Jesus What a Friend for Sinners by J. Wilbur Chapman, 1910.

1. Jesus! What a Friend for sinners!
Jesus! Lover of my soul;
friends may fail me, foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole.

Refrain:
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Hallelujah, what a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.

Observe: It is truly amazing that, while we were still weak, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Romans 5:6, 8, 10, ESV).

Died, died, and death befell Jesus. He died for us described as weak, sinners, and enemies. His actions are beyond that of a friend; Jesus demonstrated agape love, the pure, unconditional love that only God achieves.

2. Jesus! What a strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in him;
tempted, tried, and sometimes failing,
He, my strength, my vict’ ry wins.

[Refrain]

How did Jesus demonstrate strength in weakness? First, he left the glory he had in heaven for eternity to take on flesh with all its limitations. Second, to accomplish his redemptive mission, he allowed himself to be crucified at the hands of mortal creatures in the time and space reality he created. Paul writes For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. (2 Corinthians 13:4a). Jesus experienced the weakness we know so well because he lived in a human body and felt its limitations. We can go to him in our weakness and failures because he knows our struggles intimately.

3 Jesus! What a help in sorrow!
While the billows o’er me roll,
even when my heart is breaking,
He, my comfort, helps my soul.

[Refrain]

As in weakness, Jesus is our help in sorrow because he has been there too. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3).

4 Jesus! What a guide and keeper!
While the tempest still is high,
storms about me, night o’ertakes me,
He, my pilot, hears my cry.

[Refrain]

5 Jesus! I do now receive him,
more than all in him I find;
He hath granted me forgiveness,
I am his, and He is mine.

As a faithful friend, guide, keeper, and savior, won’t you embrace his forgiveness anew today? All that you have will one day be gone, but the love Christ has for you will always remain. You are his, and he is yours for eternity. What more could you want? What more could you need!

Blessings, Pastor Don.