Jesus is Your Friend

February 15-17, 2014 - Jesus is Your Friend – Manna by Dorothy Callies

John 15:15b “… I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”

Because Jesus Christ is Lord and Master, He could have called us servants; instead, He called us friends. Wow, what an honor to be chosen as Christ’s friends. (Ref. Jn.15:15a) A servant is hired to serve and often it is a distance space as to show respect to the Master. So how do you explain the meaning of a word, friend? The word, friend means a person who has a strong liking for and trusts in another and a person who is not an enemy.

Being a friend is sharing and fellowship together. It is like a comrade which means a close friend or associate with. It is like a companion which means one that accompanies another or to go with and share one another.

Jesus said, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatever I command you” (Jn.15:14).  Being a “friend” of Jesus is conditional. It means it would depend on our part to continue to be a “friend” to Jesus. We would need to obey His Word if we want to be a friend of His. This is clear that there is no way to be His friend and not knowing what He says.

Jesus said, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but do not do what I say? 47) I will show you what everyone is like who comes to Me and hears My words and obeys. 48) That person is like a man building a house who dug deep and laid the foundation on rock. When the floods came, the water tried to wash the house away, but it could not shake it, because the house was built well. 49) But the one who hears My words and does not obey is like a man who built his house on the ground without a foundation. When the floods came, the house quickly fell and was completely destroyed” (Luke 6:46-49 ncv).

Our foundation, the Rock is Jesus, the one who makes us strong in our friendship with Him. We are like a house and how we built our friendship with Jesus will depends on our labor to study His Word and obey Him.

Song: What a Friend We Have in Jesus

1. What a friend we have in Jesus,

    All our sins and griefs to bear!

    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!

2. 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!

      (Joseph Medicott Scriven, Sing His Praise)