On the 10th of October 2024 we preached a sermon to our congregation concerning the most Valued Friend you will ever have, yet some many of us reject that Friendship on a regular basis, and in a time were the world surely needs a friend we can trust, and on whom we can depended on.
The Sermon is intitled “A Valued Friend” using the text from John 15:13,14, KJV, which says “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his Friends. ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call 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”
A Friend is hard to come by, I don’t refer to the title given to those individuals who respond to our social media account, but a real Friend. In this world if one can count themselves blessed if they have five or six or even three friends, but those we may only have one or two really true friends, that very special and very valued person, very worthy person due our greatest care, in whom we can share in complete confidence every dream and fear.
Jesus tells us concerning friends, that they must love one another, and concerning, that of his friends, his desire is that we not just love one another, but love as he loves us.
There is a mutual depth of love between real friends that rises above even that of most family members, and people we have strong ties to Proverbs 17:17
- Family will love you deeply, because your family, that’s what family does, right?
- But just because you are Brothers and Sisters is no assurance, often times they fall out of relationship with each other, relations become strained or distant.
- But real Friends love one another because they usually have a mutual relationship.
- there is a bond between them, that blood relations don’t always have, it can occur between blood relations, or it may not.
- It can only be understood from a spiritual perspective of what love truly is.
- There is a vulnerability in the openness of this kind of Friendship, trust is key.
- This may be the source of the trust that exist between these kindnesses of friendships that each protects.
In the text, Jeus describes the depth of that love, in that there is no greater demonstration of the depth of that love. than one who would lay down his life for that valued friend.
- Jesus demonstrated his love by way of the cross, his suffering was because he loves his friends so much that he would rather take their pain, then have them suffer it himself, he loves us that much.
- There is nothing too much for that fiend could ever ask that the other would not do for the other, except that would cause them harm, in that one feels so much for the other, that anything they ask becomes their own.
- Eph. 3:18, gives us this understanding of Christ Love, how wide is the love of God, and Christ, which is to in compass all mankind; the length that covers from everlasting to everlasting; the depth that is not to be fathomed by ant other creature; and the height not to be reachable by any enemy; Comprehended by one that is not a friend.
Jeus laid his life down for his fiends, though he did nothing wrong, he was willing to take his friends suffering, he would stand in their place that they would not have to suffer, so deep was his love, to see them suffer would break his heart.
- A Friend is someone who is willing to take on themselves the pain of their companion, even in the midst of their own suffering they will share in yours.
- From the Cross Jesus said in the middle of his own suffering, and pain ask the Father to forgive them, and lay their suffering on him Luke 23:34.
- To think that Jesus was only speaking out of physical pain of the body, would be a gross miss-understanding, for in Matthew 27:46 he cried with a loud voice.
How did Jesus determine who his friends were?
- They would be those who loved him as deeply as he loved them, and they would show him by their devotion to every word that he said.
- When a friend comes to you with a deep conviction, how do you respond? Do you despondently give half an ear to their pain, or do you comfort them and compassionately answer with truthfulness.
- Jesus conviction was to the faithful hope to those who listened to him would see his compassion, and love for them, in the midst of their struggle, and he would provide answer “I will take them and carry them, and I will also carry you!”
- We said in all sincerity to someone I wish I could take that from you, but Jesus is a friend that is able and willing to do exactly that.
Jesus therefore said that :” I no longer call you servants,” Why not servants? Because Jesus had confided in them all the secrets of his coming except the day, which is the Father’s call, of God his Father, and of the Kingdom of Heaven. they had shared many things, struggles, he had seen their greatest weaknesses, he knew them, because of that, he addressed the henceforth friends.
- Proverbs 18:24 says that if a man desire to be counted as a friend, he must first show himself to be a friend.
- Jesus has made every effort to show himself a friend to us, he has been faithfully present, presenting himself to us, he has paid and carried, and experienced our suffering.
- Jesus has opened himself to us, he has revealed himself to us, he has told us that he is willing to bear our burdens with us and carry them if we can’t.
