4/15/11 John 15:9-15 Friendship with God

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 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 to you.

Thoughts: The Maker of the Universe is not oblivious to us.  In fact, He calls us His friends.  Friendship means he offers us His love- and asks us not to leave it.  Friendship means listening and trying to please. He also will listen to us- saying He will give whatever we ask in His name.   Jesus wants us as friends to be freinds with each other- loving each other.  In many ways, friendship with God sums up Christian faith- it is a relationship of love. 

Prayer:  Lord, thank you that you offer your hand in friendship.  Help me to take it, and to extend mine to others in your family of faith as well.
John Calvin Abridged:  Since it is proper that we relegate our life according to His commands, we should ask, "What is it you command?"  The answer is repeated often: Mutual love.  Christ seeks to inflame our love for one another by pointing out His example of laying down His life for us.  The ungodly through contempt of the Gospel and its commands, renounce His friendship.  He has condescended to us far more than we condescend to each other by calling us friends.