Jesus, my best friend

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Jesus, my best friend

• 25 December 2005

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• Introduction
• I wish you all welcome. Today is a little out of
  the ordinary since we just ate together, and in a
  bit well be reminded that this is Christmas when
  we exchange funny gifts.
• Thats also why I wanted to preach on a subject
  other than Hebrews 11.
• Right away I remind you my choice isnt because I
  think Jesus was born two thousand years ago in
  December.

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• The specialists tell us he was born in
  springtime. So religiously speaking, Christmas
  is a non-existent holiday.
• Nowhere will you find it mentioned in the Bible,
  its the invention of man an invention that is
  not bad if it serves to reunite families and
  causes good to be done. But it becomes wrong if
  we celebrate it as if God had commanded us to.
• So today I dont want to celebrate Jesus birth,
  but use some traditions to enjoy a good day with
  my family.

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• I hope you understand what Im trying to say.
• Since we have guests among us, I want to talk
  this afternoon about friendship.
• Friendship is a precious thing, isnt it?
• Cicero said this one day the use of friendship
  is the only thing in the world on which everyone
  agrees.
• We need it to warm our hearts and souls!
• Sam Walter Foss wrote Let me live the length of
  a path and become the friend of all who pass, and
  I will be happy.

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• We all aspire to experience at least one
  beautiful friendship in our lives, whether were
  young or old, Belgian or French, rich or poor.
• Who was your best friend as a young child? Can
  you remember? Funny how we forget many things
  from this period, but not our friends names.
• I can still tell you my friends names there was
  Vincent, Jean-Michel, and Yves. We spent so much
  time playing together.
• Then there were the friends of my teenage years,
  the best of which was Frederic.

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• We became friends when his dad killed himself. I
  remember like it was yesterday.
• His parents had just divorced, his father fell
  into alcoholism. One night he invited his kids
  to eat, but Frederic preferred to stay and play
  with us. When his father was alone he thought of
  all he had lost and jumped out the window of his
  4th story apartment.
• From that moment Fred was like my adopted
  brother. We did the 400 hits together. I could
  tell you about our trip to Spain, our experiences
  dating girls

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• ...huge snowballs we made to block cars in the
  road. We loved to watch them stop and skid as
  they backed up on the frozen road.
• Friendship is a really beautiful thing when we
  experience it.
• When I look back at my life and the years passed,
  I see the different faces of those who marked my
  heart.
• But I also see the changes the years brought.
  Unfortunately these friendships didnt remain
  unchanged. With time, there was an evolution.
  We took different paths. We no longer live in
  the same place

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• our thoughts have changed and our centers of
  interest also.
• Do you understand what Im saying? Have you felt
  the same thing? Time changes things, eh?
• I change, you change, our friends change.
• Its the nature of life. In growing older, my
  values arent what they were in my youth.
• Today my faith defines who I am. The Bible
  defines what I believe and do.
• And faith creates in me the need to look in
  another direction, an encouragement that is
  necessary for me to function as I want.

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• My childhood friends cant help me in the path
  Im on now.
• Sure, they can still help me if I have a physical
  need. Frederic became boss of a photo store. He
  can help me if I need a new camera, or to develop
  some pictures. Id bet if I needed to borrow
  money, I could still talk to him.
• But he cant help me if I need advice on how a
  Christian father should raise his children, or
  how a husband should love his wife. He cant
  tell me with wisdom from above.

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• So my friends as an adult are different from
  those I made before. My friendships are
  different.
• You see what I mean? Have you experienced the
  same thing?
• Who are your friends today? Not your buddies,
  but your friends. Has there been a change with
  the years?
• And if so, do your new friends mean a lot to you?
• I have a certain sadness for those who tell me
  they havent found a precious friendship.

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• Im always perturbed when I meet people who have
  adopted a negative view of friendship because
  theyve been hurt and betrayed, who refuse to
  make new relationships because theyre still
  bleeding.
• Ben Franklins one of those who probably had such
  an experience because he wrote there are only
  three faithful things in this world an old wife,
  an old dog, and money saved.
• C.C. Coltons not much better. He wrote Ive
  always noticed a note jealousy, even in best
  friendships.

