There is a Friend
“And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”
Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”
The ultimate gift that you can give is your very own life. There is not a greater gift that you can give anyone. Now Jesus calls you and me His friend. The Bible says in Proverbs 18:24, there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. I have one biological brother. - I love him very, very much and he loves me too, but I want to tell you, there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother... if that is possible.
John Chapter 15:13-14
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you”
I can hear somebody sitting there on Good Friday saying, “But Angus, no one loves me.” I want to tell you that Jesus loved you so much that He died for you, and there is not any more that He can do for you than that, because He died for you so that you and I can have eternal life. That is why we call it Good Friday. It is the greatest gift that has ever been given to any man on earth.
I don’t know if you remember that old song that goes something like this:
“He paid a debt He did not owe, I owed a debt I could not pay,
I needed someone to wash my sins away.
And now I sing a brand new song,
Amazing grace, Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.”
He paid the ultimate debt for you on this day.
It is like sometimes I go to a restaurant - this has happened once or twice in my life - I might go with my wife Jill or I might be with a group of men when I am on a mission and we will sit down and have a hearty lunch or dinner. Then when the waiter comes to give us the bill I say: “How much do I owe you, Sir?”
He says, “No, your Bill has been paid for you”.
And I said, “By who?”
He says, “That man who just walked out the door five minutes ago.”
A stranger paid for our meal, he didn’t have to. He didn’t owe us anything. He did it because he loved us and he regarded us as his friends.
Today, be a friend to someone and please spend some time with your own personal friend, The Lord Jesus Christ. Consider the great gift that He has given to us.
God bless you and goodbye.