- He declared that he would never leave us nor forsake you, he is always right there at the end of your life.
- He stands at the door of our hearts, knocking, desiring to be let in, he hears our mourns, feels our sorrow, knows our pain, Rev. 3:20.
The hymn “what a Friend we have in Jesus” is so revealing to the advantages we have in such a friend. When others judge us because of our weaknesses, or because of something unfair, when we find ourselves seemingly alone, you have a trusted friend, who has proven himself by the most evident means possible, that he died for you. He has a reached out to you with nail scared hands as proof.
On the 11th of August 2024 we preached a sermon to our congregation concerning the use of a word we all know and have heard in Church all of our lives, even if we had not been brought up in Church, and I want to share it with you today, and especially if you are viewing our web site.
The Sermon is intitled “Amen and Amen” using the text from Revelation Chapter 3:14 which says, “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;” In this text Jesus refers to himself in an interesting way, as the Amen which is the title of the Semon is derived.
Its implication is that it is the “Last Word”! When we see Christ referring to himself as the Amen, he is announcing to everyone that He is the final word. He is the final authority, there is nothing that comes after, whatever he has, or whatever is said about him is the final word. He is the final word concerning salvation, he is the final word, the final authority, in him is the fullness of the Godhead, all the Promises in the Scriptures are in Him, He is the first and the last, the Alfa and the Omega, there is nothing that follows.
Having reviewed these things concerning Christ, I now want to address the message. We don’t hear the word “Amen” spoken much in the Church anymore, and when we do hear it, not all that use it understand what they say, it’s just a word we use in church, a few may realize the significance of what they say.
The Secular world we can hear the word Amen used in any conversation concerning any topic where they want to proclaim truth or a finality to a statement, without any knowledge of the significance and power of the word. Similarly, some Christians use it the same way, sad considering that “Amen” in Revelation 3:14 Jesus declares himself to be the “Amen”.
We need to hear the Amen more in the Church, but we should not hear used unwisely.
Amen, in the Bible, is used as affirmation of the Authority and finality of the words of God. We are saying “it is the absolute truth” and “we absolutely are in agreement” it is an exclamation of acknowledgement; it authenticates all that proceeds or follows in the Word of God as being genuine, without error, absolutely the truth, it is a solemn estate of speech.
You may see this written “Amen” or you may see it in a translative form as “Verily, verily” or you may see it as “Truly, truly”, you may hear it spoken as Amen or Ah ‘men they all mean the something.
When we close our petition before God, we end it with Amen, Jesus when he taught his disciples to pray closed with Amen. To some this is simply a recitation or ritualistic closing, but to others it is heartfelt affirmation of what we have just prayed, and to whom we have just spoken, and of his power and ability to accomplished it.
Amen establishes an unchangeable and certainty of ending, our faithfully acceptance of God’s will.
If we properly use, understand, and apply the word Amen regularly in our churches what could we expect? Maybe more than you think.
Its conformation and affirms all that was said before.
It verifies that person and gives authority to the source of who has said it.
It shows confidence in whom we place our faith.
It shows a firmness and steadfastness and a steadfastness in whom we believe.
It is a stableness in the understanding, and accreditation to the wisdom of the Almighty.
It shows respect and trust in a truth that is higher than our own.
It is a declaration of the knowledge of reliability when seek his wisdom.
It signals a consistency, unwavering, unyielding, undeniable, and everlasting truth.
It intensifies our faith, encourages our spirit, and glorifies the Lord.
It is all the promises of God through Christ laded one up on another.
It gives hope to the believer, justifies and sanctifies the word of God.
It invites and releases the power of the Holy Spirit.
It inspires the man of God to be of good courage, and emboldens him, it up lifts the spirit of men, exercises the Soul.
The next time you are compelled to say Amen, if Holy Spirit prompts you says Amen do it, and do it with this knowledge, that you are prompting the Lord Jesus Christ himself to actions.