followed you. You have honored God, yet hardship still arrived at your door.
    The message of this text is simple: do not confuse the chase with cancellation. David may be running from Saul, but he is not abandoned by God. He may be absent from the palace, but he is not absent from God's purpose.
    He is chased, and he is chosen.
    So today I want to preach from this thought:

    Chased and Chosen

    I. David’s Plea (1 Samuel 20:1-3)

    David begins this chapter with honest questions. He does not deny the danger or pretend everything is fine. Instead, he brings his fears and concerns to Jonathan.
    Faith is not pretending pain does not exist. Faith is bringing pain into the presence of truth. David teaches us that godly people can ask difficult questions while still trusting God.

    A. Hurtful Inquiry (1 Samuel 20:1)

    1 Samuel 20:1 KJV 1900
    1 And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?
    Text Focus: “And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?” — 1 Samuel 20:1
    Enduring Hurt: David's question reveals the pain of being treated unjustly. He has served Saul faithfully, yet Saul seeks to kill him. David is not defending rebellion; he is seeking understanding.
    His question reminds us that suffering is not always the result of personal wrongdoing. Sometimes people suffer because of another person's jealousy, pride, or sin. Saul's hostility toward David flows from a heart resisting God's will.
    Examine: David also demonstrates healthy sorrow. He brings his confusion into the light rather than allowing it to become bitterness. Heasks Jonathan to provide insight on what he had done to create this situation with Saul.
    Entrust: The heart God honors is willing to ask hard questions while continuing to trust God.
    Practical Application Expansion: Examine your life honestly before God. Endure false accusations without becoming bitter. Entrust your reputation and future to the Lord who sees all things.
    Cross-References: Psalm 7:3-5; Psalm 27:12; Psalm 35:11; 1 Peter 2:19-23; Psalm 22

    B. Helpful Intervention (1 Samuel 20:2-3)

    1 Samuel 20:2–3 KJV 1900
    2 And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so. 3 And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.
    Learn: Jonathan initially struggles to believe the seriousness of Saul's intentions. Because he loves both his father and David, he assumes Saul would have informed him of such a plan.
    David gently helps Jonathan see the reality of the situation. Saul knows Jonathan favors David and therefore has hidden his intentions from him.
    Listen: Jonathan's response is significant because he listens. He does not dismiss David's concerns. He remains present, compassionate, and willing to help.
    God often uses faithful friends to strengthen and protect His people during difficult seasons.
    Leverage: David's statement, “there is but a step between me and death,” reveals both realism and faith. He recognizes the danger without surrendering to despair. He understands that trusting God does not mean ignoring reality.
    Death is staring him in the face, and he understands the terrible state of his circumstance.
    Practical Application Expansion: Listen carefully when someone shares their burden. Learn that your first understanding may not be complete. Leverage your influence and resources to help those who are vulnerable.
    Cross-References: Proverbs 17:17; Proverbs 18:24; Ecclesiastes 4:9-10; Galatians 6:2

    II. David’s Plan (1 Samuel 20:4-10)

    David’s plea now becomes David’s plan. He does not merely sit in fear. He does not simply rehearse his pain. He does not ignore the danger and call it faith. David takes wise, careful, prayerful steps to discern what is really in Saul’s heart.
    This is important because biblical faith is not passive fatalism. Faith does not say, “Since God is sovereign, I do not need wisdom.” Faith says, “Because God is sovereign, I will walk wisely under His rule.” David knows he is chosen, but he also knows Saul is dangerous. So David develops a plan that will reveal the truth, protect his life, and depend upon the covenant loyalty of Jonathan.
    In this section, we see two movements in David’s plan. First, David seeks to show the foe’s heart. Second, David seeks to secure a friend’s help.

