Fantastical Friends

I’ve said it before, and repeat it today, I have so few close friends, but the ones that I do have are Fantastically Great Friends! I have many acquaintances that will help out in a pinch, but there are few who ride in on a white charger and provide the help needed in times of distress!

Fantastical Friends!

Many times these great friends are related to me, so you may discount them as being true friends. After all, it was Solomon who said, “There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother!” (Proverbs 18:24) but he was also the one who said, “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17)

My View

Friends are great and come to the rescue, but when there is a battle brewing there is nothing better than a brother! Brothers are those who have been with you since the beginning, friends often come and go. If a “friend” thinks it okay to tear down my brother, well, friend, you better change your mind right now! My brothers are in my life from beginning to end!

None of this means that any of us is perfect. We all have our idiosyncrasies that make relationships a challenge. Our view of life challenges some to stick with us when the going gets tough, even when others flee.

Immediately, this thought pops into my mind. Think of any world leader, popular person, or big-name star. What kind of “friends” can they have? Do they have true friends? I think I want to know who some world leaders can have any friends, and especially troubling are those who do not have brothers to be there for them.

Just Thinking Out Loud

What are friends for? In the KJV (King James) version of scripture, Solomon gives many one-liner thoughts that grab our attention and we build our lives around a spiritual or pithy statement. Still, it’s a translation and before I build too much, I should understand the reference. Consider this popular verse:

Iron sharpeneth iron;
so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
(Proverbs 27:17 KJV)

Other translations word it a little differently, for the most part, but you will catch the drift.

• (CJB)  Just as iron sharpens iron, a person sharpens the character of his friend.
• (ESV)  Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
• (MKJV)  Iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the face of his friend.
• (MSG)  You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another.
• (NKJV)  As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
• (RV)  Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

The Hebrew word we translate for “friend” is also translated throughout the KJV as Friend, other, another and neighbor. In other words, that sharpening takes place on others around us we may call friend, but it also wraps around the thought that we are to be sharpeners of others everywhere!

Who is My Friend

I’ve shared this before but let me reference it again. In the early pages of Jesus’ life, the Gospel of Mark records the actions of some friends. Jesus was in town. A friend was too sick to go under his own power, so the friends made a way for him to get into the presence of Jesus! The healer!

And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
(Mark 2:1-5 NKJV)

The Fantastic Four – Some of you immediately think about the Marvel Comic Book series by the same name, others will think it has something to do with the four gospels, and still, others think that it’s all about the four friends. Regardless, I find a wealth of thought from these few verses. Let me share with you if you are of a mind to read.

You’ve Got To Have Friends

We sing “I am a friend of God” but do we have friends around us that are friends like we claim to be to God? You need to choose your friends wisely. I want a friend that will support me regardless of my failures and situations of life. We need Friends who look AT our situation and determine that there IS a solution and will work to MOVE ME into the solution arena for an answer.

• Wrong Friends in Your life are at those who are at odds with God (James 4:4), thus, you are unequally yoked (2 Corinthians 6:14)
• A friend loves at ALL TIMES (Proverbs 17:17), yet a friend can wound us and still be faithful (Proverbs 27:6) – our countenance/character is sharpened by our friends (Proverbs 27:17).
• If you want to have friends, you must show yourself to be friendly (Proverbs 18:24). Friendship is a two-way street!

Friends Will Do For You What You Cannot Do For Yourself

He’s paralytic (paralyzed, feeble). He may not even be able to talk well. Maybe his friends come to visit him every day to see what his needs are and how they can help him. He’s probably shut-in, incapable of movement or sustaining his own life.

We need to surround ourselves with friends that will step in and help when we are incapable of helping ourselves! How many shut-ins do you know? Hospitalized? In recovery? Long term health issues? Facing daunting challenges, or a negative doctors report? If you ever claim to be their friend, now is a time they need you most!

Friends Will Take You To The Solution

They will share the load between them and pick you up, even if they have to carry your bed with you in it… They will press into the crowd where Jesus is…Nothing will deter them.

We all need friends. Maybe even right now it will be your friend that takes you to your solution! Some of us are incapable of taking ourselves to Jesus, and friends step in with a solution!

Friends Will Not Be Deterred By The Impossible

Perhaps they were shoved from the door of the house where the crowd had gathered. Maybe they even face ridicule. Think about it, perhaps they struggled greatly with the responsibility of their friend and could have just as easily given up – “Oh, well….” Life is full of struggles, but they had to struggle greatly to get the man onto the roof. Perhaps they struggled to find the best place to tear aside the roof.

