What Kind of Friend is This?

Luke 11:5-13

Would you consider someone a friend that refused to help you in your time of need? Would you consider someone a friend that did not honor and respect your time with your family and they annoyed and pressured you even when you made it clear that you weren’t interested? If you answered, “Not much of a friend”, then you are on the same page with Jesus in this story of the importunate friend.

Jesus is giving His doctrine on prayer in response to His disciple’s request to teach them how to pray. Having just shared what we commonly call “The Lord’s Prayer”, He moves on to the attitude that believers should have when they pray. Jesus asks a question, placing the disciple and the reader into the story, forcing us to come to a decision as to whether or not we would consider the following person to be much of a friend. If we asked for food for a guest of ours but our friend yelled from within his house that he was sleeping and didn’t have time for us, would we consider him a friend? Finally, the man rises and gives him food, not “because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity” (Luke 11:8).

The word “importunity” is a bit archaic. It means “shamelessness” in the Greek. The man inside did not give his neighbor food because they were friends, but because the man knocking had no shame. Both men are examples of poor friends; one won’t rise to help the other while the one won’t get the hint that his neighbor doesn’t want to be bothered!

Jesus shifts gears in verse 9, “And I say unto you…” as He now shows us how we should ask of the Father. We simply “Ask…seek…knock…for every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened” (Luke 11:9, 10). With man you must beg and plead; but with God you simply ask and He gives. You simply seek and you find. You simply knock and He opens up revelations and blessings to you.

To use the preceding story as an example of how we should ask for things from the Lord is to assume that He is not our friend, for the text clearly states that the man inside the house doesn’t answer the door out of friendship (Luke 11:8). In Christ, we have a friend that sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). By begging and pleading for things, blessings, miracles, etc, we are making God out to be a stranger that must be coerced. Come on believer!

Even though we are not as loving and concerned as our heavenly Father, even we know how to give good gifts to our children, for we love them very much. Jesus asks three different questions, each with deep spiritual meaning, as to how we give to our own. He considers us His very own so keep that in mind as you notice the objects that He inserts:

“If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone?” (Luke 11:11) Bread is a type of manna, or fresh provision, thus it is a type of grace while the stone is a type of the Law. Jesus refused to feed off of stones in the wilderness, for there is no provision in the Law. Would God give you Law when what you need is grace?

“If he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?” (Luke 11:11) Fish are a type of blessings, which Jesus proved when He gave Peter a boat-sinking load of fishes, leading him to repentance (Mark 5:4-8). Serpents are a type of the curse which Moses raised onto a pole in the wilderness. Jesus was that serpent on the pole, cursed for all of us (John 3:14; Galatians 3:13). Would God give you a curse when He has promised a blessing?

“If he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? (Luke 11:12) The egg speaks of new life, while the scorpion has no other function but to kill, representing death. Would God give you death when you come seeking life?

Believer, be secure in the knowledge that it is your Father’s pleasure to give you the kingdom (Luke 12:32). He wants you to have all good things, and He is ready to give them to those that ask (Matthew 7:11).

The Friendly Man Has Friends

Proverbs 18:24; 17:17

This was a principle that was drilled into me from as far back as I can remember. My parents told me this frequently, though I did not know where it was at in the Bible. The phrase, “the friendly man has friends” is not used word-for-word in the scriptures, but the concept is prevalent in this verse. To have friends one must be friendly; and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

Jesus said that the greatest love is one that will lay down its life for its friend (John 15:13), while the writer of Proverbs said, “A friend loveth at all times” (Proverbs 17:17). There is no love like the love of a true friend, and those friendships are often forged through fire. Out of great adversity, great relationships are born (Proverbs 17:17).

All of these principles are wonderful, and are Biblically sound, but there is little life to them without the finished work of Jesus Christ. Remember, it is Christ’s finished work that changes all things and brings all to life. To find Jesus in this passage, we must look a bit closer at the original Hebrew, which is the language of the Old Testament.

“A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). The first usage of “friends” in this verse is better translated from Hebrew as “acquaintances”, while the last usage of friends in the verse should be translated “lover”. The writer is saying that in order to have friendly acquaintances, one must be friendly to others. This is the type of affection that is given to someone who is kind to you, and they in turn, are kind back. Jesus spoke of this type of friendship as being common to the world (Matthew 5:46).

To change the second usage of “friend” to “lover” is to change the equation entirely. Now we are no longer talking about friendly relationships, but we have advanced to speaking about an intimate relationship that is stronger than the ties of blood and family. To “fall in love” is to sell out so completely to love that you actually are bound closer to that individual than you are to those members of your own family. Jesus sanctioned marriage with this kind of love in Mark 10 and sealed all marriages with that type of love and sacrifice.

Jesus loves His church with more than a familiar love, or a brotherly love. He considers Himself the “lover” which will always stick closer than a brother. I have had many people in the church to call me “brother” in one breath and then cut me with their next breath. Christ speaks love and affection to His church and you need never fear that in His next conversation with you He is going to turn on you with abuse and judgment. While a brother can be persuaded to turn on you, your heavenly lover never will.

I counsel some people who complain that they are lonely and can find no friends. It is difficult for me to be consoling in many cases because more often than not, they are difficult to get along with! They are quiet and reserved, so people think that they are angry or wish to be left alone. Sometimes they are judgmental and distant, wanting everyone to fall into their way of thinking, and oftentimes they have little sense of humor and are rarely caught smiling. If you find yourself longing for friends just remember that a friendly person has friends. Spread the love of Jesus that rings so true in your heart to someone around you and your circle of relationships can’t help but grow. Other people want to know that they are love also, so speak of His great love today.

