The Friendship and Friendliness of Jesus (Part 2) by Dr. Rod Mattoon

About this sermon

As we continue the Friendship of Jesus series, we take a look at the confirmation and care of Jesus. Here is an excerpt of the message which was preached on Sunday night, April 16,2023, at Lincoln Land Baptist Church. Have you ever tried to gain admission or acceptance into an organization you really wanted to be a part of? Perhaps it was a school club, a team in a sporting event, or a school. One of the most difficult schools in the nation to be accepted into is MIT. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of modern technology and science. In the fall of 2021, it had close to 12,000 students. Most of the few students that are accepted into the school have very high-grade point averages in high school, and perfect or almost perfect scores on SAT and ACT college entrance exam tests. To gain admission, they are required to complete five short essays about their lives and goals. Last year, 33,767 students applied for First Year General Admission, and only 1337 were admitted. That is only 3.96%. Some people will do anything to be accepted by others. They cannot bear to be turned away, left out, isolated, spurned, shunned, snubbed, scorned, separated, secluded, disconnected, detached, or lonely. To be accepted by some people, you have to be pretty or have power, possessions, prestige, or popularity. If you are on the mountaintop or in the spotlight of fame, they want to be around you. Thank God, Jesus does not hold us to these requirements to be accepted by Him. His message to us is, “Come as you are! Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Topics

• Relationships
• Friendship
• Jesus Christ