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• Socrates said Friendsbut there are no true
  friends!
• Oh I want so much to bring these great men out of
  the tombs to present them with some of you who
  Ive come to see as friends. Praise God for the
  way hes touched my life through some who are
  here today! Praise God for those hes brought in
  my life whove allowed me to see things
  differently from Colton or Socrates or Franklin.
  Praise God for those Ive known since my 20s and
  still hold in high esteem.

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• And praise God if you also have friends who mean
  a lot to you and encourage you in the faith.
• Think of all of this when you leave tonight and
  tell God how appreciative you are of them. Its
  a gift from him to have found a good friend.
• This said, I want to develop 3 thoughts for the
  rest of my lesson.
• Firstly, I want to define in a bit more detail
  friendship.
• Secondly, I want to talk about who we should
  choose as best friend.

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• Thirdly, I want to talk about the attitude you
  must have towards your best friend.
• I. Definition of friendship
• Lets focus firstly on the definition. When we
  look in a dictionary, we find a friend is a
  person one knows well, for whom we feel affection
  and for whom one has an affinity.
• So a friend is more than an acquaintance. A
  buddy, a colleague or an acquaintance know
  certain things about us, but dont know us well.

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• Likewise, we all go to church together, we are
  brothers and sisters according to the Bible, but
  we dont all know each other in depth.
• Do I know your dreams today? your hopes, and your
  fears? Do you know mine?
• Do I know what you like and hate? Do I know what
  irritates you and about what things you are
  passionate? Do you know for me?
• True friends are generally close enough to know
  these things about one another. They know what
  goes on in the head

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• and heart of each other. There is an intimate
  sharing.
• Acquaintances dont know these things. There
  share a job, maybe the same bank, school or
  pastime, but it doesnt go much further.
• The Bible says in Proverbs 1824
• But lets come back to the dictionary definition.
  Its not just someone we know, but for whom we
  feel a great affection.
• In other words, someone we like or who likes us
  in spite of our faults.
• Did you know that in Hebrew the word

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• meant the beloved? The term is ahab.
• Maybe thats why Solomon says in Prov. 1717
• A friend loves at all times, that is to say even
  when all isnt going for the best, when youre in
  the depths of despair.
• The opinion he has of you isnt based on what you
  are today, doesnt depend on how you feel this
  month. His point of view is based on what your
  life has been thus far.

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• He sees beyond your discouragement, your
  momentary problems. He sees into the depths of
  your personality, whats in your heart. He sees
  your integrity and doesnt doubt you.
• A friend keeps believing when others lose hope.
  He keeps walking with you because he knows the
  potential hidden in you. He bears all, loves
  despite all, accompanies despite all for he knows
  the little seed hidden in your heart will yet one
  day produce a marvelous flower.

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• A friend, you see, chooses to ignore the impolite
  exterior, the eventual problems of money, work,
  family, occasional misplaced pride at a success.
  A friend doesnt condone all, but continues to
  love in spite of all. He continues to encourage
  like Barnabas did for Paul or Mark.
• I would also say a friend hurts with you. When
  your burden is too heavy, he puts his shoulder to
  the load and starts to carry the weight with you.
  
• Like the Arab proverb says, a friend is one who
  will get off his horse to help you

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• get your chariot wheel unstuck from the mud.
  Hes not afraid to dirty his hands for you.
• Finally a friend is one in whom one can trust.
• Isnt this so? Why do you share your worries,
  heart problems, and doubts with your friends?
  Because you know a friend wont add to your hurt.
• You know he or she would be ready to die rather
  than hurt you intentionally.
• I found a good illustration it happened during
  the first centuries.

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• When Dionysus became emperor, he began to rule
  with cruelty. Quickly certain rebelled and
  formed groups to resist him.
• A man named Damon became a leader of the
  rebellion. The emperors soldiers sent spies and
  managed to arrest him. When they brought him to
  the king, he was immediately sentenced to
  execution. So Damon begged the emperor to let
  him go say goodbye to his family before dying.
  The tyrant couldnt believe his ears. Damon,
  why should I let you do that? Youd just use the
  chance to escape.

