Best
Friends
I
heard a preacher on the radio this week say, “Jesus is my best friend.”
It
brought memories of Gorum Baptist Church where we sang, “What a friend we have in Jesus; all our sins and grief to bear! What a
privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer!”
Alleluia
and amen.
Every
Christian should have Jesus as a best friend; but, how good of a friend are we?
Think
about our lives and how good a friend we are to Jesus. It can be disheartening.
We remember Jesus when we need. We pray when our sins become too great. We seek him in our grief. The rest of the
time, most of us live our regular lives.
Peter
and the apostles, they were Jesus best friends.
One
betrayed him.
The
others went fishing.
Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from
Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter
said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.”
After
discovering the empty tomb, Peter and the apostles went fishing.
They
knew he was the messiah and the Son of God. They heard him prophesy and found the
tomb empty. Jesus was their best friend and they went back to everyday life.
Everyday
life has a tendency to keep us from Jesus. It’s the same problem most of us
have; life in this world!
We
want so much. We want to make an impact on the world, friends, or family. But,
the world sees us as points on the timeline of forever; a moment in history’s existence.
That’s
not how God sees us. He knows us and sees our greatness.
“Do you love me?” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, you know
everything; you know that I love you.”
Something
happened at that point in the timeline of history by the Sea of Tiberias.
Maybe
the apostles sang “I will praise you, Lord, for you
have rescued me” as they rowed to the shore. This was a point of
conversion.
Jesus said “Follow me,” Peter’s
and the apostles’ lives changed. Later, at Pentecost embolden by the Holy
Spirit, they left their lives as fisherman to become a fishers of men.
Being
a point on the timeline of history is not a bad thing, if we do as Jesus asks “Follow me.”
A
line starts at a single point. The middle is a single point. The end is a
single point. An arrow is shot from a single point on the bow. A moment is a
single point. The single points make a difference.
To
make a difference, our point must point towards Jesus Christ.
Jesus
consistently asks us "follow me.” Hearts
are changed in those who say yes.
Follow
Jesus and hearts are changed. They go from mourning to
dancing. Changed men, led by Peter, stood up and said, “We must obey God rather than men.”
Get
out of the boat. Stop being a non-discreet point in history. Be the point that is
the arrow pointing to God. Be one that
shows the way to a divine relationship with Christ. Every point is a new beginning
of something.
What
happened on that seashore was the point the apostles opened themselves to a new
relationship with Christ. It was the apex of a new friendship with Jesus and a
union with God.
As
Jesus’ friends, why do we only go to Him in grief and despair? Why are we
afraid to be identified with his name? It’s easier to go back to our non-discreet
timeline of everyday life in this world.
Jesus asks "Do you love me?" That's the point friendship with Jesus goes both ways.
Our
friendship with Jesus dances as part of everything in the universe that cries
out: “To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
- blessing and honor, glory and might, forever and ever.”
Pointing
others to God is the greatest point to make on the timeline of history. Our
friendship with Jesus is what points to the divine.
Instead
of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” a
new song - “What a friend Jesus has in me; I sing his love and charity! I praise His
salvation and redemption. What a friend Jesus has in me.”
Y’all be good, y’all be holy. Preach
the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment