“WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS” Proverbs 18:24 –  A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.                                                                  Friend is from a word that means a person attached to another by acts of kindness.  If a person expects to have friends, that person must be friendly.   Friendship that comes from an appreciation for a kind deed  someone has done for you or for help you have received in a time when you needed help; is a friendship that is a lasting friendship. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 –  Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.  10.   For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11.  Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?  12.  And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. We will look closer at these verse a little later in the lesson. The good news is that there is one who understands our need for FRIENDSHIP.  Solomon says, “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”  I wonder who that could be?  I think we all know who it is, don’t we? What a friend we have in Jesus.   There are many scriptures which tell us that Jesus and God the Father are with us, as His children. Matthew 28:18-20 –  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.   John 14:23–  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. Hebrews 13:5-6 –  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. This is a quote from the writings of David. Psalms 118:6-8 –  The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?  7. The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me. 8. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. No wonder David said with confidence,  “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”   Why?  Because, David new and understood that God is always with him as long as he kept Gods law and He would always be there  to comfort His children as long as they remain faithful. The scriptures tell us that Jesus was a friend of tax collectors and sinners.  Jesus was a friend to those who no one else would be a friend. If Jesus was a friend to those who are guilty of sin, then He is friend to us because each of us certainly fit that category, don’t we?  Some of us are alien sinners in need of salvation.  Some of us are saved, children of God, but still often in need of forgiveness. INDEED Jesus is a friend who sticks closer that a brother There are two questions I would like to ask:         1. Do each of us understand that Jesus is our friend?         2. Are we a friend to Jesus? Do we make any effort to cultivate and maintain a friendship with Jesus? There are some barriers to being friends with Jesus.  We have already mentioned one, which is SIN. It should be obvious that just  because  Jesus was a friend to sinners doesn’t mean that He condoned sin.  In fact, the scriptures tell us that He is our friend because:   He came to CALL sinners to repentance.   He came to seek and save the lost sinner. He came to purchase our pardon. He came to make atonement for our sin.           He came to do these things so that we could be friends. Paul says in I Timothy 1:15-16, “Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”  In verse 16  Paul reasons like this, “If Jesus can... and WILL ... SAVE ME ... FORGIVE ME ... the worst of sinners ... THEN HE CAN ... and WILL FORGIVE ANYBODY ... ANY SINNER... regardless of how ugly his or her sin might be.   This is good news for all of us isn’t it? I think we can see an illustration of this in John Chapter Eight, in the woman taken in adultery.  (READ JOHN 8:1- 11)        The Jews brought her to Jesus asking ,"What should we do with her?"  "The law says she should be stoned."   "What do you say?"  Before Jesus answered, He bent down and started writing on the ground.  They kept hounding Him ... "Rabbi ... What do you say ... Answer us ... What do you say?"  So Jesus answers, "Let the one of you that is without sin cast the first stone." Then He stooped down and continued to write in the dirt.  We don’t know what he wrote.  He may have wrote down some of the sins of those in the crowd.  Those private sins that each one would recognize in his own heart.   Maybe he wrote down the names of those in the crowd that had been with this lady.  That would have been pretty powerful stuff, wouldn’t it? What we do know is that as He wrote the crowd dispersed.   When He looked up.  He asked the lady, "Where are your accusers?  Is there none to condemn you?"   "No man," she said.    "Then neither do I, GO AND SIN NO MORE," and with those words from Jesus, her sins were forgiven.    You see, Jesus makes friendship with Him possible because He FORGIVES OUR SINS.  Paul says in Ephesians 1:7 – In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; We can rejoice, we can be happy today because Jesus forgives us.  He cleanses us, He makes us a Holy Nation, a Royal Priesthood, a peculiar People... Without Sin.  I Peter 2:9 –  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Another barrier is SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS. This is caused by our own pride.  Our pride keeps us from confessing our faults.  It keeps us from acknowledging our sins both in public and in private.  And until we acknowledge our sins, Jesus won’t do anything about them.  So there is no friendship. Listen to I John 1:9-10 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.   