    A. Show the Foe’s Heart (1 Samuel 20:4-8)

    1 Samuel 20:4–8 KJV 1900
    4 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee. 5 And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even. 6 If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family. 7 If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him. 8 Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the Lord with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?
    David’s plan begins with a simple but revealing test. The next day is the new moon, and David is expected to sit with the king at the royal meal. His absence will not be accidental; it will be obvious. David understands that Saul’s reaction to his empty seat will reveal whether Saul’s heart is at peace or poisoned by murderous intent. This is not manipulation. This is discernment. David is not trying to deceive in order to destroy Saul; he is trying to discover whether Saul is determined to destroy him.
    There is a major point of systematic theology here: the doctrine of sin includes not only sinful actions but sinful intentions. David says, “If he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him.” The word “determined” matters. David understands that evil can become settled in the heart before it becomes visible in the hand. Saul’s rage will simply reveal what has already been resolved within him. Sin does not always begin with a spear in the hand. Sometimes it begins with envy in the heart, insecurity in the mind, and rebellion in the will. By the time Saul throws the spear, the sin has already been growing in secret.
    David’s plan also teaches the difference between suspicion and discernment. Suspicion assumes guilt without evidence. Discernment seeks truth with wisdom. David does not say, “I feel like Saul hates me, so I will act on my feelings alone.” David says, “Let us observe his response and determine what is true.” That is a crucial pastoral word for the church. The believer should not be gullible, but neither should the believer be governed by paranoia. The heart God honors seeks truth without losing integrity. David’s method is careful, measured, and morally serious. He wants to know whether Saul is safe, not merely whether Saul is annoyed.
    David also appeals to covenant kindness. He says to Jonathan, “Thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought him into a covenant of the LORD with thee.” David is not simply asking for a favor; he is appealing to a sacred relationship before God. Covenant is stronger than convenience. Covenant loyalty must be practiced most when the pressure is highest. David’s request teaches us that God often preserves His people through relationships rooted in His name. The Lord may use a Jonathan to help you see what you could not see, survive what you could not handle alone, and discern what danger is really doing around you.
    Three Practical Application Terms: Discern. Detect. Decide.
    Practical Application Expansion: Discern the difference between a difficult person and a dangerous pattern. Detect what is really in the heart by watching the fruit, not merely listening to the explanation. Decide to walk in truth without surrendering your integrity, your humility, or your dependence on God.
    Cross-References: Proverbs 4:23; Proverbs 20:5; Matthew 7:16-20; John 2:24-25; Hebrews 4:12

    B. Secure a Friend’s Help (1 Samuel 20:11-13)

    1 Samuel 20:11–13 KJV 1900
    11 And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field. 12 And Jonathan said unto David, O Lord God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee; 13 The Lord do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father.
    Jonathan takes David into the field. That detail matters. Some conversations cannot happen at the table because the table has become dangerous. Some truth cannot be spoken in the room where the wrong ears are listening. Jonathan creates a private place where David can be heard, protected, and helped. The field becomes a sanctuary of covenant clarity. Saul’s palace is full of position but empty of peace. The field has no throne, no crown, and no royal meal, but it becomes the place where God’s name is honored.
    Jonathan then invokes the LORD God of Israel. This is more than friendship language; this is covenant theology. Jonathan places his promise under the authority of Yahweh. He is saying, in effect, “David, this promise is not only between you and me; this promise is before the LORD.” That matters because Christian ethics are always lived before God. The believer’s word should carry weight because the believer lives under divine witness. Jonathan’s help is not rooted in convenience, personality, or politics. It is rooted in reverence. He knows God is listening.
    This passage also shows the doctrine of providence operating through human agency. God could protect David without Jonathan, but in this chapter God chooses to protect David through Jonathan. Divine sovereignty does not cancel human responsibility. God’s providence often works through faithful people who tell the truth, keep covenant, take risks, and help the vulnerable. Jonathan says that if Saul intends good, he will report good. If Saul intends evil, he will warn David and send him away in peace. That is friendship submitted to providence. Jonathan becomes an instrument in the hand of God.
    Jonathan’s statement, “The LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father,” is filled with theological weight. Jonathan recognizes that the same divine presence once associated with Saul is now evidently resting upon David. This is painful humility. Jonathan is Saul’s son, but he is not blind to God’s hand on David. He has enough spiritual maturity to bless the man whose future means his own political decrease. That is the heart God honors. Jonathan shows us that true friendship does not compete with the call of God on someone else’s life. True friendship says, “If the Lord is with you, I will not fight what God is doing in you.”
    Three Practical Application Terms: Support. Sacrifice. Submit.
    Practical Application Expansion: Support the people God has placed in your life when they are walking through danger. Sacrifice comfort, convenience, and personal advantage when covenant faithfulness requires it. Submit your relationships, loyalties, and ambitions to the revealed will and providential work of God.
    Cross-References: Ruth 1:16-17; Proverbs 17:17; John 15:13; Romans 12:10; Philippians 2:3-4

