A Friend of Jesus

Each Wednesday, I am posting another verse of John 15 (Vine and Branches). I will "recite" what we have learned so far. If you wish to join me in this challenge, you can either email your "recitation" or post it as a comment. (Let me know if you see any mistakes that I miss.)

(without looking at my Bible)
John 15:1-13

1. I am the true vine and my father is the husbandman.
2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away,
and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth,
that it may bring forth more fruit.
3. Ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4. Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
except it abide in the branch, no more can ye,
except ye abide in me.
5. I am the vine and ye are the branches.
He that abideth in me and I in him
the same bringeth forth much fruit,
for without me ye can do nothing.
6. He that abideth not in me is cast forth as a branch
and is withered,
and men gather them and cast them into the fire
and they are burned.
7. If ye abide in me and my words abide in you,
ye shall ask what ye will
and it shall be done unto you.
8. Herein is my father glorified
that he bring forth much fruit,
so shall ye be my disciples.
9. As the father hath loved me, so have I loved you;
continue ye in my love.
10. If ye keep my commandments, so shall ye abide in my love,
as I have kept my father's commandments
and continue in his love.
11. These things have I spoken unto you,
that your joy might remain in you,
and that your joy might be full.
12. This is my commandment that ye love one another
as I have loved you.
13. Greater love hath no man that this,
that a man lay down his life for his friends.

CORRECTIONS: looked 4 times, vs6. "if a man not", vs.10 "even",vs.11 "my joy"




NEW VERSE
John 15:14
"Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you."

Jesus wants to be my friend? The Creator...the Almighty God...the Messiah... the King... He wants to be my friend?

When we think of a friend, we think of someone we like to be around. We talk with them and laugh with them and know each other so well, that we don't have to explain.

We have casual friends--people we know a little. We may work with them or go to school with them or live near them or attend the same church.

We have good friends-- those we spend time with and talk with regularly. We send them birthday cards and invite them over to our house for supper.

We have special friends, maybe only one, that knows us very well. They know our moods and secrets. They are the first we turn to when we need comfort or when we have exciting news. They tell us when we are being grumps. They keep us moving when we want to give up. They are with us through thick and thin, no matter what.

Jesus is even more of a friend than that. He loved us before we knew Him. He died for us when we didn't want to have anything to do with Him. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He will always be there, even when we forget Him.

"..if ye keep my commandments."

Jesus is NOT saying, "If you don't play with me, I don't want to be your friend anymore. I'm taking my toys and going home."

Jesus isn't the one who would breaks the friendship. It is us who turn away from Him. He is there waiting for us to turn back. He is still loving us. We are the ones who stomp off clutching our "toys". It must break His heart when we don't want to be His friend anymore.

He wants us to tell Him our exciting happy news. He wants us to come to Him when we are sad and hurting. He knows when we need to be reminded that our attitudes are wrong. He wants us to listen to Him, to spend time with Him.

There are people in the Bible that were called God's friends.

Enoch walked with God. ( A child once explained it, "Enoch and God were taking a walk. At the end of the day, they were closer to God's house, so God took him home." )

Abraham was called a friend to God.

God talked to Moses face to face.

David was a man after God's own heart.

Jesus wants us to be His friends, too.

Lord, I am not worthy to be Your friend. I am so grateful for Your love. Help me not to stray from the closeness of that bond. In Jesus' Name, Amen




Here's a story I wrote for the FaithWriters Weekly Challenge about Jesus' love for us.

The Undeserved Shirt