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Monday,
August
17,
2020
Horses on Trout
Run Road
Click on
photo to enlarge
"The
Blessing Of Old Friends"
Message
summary: Today we want
to consider enduring friendships as one of the
greatest blessings in life for which we should be
thankful. “Remember, no man is a failure who has
friends.”*
Listen
to this message on your audio player.“And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself” (Acts 27:3).
This
weekend we had a visit from old friends. We met Tom
and Marsha 40 years ago when they became a part of
the church we served in northern Pennsylvania for
nearly sixteen years. They were a young married
couple with two little girls seeking to find their
way in life. Tom and Marsha made an earnest
commitment to following Christ and became very
active in Christian service which was a great
blessing to our congregation and community and to us
personally. They are one of the great blessings of
serving that church which we eventually left in 1993
to take a pastoral position in Massachusetts.
Many who
are dealing with the aging process may groan, "I
can't think of anything that's good about getting
old" but there are a few benefits and one of them is
having old friends. Now to be clear, if I made
a friend in 1st grade and maintained that friendship
through 8th grade, from that perspective he would be
an "old friend", but that increasingly takes on more
significance as one ages in the sense that David
Simpson, who indeed became my close friend in 1st
grade, still is over sixty years later!The late Kenny Rogers sang a song with a thoughtful truth, "You Can't Make Old Friends". When you meet someone and become a friend they're a new friend. Another common phrase is, "Old friends make it great to grow old." We would probably word it, "Having old friends is one of the positive aspects of getting old".
All through life we make friends, then we seek to maintain that friendship. Of course in our lifetime the internet has been a great asset in reconnecting and maintaining contact but every generation has had old friends. As a little kid I remember the old men talking together as they sat on a park bench near City Hall in Belton, MO. At that being that old seemed incomprehensibly far off.
Marvin,
our next door neighbor has for many years met for
breakfast seven days a week with his longtime
friends way back from his early school years so
that's about 60 years now. He works construction and
we see his truck pull out about 5:30 every morning
to meet with his friends for breakfast before
starting his work day. Covid sure messed up their
schedule for a while but Marvin told us they found a
way around it when the restaurant starting serving
food outside.
Today we will examine two phrases from our rather obscure daily text. In reading this long narrative portion about Paul’s captivity and shipwreck it’s so easy to miss them.
Background: Paul is on his way to Rome as a prisoner. He’s appealed to Caesar. He’s surely discouraged and weary from traveling the stormy seas and being under surveillance the entire time. Uncertainty is his only glimpse into the near future.
1) "And Julius courteously entreated Paul." The ship stops at Sidon where Julius "courteously entreated" Paul. This translates the only time in the New Testament that we see the Greek word "philanthropos", the root for our English word “philanthropy.” Julius, a hardened centurion, assigned to guard Paul at all times gave him freedom to see his friends and later spared his life when others wanted to do away with him (Acts 27:43). What a positive example and stimulus for us to forge a friendship even in the midst of a hardship and being in the company of those we might not prefer. It reminds me of an acquaintance that chose to pray every day for his competitor/”enemy” instead of hurling insults or responding in kind to his combative tone.
There is no mention elsewhere in Scripture that Paul was ever in Sidon, but nevertheless he had some friends there. I wonder who they were and how he had met them. We’re not told about the circumstances but it’s easy to determine they’re the kind of friends you want to surround yourselves with all throughout life’s journey. Their presence in our lives refresh us when difficulties and disappointments might otherwise drain us of energy and motivation. We sure need friends like that don't we?
2) "And gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself”. These friends had a part in Paul’s refreshing. The word "refresh" translated from the Greek is a word again found only in this passage throughout the entire New Testament. It has the sense of "kind attention". That’s what Paul needed and that’s what these unnamed friends did as they provided for his needs; physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally.
