Such a friend is the Lord Jesus Christ
were married, and had sons and daughters, like Enoch; some of them lived and died unmarried, like Daniel and John the Baptist; some of them were often sick, like Lazarus and Epaphroditus; some of them were strong and labored hard, like Persis, and Tryphena, and Tryphosa; some of them were masters, like Abraham and Cornelius; some of them were servants, like the saints in Nero's household; some of them had bad servants, like Elisha; some of them had bad masters like Obadiah; some of them had bad wives and children, like David. But everyone of them were Christ's friends. (e) He has had friends "of almost every nation, and people, and language." He has had friends in hot countries and in cold; friends among highly civilized nations, and friends among the simplest and rudest tribes. His Book of Life contains the names of Greeks and Romans, of Jews and Egyptians, of bond and of free. There are to be found on its lists reserved Englishmen and cautious Scotchmen, impulsive Irishmen and fiery Welshmen, volatile Frenchmen and dignified Spaniards, refined Italians and solid Germans, rude Africans and refined Indians [from India], cultivated Chinese and half-savage New Zealanders. But everyone of them were Christ's friends. All these have tested Christ's friendship, and proved it to be good. They all found nothing lacking when they began: they all found nothing lacking as they advanced in the friendship. No lack, no defect, no deficiency was ever found by anyone of them in Jesus Christ. Each found his own soul's needs fully supplied; each found every day, that in Christ there was enough and plenty to spare. Never, never was there a friend so fully tried and proved as Jesus Christ. 7. Last, but not least, do we want "an unfailing friend?" Such a friend is the Lord Jesus Christ The saddest part of all the good things of earth is their instability. Riches make themselves wings and fly away; youth and beauty are but for a few years; strength of body soon decays; mind and intellect are soon exhausted. All is perishing. All is fading. All is passing away. But there is one splendid exception to this general rule, and that is the friendship of Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus is "a friend who never changes." There is no fickleness about Him: those whom He loves, He loves to the end. Husbands have been known to forsake their wives; parents have been known to cast off their children; human vows and promises of faithfulness have often been forgotten. Thousands have been neglected in their poverty and old age, who were honoured by all when they were rich and young. But Christ never changed his feelings towards one of His friends. He is "the same yesterday and today and forever." [Hebrews 13:8] The Lord Jesus "never goes away from His friends." There is never a parting and goodbye between Him and His people. From the time that He makes His home in the sinner's heart, He abides in it forever. The world is full of separations and departures: death and the passage of time break up the most united family; sons move on to make their way in life; daughters are married, and leave their father's house forever. Scattering, scattering, scattering, is the yearly history of the happiest home. How many we have tearfully watched as they drove away from our doors, whose pleasant faces we have never seen again! How many we have sorrowfully followed to the grave, and then come back to a cold, silent, lonely house! But, thanks be to God, there is One who never leaves His friends! The Lord Jesus is He who has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." [Hebrews 13:5] The Lord Jesus "goes with His friends wherever they go." There is no possible separation between Him and those He loves. There is no place or position on earth, or under the earth, that can divide them from the great Friend of their souls. When the path of duty calls them far away from home, He is their companion; when they pass through the fire and water of fierce suffering, He is with them; when they lie down on the bed of sickness, He stands by them and makes all their trouble work for good; when they go down the valley of the shadow of death, and friends and relatives stand still and can go no further, He goes down by their side. When they wake up in the unknown world of Paradise, they are still with Him; when they rise with a new body at the judgment day, they will not be alone. He will acknowledge them as His friends, and say, "They are mine: let them go free." He will make good His own words: "I am with you always, to the very end of the age." [Matthew 28:20] Look around the world, and see how failure is written on all men's schemes. Add up the partings, and separations, and disappointments, and bereavements which you have experienced, heard about or observed. Think what a privilege it is that there is One at least who never fails, and in whom no one was ever disappointed! Never, never was there so unfailing a friend as Jesus Christ. And now, permit me to conclude this paper with a few plain words of application. I don't know who you are or in what state your soul may be in; but I am sure that the words I am about to say deserve your serious attention. Oh, that this paper may not find you careless of spiritual things! Oh, that you may be able to give a few thoughts to Christ! (1) Know then, for one thing, that I call upon you to "solemnly consider whether Christ is your friend and you are His." There are millions, I grieve to say, who are not Christ's friends. Baptized in His name, outward members of His Church, attending Church services, taking the Lord's Supper, praying, reading the Bible —but they are not Christ's "friends." Do they hate the sins which Jesus died for? No. Do they love the Saviour who came into the world to save them? No.
