Verse of the Day 5/4

Verse of the Day 5/4

 

John 15:13-14    Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you.  English Standard Version (ESV)

 

From the Bible, when I think of the word friend, I think of David and Jonathan, friends that would stick closer than a brother.  The word "friend" has become diluted in today's society.  Think about facebook where some of you may be reading this today.  People can have 100, 500 or perhaps even a thousand friends or more.  Sometimes, just to be able to say, tell or show off to others that they have so many friends.  But how many of those friends will be there for one another, to come along side, to lift someone up, to encourage, help or simply to listen?

 

In today's verses Jesus calls His followers "friends", more like the David and Jonathan type, that would be willing to give of themselves for these friends.   Some of those "facebook" friends may be more like the friends that Pastor Gregg Laurie describes:

 

"Two men camping in the forest were enjoying their morning coffee when they suddenly spotted a very large, hungry grizzly bear lumbering toward them. One of the men quickly pulled on his running shoes. "Do you actually think you can outrun that grizzly bear?" his friend asked….."I don't need to," he replied. "All I have to do is outrun you."

 

We've all had friends like that, haven't we? At the first threat of danger or hardship or difficulty, they're out the back door. So what makes for true friendship? It has been said that a true friend is one who walks in when others walk out. Thankfully, there have been people in my life who have stood by me and have been honest friends. But there's one thing of which I'm confident: I have found a true and loyal friend in Jesus Christ."

 

What a friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and griefs to bear
And 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

 

We have a friend in Jesus who gave His life for us.  He is not someone who will "unfriend us", He is a friend that we can go to that will listen to us, that we can put or faith and trust in, rely on in the daily ups and downs of life.  And if we are His friends we will do what He asks of us and it starts with the root command in verse 17.

 

"But remember the root command: Love one another."  John 15:17 (The Message)

 

 

 

 

Blessings,

 

Mike

 

John 15:12-17 The Message (MSG)

^11-15 "I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father.

¹⁶ "You didn't choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won't spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.

¹⁷ "But remember the root command: Love one another.

 

 

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