THE FRIEND OF GOD
“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” (James 2:23).
There is within the human personality a need that is universally felt. It is a need that is sought and continually pursued. And so I wanted us to discuss this need, this necessity, which when simply stated is that everybody needs a friend.
To live without a friend is to reverse the famous adage that says, “No man is an island…”
To live without a friend is to be, like John the Revelator, when he was on the isle of Patmos far from the crossroads of human interaction.
Without a friend, one faces life with loneliness as their companion and alienation as their comrade.
Without a friend, the only response we get to the questions life poses would be the result of limited resources of: me, myself, and I.
**Two are better than one…
And so, I believe we are on safe ground today to declare that everybody needs somebody, everybody needs a friend. In your life and in my life, regardless of how independent you are – self reliant you may be, we need somebody who is loving and loyal.
We need somebody who is trusted and true, someone who is willing to be your confidant and counselor. We need somebody who will be devoted in dark hours, present in moments of pain, and sympathetic in times of sickness. Everybody needs a friend!
And let me remind you while passing through that everybody with whom you are friendly is not a friend.
Everybody that you have a social relationship with does not qualify for genuine friendship status. Because a good friend is hard to find.
That’s why we’ve all been told at one time or another to be careful how we choose our friends. For it true that "a man is known by the company he keeps"? Whether you like it or not, the world judges you by the quality and the character of the people you call "friend."
That’s the reason I thought I should remind that everybody who claims to be your friend may not really be your friend. Cain and Abel had the same genetic background, they were brothers by blood, had the same mother and father but the Word says Cain killed his brother Abel.
Jacob and Esau were twin brothers, the sons of Isaac and Rebecca. But you read were Jacob got in good with his momma and cheated, deceived, and lied so much that Esau lost his inheritance, and all Esau got out of the deal was a piece of meat and a pot of beans.
You do recall Samson and Delilah don’t you. Delilah proves that even your lover may not be your friend! (LAB)
Husbands and wives can live in the same house, eat the same meals, share the same bed, and still not be friends. Delilah was the one who cut the seven locks of Samson’s hair. Delilah was the one who put him into the hands of his enemies. Delilah proves that even your lover may not be your friend!
Job had three so-called friends-Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. But in the time of Job’s deepest distress, in the time of his greatest need, he called them physicians of no value.
Even Jesus discovered that His closest associates could not be counted on. Peter denied Him; Thomas doubted Him, and Judas Iscariot, sold Him out for thirty pieces of silver.
All this, substantiates my claim that even though everybody needs a friend, a good friend, a real friend is hard to come by. And then, there are many who have no friends because they do not make themselves available to friendship.
You won’t develop an authentic friendship if you’re always negative. You won’t experience friendship if you’re always critical and complaining. The Word says if you’re going to have a friend, you must first be found friendly. You can’t expect to have a friend if you don’t know how to be a friend.
While we’re passing through, let me remind you that if you have a friend you ought to thank God for them. You outta thank God for your friends-those who accept you for what you are and don’t judge you for what your not. Thank God for your friends who appreciate your strengths and yet stand by you in spite of my weaknesses.
And listen, while your thanking him for your friends don’t forget to thank him for your enemies.
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Thank God for your enemies. Those who have drawn close enough to hear your heartbeat so they know where to stab. I thank God for my enemies, for they are the ones who have taught me how to lean and depend on Jesus. (LAB)
I brought this matter of friendship to our attention this morning in order for us to examine one of the most unique friendship the Bible speaks. I wanted us to look at a friendship that James said existed between God and Abraham. Abraham, says James, was called "the Friend of God."
This was not Abraham’s assessment of his relationship w/ God; this is God’s assessment of His relationship w/ Abraham.
Moses:led the first protest march against slavery.
Solomon: was endowed by God to be the wisest man that ever lived.
Job: God’s example of a man who persevered inspite of his predicaments & pain.
Nehemiah: God’s builder when the walls of Jerusalem had fallen down.
Isaiah was God’s prophet whose lips were touched by angel.
Amos was God’s messenger for justice.
Paul was God’s evangelist to the Gentiles.
And David was the apple of His eye.
But only Abraham-no one else in all biblical history -only Abraham was known as "the Friend of God."
What does it take to be God’s friend? What was it that Abraham and God had that made theirs such a unique friendship? What was it about Abraham that put him in line for such a distinctive title? When you look at your life perhaps you’d like to know if you qualify to be called God’s friend.
