Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Friends and Associates”
Our Bible verse for today: “No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you.” John 15:13-14 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Jesus is the best friend you will ever have.”
Today is Monday December 21st. It’s the beginning of Christmas week and therefore we will spend the week thinking about Jesus. Of course we’ll consider His miraculous birth, His perfect life, and His eventual death on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins, but in keeping with our theme of “friends”, I also want to talk about the friendship of Jesus.
In John 15:13-15 Jesus made a startling claim to His disciples. They considered Him to be their Lord and Master but He states here that He thinks of them as His friends. What an extraordinary claim. This is the God of the universe in a human body. This is the Creator of heaven and earth, the Sovereign and Majestic Lord of all. Surely He is my God who deserves to be – indeed must be – worshiped, but my friend? Well, according to Jesus, yes, a friend.
What does that mean in practical terms to us as individuals? According to the dictionary a friend is a person who you know, like, and trust. It’s someone who supports and sympathizes with you; is favorably disposed to you; understands you and is easy to understand in return; and one who is warm, comforting, and easy to be with.
Jesus claims to be that for you and for me. Proverbs 18:24 describes Him as a “Friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
But wait. In terms of real life day-to-day living, there’s more. Without question the primary reason Jesus left the glory of heaven and came to earth was so that one day He could die upon a cross to redeem us from our sins. But as for being a friend, in terms of walking with us through life day-by-day as a good and true friend does, there’s more, there’s much more. But I’m going to save that for tomorrow.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 