A Friend of God

Read: Genesis 18:8-15

Pray

Trans:Define “Friendship”.

1. If I were to ask you to describe a symbol representing friendship, what would it be.

2. Examples in scripture include David and Jonathan. Paul calls Luke his friend.

3. But when we think of friendship, Abraham stands out – more than any other example of friendship.

4. Abraham is unique, because he is the only person in all of scripture that is described as, “a friend of God.” Not once, not twice, but three times – Abraham is referred to as the “friend of God”.

T.S.

1. A Friend of God spends time with God

   1. The principle is simple – if I want to call God a friend, I will want to spend time with Him.

   2. Interestingly, it was not Abraham that started this relationship – it was God - “The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre”

   3. I will want to spend time reading His book.

   4. I will want spend time talking to Him and listening to Him – that is prayer.

   5. I will want to spend time just being with Him.

(Appl.) But that is exactly the problem – too often, time is a tough to come by in the midst of our busy lives.
- Work
- Family
- Life

We let life determine what is important, rather than taking time to determine what is important in life. Sit down this week and make a list of all the things that have to be done. Where does God fit? It might even be you forgot to put him into your list. Where does God fit?

(Ill.) There was a story in a Rochester, Texas church bulletin about a young man who was working in a large department store, being told by his employer that he would be required to work on Sunday. It so happened that the hours assigned to him would have prevented his attending any of the worship services to which he had been accustomed to attending since childhood.

The young man informed his employer that he would not be able to continue his work under these conditions, and his employer told him he would have to go.

A few days later, the young man answered an ad in the paper from a bank which had advertised a vacancy for a teller. In checking the young man's previous employers, the bank president contacted the department store head and inquired as to the boy's record and whether he could recommend him. The store manager replied, "Why, yes, I will be glad to recommend him. He will make you a good man. I just fired him a few days ago."

"Fired him?" the bank president exclaimed. "Why would you recommend a man whom you just recently dismissed from your service?" The store manager explained the circumstances under which the boy was released, and remarked, "I know he will make you a good man for your bank, because if he will not steal the Lord's time, he will not steal your money."

6. Let me ask one more time, where does God fit?
   

2. A Friend of God focuses on their family

(Ill.) I came across a poem this week that reminded me of the need to constantly be developing the relationship with my wife:

Tell Her So

Amid the cares of married life,
In spite of toil and business strife,
If you value your sweet wife,
Tell her so!

There was a time you thought it bliss
To get the favor of a kiss;
A dozen now won't come amiss-
Tell her so!

Do not act as if she has passed her prime,
As though to please her were a crime-
If e'er you loved her, now is the time;
Tell her so!

Never let her heart grow cold;
Richer beauties will unfold.
She is worth her weight in gold;
Tell her so!

1. Abraham feeds His three visitors and they begin discussuing Abraham's family.

2. There is of course the good news that Abraham is going to have a baby – and they only have to wait a year.

3. But, do you hear it, Sarah laughs. And you would too. She is nearing 100 years of age and has just been told that she will have a baby.

4. I mean, I am not 100, but I would probably laugh too if Sandra came back and told me that she was expecting.

5. But at the very least, Abraham does focus on his wife and will be with her during the coming year.
   
   

3. A Friend of God is concerned for their world

   1. But a friend of God also looks beyond their own world.

   2. As the three visitors described what is planned for Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham realizes that he has the opportunity to intercede for his neighbors to the East.

   3. I am not sure that negotiating with God is a good example – but the concern that Abraham has for those outside his is to be noticed.

   4. God's love is not limited to any one group or ideology's or heritage.

   5. How far does your heart reach? How far do your prayers reach?

   6. God is at work around the world.
      - There are missionaries in every corner of the world.
      - There are Christians located in corner of the globe

   7. Our hearts much reach out where God's heart reaches

   8. Just as Abraham prayed for his neighbors to the East – so must we pray for God's people wherever they may be.
      

Conclusion: In some way, the jump from having a world view to our monthly communion service seems difficult.

1. But we have not been talking about a world view. We have been discussing what it means to be a friend of God

2. Gather, today, at the table of a friend.

3. The original communion supper was a gathering of friends – there is no reason it cannot be so again.

Pray