A Friend of Jesus

Many people in this world claim to know Jesus, but I sometimes wonder how many truly walk with Him as a friend.

The older I get, the more I realize there is a difference between knowing about someone and truly knowing them.

I know about Abraham Lincoln.

I know about George Washington.

I know about famous preachers and singers.

But they are not my friends.

Friendship means closeness.

It means trust.

It means walking together through life.

And one of the most amazing statements in all the Bible is when Jesus looked at His disciples and said:

“Henceforth I call you not servants… but I have called you friends.”

— John 15:15 (KJV)

Think about that for a moment.

The Son of God — the One who spoke the stars into existence — calls ordinary believers His friends.

That ought to humble every one of us.

Now I know a lot of folks want a comfortable religion these days. They want a Jesus who blesses them, helps them when trouble comes, and asks nothing in return. But that is not the Jesus of the Bible.

Just one verse before calling them friends, Jesus said:

“Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”

— John 15:14 (KJV)

That part does not get preached much anymore.

Friendship with Jesus is not built on empty words. It is built on obedience, love, faithfulness, and fellowship.

You cannot walk hand in hand with the world and still walk closely with Christ.

A true friend spends time with you.

A true friend listens.

A true friend stays loyal when everybody else walks away.

And I believe that is what Jesus is looking for in this hour — faithful friends.

Not fair-weather Christians.

Not Sunday morning believers who forget Him the rest of the week.

Not people who only pray when trouble comes.

He is looking for people who will walk with Him daily.

I have found something through the years as a country preacher. Hard times reveal who your real friends are.

When life is good, everybody smiles.

When the bills are paid, and your health is strong, people will pat you on the back and tell you how much they love you.

But let trouble come.

Let sickness come.

Let persecution come.

Let people turn against you.

That is when true friendship is revealed.

The disciples stayed with Jesus when others walked away.

The martyrs died because they loved Christ more than this present world.

Old saints endured hardship because Jesus was more than a religion to them — He was their dearest Friend.

I fear many in modern Christianity know church culture better than they know Christ Himself.

They know sermons but not prayer.

They know religion but not fellowship.

They know doctrine but not intimacy with God.

Jesus did not die to give us religious information.

He died to reconcile us unto Himself.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

— John 15:13 (KJV)

At Calvary, Jesus proved His friendship toward us.

He loved us when we were broken.

He loved us when we were sinful.

He loved us when we were unworthy.

And now He asks us to follow Him faithfully.

Being a friend of Jesus means staying close to Him when the world grows dark.

It means praying when others stop praying.

It means standing for truth when compromise becomes popular.

It means loving holiness more than worldly acceptance.

And I will tell you something else. If the days ahead become as difficult as many believe they may, only those who truly know Christ will stand firm.

Church membership alone will not sustain people.

Politics will not sustain people.

Money will not sustain people.

But a real walk with Jesus will.

There is peace in knowing Him.

Strength in walking with Him.

Comfort in hearing His voice during troubled times.

I have lived long enough now to know this world cannot be trusted. Governments fail. Economies shake. People disappoint us. Even churches sometimes lose their way.

But Jesus remains faithful.

What a blessing it is to know that the Lord of glory still looks upon ordinary people like us and says:

“I have called you friends.”

That is the kind of friendship worth holding onto until the very end.

And before I close, let me tell you about a Friend I would like to share with you.

He is closer than a brother.

When this world disappoints you, He remains faithful.

When others walk away, He stays.

When mother and father cannot be there, He is still beside you.

He walks with me every single day.

He listens to my problems.

He understands my fears.

He knows every burden I carry and every tear I try to hide from others.

I have talked to Him on lonely roads, in hospital rooms, beside gravesides, and during nights when sleep would not come because the weight of life seemed too heavy to bear.

And every time, He was there.

Not always removing the storm, but always walking with me through it.

He promised:

“I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

— Hebrews 13:5 (KJV)

What a Friend Jesus has been to this old country preacher.

Through failures, struggles, heartbreaks, disappointments, and trials, He has remained faithful.

He not only promises to walk with us through life, but even through death itself.

David wrote:

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.”

— Psalm 23:4 (KJV)

That is the kind of Friend Jesus is.

The world offers temporary friendships built upon convenience, but Jesus offers eternal fellowship built upon love and grace.

And the wonderful thing is this:

His invitation is open to everyone.

No matter who you are,

No matter what you have done,

No matter how broken your life may seem,

Jesus still says:

“I have called you friends.”

My prayer today is simple.

Accept his invitation to friendship.

Walk with Him.

Talk with Him.

Trust Him.

Stay close to Him.

Because when everything else in this world begins to shake, you will discover that Jesus Christ truly is the Friend that sticketh closer than a brother.