The idea of pride destroying our friendship with God can be seen in Jesus’ parable in Luke 18:9-14 – And he spake this parable unto certain men which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Two men went up to the temple to pray.  One was a Pharisee, the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself.  He prayed, “God , I thank you that I am not like other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.  He went to brag about himself by saying, I fast twice a week and give tithes.  But the publican stood a far off, he stood at a distance.  He would not even look up to heaven.  But in humility, beat his breast and said, “have mercy on me, a sinner.” This man rather than the Pharisee went home justified before God.   “For everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”        What was the difference between the Publican and the Pharisee?  Why did one go home justified, a friend of Jesus, and the other go home condemned?  The Pharisee’s PRIDE would not let him acknowledge and confess his faults.   The publican freely confessed his faults and asked God’s forgiveness. I am not saying we must name every sin in order to be forgiven.  I am not saying that we must walk down the aisle to be forgiven.  But we must with a repenting heart acknowledge our sins.  If they were done in public, then they need to made right in public.  If they were done in private, then go to God in private and ask for His forgiveness.  We must acknowledge that we frequently fall short of God’s expectation. Remember what John said, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”   I John 1:9. How simple friendship with Jesus is, yet so few of us will submit. Some people make it very hard to become friends because they are unapproachable.  They do not want anyone around them.  That is not the case with God and His Son. God is not so mighty, or so holy, or so busy that we could not  become His friends.   Don’t  you think one reason for Jesus coming to the earth was reveal God to man and to explain about God and to demonstrate Godliness? Lets look at few verses of scriptures that show us that God is approachable. Isaiah 1:18 –  Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. The opportunity is there, if one will repent, come to God and seek forgiveness, God will restore that individual back into His fellowship. Matthew 11:28 –  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:30 –  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Does this sound like Jesus and God are approachable?  It sure does.  II Corinthians 5:18says, “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;” Jesus made it possible for us to be changed from enemies of God to His friends, His children. There are so many BLESSINGS we enjoy when we are in friendship with Jesus.   Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 – Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.  10.  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.  11.  Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?  12.  And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Solomon said two are better than one for they have a good return for their work.  Friendship with Jesus helps us with our duties and responsibilities.  He will help as we labor in His vineyard to bear fruit.   Hebrews 13:20-21 –  Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,  21.  Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.      Philippians 4:13 –  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. These verse tell us that God enables us; He gives us strength; I need this kind of friendship ... don’t you? Verse 10 of  Ecclesiastes 4 says, “If one falls, His friend can help him up, But pity the man who falls with no one to help. Friendship with Jesus means help in times of Disaster.  When life tumbles in Jesus is there.  When we loose a loved one in death Jesus is there.  Jesus is always there for his friends.   Verse 10 of Ecclesiastes 4 says, “if two lie down together they will keep warm but how can one keep warm alone?   Sometimes earthly friends are helpless to help.  So, we need Jesus.  There are times when only He can help us. Jesus wants to help us with our defense.  One may be overpowered, but two can DEFEND themselves, a CORD of three strands is not quickly broken. Romans 8:31 –  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? God requires  us to love Him, and all things work together for good to them that love Him.  God is for us, as long as we love and do His will we have nothing to fear. God plus one equals a majority.  I want Jesus with me.  I want Jesus with me when temptations arise  .I want Jesus with me when trials come my way.  I want Jesus with me in sickness.  I want Jesus with me in death.  I want Jesus to be on my side in Judgement. WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS As a friend Jesus FORGIVES US.  John 1:12 – But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:   Peter told those there on the Day of Pentecost what they could do to receive forgiveness of sins and the gift of he Holy Ghost.  REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED FOR THE REMISSION SINS.   James tells us in James 2:23 – And the scripture was fulfilled which saith,  Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Friendship with God is possible.  By Obedience and by Faith.  If we want God as our friend we must be like Abraham and have faith. Today, right now you can establish a friendship with Jesus by submitting to His will ... His commandments.  Want to know more?  Read THIS ARTICLE.