Pastor Rich's Sermon, Sunday, April 25, 2004Sunday

Last week I focused on the truth that God wants to be your best friend and left you with the question, do you want to be God’s best friend?

Assuming your answer is YES, this morning I am going to focus on how do you become best friends with God?

James, Jesus’ brother said,

“Draw close to God and God will draw close to you.”
(James 4:8)

This sure sounds simple enough.

Friendship with God won’t happen by accident. The friendships you have right now with other people didn’t happen by accident. You are friends because you invested desire, time, energy, and trust. You care about what they care about. You share similar interests. Friendship with God is no different. The building blocks for developing friends are the same whether it is with God or humans.

In his book, The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren lists four building blocks to making God your best friend.

The first building block is HONESTY.

My favorite book of the Bible has to be the Psalms. In the psalms we see honest sharing of human emotions. The psalmists are totally honest with God. They don’t hide their doubts, their disappointments, their second guessing of God, their accusations, their complaining, or their anger. They are completely honest in their praise of God and their relationship of God. God knows exactly what is on the Psalmist mind.

Is this how you are with God? Does God know your every emotion? When you talk with God are you honest and frank or do you tell God what you think you ought to feel and say?

There is no way that God can mend your brokenness until you give it to Him. What hidden rifts do you have with God right now? What resentments do you have toward God because of past hurts, unanswered prayers, or events that if you were God would have turned out differently?

All of these resentments result in bitterness toward God so RELEASE them. Reveal your honest feelings it is the first step to healing and to building a friendship. Releasing your emotions help you to realize that God is with you in your storms. Speak to God as Moses spoke, honestly, openly and as a friend.

“The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend.
(Exodus 33:11)

The second building block is OBEDIENCE.

We don’t usually think of obedience as a characteristic of friendship. Usually we think of obedience with regards to our relationship with a superior, a boss, a teacher, the police, or a parent. But Jesus makes it very clear that obedience is a condition of intimacy with God.

“You are my friends if you do what I command.”

Obedience is not something new. When Israel was at Mount Sinai God said,

“Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant,
then out of all nations
you will be my treasured possession.”

Obedience is about pleasing Christ not out of fearful obligation but out of love and loyalty. Jesus asks us to obey Him because we love Him.

“If you love me, you will do what I command you.”

Being friends with Jesus does not mean equality with Jesus. Jesus is king and friendship with Jesus does not negate obeying His commandments. God is holy and friendship with God does not negate that he wants us to be holy.

The third building block is VALUE.

Friends care about what is important to the other person. What does God care about most? Redemption! The whole reason for Jesus’ coming to earth was to redeem our life. Friends of Jesus tell their friends about the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

I know this goes against the culture we live in. You are not suppose to impose your believes on anyone. Faith is personal. You don’t get any argument from me on that point. Faith has to be personal, but NOT PRIVATE.

We don’t hesitate to tell our best friends about the latest sales, the new restaurant that just opened, the joke that we just heard, the weather forecast for tomorrow, why do we hesitate to share our faith. Why do we hesitate? Particularly when scripture states,

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.
Always be prepared to give an answer
to everyone who asks you to give
the reason for the hope that you have.”
(1 Peter 3:15)

The fourth building block is DESIRE.

God is not mad at you; He’s mad about you. Are you mad about God?

The bottom line is that you are as close to God as you choose to be.

God told the Israelites when they were being held as captives in Babylon,

“When you get serious about finding me and want me more than anything else. I’ll make sure you won't be disappointed.”
(Jeremiah 29:13)

Are you ready to get serious to about making God your best friend? Are you ready to desire God more than anything else? If you are, God promises, you won’t be disappointed.

Almighty God, we want to draw closer to You.
Help us God to surrender to You
whatever it is that is keeping us from loving You
with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

Amen