From Clochr Valley in County Tyrone we present Let the Bible Speak. It's good to have you join us as Gospel Minister the Reverend Peter McIntyre is here to let the Bible speak and preach Christ in all his fullness. How deep the Father's love for us just beyond all measure, that He should give His only Son to make a wretch His treasure. With the pain of searing loss, the Father turns His face away. As wounds which mar the Chosen One bring many sons to rest, Behold the man upon the cross, my sin upon his shoulders. Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice. It was my sin that held him there, Until it was accomplished. His dying breath has brought me life, I know that it is finished. I will not boast in anything, no gifts, no powers, no wisdom, but I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. I cannot give an answer But this I know with all my heart These wounds have paid my ransom What should I gain from this reward? I cannot give an answer. But this I know with all my heart. These wounds have paid my ransom. This afternoon I want to talk to you about my best friend. Proverbs 18.24 says there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. An ancient philosopher once said that friendship is the only thing in the world concerning the usefulness of which all mankind are agreed. Life without friends would be like a tree stripped bare of its foliage and fruit. We should thank God for the friends that he has given. They are precious friends indeed. And yet, good friends can be hard to find. The best kind of friend is one who his family and Solomon refers here to the bond that exists between brothers. We often say concerning the friendship that two men enjoy. They're just like brothers because we consider the brotherly bond to be one of the closest attachments. The story is told of two brothers by the name of Forsyth who were marching with a highland regiment over the mountains in the 19th century when they were overtaken by a terrible blizzard. One of the brothers collapsed. The other lifted him up, carried him as far as he could. Then he collapsed as well. But he died. But the brother that died, this was the brother who had first of all lifted up his brother. The brother who died, the warmth of his body revived the one who fell initially and he got enough strength just to get away to safety. Only brotherly love could behave in such a selfless way. Only brotherly love could be manifested in the laying down of one's life. Here in our text we are told that there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. And who is this? A friend who has an even stronger attachment than that which exists amongst brothers. This has to be Jesus Christ. A brother is an irrelation. Jesus Christ became man for us. He took our bone, our flesh. He took our blood. He took humanity. He became a real man. He remained God, absolutely holy, perfect. But he became man forever. And the reason why he became man was that he might be our friend. Christ is the truest friend any of us could ever have. Some people who, when they discover a good friend, become jealous if that person becomes the friend of another. That's not a good sign of friendship. Jealousy is not a good foundation for friendship. But true Christians never behave in this manner. Where Christ is concerned, we want to share our friend. We want Him to be your friend too. And I would like to introduce you to Jesus Christ. Tell you about this friendship that I have with Him. Jesus, he's the friend of sinners. He is an honourable friend. It is wise to have friends who are respectable and well thought of. Friends who are disreputable. They're not the good kind of friends to have because they will let you down. But who can discover a blemish in the character of our Lord? Even Pilate said, I find no fault in this man. He's an honourable friend. He's a truthful friend. A false friend is the flatterer who ignores our faults butters us up. The true friend will not conceal a problem. We'll be honest where our flaws are concerned. Some people, they lose a good friend because that good friend has come to them and has been honest and has said, look, you need to put this right, you were wrong in saying that. That's a sign of a good friend. Don't lose the friendship of somebody who's honest. But some people will not have Jesus as their friend because he's honest with them. Jesus tells us about hell. He tells us about our sin. He tells us about things that we don't necessarily want to hear. But he does this in order that we might know the truth. Because it is only the truth that sets us free. He is an old friend. There is a lot to be said for holding on to an old friend. There is a Russian proverb which says that an old friend is better than two new ones. When did Christ begin loving you? He began loving you before the world was formed. He loved you when you were born, but he loved you before you were born. His eye has been upon you throughout your entire life, and today he loves you still. He's an old friend worth appreciating, worth having. He is an all-weather friend. You have sometimes heard of all-weather friends. All