What Kind of Friend is This?

Luke 11:5-13

Would you consider someone a friend that refused to help you in your time of need? Would you consider someone a friend that did not honor and respect your time with your family and they annoyed and pressured you even when you made it clear that you weren’t interested? If you answered, “Not much of a friend”, then you are on the same page with Jesus in this story of the importunate friend.

Jesus is giving His doctrine on prayer in response to His disciple’s request to teach them how to pray. Having just shared what we commonly call “The Lord’s Prayer”, He moves on to the attitude that believers should have when they pray. Jesus asks a question, placing the disciple and the reader into the story, forcing us to come to a decision as to whether or not we would consider the following person to be much of a friend. If we asked for food for a guest of ours but our friend yelled from within his house that he was sleeping and didn’t have time for us, would we consider him a friend? Finally, the man rises and gives him food, not “because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity” (Luke 11:8).

The word “importunity” is a bit archaic. It means “shamelessness” in the Greek. The man inside did not give his neighbor food because they were friends, but because the man knocking had no shame. Both men are examples of poor friends; one won’t rise to help the other while the one won’t get the hint that his neighbor doesn’t want to be bothered!

Jesus shifts gears in verse 9, “And I say unto you…” as He now shows us how we should ask of the Father. We simply “Ask…seek…knock…for every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened” (Luke 11:9, 10). With man you must beg and plead; but with God you simply ask and He gives. You simply seek and you find. You simply knock and He opens up revelations and blessings to you.

To use the preceding story as an example of how we should ask for things from the Lord is to assume that He is not our friend, for the text clearly states that the man inside the house doesn’t answer the door out of friendship (Luke 11:8). In Christ, we have a friend that sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). By begging and pleading for things, blessings, miracles, etc, we are making God out to be a stranger that must be coerced. Come on believer!

Even though we are not as loving and concerned as our heavenly Father, even we know how to give good gifts to our children, for we love them very much. Jesus asks three different questions, each with deep spiritual meaning, as to how we give to our own. He considers us His very own so keep that in mind as you notice the objects that He inserts:

“If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone?” (Luke 11:11) Bread is a type of manna, or fresh provision, thus it is a type of grace while the stone is a type of the Law. Jesus refused to feed off of stones in the wilderness, for there is no provision in the Law. Would God give you Law when what you need is grace?

“If he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?” (Luke 11:11) Fish are a type of blessings, which Jesus proved when He gave Peter a boat-sinking load of fishes, leading him to repentance (Mark 5:4-8). Serpents are a type of the curse which Moses raised onto a pole in the wilderness. Jesus was that serpent on the pole, cursed for all of us (John 3:14; Galatians 3:13). Would God give you a curse when He has promised a blessing?

“If he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? (Luke 11:12) The egg speaks of new life, while the scorpion has no other function but to kill, representing death. Would God give you death when you come seeking life?

Believer, be secure in the knowledge that it is your Father’s pleasure to give you the kingdom (Luke 12:32). He wants you to have all good things, and He is ready to give them to those that ask (Matthew 7:11).

The Friendly Man Has Friends

Proverbs 18:24; 17:17

This was a principle that was drilled into me from as far back as I can remember. My parents told me this frequently, though I did not know where it was at in the Bible. The phrase, “the friendly man has friends” is not used word-for-word in the scriptures, but the concept is prevalent in this verse. To have friends one must be friendly; and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

Jesus said that the greatest love is one that will lay down its life for its friend (John 15:13), while the writer of Proverbs said, “A friend loveth at all times” (Proverbs 17:17). There is no love like the love of a true friend, and those friendships are often forged through fire. Out of great adversity, great relationships are born (Proverbs 17:17).

All of these principles are wonderful, and are Biblically sound, but there is little life to them without the finished work of Jesus Christ. Remember, it is Christ’s finished work that changes all things and brings all to life. To find Jesus in this passage, we must look a bit closer at the original Hebrew, which is the language of the Old Testament.

“A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). The first usage of “friends” in this verse is better translated from Hebrew as “acquaintances”, while the last usage of friends in the verse should be translated “lover”. The writer is saying that in order to have friendly acquaintances, one must be friendly to others. This is the type of affection that is given to someone who is kind to you, and they in turn, are kind back. Jesus spoke of this type of friendship as being common to the world (Matthew 5:46).

To change the second usage of “friend” to “lover” is to change the equation entirely. Now we are no longer talking about friendly relationships, but we have advanced to speaking about an intimate relationship that is stronger than the ties of blood and family. To “fall in love” is to sell out so completely to love that you actually are bound closer to that individual than you are to those members of your own family. Jesus sanctioned marriage with this kind of love in Mark 10 and sealed all marriages with that type of love and sacrifice.

Jesus loves His church with more than a familiar love, or a brotherly love. He considers Himself the “lover” which will always stick closer than a brother. I have had many people in the church to call me “brother” in one breath and then cut me with their next breath. Christ speaks love and affection to His church and you need never fear that in His next conversation with you He is going to turn on you with abuse and judgment. While a brother can be persuaded to turn on you, your heavenly lover never will.

I counsel some people who complain that they are lonely and can find no friends. It is difficult for me to be consoling in many cases because more often than not, they are difficult to get along with! They are quiet and reserved, so people think that they are angry or wish to be left alone. Sometimes they are judgmental and distant, wanting everyone to fall into their way of thinking, and oftentimes they have little sense of humor and are rarely caught smiling. If you find yourself longing for friends just remember that a friendly person has friends. Spread the love of Jesus that rings so true in your heart to someone around you and your circle of relationships can’t help but grow. Other people want to know that they are love also, so speak of His great love today.