A
message for today
by the Rev'd Allen Bagshawe
You may find it helpful to read St John 15: 9-27
(1) What his Frendship gives to us.
(A) HIS JOY
"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you
and that your joy may be complete"
(St John 15:11)
Jesus wants us to enjoy His Friendship,
He does not merely 'put up with' or 'Tolerate' us,
He actually enjoys His relationship with us!
We all need to be wanted, we all need to be loved,
but do we understand just how much the Almighty God offers to help us?
(B) HIS SACRIFICE
"greater love has no-one than this,
that one lays down his life for his friends"
(St John 15:13)
From that lovely old hymn "My Song is Love Unknown" come these lines
"This is my friend, My friend indeed,
Who at my need His life did spend"
(Samuel Crossman)
No
matter how far you go for Jesus
He has already gone much further for you.
Indeed, His love is such that it is offered for those who are not His friends!
"While
we were yet helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly,
Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man - though perhaps for a
good man one will dare to die. But God shows His love for
us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us."
(Romans 5:6-8)
Jesus
died for all - be they friend or foe
but some will choose to remain enemies
What is your Response?
(C) The Full Picture
" I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his
master's business.
Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father
I have made known unto you."
(St John 15:15)
The special friendship of Jesus holds nothing back,
we are not received like servants
but as friends,
friends in whom He fully confides.
(cf. The way that real friends will share with each other their deepest secrets)
This very special friendship means that, as a Christian,
we are given some of the insights into the great mysteries of life.
(2) What our friendship should give to Him
(A) OBEDIENCE
"As the father has loved Me, so I have loved you.
Now remain in my love.
If you obey My commands, you will remain in my love"
(St John 15:9-10)
Jesus
does look for something in return for His friendship with us,
He wants us to give Him our obedience and also our loyalty.
"Remain"
or "Abide in Me" Jesus asks of us
but we may not find this always easy - and neither did His disciples!
You will probably recall how they deserted Him in His hour of crisis.
Where were they during His trail and crucifixion?
The old negro spiritual asked the question
"Where you there when they crucified my Lord?"
YES? or NO?
If I "remain", if I "abide", then I will need to be there
alongside Him.
There is no abiding in absence,
there is no abiding in disobedience.
(B) FRIENDSHIP SHARED
"My command is this: Love each other like I have loved you "
(St John 15:12)
If you are finding it tough to love Jesus, then how much tougher is it to love
everyone else!
In
loving us, Jesus has shown tremendous tolerence,
He wants us to show the same tolerence with each other.
It
is not unknown for Christians to fall out, for congregations to be split,
but this is not what He has asked of us.....
"Love Each Other"
(C) Fruitfulness
"I chose you to go bear fruit - fruit that will last"
We
are not here to be ornaments!
Our lives as Christians have a purpose.
We
are called to live out and share our faith through life
so that others will be drawn through us to Christ.
"I
am the vine; you are the branches.
If a man remains in Me and I in Him, he will bear much fruit;
apart from Me you can do nothing"
In Friendship Jesus gives us.....
His
Joy,
His Sacrifice
&
The Full Picture:
In return we give to Jesus.....
Our
Obedience,
Our Friendship with others
&
Our fruitfulness
To close, the words another old hymn
"I've
found a friend, O such a friend,
He loved me ere I knew Him;
He drew me with the cords of love,
And thus He bound me to Him"
(J G Small)
May God give His blessing to you.