How close are we to reaching Abraham’s status as the friend of God? Just what it takes to be so close, so valuable, so important to be called God’s friend.
In the first instance, Abraham and God had a solid relationship because God could see that Abraham had his priorities in the right position. You see a good friend isn’t always looking to get something.
A good friend is willing to take whatever comes along. On one occasion Abraham and Lot had a controversy over who would claim the land? Lot wanted the best land. Lot wanted the most fertile territory. Lot wanted the land that was the most pleasing. But Abraham said, "I’ll take whatever God gives me.
I’m not worried about the land because my priorities are not in property." I hear Abraham saying, "The God I serve told me that the earth is His, the sea is His, the cattle are His, the gold is His, the silver is His, so whatever my Friend wants for me will be all right."
If you want to be God’s friend, the priority must not be in property and it must not be in possessions. Didn’t Jesus say, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added ’unto you"?
In the second instance, this friendship of God and Abraham was predicated on the fact that they knew how to talk with each other. Not only did they talk with each other, not only did they talk to each other, but they did not always agree with each other.
You see, my brothers and my sisters, in order to have a good friend, you don’t need somebody that agrees with you all the time. You don’t need somebody that takes your side on every issue, and always thinks your point of view is the best. Good friends can argue but still be on the same side. Good friends can disagree, but refuse to be disagreeable. Good friends need not always see eye to eye, but they must be willing to listen to what the other has to say.
God and Abraham-these good friends had an argument one day. God looked down and saw a city and decided the only thing He could do would be to destroy it. But Abraham disagreed – he said, Now God, have you really thought about this.
Have you examined every alternative, have you considered every option? I know that you are omniscient, and I know I can’t tell you anything you don’t already know, but before you destroy the city, I wanted to ask what would you do if I found fifty righteous men or twenty or even one other righteous man in the city?"
And you hear God say, "Abraham, you got a good point. I tell you what if you find one righteous person in the city, I won’t destroy the city." What I’m trying to say is that God and Abraham were good friends because they talked to each other.
And if you’re going to be the friend of God, you have to talk to Him and he has to talk to you. When you pray it ought not be a one-way conversation. Every now and then you need to get your busy self somewhere and sit down - be still and listen for a still, small voice.
** Let God talk (Direction) – (LAB)
If there was one element that strengthen the friendship of God and Abraham, it was that listened to each other. When God said, "Go” Abraham did not have any questions. God said, "Abraham there are two things I’m going to do.
The first thing I’m going to do is to tell you to get out of your country. Leave your kinsmen and go to a country that I will show you. You will not have a road map. There will be no chart or compass. Just go where I send you.
Just thought I remind you when God tells you to do something, you ought to do it. Even though you do not understand and even though you don’t see how. It ain’t about you. Your sight is limited, but God knows what lies ahead.
The scripture reminds us that "obedience is better than sacrifice."
Hebrews 11:1 – I’m satisfied in Jesus.
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey-for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.
The next thing God did was to tell him, "Since you’ve proven to be so faithful, I’m going to change your name. Alter your identity, I’m going to refashion the manner by which you are known, I’m going to change your name." If you are a child of God and if you are surely God’s friend, He will change your name.
Jacob had his name changed to Israel. Saul had his name changed to Paul. Simon had his name changed to Peter. Abram had his name changed to Abraham. And if you are God’s friend, you ought to be able to say with the slaves of old, "I know I been changed. The angels in heaven done signed my name!"
In the final analysis, God and Abraham had a solid foundation for their friendship because they both were willing to Sacrifice All. Abraham was asked of God to take his only son whom he loved. God told Abraham to take his Isaac up to Mount Moriah and there lay him down on the altar of sacrifice.
And you hear Isaac saying, father I see the altar, father I see the wood, and I know this is the mountain of sacrifice, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice.
And it took God forty-two generations to answer Isaac’s question, "Where is the lamb?" Isaac lived in order to save the nation. But Jesus died to save the whole world, Jesus - God’s only son - died to answer Isaac’s question of where is the lamb. For he is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.
He died to restore the friendship that sin had separated. If you’re looking for a friend today, I came by to let you know that I’ve found a Friend who sticks closer than a brother. I’ve found a Friend who’s nearer than breathing and closer than hands.
I’ve found a friend and his name is Jesus.
Jesus is all the world to me, My life, my joy, my all;
He is my strength from day to day, Without Him I would fall.
When I am sad to Him I go, no other one can cheer me so;
When I am sad, He makes me glad, He’s my Friend.
