I.        INTRODUCTION

A.      “No man is a failure who has friends.”

                                                             1.      That quote is from the old movie It’s a Wonderful Life in which the main character learns that his life should not be measured by worldly accomplishments, but rather by the relationships he has formed.

                                                             2.      On many levels, this thought is true, but there is only one way to make it absolutely true, and that is to have God for a friend.

B.      One who has God for a friend has a great friend indeed.

                                                             1.      In the New Testament, “friend” is most often translated from the Greek word philos, which originally was an adjective meaning “loved, dear, or friendly.”

                                                             2.      By common usage, we understand that a friend is not only someone for whom we have affection, but a friend is also a person who is supportive and helpful.

                                                             3.      Who could be more deserving of our affection than God, for who has been more supportive and helpful toward us than He?  He is our Creator, our Sustainer, and our Redeemer.

C.      Let us appreciate that God has gone to great lengths to make Himself friendly toward us.

                                                             1.      Notice that Romans 5:10 says that “while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son.”

a.       Reconcile means “to change from enmity to friendship.”

b.       In order to restore friendly relationships between Himself and us, God gave His Son to die.  The cost of this sacrifice shows that He is a true friend to us.

                                                             2.      Let us also remember that it was our sin that caused the enmity, but it was God’s grace that offered to restore the friendship.

D.      While it is clear that God has made Himself friendly toward us, this does not necessarily mean that we have made ourselves friendly toward Him.  How can we become friends of God?

II.      FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD

A.      Let us consider Abraham as our role model for friendship with God.

                                                             1.      James noted that Abraham was called “the friend of God” (Jas. 2:23).

a.       2Chronicles 20:7 records that Jehoshaphat prayed to God and referred to Abraham as “Thy friend.”

b.       Isaiah recorded that God Himself referred to Abraham as “My friend” (Isa. 41:8).

c.        It is quite remarkable that Abraham’s character was such that he was remembered by both God and men as God’s friend.

                                                             2.      What made Abraham a friend of God?  Let us again notice James 2.

a.       The context of this passage is a declaration of the necessity of works in connection with faith (vv. 14-26).

b.       Within this context, Abraham is cited as an example of one who was justified through faithful works (vv. 21-24).

i.         Specifically, it was Abraham’s willingness to offer up his son Isaac as a sacrifice to God that justified him to God (Gen. 22:1-18).  This work of faith proved that Abraham believed God, and “it was reckoned to him as righteousness.”

ii.        In connection with this faithful act, James noted that Abraham was called the friend of God.

c.        Therefore, Abraham made himself to be a friend of God through his works of faith toward God.

i.         Just as God had reached out to Abraham, Abraham also reached out to God through his obedient, faithful works.

ii.        Just as God made Himself friendly toward us by offering His Son, Abraham made himself friendly toward God by offering his son.

B.      If we are to be friends of God, then we must imitate the example of Abraham.

                                                             1.      Christians can relate to Abraham’s situation.

a.       Just as Abraham received wonderful promises from God (Gen. 12:1-3), so also Christians have received “precious and magnificent promises” from God (2Pet. 1:4).

b.       Just as Abraham was told by God what he was to do, so also Christians have been told by God through the New Testament what they must do to receive the fulfillment of the promises.

                                                             2.      Therefore, if we respond to God as Abraham did, we may also become friends of God.

a.       Abraham became God’s friend because he fully entrusted everything that he had to God’s will, including his own son (Heb. 11:8-10, 17-19).

b.       If we want to be friends of God, then we must become like Abraham and hold nothing back from God (Gal. 3:7-9, 26-29).

III.   DRAW NEAR TO GOD

A.      One very comforting fact from Scripture is that God is never far away.

                                                             1.      Paul said that God “is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27).

                                                             2.      David wrote that God is everywhere we may go (Psa. 139:8-10).

                                                             3.      God is already near to us, but are we near to Him?

B.      The Scripture implores us to draw near to God.  Notice James 4:1-10.

                                                             1.      Verse 4 tells us that we choose whether we will have friendship with the world or friendship with God.  We may not have both, but it is within our power to choose one.

                                                             2.      If we should choose to seek friendship with God, then James tells us how to achieve it (vv. 7-10).

a.       We are to submit to God, yielding our own will unto His will.

b.       We are to resist the devil who offers the friendship of the world.

c.        We are to draw near to God with the assurance that He will draw near to us.

i.         Drawing near to God requires us to become more like Him.  Therefore, we must become more spiritually minded, for He is spirit (John 4:24).

ii.        In this spiritual mindset, James said we are to “cleanse our hands,” “purify our hearts,” “be miserable and mourn” over our sin, and “humble ourselves in the presence of the Lord.”

C.      We can only be drawn nearer to God in spirit, and this can only be done through Jesus Christ.

                                                             1.      Jesus said that “no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:6).

a.       We can have access to God only through Jesus, but we can only come to Jesus by hearing and learning from the Father (John 6:44-45).

b.       Notice that John 6:46 implies that no one can hear and learn from the Father directly.  We must hear and learn through Jesus, who has seen the Father and has declared Him unto us (John 1:18; Heb. 1:1-3).  Jesus has brought the word of God to us that we may know Him.

c.        Thus, we see that Jesus is truly an intercessor between us and the Father.

                                                             2.      Through Jesus, Christians have access to “draw near with confidence to the throne of grace” (Heb. 4:14-16; 10:19-22).

a.       Because Jesus is a merciful, faithful, and sympathetic high priest, Christians have access to God (Heb. 2:16-18).

b.       Not only do we have access, but we may approach Him as a friend with confidence.

c.        Through Jesus, we may even draw near to God in worship as priests ourselves (1Pet. 2:9; compare to Ex. 19:22).

IV.    CONCLUSION

A.      No one is a failure who has God for a friend.

                                                             1.      Like Abraham before us, if we can be remembered as friends of God, then we have accomplished great things indeed.

                                                             2.      No one should ever fail, for God has given everyone the abundant opportunity to become His friend through His Son Jesus.

B.      God is a wonderful friend, but a fearsome enemy.

                                                             1.      As we noticed before, we choose whether to be God’s friend or His enemy (Jas. 4:4).  As Jesus said, “He who is not with Me is against Me…” (Matt. 12:30).

                                                             2.      The Scripture reveals the “kindness and severity of God” (Rom. 11:22).  His kindness is reserved for His friends, but His severity is for His enemies.  “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:31).

C.      Therefore, imitate the example of Abraham and make yourself a friend of God today.