In Jesus Holy Name May 6, 2018
Text: John 15:12-14 Easter VI
“To Be A Friend of God”
Begin with a prayer this week. (read the text)
One of the most popular TV shows from 1994 to 2004 was called “Friends”. It was about 3 young men and 3 young women who lived in the same apartment complex in New York. They shared the joys and sorrows of life and love but they were not above sticking their noses into one another’s businesses.
A recent New Cigna Insurance Study (on the Drudge Report) this week revealed that “loneliness is at epidemic levels in America. The survey interviewed more than 20,000 adults ages 18 years and older. Their answers are one of the reasons it is critical that Redeemer remain a “genuine friendly place”.
• Nearly half of Americans report sometimes or always feeling alone. (46%)
• One in four Americans (27%) rarely or never feel as though there are people who really understand them. (Another reason we as a congregation are thrilled about the training in “Stephen’s Ministry”.
• Two in five Americans sometime or always feel that their relationships are not meaningful (43%) and that they are isolated from others.
• One in five people report they rarely or never feel close to people (20%) or feel like there are people they can talk to.
• Only about half of Americans (53%) have meaningful personal social interactions, such as an extended conversation with a friend.
• The survey also revealed several important bright spots. Human beings are by nature social human beings and being in a community is important.
John 15:14-15,
Jesus said: “ This is my command that you love one another. You are My friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant nor slave doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from My Father.
The term "friend" conveys a sense of closeness, trust, and sharing. Friendship means a close or confidential relationship.
Being a Friend and Friendliness are twoi different things.
When we demonstrate “friendliness” it means that we care deeply for the concerns of others….when we do that, we are imitating Jesus. Redeemer is built on this understanding of “being a friend with Jesus” then letting that acceptance through acts of “friendliness” or kindness be felt by others.
Jesus said “you are my friends if you do what I command.” What does He command? That we love and accept one another.
In the O.T we find that the Lord spoke with Moses face to face as a friend. Exodus 33:11,The Lord spoke with Moses face to face, just as a man speaks with his friend
It was an act of intimacy and friendship instigated by God. God doesn’t’ love Moses because of something he had done. God doesn’t love us because of anything we have or have not done. His love isn’t based on our worthiness at all, but His goodness. His love.
When we read through the life of Moses and we see that these face to face meetings are regular, and required occurrences. Yet these meetings did not just happen. Moses was intentional about creating an opportunities conductive to see the “face of God.”
Throughout the life of Moses we see over and over again, this open conversation with God. It is important to note, that this level of relationship/friendship requires intentionality and regular communication. Moses did not only speak to God once in a while, or only when he needed something, but as a friend, he maintained regular and open communication with God. (from Seasons of Refreshing)
Look at Abraham. Abraham was called a friend of God. God didn’t love Abraham because of something he had done. According to Joshua we know that Abraham worshiped false “gods” before God called him. God doesn’t love us because of anything we have or have not done. His love for Abraham, His love for us isn’t based on our worthiness at all, but on His goodness.
James 2:23 says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness, and he was called God’s friend.”
A second vital factor contributing to endearing friendships is that of loyalty and dependability. If you reflect on those people you count as your closest friends, it is those who have been loyal to you through thick and thin. It is those who you can count upon when the chips are down. Maybe it is your spouse or one or two others that you count as close friends. We all have acquaintances we call our friends… but in life we may have one or two intimate close friends.
Remember our definition? The term "friend" conveys a sense of closeness, trust, and sharing. Very simply, friendship means a close or confidential friendship. This is the kind of relationship Jesus is talking about. He wants to be our close, intimate friend, not an acquaintance.
You can be an acquaintance of Jesus and still go to heaven by believing in Him…..but Jesus wants to be a friend.
Jesus has initiated a friendship with us. His Holy Spirit called us to believe in His death and resurrection. As Christians He calls us His friends just as he called Moses and Abraham and His disciples His friends…… But it is up to us if we want to an acquaintance or a friend.
We’ve all heard and perhaps used the phrase fair-weather friend. We use it of those people who are pleased to be our friends when everything is fine and going smoothly.
It is remarkable that Abraham was termed the friend of God. The great, almighty, ever-present and all-powerful, all-knowing God was the one who made this statement. This was not Abraham’s assessment of his relationship with God, nor how he thought about God. It was a statement that God made about Abraham.
Jesus said: "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." If we love God and want to grow in our knowledge of Him, we will obey His commands. It is in our obedience that God discloses Himself to us. Jesus said, "You are my friends if you do what I command". Remember Abraham obeyed God.
This raises some intriguing questions:
• How was such a relationship possible for Abraham?
• What constitutes that kind of friendship?
• Lastly, can we enjoy that same kind of relationship with God,
And if so how? Friends think alike. The Greek word for “friend” in this text is “philos”. This is the same word that would refer to the “best man” at a wedding. The Best Man is someone who has known you for a long time. He knows you through good times and bad times…. One you can always count on.
My spouse is my best friend. You might say the same. It is Jesus who calls us His “friends”. He is the one you can count on.
Your spouse can not be an acquaintance. Neither can Jesus.
So How is this possible? Jesus said: “I am the vine and you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.” To bear the fruit of His character, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, goodness, self-control, and faithfulness. These character traits can only come from the intimacy of living with Him. We must choose to dwell in His shelter.
In order to accept this kind of “friendship” with Jesus we have to admit that we are not the center of the universe. You and I will have to admit that we are not self-sufficient. We must be willing to “stay connected” to God by talking to Him every day. Reading His word every day and fully depend on Him.
Friendship needs time to grow. The valley vineyards have leafed out. The vine brings up to the branches water and nourishment. It takes time to produce the fruit to make the wine.
It takes time to nurture my friendship with the Lord. It is spending special time with Him daily, reading and studying His Word and conversing with Him.
Abraham obeyed God and kept His commandments. He obeyed God even when he didn’t know the outcome. Remember Isaac? God gave Abraham a test…. To sacrifice his son. When Abraham received the instructions to kill Isaac, I cannot image the conflict, the turmoil that when through his mind. There is no record of Abraham questioning God.
Abraham did as God commanded. He demonstrated his loyalty to his creator. He demonstrated that he could be depended on to carry out God’s will no matter how difficult the assignment. Jesus is asking us, His friends to obey His commands… one of which is to be His friend in return and love one another.
There is a profound difference between Christianity and the multitude of organized or personal belief systems in this world. While all others maintain “We must do our best to win our escape from the price and penalty of sin.” Christianity states: “God has rescued helpless humanity, Adam and Eve, Moses, Abraham and all who believe, through Jesus. God sent His Son to make things right for us. According to promise and prophecy, 2000 years ago Jesus Christ, true man and true God was born in the Judean town of Bethlehem. Sermon Rev. Ken Klaas Lutheran hour #82-47
For the rest of His life he obeyed God completely, and won our forgiveness, building a bridge which spanned the transgression filled canyon. When Jesus went to the cross, He took all of humanity’s broken commandments, and with His substitutionary death He rescued us from hell. Three days after His lifeless body was placed into a borrowed
grave, in a wondrous proclamation of the power of God’s Holy Spirit He
rose victorious from the grave. He came out of that stone carved tomb and showed Himself the Conqueror, the Vanquisher of sin, death and Satan, who enjoys holding people in the grip and fear of death.
Because of what Jesus has done all who believe in Him as Savior find that they are welcomed into intimate friendship with His Father. If Jesus is just an acquaintance…. It’s up to you to make the next move. Talk to Him every day. That’s a start. Worship Him each week, then during the week…stay in touch…
