[Paul Lim Jr. is a good friend to CBF children; this Sunday he played an offering song entitled "Someone is praying for you."]
Title of the message: Jesus is friendly
Bible Passage: John 4
Messenger: Isaac H. Kim
When: March 10, 2013, 1:45-2:00 p.m.
Where: LA UBF Worship Hall
Message:
John's gospel 4 describes Jesus' 4 days of ministry.
Day 1: he spent time in Judea
Day 2-3: he stayed in Samaria
Day 4: he moved up to Galilee
In Judea he was friendly to those who did not like him. The Pharisees became angry with Jesus for Jesus became popular. They wanted to pick fist fights with Jesus. But in kindness Jesus did not argue with them. In love, Jesus gave them some room to calm down and regain the peace of mind. So on learning their being angry Jesus took his disciples and moved up north, that is, Samaria.
Are you friendly to those who are jealous of you? If anyone is angry with you what wisdom is there for us to learn in dealing with such a person? Give that person some room to calm down, by going to another room or giving some distance from that person, until that person regains peace.
In Samaria Jesus met a lonely person. Her townspeople looked down on her. They did not talk to her. They were unfriendly to her. But Jesus was different. When Jesus met her at the Jacob's well, in the heat of the day, Jesus opened up a conversation saying, "Can you please give me a drink?" Jesus' word helped her open her heart. So the two started talking. This way the two became good friends. Of course she discovered that Jesus is the best friend of all, that is, the Savior. Struck by Jesus' friendliness she went back to the town, brought all women in town, and helped them to meet Jesus, her newly found friend. Jesus greeted them. He spent time with them. Jesus talked and talked. They also talked and talked with Jesus. This way the whole townspeople became friends with Jesus.
Are you friendly to those who are lonely? If you find someone whom many do not want to talk to, what would you be doing for that person? We learn from Jesus the wisdom to make a good friend out of that person, that is, with an understanding heart, open a conversation like "Hi" or "How do you do?" We also learn from Jesus that helping one lonely person to meet Jesus the good friend is the key to gaining many other friends.
Day 4 Jesus went back to his hometown Galilee. There Jesus became a good friend to a father with a teenage boy who had fallen ill. After a long journey from Judea back to Galilee Jesus must have been tired. When the poor father with a poor boy came out with a pressing demand, Jesus did not reject him. Jesus gave the father a quick Bible study on the importance of prayer and faith in God Almighty. After this, Jesus said, "Go home, your son is now well." The father liked the Bible study. He went back home believing. And when he arrived home he saw his son well. Jesus' word proved true.
From Jesus we learn that Jesus is friendly to even a man who is very demanding.
Conclusion: Jesus is friendly to: 1) those who do not like Jesus; 2) those who are lonely; 3) those who are demanding. Thank you Jesus the Son of God who came to be a good friend for all.
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