We hope you enjoyed your lesson on the Released Time trailer this month! This is your take home lesson for the fourth lesson: Friendship, the story of David and Jonathan. Read over this lesson to review the story and then answer the questions at the end.

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Remember, if you complete all 6 take home lessons from this year during Released Time, you will earn a $60 scholarship towards a week of summer camp at Camp Victory! We will also give out prizes on the Released Time trailer for those who complete the lessons each month. Make sure to fill out the answer form at the end of the lesson with your name and school information so we can get it recorded!

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If you forgot to turn in Lesson 3 on Courage, click here to do that lesson. 

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     One of the great things about going to school is the friends you make. The same thing is true for those who come to camp. When you come to camp, you have all kinds of great activities to choose from like swimming, archery, the zip line, and the list goes on and on. These are all fun, but it’s even better if you have friends to do them with. There are several places in the Bible that talk about friendship, like the memory verse we had at your school this month. Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loves at all times.” That means a real friend will be there for you no matter what. A real friend will be there especially when you are going through a tough time. 
   That’s the kind of friend David found in Jonathan. After David showed courage in defeating the giant Goliath, he met Jonathan, who was then son of the king. The two of them became best friends. Both of them loved God and wanted to do the right thing. David was happy to find a friend who was trusting God like he was. They made a promise to always be friends. Jonathan, because he was of the royal family, had lots of things, and he gave some special gifts to David such as his royal robe, sword, and bow to show how much he cared for him. 
   Soon the time came when their friendship was tested. When King Saul, Jonathan’s father, saw how popular David was among all the people, he became jealous and tried to hurt David. This went on for some time, but God protected David every time. Jonathan wanted to help his friend and tried to get his father to stop, but the king was determined to get rid of David. David and Jonathan, even though they were best friends, had to say goodbye. They knew they wouldn’t see each other for a long time. 

If you have ever had to say goodbye to a friend, you know that can be tough. You may have friends right now who are going through a hard time, maybe because they are being picked on and bullied. Or maybe it’s because your friend had a death in their family. Whatever it is, you can put that Bible verse into practice. “A friend loves at all times.” Whether things are going great or if it’s a tough time, you can be a friend by just being there. Maybe they just need someone to listen to them. 
   Someone once said that the way you can be the best kind of friend is by walking in when others walk out. There are many examples in the Bible of those who were good friends to someone else. But the best example we have is the One who is our very best friend, Jesus. As Jesus was speaking to His friends He said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” John 15:13. And that’s exactly what Jesus did for us. He laid down His life for us when He died on the cross so that we can have our sins forgiven and receive a home in heaven when we die. If you have never put your trust in the Savior for salvation, you can do that right now. Salvation comes by understanding that you are a great sinner and Jesus is a great Savior. 
   If you have put your trust in the Savior, look what Jesus says next: “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” A true friend of Jesus will be obedient to God and His Word. One way you can obey the Lord is by being a friend to those God brings your way.