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• To which the prisoner replied, I give you my
  word that Ill come back. Your word, laughed
  the king, whats that worth?
• To this someone in the crowd that was present
  came forth and said I will take his place until
  he returns and if he doesnt, Ill die in his
  place. This mans name was Pythiasyou
  understand he was Damons friend. The emperor
  was very surprised at this offer, when he saw the
  expression of love and trust that prevailed
  between these two men. Wanting to see how far
  this friendship went, he said to Damon

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• Ill give you 6 hours, not a minute more. If
  youre not back exactly then, Ill take your
  friends life. Dont underestimate me!
• 5 h 55 min later the king brings Pythias in front
  of him and said, your friend isnt back. In a
  few minutes, youll be executed. He let you die
  in his place.
• The executioner takes him, forces him to his
  knees, and raises his sword to cut off his head.
  At this moment, Damon appears crying stop, stop,
  Im here! Hes out of breath, he comes toward
  Pythias and says, sorry, my horse died of
  exhaustion, I made him run so much. I couldnt
  find

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• A replacement. Pythias pushes Damon back, turns
  toward the emperor and says, let me die in his
  place, I beg you! The emperor, stupefied by
  this request, responds, surely youre out of it.
  You cant be serious, you want to die in his
  place? Pythias didnt have time to respond
  because Damon speaks up no king, the punishment
  is mine!
• This story tells how for the first time in years
  the tyrants ice heart was touched. He melted
  before this demonstration of love. He lets them
  live, but they must show what made their
  friendship so strong.

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• Do you have a friend like that today? One who
  loves you enough to die for you? I do!
• II. Who should be your best friend?
• I arrive at my second point.
• I dont like to tell people who to spend time
  with or not. I dont lead a sect, but a group
  where each is free to choose.
• However today Im going to make an exception and
  tell you your best friend should absolutely be

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• Can you guess? You should absolutely have the
  same best friend as I that is, Jesus.
• I tell you, if you let him, Jesus will be
  absolutely the best friend you could have. You
  cant find one better.
• Think of all I said a couple minutes ago.
  Firstly, a friend is one who should know you
  well. Who knows you better than he? He knows
  the number of hairs on your head, what goes on in
  your heart, and whats brewing there. He knows
  perfectly the way you think. I bet you dont
  know yourself as well as he knows you.

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• Ill give you an example how many hairs on that
  skull of yours?
• Not only that, he loves you more than all. Paul
  says in Eph. 314-19
• Has anyone ever loved you like Jesus has? Anyone
  ever died for you? Jesus did.
• Do you want to know how much he loves you? Look
  at his pierced hands and feet. Look at his
  crowned forehead where blood flowed for you.
  Listen to his voice that cries Father forgive
  them for they know not what they do! (Jean
  1513)

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• While we were still sinners Christ died for us.
  He saw your heart and said youre worth it!
  Daniel I love you no matter what youve done to
  your wife, no matter what youve done to your
  daughter or to your son. I love you no matter
  who youve hurt, stolen from, abused, or lied to.
  I love you despite what youve done to me!
• I ask you, can you find a better friend than this
  one?
• And I add still that Christ wont ever leave you
  if you choose him as best friend in your life.
  Revelation 15 he is faithful!

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• A man once brought an accusation before Plinius
  the younger. He had committed the crime of being
  a Christian. The governor told him Ill banish
  you! To which the man replied You wouldnt
  know how, for the world is my fathers house.
• So Ill kill you and destroy you! The man
  replied you wouldnt know how, my life is
  hidden in Christ.
• Ill take all your goods Plinius told him.
  You wouldnt know how, even if you wanted to,
  for my treasure isnt of this world, but in
  heaven.

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• So Ill chase you far away from men and youll
  have no more friends.
• The Christian finally told him You wouldnt
  know how, for I have a friend from whom you can
  never separate me.
• Jesus, if hes youre friend, will never leave
  you. Need I say more?
• So will you let Jesus be your best friend, if he
  isnt already?
• He wants it more than anything. Thats why he
  says in John 1515

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• III. The attitude to have toward my friend
• Finally I arrive at my last point What attitude
  should I have toward my friend?
• I dont have the time to expand, but I want to
  quickly mention 4 things
• 1. I should always confide in him.
• 2. I should live for him.
• 3. I should always follow him.
• 4. I should always try to obey and fight for him.
• I want to finish with a verse John 1514

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• Conclusion
• Today are you in relation with him? Do you live
  a life that shows him to be your best friend? If
  not, I tell you make place for him in your heart.
  It will be the best decision youll ever make.