Do they care for the souls which were so precious in His sight? No. Do they delight in the word of reconciliation? No. Do they try to speak with the Friend of sinners in prayer? No. Do they seek close fellowship with Him? No. Oh, reader, is this your situation? How is it with you? Are you or are you not one of Christ's friends? (2) Know, in the next place, that "if you are not one of Christ's friends, you are a poor miserable being." I write this down deliberately. I do not say it without thought. I say that if Christ is not your friend, you are a poor miserable being. You are in the midst of a failing, sorrowful world, and you have no real source of comfort, or refuge for a time of need. You are a dying creature, and you are not ready to die. You have sins, and they are not forgiven. You are going to be judged, and you are not prepared to meet God: you might be, but you refuse to use the one and only Mediator and Advocate. You love the world better than Christ. You refuse the great Friend of sinners, and you have no friend in heaven to plead your cause. Yes: it is sad but true! You are a poor, miserable being. It matters nothing what your income is: without Christ's friendship you are very poor. (3) Know, in the third place, that "if you really want a friend, Christ is willing to become your friend." He has long wanted you to join His people, and He now invites you by my hand. He is ready to receive you, all unworthy as you may feel, and to write your name down in the list of His friends. He is ready to pardon all the past, to clothe you with righteousness, to give you His Spirit, to make you His own dear child. All He asks you to do is to come to Him. He commands you to come with all your sins; only acknowledging your wickedness, and confessing that your are ashamed. Just as you are—waiting for nothing—unworthy of anything in yourself—Jesus commands you to come and be His friend. Oh come and be wise! Come and be safe. Come and be happy. Come and be Christ's friend. (4) Know, in the last place, that "if Christ is your friend, you have great privileges, and ought to walk worthy of them." Seek every day to have closer communion with Him who is your friend, and to know more of His grace and power. True Christianity is not merely the believing of a certain set of dry abstract propositions: it is to live in daily personal communication with an actual living person—Jesus the Son of God. "To me," said Paul, "to live is Christ." [Philippians 1:21] Seek every day to glorify your Lord and Saviour in all your ways. "A man that has friends must show himself friendly"[Proverbs 18:24 — KJV], and surely no man is under such mighty obligations as the friend of Christ. Avoid everything which would grieve your Lord. Fight hard against the sins that so easily entangles, against inconsistency, against being ashamed to confess Him before men. Say to your soul, whenever you are tempted to do that which is wrong, "Soul, soul, is this your kindness to your Friend?" Think, above all, of the mercy which has been shown you, and learn to rejoice daily in your Friend! What if your body is bent over with disease? What if the poverty and trials of your life are overwhelming? What if your earthly friends all forsake you, and you are alone in this world? All this may be true: but if you are in Christ, then you have a friend, a mighty Friend, a loving Friend, a wise friend, a friend that never fails. Oh, think, think habitually about your Friend!
Yet in a little while and your friend will come to take you home, and you will live with Him forever. Yet a little while and you will see Him as you have been seen by Him, and know Him as you have been known by Him. And then you will hear the glorified saints in heaven proclaim, that HE IS THE RICH AND HAPPY MAN WHO HAS HAD CHRIST FOR HIS FRIEND.
Sickness
"He whom You love is sick." John 11:3
The chapter from which this text is taken is well known to all Bible readers. In life-like description, in touching interest, in sublime simplicity, there is no writing in existence that will bear comparison with that chapter. A narrative like this is to my own mind one of the great proofs of the inspiration of Scripture. When I read the story of Bethany, I feel "There is something here which the infidel can never account for."— "This is nothing else but the finger of God." The words which I specially dwell upon in this chapter are singularly affecting and instructive. They record the message which Martha and Mary sent to Jesus when their brother Lazarus was sick: "Lord, behold he whom You loves is sick" That message was short and simple. Yet almost every word is deeply suggestive. Mark the child-like faith of these holy women. They turned to the Lord Jesus in their hour of need, as the frightened infant turns to its mother, or the compass—needle turns to the Pole. They turned to Him as their Shepherd, their almighty Friend, their Brother born for adversity. Different as they were in natural temperament, the two sisters in this matter were entirely agreed. Christ's help was their first thought in the day of trouble. Christ was the refuge to which they fled in the hour of need. Blessed are all those who do likewise!