By Brother Tobi Thompson.
2nd May 2022
Thank You Holy Ghost for Your ever-abiding presence
Let’s bless the Name of the Lord for a few minutes, wherever you are…
Thank Him for the gift of life and of salvation
Thank You, Father
Thank You, Lord, for life and breath
Thank You, for the salvation of my soul
Thank You, Lord we call You ABBA Father by Your Spirit
Blessed be Your Holy Name Lord
You’re worthy of our praise and adoration
We lift Your Name high oh Lord
Glory and honour be into your name Jehovah God
Thank You, Lord, in Jesus’ name, Amen
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Hope we all had a great day? You are welcome.
So, our topic this evening is FRIENDS OF GOD, and our scripture is from John 15:13-15
I don’t mind if anyone can help us with the scripture.
No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends. You are my friends if you keep on doing what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you [My] friends, because I have revealed to you everything that I have heard from My Father.
[John 15:13 – 15 AMP]
As Christians, we have our identity in Christ Jesus and acknowledging this is very important to the way we would relate with our Father and also in our spiritual growth.
So, for example, if a believer refuses to accept that Christ has made them righteous, you would notice such person will always always work so hard for God to accept them and eventually get frustrated.
Tonight, we would be learning one of the variations of the identity God has given to us through faith in His Son.
So, what does it mean to be a friend?? Anyone??
1st Response: Friendship is shared love. It doesn’t come easily but can build up.
2nd Response: To be someone that can be trusted and relied on. This would involve love, communication and lots of common ground.
3rd Response: Friendship to me means sharing of love between people of the same interest, ideas, beliefs, and mutual understanding, irrespective of status or class. It’s a relationship built under a certain level of trust.
4th Response: It’s a place of openness without fear or tension.
5th Response: A friend can also be a person other than a family member whose interest we have at heart.
Thank you, guys, very awesome definitions.
When we talk about friendship or what it means to be friends with someone or a group of people, it simply means that both parties have agreed to share a bond of mutual affection.
Often times such persons share the same values, thoughts, virtues, and so many other similar attributes.
Friendship is one of the most powerful systems God created.
Friendship is so powerful God had to create man just to have a relationship with him…hmmm! Powerful!
You see, God our Father is a very friendly Person!!! Solomon said in Proverbs 18:24 that a man who has friends must first be friendly…
I’ll like to state clearly, that any man (believers inclusive) that cannot boast of having a friend or group of friends has a faulty reality.
I know we’ve heard “no friend in this world” … Please!
That definition came from one with a faulty reality. The implication of this statement is that God is against relationships, and that is totally wrong.
In our opening text, we see God in flesh (Jesus) look at several men not spirits o, men, and He called them friends!
Think about it.
Let’s even see the progression from the Old Testament, we see God the Father affirm that He had men as friends on earth…hmmm!
One of our sisters said earlier that “a friend is someone that can be trusted and relied on…”
Think about it now! God trusted men!!!
And let me shock you, God has not stopped trusting men, though not everyone has the privilege of God’s trust because as another of our sisters rightly said, it doesn’t come easily but can be built up.
After seeing the fervency, faith and sincerity of Abraham’s heart toward Him, God said in Gen 18:17-19 “shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing”
Verse 19 says For I have known him i.e. come into a relationship of trust, openness with Abraham…
The New Testament version is when Jesus spoke to His disciples in John 15:15… No longer do I call you servants but friends because I have made known to you what My Father has told me (paraphrasing).
Let me digress a bit, believers do not have the identity of a servant! Okay?? Ever since my eyes were opened to see this, I no longer address myself or any believer as a servant of God.
I’ve come to understand that service/servanthood is more of a posture than a position…
What do I mean? If your biological parents send you on an errand, does that make you a servant??? No!! It doesn’t change the fact that you’re their son or daughter however in obeying their instructions you’ve put up the posture of a servant.
That’s why we see in Hebrews 5, though He was a Son yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
In Philippians 2 “Who being in the form of God (position of Son)… made Himself of no reputation (posture of a servant).
I pray the Holy Spirit expounds that in our hearts in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Time will not permit us tonight to discuss about the implication of Jesus’ declaration to the disciples and all believers. Hopefully, at a later time, we would continue.
But know this, Reading the Word, Prayer, Obedience, and Consciously engaging the Spirit within us still remain the most effective ways of growing in friendship with God.
I pray in the name of Jesus that the grace to remain in constant communication with your Father is released upon you tonight. Amen
God bless you all.