Title: You Are My Friend
Contents
John 15:12-17 You are my friends
In today's text, Jesus said to his disciples, "You are my friends." After a while, they were the disciples who would deny Jesus. After a while, they were poor disciples who would all leave Jesus and run away. Nevertheless, Jesus said to them without hesitation, "You are my friends."
The same is true. we lack It's not convenient. Nevertheless, Jesus points to us at this time and declares, “You are my friends.” How wonderful is this grace? It cannot be a shocking thing. Jesus and we are friends. At the same time, Jesus told us the beautiful side we can see in our friends in today's text. Looking at this, I want to share the grace with you.
1. Jesus' friends love each other.
Gentlemen, we live while receiving the utmost love of Jesus. Until now, Jesus loved us so much, and he still loves us. We will continue to love you unchangingly in the future. Thanks to that love, we too are living beings who love each other. Let's look at verses 12-14.
"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command you." Go ahead and look at verse 17. “I have commanded you this, so that you may love one another.”
We have received the immense love of Jesus. Thanks to that love, we too are living beings who love each other. Guys, what is love? Love is not an adjective spoken or spoken. It is a verb of action and truth. There is a beautiful poem about the love of a friend. Please enjoy it together.
do you have such a person
Ham Seok-heon
the road to a million miles
A person who is willing to leave his wife and children
do you have that person
Even when the whole world has abandoned me and my heart is lonely
I believe in 'that's my heart'
do you have that person
The moment the boat we were on went off, the life corps declined each other
'Only you, please live'
do you have such a person
in the death row of injustice
'Even if I die, just leave me alive for the light of your world'
do you have such a person
When you're about to leave this unforgettable world
I close my eyes, saying 'I have one'
do you have that person
Than the approval of the whole world
Thinking of that one face, quietly shaking my head
The person who resists frugal temptation
do you have
When I go on a long road trip, a true friend is someone I can trust with my family in peace. A person who can understand my heart under any circumstances is not a true friend. We got on a boat to go fishing together. In an accident, the boat begins to sink into the water. But there is only one life raft. Wouldn't a true friend be the one who could gladly give me the life jacket and say, 'Live me instead of you'?
Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus loved us with this sacrificial love. Because we have received that love, we too are living together as friends and loving each other. Before we can expect others to give us that kind of love, we should try to make it happen to our friends.
2. There are no secrets between Jesus and us.
Please see verse 15. "From now on I will no longer call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing, and I have called you friends, because all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you."
One day, four middle-aged women gathered in one place. They were all high school alumni. As they chatted about the world and the stories of their high school days, they blossomed without realizing the passage of time. Then one of them took a deep breath and began to tell his secret story. "You know, I've fallen so deeply in love that I shouldn't have been. I don't know what to do."
Everyone looked surprised and heard the story. After listening, another woman began to divulge her secret. "I invested in stocks without my husband's knowledge and ended up in huge debt. If my husband found out about this, it would be a big deal, but I don't know what to do."
At the end of the story, the third woman also confided her secret. "I've been involved in gambling without my knowledge, and I have left the house documents without my husband's knowledge. If my husband finds out about this, he'll try to kick me out, but I don't know what to do."
Now the fourth and final person remains. His face is blushing and he doesn't say anything. A friend who saw it encouraged me. "Tell me, it's okay! Confess. That'll make you feel better. We'll keep it a secret until we die, so tell me."
Then the last woman opened her mouth and said, "I mean. If you hear anything from others, you can't keep it in your heart and don't tell it. I'm a gossiper who can't keep a secret.
It is said that the other three people who heard the sound passed out. People of the world do. No matter how close you are, there are things you can say and things you can't. But between Jesus and us it is not so. There are no secrets. Jesus taught us all the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. And he always listens to us. We can come to Jesus and confess everything that is in our heart, even for a single moment. So what a wonderful privilege.
3. Jesus sovereignly chose us.
In other words, I never chose Jesus. Look at the first half of verse 16. “You did not choose me, but I chose you and established you.”
People of the world choose each other. Choose the person you like as your friend. But it is not so between Jesus and us. I did not choose Jesus, but Jesus chose me. Jesus chose the fishermen of the Sea of Galilee and made them disciples. Jesus chose and made disciples of tax collectors with low jobs, whom everyone pointed their fingers at.
The same is true. It was not that I was chosen as a disciple because of what merit I had because I was good. Sovereignly, Jesus chose me and made me his friend. Jesus' disciples were well aware of this fact. So Jesus said to his disciples, "You are my friends," but the disciples never used the expression "I am Jesus' friend." They always say, "I am Jesus.
He humbled himself as “a servant of the Master,” because he was not chosen as a friend because of his merits.
4. As Jesus' friends, we have answers to prayer.
Let's look at the end of verse 16. “So that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”
As friends of Jesus, we can pray to God in the name of Jesus Christ. God listens to our prayers in the name of Jesus and allows them to all be answered. What difficulties have you encountered? Please do not become discouraged and report the matter to God in the name of Jesus, our friend. When we pray in the name of Jesus, God has promised that He will surely answer us.
“Please come and preach at the worship service this evening.” Pastor Martin declined the request, saying this. "My wife's health is not good, so I can't go at all."
Don't worry, the Lord will protect you
dwell under the wings of the Lord, the Lord will keep you
The Lord will protect you in times of hardship
In case of danger, the Lord will protect you
Know in advance what you will use, the Lord will protect you
I will give you what you ask, and the Lord will keep you.
Even in difficult trials, the Lord will protect you
abide in the bosom of the savior, the lord will keep you
Lord I will protect you anytime, anywhere
The Lord will protect you, and will always protect you. (chorus)
Dear saints, Jesus made us friends. He gives you great love. We also receive that love and we love each other. There are no secrets between Jesus and us. Jesus taught us all the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. He always listens to us. I didn't choose me because I was good, but Jesus sovereignly chose me and made me a friend. We who have become friends with Jesus can pray to God in the name of Jesus. And you can receive answers to your prayers. Therefore, I pray that you will receive Jesus and live a blessed life as a friend of Jesus.