    III. David and Jonathan’s Pact (1 Samuel 20:11-13)

    David’s plea has become David’s plan, and now David’s plan is covered by David and Jonathan’s pact. What began as a painful question now becomes a covenant conversation. What began with fear now moves toward faithfulness. What began with David saying, “There is but a step between me and death,” now becomes Jonathan saying, in essence, “Even if danger is close, covenant must still stand.”
    This is one of the most beautiful moments in the life of David and Jonathan. The text is not merely showing us friendship. It is showing us friendship under God. It is showing us covenant loyalty under pressure. It is showing us a heart that honors God’s will even when God’s will means Jonathan’s personal ambition must decrease.
    Saul wants to preserve his throne by destroying David. Jonathan wants to honor the Lord by protecting David. Saul is driven by jealousy. Jonathan is governed by covenant. Saul sees David as a threat to his future. Jonathan sees David as a servant of God’s future. In this pact, we see what the heart God honors looks like when it is tested by loyalty, family pressure, political opportunity, and divine purpose.

    A. A Pact Shows Hope for the Future (1 Samuel 20:11-12)

    1 Samuel 20:11–12 KJV 1900
    11 And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field. 12 And Jonathan said unto David, O Lord God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee;
    Jonathan’s request is astonishing because it reveals that he sees something about David’s future. Jonathan does not talk as though David is finished. He does not speak as though Saul will ultimately succeed. He does not frame David’s life as a lost cause. Jonathan speaks with the assumption that the Lord will preserve David, defeat David’s enemies, and establish David’s future. That is hope rooted in the providence of God. Jonathan’s pact shows that faith can look at danger in the present and still believe God has a future beyond the danger.
    Jonathan asks David to show him “the kindness of the LORD.” This is covenant language. He is not asking David merely to be polite. He is asking David to practice mercy that reflects the character of God. The kindness Jonathan asks for is loyal love, faithful mercy, and covenant commitment. In systematic theology, this points us toward the communicable attributes of God. God is faithful, merciful, truthful, and covenant-keeping. When God’s people practice covenant kindness, they are reflecting something of God’s own moral character in human relationships.
    Jonathan also thinks beyond himself. He says, “Thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever.” In the ancient world, when one dynasty replaced another, the surviving members of the former royal house could be viewed as political threats. Jonathan knows that if David becomes king, Saul’s house could be vulnerable. But instead of fighting David’s future, Jonathan entrusts his family’s future to David’s mercy under God. This is humility. This is spiritual clarity. This is a man who loves God’s will more than he loves his own position.
    There is a powerful word here for Springhill: covenant hope does not only think about today; covenant hope thinks about tomorrow. Jonathan is not merely trying to survive the moment. He is praying mercy over his household after the moment. He is asking for kindness that outlives him. That is a Father’s Day kind of faith. A godly man does not only ask, “What will happen to me?” He asks, “What kind of mercy will cover those coming after me?” The heart God honors is not selfish with the future. It wants the next generation to live under mercy, not under the consequences of somebody else’s bitterness.
    Three Practical Application Terms: Perceive. Preserve. Prepare.
    Practical Application Expansion: Perceive God’s future even when the present is filled with danger. Preserve covenant kindness even when relationships become complicated by pressure, politics, and pain. Prepare mercy for the people who will have to live after you, because godly decisions today can bless households tomorrow.
    Cross-References: 2 Samuel 9:1; 2 Samuel 9:7; 2 Samuel 21:7; Psalm 89:28; Proverbs 20:7