is lovely and cosy when you have a bit of money or a bit of health. But as soon as the chips are down, they run away never to be seen again. But then there are the friends who are with us through thick and thin. Some friends are like the swallow who disappears for winter. But other friends are like the robin who is there in the sunshine when the blossoms and the flowers are on the trees and the bushes. But the robin is also there in the snow. Christ is an all-weather friend and he draws especially close in bereavement and pain and confusion and uncertainty. Remember the poem about the footprints in the sand? This person had a dream and in that dream he was reviewing his life and he saw himself walking along with the Lord over the sands of time. and they were leaving footprints, two sets of footprints. But then he got a bit bewildered because as he reviewed over his life, he saw only one set of footprints. And he said, Lord, were you not with me during those days? Those were my toughest days. And the Lord said, then I carried you. And that's exactly what the Lord does. He carries us through those tough days. All around, Moses said, are the everlasting arms. He is a long-suffering friend. There are times in life we think we have made a friend and then we find out something about that person we don't like and the friendship cools. And no doubt there are people who thought that we were good friends and their friendship for us cooled whenever they discovered things about us that they didn't like. because we're all a flawed people. But Christ, he is a friend who suffers long with us. He forgives us, and he cherishes us, and when we make those mistakes, when we do what's wrong, he's still there for us. He doesn't turn us away. Yet he's no blind friend. He knew our faults and our sins when he started loving us, and he's been loving us ever since. He does not cast us into darkness. He suffers with our foolishness, with great patience and in compassion. And maybe you've been turning away from his friendship, but still he loves you. He has suffered long. He has given you an opportunity to hear this message that you might embrace his friendship. He is a sacrificial friend. Some people say I'm thinking about you, but to do nothing to help you. They don't give their time. When you need support, they're not there to give that support. And that's not really a true friend. A true friend doesn't merely love in word, but that true friend loves in deed as well. A true friend will sacrifice and give for the sake of others. Love sacrifices. The sinner's friend, who is Jesus, he loved us so much that he gave his life on Calvary. There is no greater love than this. When I survey the wondrous cross, on which the Prince of Glory died, my richest gain I count but loss and poor contempt and all, my pride. He is an unconditional friend. Jesus Christ wants nothing from us. He's not even saying, perform lots of good works to be my friend. Because we have nothing good to bring. We have nothing to present him with. We have nothing that can enhance him. There's nothing in us that he needs. He loves us unconditionally. But you need to accept that friendship. If someone wants to be your friend, you have to accept them. How often have you pushed Christ away? How often have you said no to him? How often have you rejected him? Don't do that today. All Christ asks of you is this, trust me, trust me, don't turn away from me, don't run away from me, trust me, don't struggle against me, trust me, put your faith in me, rely upon me. That's all you need to do to enjoy his friendship. He is an eternal friend. The Apostle Paul wrote, There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Our earthly friends must die. The very best of friends must die. We can still be separated without death because of distance and miles, because of changes in life. But Christ, he's with us at all times. He will never let us down. He died once for us but now he lives forever and he is with us at all times. He will never leave us, never forsake us. He's an eternal friend, so come to him today. Don't turn away from the friendship of Christ. Give him your heart. He is the friend that sticketh closer than a brother. you've been listening to Let the Bible Speak. If we can be of any further spiritual help, or if you would like to receive some free gospel literature, we invite you to write to us. Our mailing address is Let the Bible Speak, Rev. Peter McIntyre, 13 Willand Crescent, 5 Mile Town, County Tyrone, BT75OQL. That's Let the Bible Speak, Rev. Peter McIntyre, Thirteen, Willand, Crescent, Five Mile Town, County Tyrone, BT75, OQL. You may hear Mr. McIntyre preach each Lord's Day here in Clocker Valley Free Presbyterian Church at 11.30am and 7pm. For further information you may phone us at 028 8952 1611. 028 8952 1611. We assure you of a very warm welcome at all the services and look forward to having you visit with us. Thank you for listening today. May the Lord richly bless you, and don't forget to tune in on this same station at the same time next week, when once again we turn to the scriptures and let the Bible speak.