CAN I CALL YOU FRIEND?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
WE NEED FRIENDS…
Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN SYMPATHY AND COMPASSION?
Sympathy is a box of Kleenex and a bowl of chicken soup.
Jude 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
** “COMPATI” Compati means to “suffer with…”
COMPASSION is when your heart is broken --- my heart is broken.
A real friend laughs when you laugh and cries when you cry.
REAL FRIEND COMPASSION CHANGES THE WAY YOU THINK!!!
What is Mickey without Minnie, Pluto, and Donald Duck? What is Tigger without Eeyore and Pooh? We know Patrick because of his friend Sponge Bob. What are without each other?
FRIEND: a person whom one knows and has a bond of mutual affection and esteem, one that is not hostile, a person you trust, loyal.
A REAL FRIEND WILL WALK IN WHEN EVERYONE ELSE WALKS AWAY.
A friend can reach for your hand but touches your heart.
A good friend is a gift from God, friends help us appreciate life.
Friendship is two bodies and one mind.
Fake friends believe rumors, real friends believe in you.
A friend knows tears come from your heart and not from your brain.
SOUL- TIES: DAVID WAS HAVING PROBLEMS, THE KING WAS AFTER HIS HIDE.
GOD GAVE DAVID A FRIEND… TO HELP THROUGH TOUGH TIMES…
It was David’s friend, Jonathan that helped him through the rough days. Jonathan and David
1 Samuel 18:1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
Even when Jonathan was dead and gone DAVID REMEMBERED HIS FRIEND.
David found a CRIPPLE BOY and invited him to the Kings table. He was a friend’s son.
PAUL TELLS US OF 4 KINDS OF FRIENDS…
***DEMAS… THE QUITTER.) WRONG PRIORITIES. Demas let the desires of the world master him…
Demas forsakes his calling as life distorted what was really important.
Demas was a co-worker with Paul during Paul’s first imprisonment.
AWOL--- ABSENNT WITHOUT LEAVE…
2 Timothy 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; …
REVEALING PARTY? Quitting really tells the truth!
1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
***LUKE… THE FAITHFUL.) Luke was a physician, Luke was a Gentile. We call him the Evangelist. Luke traveled with Paul on several missionary journeys and was always true and faithful.
2 Timothy 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
Dependable, steady, faithful. There is no record of Luke ever quitting.
*** JOHN MARK… THE VASCILLATOR.) TO WAVER, John Mark was a young man and seems to have changed his mind several times. Up and down. John Mark was a nephew of BARNABAS. Barnabas was Paul’s good friend and helper. John Mark went of a missionary trip and got homesick and he quit and deserted his uncle and Paul. Later there was a sharp contention over John Mark. Barnabas said give the kid another chance. Paul said: NO! They divided their ways.
PAUL WAS WRONG! Paul learns John Mark has changed and become “PROFITABLE.”
***ALEXANDER THE COPPERSMITH… THE MEAN HURTER.)
2 Timothy 4:14 (KJV)
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
Alexander was a good business man, very prosperous man that had influence over others. ALEXANDER HURT PAUL REAL BAD… HE NOT ONLY HURT PAUL, HE HURT PAUL’S MINISTRY. Alexander was mean and cruel. Paul never defended himself. Paul trusted the LORD TO REPAY
ALEXANDER…
ALL YOUR FRIENDSHIPS WILL FALL INTO ONE OF THESE TYPES OF PERSONALITIES. Learn to identify and build your HOUSE UPON THE ROCK OF WISDOM.
CALL 911! JESUS HAS SOME DEAR FRIENDS DOWN IN BETHANY…
JESUS HAD 3 DEAR FRIENDS: LAZARUS, MARTHA AND MARY…
Jesus would go to Bethany to spend time and relax with his friends. They loved each other.
John 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
NOW, LAZARUS GOT VERY SICK.
Lazarus seem to grow sicker and sicker until MARTHA and MARY CALL 911… JESUS YOUR DEAR FRIEND IS SICK…
John 11:3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
MARTHA and MARY called JESUS, JESUS COME RIGHT NOW… This is an emergency, ASAP… (Always say a prayer.)
IF JESUS IS OUR FRIEND --- HE WILL COME RIGHT NOW!!!
I can’t understand this: JESUS DID NOT COME, DOES JESUS REALLY CARE? Our brother is dying? Come NOW!
Lazarus DIES, he is dead, brother is AS DEAD AS A DOOR NAIL! Why? Where was Jesus?
Martha and Mary are walking home from the TOMB, AND JESUS NEVER EVN CAME TO THE FUNERAL. We have buried our brother, and NOW OUR HOPE IS GONE.
Can you listen to Martha and Mary as they are walking home from the funeral and burial?
