“Introduce Jesus to Your Friend” by Tim Childs

    Next Sunday, October 30, is our annual “Bring a Friend” Day.  In the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, you and I have something to be enthused and motivated about.  You and I can introduce ourselves to a newcomer to the community; often we introduce a friend to another of our friends; we might have the opportunity during our lifetime to introduce a political figure at some gathering.  However, the greatest introduction you and I will ever make is to introduce Jesus to another, whether it is a friend, family member, co-worker, neighbor, or even a complete stranger.

    It qualifies as the “greatest introduction” since Jesus is the greatest personage (“person of rank and distinction”) to ever walk among men.  The effect he can have in our lives and the lives of our friends extraordinarily transcends that of any other person.  During Jesus’ personal ministry in the days of his flesh lives were transformed…men, women and young people were lifted up from the abyss of sin and the corruption produced by fleshly lusts.

     In the Gospel of John, chapter 8, we read how the scribes and Pharisees introduced Jesus to an unfortunate woman who was made a public spectacle because she was a sinner being guilty of adultery.  Jesus obviously did not condone her sinful behavior.  Jesus challenged those present who had no sin in their lives to execute the sentence of capital punishment by stoning.  With awareness of their own unrighteousness, they left one by one until Jesus finally was left alone with the woman.  “Go, and sin no more” was his charge.

    Jesus blesses our lives not just by providing the cleansing we need.  We surely need forgiveness for the offences we have made against God due to our unrighteousness.  However, Jesus further enriches our lives and the lives of our friends by setting us free from sin’s captivating and ensnaring power.  Through the power of the Gospel we are set free and no longer bound by Satan’s chains.  He is no longer our master…he is no longer in control.  In Christ, we and our friends can experience the greatest state and quality of freedom that men can savor.  We have the longed for, precious freedom in Christ. Jesus says, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).

   The Apostle Peter declared, “Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, ‘And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.’ Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities” (Acts 3:25-26).

To the disciples sent by John to see Jesus, he said, “Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me” (Matthew 11:4-6).

   Let’s be a friend to Jesus.  You and I can prove (to him) our love and loyalty by showing him we are not ashamed of him through inviting and bringing a friend to “Bring a Friend” Day.  Hear Jesus: “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:26).

   Let’s be a friend to our friends.  Do something they will love and appreciate you for—care about their soul.