I. INTRODUCTION-- There are many kinds of loyalties in this world, and each has its own reward. There is, however, a loyalty that supercedes all others.

II.LESSON-- Bible examples of the kinds of loyalties we may have.
A.Can we imagine that a modern corporation Vice President, who had worked very hard to succeed, would be pleased and remain loyal, after being bypassed in promotion by the son of the President of the company?

1.Abraham was very rich (Genesis 13:2), and Eliezer of Damascus was once the heir to Abraham's fortune. Genesis 15:1-3


2.The birth of Isaac disinherited Eliezer, but he remained loyal.

3.Eliezer was sent to Mesopotamia to get a wife for Isaac from the family of Nahor, Abraham's brother. Genesis 24:1-10

a.He was sworn not to seek a wife from the Canaanites (verses 3-4).


b.Two clarifications of his oath were given.


(1)If the woman was not willing to come, Eliezer would be free from his oath (verses 5-8).


(2)Isaac was not to return to Mesopotamia, in view of God's command to Abraham to quit that land (verse 8).


4.He met Rebekah by God's providence. Genesis 24:10-27


a.He prayed that God would help him, and the prayer was answered (verses 12 and 27). [NOTE: These prayers, and the oath he took, show that Eliezer was a worshipper of God, or had adopted the religion of his master.]


b.He was entrusted with 10 camel-loads of gifts for the bride and her kindred (verse 10). Compare 1 Corinthians 4:1-2


c.He put the matter in the hands of God (verses 13-14), and praised God when his mission was providentially fulfilled (verses 26-27, and 48).


5.When he was assured that God had "prospered his way," he was impatient to return to Abraham quickly. Genesis 24:49-60


a.The desire to return the next day was met with a request to linger 10 days (verses 54-55).


b.Eliezer was unwilling to do this, out of respect for the way God has prospered the journey (verse 56).


c.They all let Rebekah decide, and she was willing to go, immediately (verses 57-58).

6.Stewardship is an awesome responsibility. Luke 12:42-47 "And the Lord said, Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall set over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will set him over all that he hath. 45 But if that servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 46 the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expecteth not, and in an hour when he knoweth not, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint his portion with the unfaithful. 47 And that servant, who knew his lord's will, and made not ready, nor did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 but he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. And to whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be re quired: and to whom they commit much, of him will they ask the more."

B. Jonadab appears during the reforming purge of King Jehu of Israel.
1. Jehu was commanded to destroy Ahab's dynasty. 2 Kings 9:1-10
2. Jehu invited Jonadab to witness and give moral support to his effort to eradicate the worship of Baal in Israel. 2 Kings 10:15-28
3. Jonadab is not mentioned again until Jeremiah 35:1-19.
a. The incidents of Jehu's time, and those of Jeremiah's, are separated by about 270 years, yet the Rechabites were still loyal, as far as possible, to the will of their ancestor.
b. What secret trait did Jonadab have that caused his children to the 10th generation to remember, and honor, and abide by his words?
(1)We cannot doubt that the Rechabites were sincere.
(2)They were not just "tradition-bound."
(3) God would not have used them as an example, if they were insincere traditionalists (think of the many rejections of Jewish tradition in the teaching of Jesus).
4. God used this example of loyalty to show that we should be as loyal to His will, even more than the will of a righteous and influential ancestor.

C. Jonathan was the son of King Saul, the "crown prince" and heir to the thr one....and one of the great military heroes of the Bible.
1. When David killed Goliath, Jonathan's admiration for the feat prompted him to make a covenant of friendship with David. 1 Samuel 18:1-4
2.When Saul's jealousy of David grew to the point that he wanted to kill him, Jonathan protected David. 1 Samuel 19:1-7
3. When Saul again sought David's life, Jonathan helped David to escape and made another covenant with him. 1 Samuel 19:8-20:42
a.David and Jonathan devised a plan to learn the intent of Saul. 20:5-13
b.Jonathan swore loyalty to David, and made a covenant with him. 20:14-23 (See especially Vs. 15. The covenant: "Thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever; no, not when Jehovah hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.")
4.Saul alienated his son by accusing him of perverse love for David. 20:30-34
5.In a final meeting with David, Jonathan revealed his reason for being more loyal to him than to his father. 1 Samuel 23:15-18 "David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood. 16 And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said unto him, Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth. 18 And they two made a covenant before Jehovah: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house."
6.Just as Jonathan chose David over his father, because of the divine evidence that David would be King, so Paul cast off worldly honor to be a follower of Christ, after receiving divine evidence that "Jesus of Nazareth" was the Christ. Philippians 3:3-16 "...we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh: 4 though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh: if any other man thinketh to have confidence in the flesh, I yet more: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 as touching zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless. 7 Howbeit what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ, 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith: 10 that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becom-ing conformed unto his death; 11 if by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that forl which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not my-self yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, 14 I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye are otherwise minded, this also shall God reveal unto you: 16 only, whereunto we have attained, by that same rule let us walk."

III. APPLICATION--
A.The simple teaching of the Lord is that loyalty is not loyalty unless it is total. Matthew 6:22-24 "The lamp of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
1. Loyalty is connected with faithfulness, singleness of heart, and simplicity toward Christ.
a. This is illustrated in teaching of the Apostle Paul to servants.

Ephesians 6:5 "Servants, be obedient unto them that according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;"


Colossians 3:22 "Servants, obey in all things them that are your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord:"

2.Christ is the Master, and deserving of our unswerving loyalty, yet Paul says, in 2 Corinthians 11:3, "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ."

B.Which loyalty do I have?
1. Like Eliezer? Loyalty to a benign and righteous human master?
2. Like the descendants of Jonadab? Loyalty to the will of a wise ancestor?
3. Like Jonathan? Loyalty to the chosen one of God? (Getting close!)
4.Like Paul! Loyalty to the Lord Jesus Christ (in appreciation for His great sacrifice), and to His will for us (in appreciation for the hope it gives us)!

C. The key to loyalty is found in the incident of John 6:51-69.