Have you yearned for a friend of church and family – someone who will not give up regardless of what others say? Friends never cease to help you!

When Jesus Is In Town!

Jesus is in a house in Capernaum (perhaps a disciples house). The crowds flock. The sick are brought. He’s teaching. Wonderful words of life. This is early in his ministry and he’s perhaps not completely a known entity.

What would you do if you knew Jesus was going to be at your house tonight? Call your neighbors, friends, and countrymen! Invite everyone! Bring Jesus into your House and people will come to your house to find Him! Let it be noised about that the Healer is at Your House and people will come.

What a witness! Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Email, Fax, Phone, Snail Mail, Tin Can and String – the word will be out – You have Jesus in Your House!

Wouldn’t it be something to have a press of people around this place that you could not make it in the door? No longer could you show up simply On Time – You would have to come very early to get a seat. It could happen. Let’s Bring Jesus Here and Lift Him Up and He will draw ALL men unto Him!

If you are a person in need, where are your friends today?

Faith…

Faith… Faith… Just a little bit of Faith! Whose faith is required? Paul tells the readers that you don’t have to walk by your Sight, but by your Faith! (2 Corinthians 5:7)

If these four had walked by sight they would have turned away as soon as they saw the crowd because they couldn’t see Jesus. Yet, their Faith looked higher than the press of the crowd at the door.

Their faith looked for another solution!

Even His own disciples had moments of doubt. After a particularly taxing time, they launched into the deep and Jesus tells his disciples to FISH… Peter says, “We have toiled all night and caught nothing…” (Luke 5:5)

This is where some of us are – we feel like we’ve worked hard up to this moment and it seems like it’s the moment to give up. Why keep on trying? Peter continues, “…nevertheless AT THY WORD I will let down the net…” They catch so many fish that their nets break.

Do not let the weight of your past efforts, trials or burdens prevent you from obeying the command of Christ!

• The woman with the issue of blood had spent ALL SHE HAD and yet had faith to but touch His HEM. (Matthew 9:20)
• The blind men followed Jesus and declared their Faith and He healed them. (Matthew 9:27-28)
• The ruler comes for Jesus and He heals his daughter. (Luke 8:41)
• The centurion simply requests Jesus to say the words, and his servant would be healed! Jesus said he had the Greatest Faith of anyone in Israel! (Matthew 8:8-10)

Jesus can heal despite your lack of faith, but He specifically notes your faith in the matter and touches lives.

Fade Into The Background

We hear nothing about the four men – what are their names, where did they come from, what do they do? It matters little – other than they were friends of the one in need.

We hear nothing about the sick man – what is his name, how did he get sick, what was his livelihood. What did he do after his miracle? It matters little – he’s just one of the millions that need Jesus, even today.

What we realize, is that this one action of Faith does not require us to know their names, occupations or connections to the one who was ill. Faith simply says do and no other recognition is required.

And when it was all done they Faded into the background…

This Healing Was Not Special

Some come to Jesus for a Miracle, but as He shows to us in our scripture, his purpose was to Seek and Save the lost (Matthew 18:11, Luke 19:10). But his love for his creation makes it possible for those that are in desperate need come to him for help and assistance and healing. Even when they are lost! Luke 15 teaches us of the many times of rejoicing when something that was lost is found.

• The man with a hundred sheep leaves the 99 to find the 1.
• The woman loses 1 of 10 pieces of silver and tears the house up looking for the 1.
• The man with two sons kills the calf and restores the Prodigal when he is found back home.

Don’t get me wrong, I think that Healings restore us to that favored status that Jesus wants in our lives, but I would much rather enter into heaven maimed than to go to hell whole. (Mark 9:43) When He does heal it’s a witness of His power!

Do let the focus of the church be about signs and miracles! Salvation is the commission that was given to us! This concept is proven over and again and if you will look back to your experience then you will see this to be true.

• There are some who will come only because they have a need, and as soon as the need is met they leave.
• Some will come because of the desperate hours this world is in, but when it gets better, they will leave
• Others will come because of the razzle-dazzle of a special event, but they will return to their former life with little change but a memory of something that happened in a fuzzy dream world.

What should never fade into the background is my salvation. This is what will take me into heaven.

Summary

It’s time to make some changes. Be that true friend that will go even when others forsake. Have the faith to act even in the face of great obstacles. One day it may be you in need, and look around for those friends you thought would be there and find that they are no different than you were!

If you always do what you’ve always done,
you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.