That’s what we’ve quite often needed and have experienced from so many good friends, including many of you reading this message. Thank you. There’s a lot of refreshing needed in our lives as we deal with daily challenges that can deplete us of a positive outlook! We all need caring and devoted friends to stand with us and in turn there are people who need us to be that kind of friend, like the Scripture says, "A man who has friends must show himself friendly" (Proverbs 18:24). Today we encourage you to thank God for the blessing of old friends!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Today we will examine two phrases from our rather obscure daily text. In reading this long narrative portion about Paul’s captivity and shipwreck it’s so easy to miss them.
Background: Paul is on his way to Rome as a prisoner. He’s appealed to Caesar. He’s surely discouraged and weary from traveling the stormy seas and being under surveillance the entire time. Uncertainty is his only glimpse into the near future.
1) "And Julius courteously entreated Paul." The ship stops at Sidon where Julius "courteously entreated" Paul. This translates the only time in the New Testament that we see the Greek word "philanthropos", the root for our English word “philanthropy.” Julius, a hardened centurion, assigned to guard Paul at all times gave him freedom to see his friends and later spared his life when others wanted to do away with him (Acts 27:43). What a positive example and stimulus for us to forge a friendship even in the midst of a hardship and being in the company of those we might not prefer. It reminds me of an acquaintance that chose to pray every day for his competitor/”enemy” instead of hurling insults or responding in kind to his combative tone.
There is no mention elsewhere in Scripture that Paul was ever in Sidon, but nevertheless he had some friends there. I wonder who they were and how he had met them. We’re not told about the circumstances but it’s easy to determine they’re the kind of friends you want to surround yourselves with all throughout life’s journey. Their presence in our lives refresh us when difficulties and disappointments might otherwise drain us of energy and motivation. We sure need friends like that don't we?
2) "And gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself”. These friends had a part in Paul’s refreshing. The word "refresh" translated from the Greek is a word again found only in this passage throughout the entire New Testament. It has the sense of "kind attention". That’s what Paul needed and that’s what these unnamed friends did as they provided for his needs; physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally.
That’s what we’ve quite often needed and have experienced from so many good friends, including many of you reading this message. Thank you. There’s a lot of refreshing needed in our lives as we deal with daily challenges that can deplete us of a positive outlook! We all need caring and devoted friends to stand with us and in turn there are people who need us to be that kind of friend, like the Scripture says, "A man who has friends must show himself friendly" (Proverbs 18:24). Today we encourage you to thank God for the blessing of old friends!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, You have
given me many treasures that cannot be bought with
money and friendship is among them. I thank You for
the special friends who brighten my outlook and
challenge me to be a better person. Thank You for my
caring friend who loves me and never gives up on me
even when I feel like giving up on myself. For that
dear friend who comes alongside me and helps carry
the burdens that I bear, I am especially thankful.
My life is enriched and my spirit is refreshed as I
share my heart with a close friend who does not
criticize but accepts my frailties; who prays for me
and expresses love for me in ways that build me up
and strengthen me in the trials of life. Father, You
are the greatest and most trusting Friend that I
will ever know. Help me to draw near to You so that
You draw near to me. Amen.
Today's
opening quote is from the Christmas classic, "It's
a Wonderful Life". I'm always touched at the end
when George Bailey receives a note from the angel
Clarence reminding him, "Remember,
no
man is a failure who has friends."Clarence's message is also a reminder to
each of us. Friends are of tremendous blessing,
especially when we endure hardships of any kind.
Here's a photo of my longest-time
friend David Simpson, a businessman in Springfield,
MO.
Tom
and Marsha in front our Hydrangea Tree
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Old
Friends" Video Old Friends
Quartet "Old friends make it great to
grow old"
"Friends"
Video
Michael W. Smith
Saturday
evening we took Tom and Marsha over to the Old
Windmill Farm. Late in the evening we shared some
worship music with them over my iPhone. We wanted
them to hear "Is He Worthy?" and "The Blessing".
Brooksyne
feeding a baby piglet. She got a kick out of the
piglet resting its right hoof on her index finger
during the feeding session. The sow gave birth to
11 piglets but most have died so the family is
trying to save the two remaining piglets with
special milk feedings.
Send a message to
Stephen & Brooksyne
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA