“Because of Jesus… Friendship with God is Possible” Sunday, January 7, 2024

John 15:1-17 (ESV)
1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
12“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15No longer do I call you servants,a for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”

Friendship between God and Moses; God and Abraham

Exodus 33:11, “The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend.
Isaiah 41:8, “But you, O Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend…”
James 2:23, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend.”

• Friendship with God is Initiated with RECONCILIATION

***Sounds almost impossible that a friendship begins with reconciliation. Can you imagine a human friendship beginning with reconciliation?

Isaiah 59:1-2 (NIV)
Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God…

Romans 5:10 (NIV)
For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

• Friendship with God is an ABIDING Friendship

“Abide” (Jesus uses it 10 times in this short section) –
men`o – remain, wait for, “be present”

***Have you ever been somewhere, but not been present? Have you ever been with a friend or family member and not been present?

• Friendship with God Requires OBEDIENCE

Jesus explains… “This is how this friendship works, ‘if you obey my commands, you will remain in my love…’ and ‘you are my friends if you do what I command.’”

***Why is obedience is such an important aspect in this relationship?

Romans 6:16-18 (NIV)

Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted.

• Friendship with God is INTIMATE

“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.”

• Friendship with God is REWARDING

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.”

    The Reward of Fruit… Supernatural Fruit!    “…bear fruit that will last.”

    The Reward of an attentive, giving Father! 
        “Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.”

    The Reward to share what we have experienced… God’s Love!
        “This is my command: Love each other!”