Bible Reading:
Matthew chapter 9 verses 9 to 13

The Friend of Sinners

How do you choose your friends? We choose our friends for all sorts of reasons. We might have the same interests and get friendly with people who do what we do. It might be that we spend a lot of time in the same place. The friend might be really tough and able to protect us from enemies. They might be a person who is really tough and it is nicer to be friends with them than have them beat up on us. They might be someone who is well off and very generous. They might be a very friendly, kind and caring person. There are many reasons why we choose particular people as our friends.

Gods Word tells us that we all have sinful hearts. The things that come out of our hearts betray what our hearts are like. Looking on peoples outward appearance often reveals nothing about them but when they start to speak out loud and to do things we can see we then find what they're like in their hearts. Did you ever see a little child in a pushchair in a shop? You think what a lovely little child - until they see something they want and their mum or dad will not let them have it. Then you see what has been in their hearts all the time. They scream and shout and stamp and cry and throw things and it is then plain what they are like really by nature.

The Bible is clear that we are all sinful by nature. Perhaps you think "Oh no! Here he goes again, talking about sin - again." I would not be a friend to you if I did not warn you of what Gods word says. If I just tell you all will be well in the end for you, no matter what you do or how you live your life, I would be lying to you. The Bible is plain, sinners break Gods Law and this makes Him angry with them all the time. Psalms 56:5 Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil. Psalms 7:11 God judgeth the righteous, (or:- is a righteous judge) and God is angry with the wicked every day. If I did not warn you of the danger of sin and of Gods judgement, I would not be your friend.

Scripture is plain in Romans 1:32 by nature, we like to be friends with sinful people. We want the company of people who will help us in sinful ways or, at least, they will not tell us off when we do wrong. Romans 1:32 describes people Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. The verse comes at the end of a description of how wicked people get when they reject God and His word. James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. We cannot serve God and this sinful world and, by nature, we serve this sinful world rather than God.

There is a proverb written by a very wise man under Gods inspiration. Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. How many friends do you think an unkind, miserable, violent, angry, cruel, rude, lying, cheating, thieving, unfriendly person would have? If a person is going to have friends then they must be friendly to people.

There is a person who has shown that He is the best and greatest friend anyone could ever have. This person lived in a place where He was completely happy. He had a perfect relationship with His Father. He had hosts of servants to do all He commanded. He was held in great respect and love by all who lived in His home. There was nothing in His home that offended Him. He lived the most perfect kind of life that anyone could ever imagine. Yet, He set it all aside and went to a place where He was despised and rejected. Things He saw around Him often saddened him. He had nowhere to call His own, not even a little room somewhere where he could lay down and rest. People who should have recognised Him and welcomed Him refused to receive Him. Often, even His friends did not believe what He said. They often did not trust Him and many times did not even listen to what He told them. When He was in great trouble and needed their support they went to sleep. When His enemies came, they ran away and left Him on His own.

What would cause someone to do all this? ! It must have been a great reason for this person to give up so much. He came to be a friend to people for the very best of reasons. He came, not because of what His friends could do for Him, not for what He could get out of them but for what He could do for them. The Lord Jesus Christ gave up the wonders of heaven to be born into the world for no other reason than to save sinners. The Lord Jesus came to be the best friend a sinner could ever hope to have. Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. The Lord Jesus did what He did, not for people who loved Him or even that liked Him. The Lord Jesus did all that He did that He might be a friend to people who hated, despised and rejected Him. He left heavens glory to bring salvation from sin and deliverance from hell to people who, by nature, wouldn't give him the time of day. He chooses people as His friends because He is gracious, not because people are nice to Him or even want to be His friends. Without what The Lord Jesus did in coming to save sinners there would be no way for anyone to be His friend.

The Lord Jesus did all that He did that the people He chose to be His friends might know Him in this life and that they might be safe forever with Him in heaven. John 15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

The Lord Jesus changes sinful people so that they can be His friends. He gives His friends new life. Life that means that the friends of The Lord Jesus can no longer be happy and at peace to be taken up with the things of this sinful world. He gives repentance as a gift. People that Jesus has made His friends find they have new desires for the things of God and His word. Jesus' friends are new creatures, His new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. He does not command things from people then leave them to it. In John 1:11-12 we read He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

The Lord Jesus has done all that is necessary to save His friends from their worst enemy

It was true in some sense, that Christ was a Friend to publicans and sinners, the best Friend they ever had, for he came into the world to save sinners, great sinners, even the chief; so he said very feelingly, who had been himself not a publican and sinner, but a Pharisee and sinner; but this is, and will be to eternity, Christ's praise, and they forfeited the benefit of it who thus turned it to his reproach.

There is a story told of a man who lived in a shed. On the floor of the shed was a load of old straw. The man was convinced he would, one day, find great treasure in the straw. He spent every waking moment searching. Sometimes he raked it over, others he got down on his hands and knees and went through it stalk by stalk, always searching for what he hoped he would find.
Nearby was the palace of great king. He sent many messengers to the man offering him a mansion to live in and peace and prosperity forever if he would stop searching the straw in his shed.

The man just went on searching his straw. He refused the kings generosity. What a foolish man!

All who despise and reject The Lord Jesus in favour of the things in this world are like the man searching the straw. May it not be so with you.

The Bible says in Isaiah chapter 55 verses 6 and 7 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Will you not call upon God for forgiveness and eternal life through The Friend of Sinners today?