12/25/05 - Eglise du Christ de Strasbourg

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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 we’ll be reminded
that this is Christmas when we exchange
funny gifts.
That’s also why I wanted to preach on a
subject other than Hebrews 11.
Right away I remind you my choice isn’t
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, it’s 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 don’t 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 I’m trying to
say.
Since we have guests among us, I want to
talk this afternoon about friendship.
Friendship is a precious thing, isn’t 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
we’re 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 didn’t 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 I’m saying? Have you
felt the same thing? Time changes things, eh?
I change, you change, our friends change.
It’s the nature of life. In growing older, my
values aren’t 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 can’t help me in the
path I’m 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.
I’d bet if I needed to borrow money, I
could still talk to him.
But he can’t help me if I need advice on
how a Christian father should raise his
children, or how a husband should love his
wife. He can’t 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 haven’t found a precious
friendship.
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I’m always perturbed when I meet people
who have adopted a negative view of
friendship because they’ve been hurt and
betrayed, who refuse to make new
relationships because they’re still bleeding.
Ben Franklin’s 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. Colton’s not much better. He wrote:
“I’ve always noticed a note jealousy, even
in best friendships.”
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Socrates said: “Friends…but 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 I’ve come to see as
friends. Praise God for the way he’s
touched my life through some who are
here today! Praise God for those he’s
brought in my life who’ve allowed me to
see things differently from Colton or
Socrates or Franklin. Praise God for those
I’ve 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. It’s 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
Let’s 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 don’t
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 don’t 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 don’t know these things.
There share a job, maybe the same bank,
school or pastime, but it doesn’t go much
further.
The Bible says in Proverbs 18:24…
But let’s come back to the dictionary
definition. It’s 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 that’s why Solomon says in Prov.
17:17…
A friend loves at all times, that is to say
even when all isn’t going for the best,
when you’re in the depths of despair.
The opinion he has of you isn’t based on
what you are today, doesn’t 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, what’s in
your heart. He sees your integrity and
doesn’t 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 doesn’t
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. He’s not afraid to dirty his hands for
you.
Finally a friend is one in whom one can
trust.
Isn’t this so? Why do you share your
worries, heart problems, and doubts with
your friends? Because you know a friend
won’t 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 emperor’s 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 couldn’t believe his ears.
“Damon, why should I let you do that?
You’d just use the chance to escape.”
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To which the prisoner replied, “I give you
my word that I’ll come back.” “Your
word,” laughed the king, “what’s 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 doesn’t,
I’ll die in his place.” This man’s name was
Pythias…you understand he was Damon’s
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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“I’ll give you 6 hours, not a minute more. If
you’re not back exactly then, I’ll take your
friend’s life. Don’t underestimate me!”
5 h 55 min later the king brings Pythias in front
of him and said, “your friend isn’t back. In a
few minutes, you’ll 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, I’m here!” He’s out of breath, he comes
toward Pythias and says, “sorry, my horse died
of exhaustion, I made him run so much. I
couldn’t find…
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 you’re out of
it. You can’t be serious, you want to die in his
place?” Pythias didn’t 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
tyrant’s 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 don’t like to tell people who to spend
time with or not. I don’t lead a sect, but a
group where each is free to choose.
However today I’m 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 can’t 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
what’s brewing there. He knows perfectly
the way you think. I bet you don’t know
yourself as well as he knows you.
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I’ll 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. 3:14-19…
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 15:13)
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While we were still sinners Christ died for
us. He saw your heart and said: “you’re
worth it!” “Daniel I love you no matter
what you’ve done to your wife, no matter
what you’ve done to your daughter or to
your son. I love you no matter who
you’ve hurt, stolen from, abused, or lied
to. I love you despite what you’ve done
to me!”
I ask you, can you find a better friend
than this one?
And I add still that Christ won’t ever leave
you if you choose him as best friend in
your life. Revelation 1:5 – 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: “I’ll banish you!” To
which the man replied: “You wouldn’t
know how, for the world is my father’s
house.”
“So I’ll kill you and destroy you!” The man
replied: “you wouldn’t know how, my life
is hidden in Christ.”
“I’ll take all your goods” Plinius told him.
“You wouldn’t know how, even if you
wanted to, for my treasure isn’t of this
world, but in heaven.
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“So I’ll chase you far away from men and
you’ll have no more friends.”
The Christian finally told him: “You
wouldn’t know how, for I have a friend
from whom you can never separate me.”
Jesus, if he’s you’re friend, will never leave
you. Need I say more?
So will you let Jesus be your best friend, if
he isn’t already?
He wants it more than anything. That’s
why he says in John 15:15…
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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 don’t 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 15:14…
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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 you’ll ever make.
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