YOU REACON MARTHA SAID SOMETHING LIKE: Look how we opened our home for Jesus? I cleaned the house for Jesus? Look how many meals I cooked for Jesus and his boys? I THOUGHT JESUS REALLY CARED FOR US… I THOUGHT JESUS WAS OUR FRIEND? I THOUGHT JESUS LOVED US?
LOOKS LIKE JESUS WOULD HAVE AT LEAST CAME TO BROTHER’S FUNERAL? Martha’s mouth was probably running? I can picture Mary probably was walking along and listening to Martha and quietly crying? IF JESUS WAS OUR FRIEND, LOOKS LIKE HE WOULD HAVE CARED ENOUGH TO COME WHEN BROTHER WAS SICK. Now look, Jesus never even came to brother’s funeral….
FRIENDS? COMPASSION? HURT? CRUSHED? THEIR HOPE WAS INVESTED IN JESUS? WE EXPECTED OUR FRIEND TO COME WHEN WE CALLED.
A HURT HEART OF FRIEND CAN DISTORT REALITY? MY HURT SPEAKS JESUS, OUR FRIEND DIDN’T COME WHEN WE CALLED AND HE WAS A NO SHOW FOR THE FUNERAL? WHAT KIND OF FRIEND IS THIS?
John 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
THOSE WITH JESUS THOUGHT THEIR FRIEND, LAZARUS WAS BETTER BECAUSE JESUS SAID HE WAS SLEEPING?
John 11:14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 15. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
MARTHA WAS PROBABLY SO HURT HER FRIEND, JESUS HAD LET HER DOWN… BOTH SISTERS AGREE, APPEARS THEIR FRIEND LET THEM DOWN?
John 11:21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
John 11:32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
WHY DID JESUS CRY? DID JESUS CRY BECAUSE LAZARUS WAS DEATH?
Never! Jesus knew what was going to happen…
John 11:35 Jesus wept.
JESUS WEPT BECAUSE HE SAW A SHALLOWNESS AND A LACK OF FAITH IN HIS DEAR FRIENDS…
JESUS CARED, THEY WERE HIS FRIENDS… JESUS WAS DEEPLY MOVED FOR HIS FRIENDS…
John 11:38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
JESUS SAYS: MY DEAR FRIENDS, I CARE! DIDN’T I TELL YOU GOD’S GLORY WOULD BE REVEAL HERE, NOW!
John 11:40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
What might have happened if Jesus had not spoken Lazarus’ name, what if he had just said: COME FORTH?
Perhaps all the graves might have opened?
John 11:43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
Jesus was a friend to Lazarus, Martha and Mary… What seemed as not caring was the PLAN OF GOD. What appeared to be THE LAST GOODBYE OF A FRIEND, WAS AN OPPORTUNITY --- THIS STORM, THIS TRIAL, THIS HEARTACHE IS GOING TO REVEAL THE REAL FRIEND’S PLAN…? JESUS IS COMING OVER THE HILL, LOOK TO OUR FRIEND, JESUS. WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS!!!
CONCLUSION: WHO ARE YOUR REAL FRIENDS? HANG IN THERE, MAY OVER THE NEXT HILL WE WILL MET OUR DEAR FRIEND JESUS.
MY FRIEND? (Unknown)
MY FRIEND I STAND IN JUDGMENT NOW AND FEEL THAT YOU’RE TO BLAME SOME HOW.
ON EARTH I WALKED WITH YOU DAY BY DAY, AND NEVER DID YOU POINT THE WAY.
YOU KNEW THE LORD IN TRUTH AND GLORY, BUT NEVER DID YOU TELL ME HE STORY.
MY KNOWLEDGE WAS VERY DIM, YOU COULD HAVE LEAD ME TO HIM.
THOUGH WE LIVED TOGTHER ON EARTH, YOU NEVER TOLD ME OF THE SECOND BIRTH.
AND NOW I STAND THIS DAY CONDEMNED BECAUSE YOU FAILED TO MENTION HIM.
YOU TAUGHT ME MANY THINGS, THAT’S TRUE, I CALLED YOU FRIEND AND TRUSTED YOU.
BUT NOW I LEARNED THAT IT’S TOO LATE, YOU COULD HAVE SAVED ME FROM THIS FATE.
WE WALKED BY DAY AND TALKED AT NIGHT, AND YET YOU SHOWED ME NOT THE LIGHT.
YOU LET ME LIVE AND LOVE AND DIE, YOU KNEW I’D NEVER LIVE ON HIGH.
YES, I CALLED YOU “FRIEND” IN LIFE, AND LAUGHED WITH YOU THROUGH JOY AND STRIFE
AND YET ON COMING TO THE END --- I CANNOT CALL YOU FRIEND!!
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
