What a Friend we have in Jesus

One of the best things that Jesus has given us is the fact that He is our friend. I'm not sure if friendship was one of the purposes for God to become flesh and blood like we are, but I'm glad Jesus is our friend. A friend is someone who sticks by you ... no matter what.

Someone once said the best friend a man can have is his dog. It doesn't matter to a dog what color, sex, size or how intelligent you are ... he still loves you and will be loyal to you even if it costs him his life. I don't feel right comparing Jesus to a canine, but ... Jesus is like that ... only more so.

My favorite hymn is ... "What a friend we have in Jesus." The 1st verse goes like this ...

"What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer."

I don't know exactly why I like this song so much ... I think it has to do with Jesus bearing all our sins and griefs. It is a privilege to speak to God ... about anything. Why do we forfeit our peace or carry needless pain when all we need to do is talk to Him about it.

Jesus said in Luke 12:4 ... "I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid ..."

What is a friend? According to the English dictionary ... "a friend is a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection; someone who will support and give help at a difficult time, or use their influence on one's behalf."

For lack of a better term, let me say this explanation is how the "world" describes friendship. But, you know what, it's not that far off from how the Scripture also describes what a friend is.

In the New Testament, the word friend is "philos," which in the original Greek manuscripts mean ... someone dear, actively fond of, a friend or neighbor.

A friend then is someone you care about, having a mutual bond ... not only are they your friend, but more importantly ... you are their friend, you are there for them.

Jesus also said this in John 15:13-16 ... "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you ..."

God has chosen you and me to be His friend ... even knowing all about us. But what if we don't do what He commands us to do in the above verse? Is He still our friend?

"You are my friends ... if you do ..." Is Jesus saying our actions either qualify us or disqualify us to be His friends? If we do something offensive, do we become unsuitable to be a friend of His? The word friend in this phrase is not speaking of Jesus' friendship toward us, but rather ours toward Him. By obeying His Word and following His teaching ... you are showing that you are His friend. That is how you, (for lack of a better word) "prove" to others that you are His friend.

Let me break down the two "catch words" that trip up many people ... do and command.

The word, do ... as translated into the Greek, means "to commit to make an effort," which in my case really means ... I'll try to follow your commands. The word command as used here is, "enjoin" ... meaning, "to urge or prescribe an attitude." Once again ... it's the attitude of the heart that God cares about.

In this portion of scripture in John, Jesus has been teaching about "agapao" love, the ... moral, social love one might have for a friend. It's not a burdensome law or command ... it's the attitude of the heart He wants His friends to show to one another.

What type of attitude did Jesus possess? He was a friend to all men, even sinners ... thank God for that ... that gives me hope.

Matthew 11:19 ... "The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners." And so He was.

Why was Jesus a friend of sinners? Because His mission was ... "to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10.)

Mark 2:16-17 ... "And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

"They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick ..."

Sin is a sickness ... this expression Jesus used is almost proverbial, signifying that He was a physician, and that these publicans and sinners were sick persons, and needed His healing. But the Scribes and Pharisees were whole, and in good health ... in their own estimation, and therefore didn't want or need His services. Even though all men are sinners by nature, this answers the question as to why Jesus attended to the one, and not the other.

If you need help ... you just need to ask Him. Jesus still makes house calls free of charge.

Those that are truly sick of the sin in their lives usually are sick of themselves. They see their sinful nature and how unhealthy they really are ... that from the crown of their head to the soles of their feet, there is nothing but wounds and bruises, their insides filled with the disease of sin. Many have tried to cure themselves without success; so they must eventually turn to the only one whose blood cures every wound and hurt. The blood of Jesus is a medicine for every sickness and disease, including the sickness of sin.

Have you made Jesus your friend? If you have, you are in some pretty good company. There are many, but I'll name the two that I know for sure the Scripture names.

Exodus 33:11 ... "And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend."

2nd Chronicles 20:7 ... "Art not thou our God, who ... gavest it (the land) to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?"

James 2:23 ... "And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God ... and he was called the Friend of God."

Proverbs 18:24 says, "... there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother."

And that friend is ... Jesus.



Comments welcome.