    B. A Pact Shows Faith (1 Samuel 20:13)

    1 Samuel 20:13 KJV 1900
    13 The Lord do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father.
    Jonathan makes a covenant with the house of David. That phrase is important because the pact is bigger than personal friendship. It reaches into household, legacy, future, and kingdom. Jonathan is not only saying, “David, I care about you.” He is saying, “David, I recognize the hand of God on your life, and I am binding myself to what God is doing through you.” That is faithful friendship. Faithful friendship does not compete with God’s assignment on another person’s life. Faithful friendship does not resent divine favor when it rests on someone else. Faithful friendship knows how to rejoice when God is raising somebody for His purpose.
    Verse 17 tells us Jonathan caused David to swear again because he loved him as he loved his own soul. This is not shallow affection. This is covenant love with spiritual seriousness. Jonathan’s love for David is self-giving, not self-protecting. In terms of systematic theology, this text touches biblical anthropology and sanctification. Human beings are created for relationship, but sin twists relationships into rivalry, manipulation, and selfish ambition. Grace teaches redeemed people how to love rightly. Jonathan’s friendship with David shows love being sanctified by submission to the Lord.
    Then Jonathan gives David the signal concerning the arrows. If the arrows are near, David may return. If the arrows are beyond him, David must go, because the LORD has sent him away. This is more than strategy; it is providence working through friendship. Jonathan does not merely promise affection; he creates a faithful system of warning. That matters because biblical love must sometimes become practical structure. Love is not only what we feel. Love is what we arrange for another person’s safety, clarity, and obedience. Jonathan’s friendship becomes a means of guidance in David’s life.
    Finally, Jonathan anchors the entire agreement in the presence of the Lord. He says, “As touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD be between thee and me for ever.” This is the deepest foundation of faithful friendship. The Lord stands between them not as a divider, but as witness, guardian, and covenant judge. Their friendship is not held together merely by emotion, memory, personality, or convenience. It is held under the name of the Lord. That is why this pact matters. David may be chased by Saul, but he is covered by covenant. David may have to leave the table, but he does not leave without truth. David may have to hide in the field, but he does not hide without friendship. David may have to run for his life, but he runs with the assurance that God has used Jonathan to help guide his steps.
    Three Practical Application Terms: Commit. Cover. Continue.
    Practical Application Expansion: Commit yourself to friendships that are governed by God’s truth rather than personal advantage. Cover vulnerable people with faithful action, not just kind words. Continue in covenant loyalty even when distance, danger, transition, or changed circumstances alter the relationship.
    Cross-References: 1 Samuel 18:1-4; Proverbs 17:17; Ecclesiastes 4:9-10; John 15:13; Philippians 2:3-4
    David is still chased. David is still chosen. David is still absent from the table. But David is not absent from God’s purpose.

      • John 4:13–14HCSB

      • Luke 19:10HCSB

      • John 4:4HCSB

      • John 4:6HCSB

      • John 4:7HCSB

      • John 4:9HCSB

      • John 4:10HCSB

      • John 7:37–39HCSB

      • John 4:10HCSB

      • Numbers 11:5–6HCSB

      • 2 Timothy 1:7HCSB

      • John 4:13HCSB

      • Jeremiah 2:13HCSB

      • John 4:16–18HCSB

      • Galatians 5:16–17HCSB

      • 1 Peter 2:11HCSB

      • John 4:25–29HCSB

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