My Close Friend

 

Grace, mercy and peace to you, from God, our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our dearest and truest friend.

 

My Close Friend is the title of our message this evening. It’s taken from the Messianic Psalm, Psalm 41, which has served as the basis of for our Lenten series, verse 9: “Even my close friend, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.”

 

In our midweek messages, we’ve emphasized two things about this psalm: 1) it talks about the Messiah, and what would happen to Him, what He would have to endure to win our salvation.

 

And 2) because this psalm, and the Psalms in general, speak about Jesus, they also speak about us, who in holy Baptism, have been, “joined to the Lord”, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:17.

 

In Baptism, by faith, we have become united to our Heavenly Father, as His dear children… 

 

… and we have become friends with His Son, Jesus, our Lord and Brother.

 

When you read this verse: “Even my close friend, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me”, you can’t help but think of Judas, the betrayer.

 

This a prophecy about Him and His treachery, but it’s thought that David is also speaking about his son, Absalom, who grew up in the royal palace, and received the best of everything, the best of food and clothing and possessions and training…

 

… yet in spite of it all, he despised his father, and “raised his heel against 

him”, our text says… like a horse might kick its owner or keeper, so Absalom kicked and stomped on his father, so to speak.

Absalom was David’s favorite son, causing jealousy in his family.

 

And he was charismatic, and had a striking presence, with his athletic build and long, flowing hair. So he was very popular with the people. 

 

Tamar, Absalom’s sister, was violated by their half-brother, Amnon, and their father, David, did nothing, he just ignored it… which was wrong on his part… David should have held his son accountable.

 

Seeing that his father wasn’t going to punish Amnon, Absalom took the law in his own hands, and ordered his servants kill him. 

 

Absalom then fled into exile, but after a while, David pardoned him and brought him back home. 

 

Absalom blamed his father for what had happened to his sister, and so he resolved to destroy his father. 

 

He was also very vain-glorious, egotistical and thirsty for power, so he tried to overthrow David, “raised his heel against him”, our text says. 

 

It was a kick in the gut to David, who, in spite of everything, still loved his son.

 

In the end Absalom’s rebellion failed, his army was defeated, and he was killed as he tried to escape… which caused his father even more grief and heartbreak. 

 

It hurts so much, to have someone you love so deeply, turn on you… and hate and despise you, and wish harm on you, and want to see you destroyed. 

 

The devil had gotten ahold of Absalom’s heart, just as centuries later, he got ahold of Judas’ heart. John 13:2 says that the devil had entered his heart. 

 

The devil would love to get ahold of your heart, too. 

 

And so we need the protection and power of God’s Word to keep the deceiver at bay.

 

Jesus loved Judas, and gave him the opportunity to repent, but his heart had gone cold and grown hard.

 

So when the opportunity came for him to betray Jesus for a sack of silver, Judas jumped at the opportunity… he took the devil’s bait, took the money, and turned on his teacher.

 

Tomorrow evening we’ll talk about the wonderful exchange Jesus made for us at the cross, taking and bearing our sin, and in return, giving us His perfect righteousness for our salvation.

 

Judas, on the other hand, made a horrible exchange: his soul for silver, forfeiting his salvation and betraying His Savior with a kiss, the proverbial kiss of death.

 

We’re told the story of Judas the betrayer in all four Gospels. 

 

He was among the disciples who celebrated the Passover Meal with Jesus in the Upper Room. Jesus seated Judas right next to Him, on His left side, which was considered the place of honor.

 

He did this that the prophecy would be fulfilled, “Even my close friend, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.”

 

Jesus said about Judas in Matthew 26:23: He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 

  

And so Judas did… and so Peter denied Him in the courtyard of the high priest… and all His disciples deserted Jesus when He was arrested.

 

So what’s our part in all of this?            

 

It’s all three… we’ve betrayed, deserted, and denied Jesus with our weakness and sin.

 

By our sin, we’ve betrayed Him, but He, who remained faithful to His Father, remained faithful to us, and died for us as He promised He would, our loving friend.

 

In our weakness and fear, we’ve deserted Him, but in His love and courage, He stood by us, and was lifted up on a cross for us.

 

In our selfishness, we’ve put ourselves first, and denied Him, but He has put us first, that we might be forgiven.

   

Flogged and crucified, but now risen and glorified, He has brought us back to Himself in Holy Baptism…

 

He has called us back into His fellowship through the Gospel, to be His followers and friends again, His brothers and sisters…

 

He has gathered us at His table, to break bread in fellowship together as His dear family…

 

… to receive His forgiveness for our salvation…

 

… and in a most personal and miraculous way, giving us His very self, in bread and wine…

 

… showing us His great love for us, in giving us His very body, beaten, broken and crucified for us, and then risen again…

 

… and His very blood, shed down from the cross, the great sacrifice, the only sacrifice, sufficient and holy for our salvation.

 

Our Savior is our Lord and our God… and our truest, dearest, closest Friend.

 

With such Divine and holy friendship, may we, with the help of the Holy Spirit, aspire to be always true and loyal to Him.

 

Lord, help us when we’re tempted to betray, deny, and desert you, because of the weakness of sinful nature.

 

Make us forever faithful to You, and to Your Word, and to Your Church, just as You are forever faithful, forgiving, loving and true to us.

 

There is no friend like You; no one has ever done for us what You’ve done for us, Jesus. Keep us always close to You, steadfast, loyal and true.

 

And close to Him by faith, we have His peace, which passes understanding, and guards our hearts and minds, in Christ Jesus, our dear Friend and Savior forever. Amen.