Bookends - Luke 12:51

Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division.
 - Luke 12:51

    In 1968 Simon and Garfunkle released an album called “Bookends.” On that LP (that’s ‘Long playing album’ for you younger folks) there was a sad song named “Old Friends.” The lyrics read, “Can you imagine us years from today, sharing a park bench quietly?” How quaint. How nice it would be if the words rung true, wouldn’t it? And perhaps they would were it not for the fact that truly faithful Confessional Christians will have to contend mightily for the truth. And therein lies the problem for old friends.
    From bitter experience I can testify to the fact that if you openly identify yourself as a Bible-believing Christian; preach the word of God in season and out, and vigorously defend the faith you will be the most unpopular member of your circle of friends! Even members of your own family - your own flesh and blood - will keep their distance from you. “For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’;  and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’” - Matthew 10:35-36
    True, your own family and your oldest friends will turn their backs on you if they don’t share your belief in and your passion for Christ! Perhaps the answer to Paul Simon’s question is, “No, in fact I can no longer imagine sharing a park bench quietly.” I can only envision sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the people I love and cherish. “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” - 1 Corinthians 1:18. May we always share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, especially with those we call our “old friends.”