This morning Dave spoke from John 15:9-17, where Jesus spoke to His disciples about being more than servants, about being friends. All of us need friends; we need to know we are important to someone else and that we are loved.
Often, we need self-acceptance first, for we can think that others would not wish to know us or be friends with us if they truly knew us. God knows everything about us; He knew us before we were even born, and He has chosen us to be His friends.
Jesus has chosen us not for what we can do or even what we might do! He has not chosen us simply to ‘make up the numbers’ or because He was forced to. He has chosen us because He loves us and wants to be friends with us.
Friends have ready access to each other: we don’t gaze from afar but are called to be close to Jesus. We are called to intimacy and to be with Jesus at all times, no matter what. In these verses He reminds us that He trusts us and works for us, forgives us and opens the gates of heaven to us.
Friendship with Jesus is not exclusive to us, however. He wants others to be His friend too and for us to be the means to them meeting Him. He is the best friend anyone could ever have. Let’s be friends with Him and introduce our friends to Him too!
