TEXT: John 15:14, 15
TITLE: JESUS OUR FRIEND
Before we begin the message this morning we need to have a better understanding of what it means to say that Jesus is our friend. According to Webster’s Dictionary a friend is:
1. A person whom one knows well and is fond of; intimate associate; close acquaintance.
2. A person on the same side in a struggle; one who is not an enemy or foe; ally.
3. A supporter or sympathizer.
4. Something thought of as like a friend in being helpful; reliable, etc.
With this definition let’s examine each one of these characteristics of a friend and see how Jesus fulfills each and every one of them.
A FRIEND IS A PERSON WHOM ONE KNOWS WELL AND IS FOND OF; INTIMATE ASSOCIATE AND A CLOSE AQUAINTANCE.
To see how well our Lord knows us, let us consider Psalm 139:1-18:
“(1) O LORD, You have searched me and known me. (2) You know my sitting down and my rising up; you understand my thought afar off. (3) You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. (4) For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. (5) You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. (6) Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it. (7) Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? (8) If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. (9) If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, (10) Even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. (11) If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," even the night shall be light about me; (12) Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You. (13) For You formed my inward parts; you covered me in my mother’s womb. (14) I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. (15) My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. (16) Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. (17) How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! (18) If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You.”
Is it possible for anyone to know us better than that, that even our thoughts are before Him?
Jesus Is Fond Of Us
As we read the Scriptures, we come to realize that in spite of our weaknesses and failings, God is not just fond of us but loves us more than we can imagine. The Holy Spirit beautifully expresses this to us in Romans 5:6-8 – “(6) For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (7) For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. (8) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Expanding upon this a little bit more, let us consider what Jesus told His disciples and now us in John 15:13 – “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
Jesus laid down His earthly life to save us from our sins and provide us eternal life.
In addition to knowing us and loving us, Jesus is an Intimate associate of ours.
In reading the Bible we find that after Jesus died, rose and ascended into Heaven He did not leave us to fend for ourselves. No, what Jesus did was send the Holy Spirit to live and dwell inside the born again believer. He did this so that through the Holy Spirit, He (Jesus) would always be intimately associated with you and I. To see this let us consider what Jesus said to prepare His disciples for His upcoming death and resurrection.
John 14:15-20 – “(15) If you love Me, keep My commandments. (16) And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—(17) the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. (18) I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. (19) A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. (20) At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.”
In addition to knowing us better than we realize, loving us more than we can imagine and having the most intimate relationship possible with us, we also find that Jesus is more than a close acquaintance our ours. In fact Jesus considers us as His brothers [or sisters]. To see this, we must realize that once we are born again we are now a child of God. John 1:12-13 – “(12) But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: (13) who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
As a child of God, Jesus identifies you and I as His brothers or sisters. Hebrews 2:11-12 – “(11) For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, (12) saying: ‘I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.’”
SECOND, A FRIEND IS ON THE SAME SIDE IN A STRUGGLE; THE FRIEND IS NOT AN ENEMY OR FOE; THE FRIEND IS AN ALLY
Jesus Is On Our Side In Our Struggle Against Sin And The Evil One
The Bible teaches us that in addition to having made atonement for our sins and redeeming us from the spiritual bondage of satan and sin, Jesus is ever present to help us when we come under the temptation to sin. Hebrews 2:18 – “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.”
In other words, because Jesus Christ, during His earthly sojourn, was tempted in every conceivable way & did not sin, He can relate to the temptations that you and I experience. As a consequence He is more than able to help us resist them. What a wonderful, wonderful friend!
Since Jesus is on our side, we find that Jesus is not our enemy or foe. Let us not forget that the whole reason Jesus came to this earth was not to condemn us but to save us. John 3:16-17 – “(16) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (17) For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
Jesus is not our enemy or foe but He is our friend.
Jesus Is Our Ally
Psalm 23:1-6 – “(1) The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. (2) He makes me to lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside the still waters. (3) He restores my soul; he leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. (4) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (5) You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. (6) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
Can there be any better ally than this, that even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, He is with me?
THIRD, A FRIEND IS A SUPPORTER OR SYMPATHIZER
From reading the Bible we find that Jesus full understands and sympathizes with our needs and hurts. Hebrews 4:14-16 – “(14) Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. (15) For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. (16) Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Jesus was tempted in every way we are. Thus, as the Scripture says, He can sympathize with our hurts and sufferings. Even though this in itself is a comfort, that is to know that there is someone who understands what we are going through, Jesus does not stop there. Since in all His temptations Jesus did not sin, He now invites us to come to Him for help.
According to verse 16 we can come to Him with confidence and receive mercy and grace to help us!
LAST, A FRIEND IS HELPFUL AND RELIABLE
Jesus Is More Than Helpful
To expand upon this a bit more let us first read how the Apostle Paul was able to withstand and work through all the trials and tribulations that he faced. He reveals his source of strength to us in Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Jesus Is Reliable And Faithful
Matthew 28:20b – “…I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
To expand upon this a bit more let us read the word of encouragement that is given to us in Hebrews 13:5, 6 – “(5) Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ (6) So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’”
I reflecting upon all we have covered this morning, I am constantly awed by the fact that Jesus is not a God who is distant and far removed from us. No! Jesus loves us, cares for us, is an intimate friend and always has our best interest in His heart. In fact, Jesus is the best friend anyone could ever have.
