Part 2 #Friendship With Christ

#2 Friendship With Christ

Read:      John 15:9-17
         As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you what you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.
          Many people claim to be friends with Jesus. How can we, who are unable to have perfect friendships with other people, be able to have a friendship with our perfect Savior? He asks us to love him as he loved the Father. Let's be honest, that sounds pretty hard. This perfect Saviour laid down his life for us in perfect obedience to God. Being completely honest that sounds pretty impossible for us! But wait! It is this very knowledge of Christ’s sacrifice that provides us with the answer. Jesus chose us while we were yet sinners! US! He offered up himself as sacrifice for our sins so that we might be restored in friendship to God. Amazing right? Amazing grace! Jesus is man and God. He knows our sinful nature, He paid the price for it. Why? To free us from guilt, and set us free to live for him. In Christ we can love God and bear fruit by the power of the Holy Spirit. We can ask God for all help in Jesus name and be assured of His help. While we were still enemies to God, Jesus befriended us. Who would not want a friend like that! Jesus asks us merely to respond in like manner. With the gospel of salvation as our guide, let us extend the hand of friendship by showing love to one another.


I'll leave you with a well loved hymn

What a friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and griefs to bear
And what a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer


Oh, what peace we often forfeit
Oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer


Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged
Take it to the Lord in prayer


Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness
Take it to the Lord in prayer

Written by Charles Crozat Converse, Joseph Scriven • Copyright © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group

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