Sunday, August 29th, is our annual “Friend Day” at Enon. The word ‘friend’ is defined as ally, companion, comrade, helper, partner, supporter. When we think of people we would call a real friend, we usually think of someone we’ve gotten to know and could count on through thick and thin…someone we could count on to be there supporting us in the ups and downs, in the lows as well as the highs of our lives. But it’s interesting to see who Jesus called and/or treated as friends during his earthly journey. In Luke 5: 17-20, as Jesus was healing a paralyzed man he’d never met, he called the man “Friend”! In Matthew 26: 47-50, in the very moment one of the twelve disciples, Judas, was betraying Jesus-in the moment Judas was helping set up Jesus’ crucifixion- Jesus called Judas “Friend”! In Matthew 11: 19, Jesus declared he openly lived in such a way as to be seen as a “…friend of tax collectors and sinners.” In other words, Jesus was determined to live in such a way that he would be sincerely helpful to ALL people whether or not they were helpful to him. Jesus risked being a true friend without the promise of friendship in return. And lives were changed for eternity because of it.
If that’s the kind of friend Jesus is, that’s the kind of friend we’re called to be in the name of Jesus! I’m convinced if we’ll risk being a friend and invite someone to join us in worship on the 29th, Jesus will change more lives for eternity.
And Friend, we’ll never be a part of anything more important than that!
Pastor Tammy
