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Introduction:

True friends are rare. Finding a true friend these days is very hard. It seems that people only think about themselves and ignore everyone else around them. This even includes those who have helped them in the past. In Proverbs 18:24 it says the following: "A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." God teaches us in this text that as we look for friends it is not the quantity of friends that matters, but the quality. One true friend is worth more than a thousand so-called friends who will not help you when you really need them. My grandfather used to brag to his family that he had many friends. He would even neglect his own family to be with his friends. One day adversity knocked at his door and not even one of his friends came to help him out. My father, who had often warned my grandfather that the people whom he considered friends weren't really his friends at all, turned to my grandfather and said sadly: "Father where are your friends now?" Yes, blessed is the person that finds a true friend! The Bible says that "there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." All of us know that the bond between brothers is very strong. They may fight each other over little things but if one of them is in trouble they will immediately forget their differences and will try to help. Well, the Bible says that there is someone who can offer a friendship superior to that of brothers. Who is that friend? Jesus gives us the answer in John 15:13. Notice what he says: "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." Yes, Jesus is our best friend. Why? Because He did something that no friend in the world would dare to do. He died on the cross to save us from our sins, eternal condemnation , and also to give us the best gift that anyone can ever have - eternal life.

Unfortunately the majority of people have "friends", but they have not yet found the "friend who sticks closer than a brother". The Bible says in Jeremiah 17:5 the following: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man.." We cannot trust in people because they are weak and imperfect just like we are. Those who put their trust in human friends will one day be disappointed. Happy and blessed is the person who comes to the conclusion that what counts is NOT the quantity of friends that you have, but the quality. This is why the prophet Jeremiah said: "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord" (Jeremiah 17:7). Those who trust Jesus as their friend will never be disappointed. Why is that?
There are four reasons:

I. Jesus is our best friend because he faithfully keeps his promises:

Notice what we read in John 13:1 - "having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end." Yes, Jesus Christ is our best friend because he is faithful to the end. He is committed to be our friend forever. Now, that is a true friend! The friends of this world are temporary. They do not stick with you until the end. If things do not please them they will drop you immediately and leave you alone - high and dry. In Hebrews 13:5 we read the following: "I will never leave you nor forsake you". In the book of Numbers 23:19 we read the following: "God is not a man that he should lie, nor a son of man that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" In Hebrews 6:18 we are told this about the character of God: "...It is impossible for God to lie..." Now, here is the difference between the friends of this world and Jesus! People do lie. People do deceive. People fail to keep their promises. However, God NEVER lies! He will never disappoint you. He will keep His promises.

How many times do people promise to do something and then they do not do it. Many times! We like to point to the politicians as liars because during the elections they promise the moon and the sky to the voters and after they are elected they forget all about the promises that they made. One of the reasons that the father of George Bush did not get reelected was because he failed to keep his promises. He told the people during his first presidential election campaign. "Read my lips." In other words what I say I will do, if I am elected. Well, he was elected and people remembered his phrase: "Read my lips." They expected him to keep his promises. During his four years he failed to live up to his phrase: "Read my lips." When Clinton came on the scene he reminded the American voters that if they reelect Mr. Bush he will fail to keep his promises. The people were disappointed with Mr. Bush and they elected Clinton. We should not point to the politicians for their failure to keep their promises because when we are pointing at them we are also pointing to ourselves as well. Jesus said: "Do not judge so that you may not be judged" (Matthew 7:1). How often we have promised certain things to God and to other people and then we fail to deliver the goods. This is why we should not trust in the friendships of this world. If we have friends remember to thank God for them, but never, I repeat, never put your full trust in them. One day you will be disappointed!

II. Jesus is our best friend because He is all powerful:

Jeremiah stated: "Blessed is the man who trusts in God". Why? Because Jesus has all the power in the world. In other words NOTHING is impossible with Him. Sometimes people have perfectly good intentions to keep their promises, but because of circumstances beyond their control, they are unable to keep their promises. In other words they do not have the power to fulfill their promises. Human beings are small and limited in what they do. Suppose a friend promises to help you out financially. Nevertheless, due to circumstances beyond his control (such as losing his own money) he was unable to keep his promise. Suppose a friend promises to help you renovate your house, but because he was injured physically he is unable to keep his promise. However, this is not so with Jesus Christ. Nothing can prevent Him from keeping his promises. In Matthew 28:18 we read that Jesus has all the power in heaven and on earth. This means that the devil and the demons cannot hinder Jesus from keeping His promises. There is a song that someone composed that I like very much. She says in this song that Jesus is our best friend because he has connections in high places. In John 14:6 it reads, "I am the way, the truth and the life, No one comes to the Father except through me." It is only through Christ that we can reach the Father. THERE IS NO HIGHER CONNECTION! There is a old saying that says what really matters is who you know in society. Well, if you have Jesus as your friend, you have it made! He can get you in touch with the person that is the most powerful in the whole universe. He can lead you right to the top - the Father. If you want your prayers to be answered, they must go through Jesus Christ. Notice what He says" And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." Unfortunately, many have the wrong friends. They are trying to reach God through Mary, Peter, and saints. They will never get there because these people do not have influence over the Father.

