My Friend Jesus

I started with Chris Jordan's sermon: i-Pray #3: What a Friend we Have in Jesus. Scripture is the same, maybe a phrase here and there, more so at the beginning. But this is a different sermon.

TITLE: My Friend Jesus 12-30-2013

TEXT: Romans 5:8-11 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

I. HE’S MY FRIEND

A. This passage contains one of the most amazing facts accomplished by Jesus’ death on the Cross!

1. There are other individuals in the Bible who were so blessed. But these people were stand outs. People chosen for special tasks it seems. Jesus –what He did blew the doors off –He opened it up for the regular Joe and Josephine.

2. There were others who were so favored as to be called God’s friend. Maybe you have heard tell of some of these individuals:

• Exodus 33:11 “So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.”

• James 2:23 “Abraham was called a friend of God.”

• Jesus said to His disciples: John 15:15 “Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.

3. But something marvelous happened round about Matthew 11 –Something a guy like me can relate to; --Something to which I think the whole world can relate.

4. Indeed, the only ones who can’t relate to this are those who won’t; --Those who think more of themselves than they should; --The high and mighty, if only in their own hearts; --Those who take so much pride in their intellectualism that they miss the forest for the trees.

5. What happened? Listen, this is one of my favorites. Matthew 11:18,19 …So people say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came, eating and drinking, and people say, ‘Look at him! He eats too much …and he is a friend of … sinners.’

--I’ve redacted this verse only to lift up the points which personally relate to me.

6. Fellow stumbler, when I consider that Yeshua Ha Meshia condescend to be my friend I look to the sky and think Psalm 8:3-4 “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?”

7. Think about it! It is BECAUSE you are a sinner, Jesus has sought you out to be His friend. Whether you have had that initial encounter or not, friendship is His intention.

8. Why? You’ll find this incredible: He enjoys your company. He enjoys listening to you, your innermost thoughts, your joys, your hurts, your fears, your faith, your admission that you’ve messed up, your quest for direction…

9. What a mind-boggling thought! The same God who has countless billions of angels worshiping Him sixty seconds a minute, day and night,

--to whom the nations are but a drop in the bucket

--who knows all about every leaf on every tree in the world,

--This Jesus is anticipating your company

--Like it or not, you are very important to Him.

10. In fact, isn’t this the over-reaching message of the Bible? The story of THE God longing to have a personal friendship with human beings.

11. This friendship with God by spending time with Him in prayer, in the Word, in worship, in His love.

12. This takes place at Church, in your prayer closet, while you’re driving down the interstate, where ever it is you actually read the Bible, or anytime you have an intense conversation with him.

--I had one recently in the produce section of the grocery store.

TS. Since you can’t ring Him on His celly, since I have been unsuccessful at finding His real Facebook page, since I don’t know His e-mail address, I want to give you some starter steps on how to develop the most fantastic friendship you will ever know –Friendship with Jesus.

II. HEART TO HEART CONVERSATION

A. John 15:1-6 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.