Second Friend Day - Elmer Towns

CHAPTER FIVE
WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE JESUS FOR A FRIEND
The greatest friend to a Christian is Jesus Christ because He can do more for the
Christian than anyone else on earth. When the Bible says, ". . . there is a friend that
sticketh closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24), it is describing the friendship of Jesus
Christ for us. This relationship was fulfilled when Jesus said, "Ye are my friends . . ."
(John 15:14). Even though He is our Saviour and Coming Lord, we do not have a
servitude relationship. Jesus said, "Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant
knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have
heard of my Father I have made known unto you" (John 15:15).
JESUS IS A FRIEND WHO HELPS US OVERCOME SIN
We all sin (see Romans 3:23), and the person who says he does not sin is wrong:
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (I John
1:8). The word sin is singular and means our sinful nature. This means if we deny our
sinful nature, we do not understand ourselves. But the passage goes a step further. If we
deny that we do sinful things, we also deny the truth: "If we say that we have not sinned,
we make him a liar, and his word is not in us" (I John 1:10). The word sinned reflects
more than one sin; it reflects our acts of sin.
WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS
(first verse)
What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and grief to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
Oh what peace we often forfeit, oh what needless pain we bear!
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!
This beloved hymn shows that sin has a cycle. Once we break God's law, it leads
to inward stress and emotional grief. Next comes pain, both physical and emotional. The
cycle of sin is broken by Jesus. Once Dear Abby was asked what motivated people to
write her. She stated that most people just want someone to listen to them and
understand them. Jesus listens because He is our friend.
Two types of sin cause our problems. First is the intentional sin. We know what
we do and we do it anyway. Second is the unintentional sin, sometimes called the sin of
ignorance. No matter what the motive is for our sin, Jesus is a friend to whom we can go.
When Jesus bears our sins, He does so on the basis of Calvary. He first forgives our sin
in salvation. This restores our relationship with God. Second, even if we sin, we are a
child of God, and our sin will never break our relationship with Him. But it can destroy
our fellowship with Him. Therefore we need to come to Jesus in prayer.
Why can we come to Jesus in prayer? Because as friends, we have things in
common. He understands our sin. The Bible says, " . . but Jesus was in all points
tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of