Above is from the shroud of Turin.  That is a “photo picture” I found online, I imagine, from the image left on the cloth from the tomb of Jesus Christ.  I don’t need a physical image of my Friend, however, because the bible gives me the clearest image a person could ever have.  Jesus told His disciples that “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:13.  And, He proved it on the cross.  But His suffering and purpose was foretold hundreds of years before His coming in Isaiah.  

But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.  All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his/her own way;  But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. – Isaiah 53:5-6

     Can you imagine the kind of friend that takes on the darkness of mankind?  To the cross?  A cross that was considered a curse?  And, death.  God’s salvation plan has power.  It is the power to give life to someone who is dead to sin.  My Friend Jesus Christ came so that He could be the propitiation for which I now live.  My debt is cancelled by God’s Son.  His only Son.  And how much more was He?

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.  In Him was LIFE, and the LIFE was the LIGHT of men. … And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. – John 1:1-4, 14

     That’s my Friend!  Full of grace and truth.  Indeed.  When your heart enters into your understanding of His truth, you become saved by God’s grace.  It is a gift!  It’s utterly free and it makes you free.  The hardest part of becoming a Christian is to watch those around you going their own way.  It is the biblical description of sin.  It is the unforgivable sin.  You are either for God or against Him.   If you are against Him you cannot enter into a relationship with Him.  Death is your end.  The bible is clear.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. – Romans 8:2  NASB

The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. – John 1:5

This is the judgement, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. – John 3:19  NASB 

     But my Friend is a LIGHT!  A Light to the nations.  Back in Isaiah God referred to Jesus as a covenant to the people and light to the nations.  That means Jesus will be, and is, for everyone!  Rejoice!  There is no prejudice here.  There is no racial, economic, or disabled, non-disabled, etc., profiling here.  All are welcome who thirst, to come to the water and drink.  

“I am the Lord, I have called You (Jesus) in Righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations, – Isaiah 42:6 

“Ho!  Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters;  And you who have no money come, buy and eat.  Come buy wine and milk without money and without cost.”  – Isaiah 55:1  NASB

ALL ARE WELCOME