III. Jesus is our best friend because he is not judgemental:

In Psalm 103:10 we read the following: "He has not dealt with us according to our sins. Nor punished us according to our iniquities." In John 13:1 it says that he loved his disciples "until the end." What does this mean? It means that he loved them even though they were far from perfect. Jesus loved Peter even though he denied Christ three times. Jesus loved Thomas even though he doubted his resurrection. Jesus loved all his disciples even though everyone left him alone at the hour of his death. Yes, Christ is the friend of sinners. The Pharisees and Scribes often judged Jesus because, according to them, he associated with people who were classified as the scum of the earth. When Jesus said to Zaccheus that he wanted to visit his home. The Bible says that the whole city of Jericho murmured and complained that Jesus had entered the house of a great notorious sinner. When the Scribes pointed to the woman whom they had caught in adultery and asked what should be the penalty for her sin, He calmly stated: "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." (John 8:7). I am glad that Jesus is truly my friend because He does not treat me according to my sins and imperfections.

However, we cannot say the same thing about human friends. They are more judgemental than God himself. If we fail, they will immediately become offended, judge us, condemn us, and leave us alone. Sports fans are like that. When a baseball player, or hockey player does well for his team they applaud the person with nice adjectives such as, awesome, great, best player, magnificent, hero., etc.. Nevertheless, if the same player fails to "deliver the goods", the same people will call him every bad name invented in the human language. The athlete who trusts in the fans will one day weep with bitter disappointment. Sport fans are fickle! They have no loyalties! They are selfish and love only themselves. Oh! How different Jesus is. He is the perfect friend. He does not demand perfection as other sinners do. He is faithful to us although we are not faithful to him (II Timothy 2:13). He loves us even though we are sinners (Romans 5:8). He loves us even though we do not deserve His love (Romans 3:23). The apostle John describes the friendship of God toward sinners in this way: "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (John 4:10)

IV. Jesus wants to be our best Friend becuase He gave His like to rescue us from eternal condemnation:

Notice what He said: "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." Why did Jesus lay down his life for his friends? It was the only way by which they could be delivered and rescued from the power of sin, the devil and eternal condemnation. Yes, Jesus is the only way to be saved. There is no other way. Jesus is my friend.

Finding a true friend is difficult. If you are looking for a friend, you do not need to go any farther. Jesus is the friend of all sinners. He wants to be your friend. In Revelation 3:20 Jesus said this: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." Jesus is a gentleman who does not force himself upon anyone. Therefore the question is not whether Jesus is our friend, for He is. The question is this? Do I want to be Jesus' friend? We cannot force anyone to be our friend. Likewise, God will not force anyone to be His friend.

How Do I Become A Friend Of Jesus?

It is when I accept his rules of friendship. Notice what He says in John 15:14: "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you." The first commandment that he asks from us is to believe that He is our friend and that He gave His life to save us (read John 6:29; 3:16; 5:24; 6:47).

Faith is very important in friendship. What is faith? Faith is trusting completely in the words and promises of our friends. The person who doubts the word of another cannot remain a friend. Trust is the mortar that binds true friendship. If you doubt Jesus, you cannot be His friend. He wants you and I to believe certain things. The first is that He is our Saviour and He is the only way to be saved.

The second commandment that He wants His friends to obey is this: This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you." (John 15:10,12,17). If you do not love your neighbour, you are not a friend of Jesus. If you do not love your brother in the church, you are not a friend of Jesus. If you do not love your fellowman, you are not a friend of Jesus. Love is a sign that we belong to Jesus and we are his friends.

Questions to think about:

1. What kind of friends do I have?

2. Is Jesus my friend? Or, in other words have I accepted Jesus as my Saviour and Lord? Do I show genuine love for people?