A Friend Like No Other
Notes
Transcript
13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
A FRIEND LIKE NO OTHER
MOST OF US, IF NOT ALL OF US HAVE PEOPLE IN OUR LIVES THAT WE VALUE AS FRIENDS.
SOME OF US HAVE FRIENDS THAT WE’VE KNOWN SINCE WE WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL
SOME OF US HAVE FRIENDS THAT WE GREW UP WITH AND STILL TALK TO THEM TO THIS DAY
SOME OF US HAVE WHAT IS KNOWN AS A RIDE OR DIE KIND OF FRIEND…..
TRUE FRIENDSHIP SHOULD BE TREASURED AND CHERISHED.
GENUINE FRIENDSHIP IS NOT BASED ON WHAT A PERSON HAS OR DON’T HAVE.
IT IS NOT BASED ON WHAT A PERSON CAN DO FOR YOU THAT MAKES THEM A FRIEND.
AUTHENTIC FRIENDSHIPS ARE BASED ON THE COMMONALITY THAT WE HAVE WITH THOSE THAT WE CHOOSE AS FRIENDS, AND THE MOTIVATING FACTOR IN FRIENDSHIP IS LOVE.
TRUE FRIENDSHIP DOES NOT MISUSE OR TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PERSON THAT IS CALLED FRIEND.
SOMETIMES THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SO DESPERATE FOR FRIENDSHIP THAT THEY WILL CHOOSE THOSE THAT MEAN THEM NO GOOD.
THEY ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE USED AND ABUSED BY OTHERS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE ACCEPTED.
THESE FRIENDSHIPS AREN’T TRUE FRIENDSHIPS…AND THEY CAN BE FICKLE, FALSE, AND SHALLOW.
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A FRIEND WHO WILL LOVE YOU UNCONDITIONALLY; WHO WILL ACCEPT YOU JUST AS YOU ARE; WHO WILL STAND BY YOU IN GOOD AND BAD TIMES; WHO WILL HEAR YOU WHEN YOU PRAY; WHO WILL KEEP YOU FROM FALLING; WHO WILL LOOK BEYOND YOUR FAULTS AND MEET YOUR NEEDS; WHO IS ABLE TO DRY TEARS FROM OUR EYES;
I WANT TO SUGGEST THAT YOU CONSIDER JESUS, BECAUSE HE’S A FRIEND LIKE NO OTHER.
JESUS WAS HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH HIS DISCIPLES AND HE HAS SHARES MANY THINGS WITH THEM DURING HIS DISCOURSE.
a) HE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING CONNECTED WITH HIM, BECAUSE EVERY BRANCH THAT DOES NOT BRING FORTH FRUIT IS TAKEN AWAY.
b) AND THAT EVERY BRANCH THAT BEARS FRUIT IS PRUNED THAT IT WILL BRING FORTH MORE FRUIT.
c) HE TALKED ABOUT THEM ABIDING IN HIM BECAUSE WITHOUT HIM THEY COULD DO NOTHING.
d) HE INFORMED THEM THAT THE WAY TO HAVE THEIR PRAYERS ANSWERED, WAS TO REMAIN CONNECTED TO HIM.
e) IN VERSE 13 HE LETS THEM KNOW THAT THERE IS NO GREATER LOVE THAN ONE WHO WILL LAY DOWN HIS OR HER LIFE FOR THEIR FRIENDS.
f) JESUS IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT A FRIEND SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
g) THERE ARE MANY WHO PROFESS THAT THEY ARE FRIENDS WITH JESUS, BUT THEY DON’T LIVE FOR HIM.
h) JESUS SAYS IN MATT. 15:7-8
Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
i) THEN, THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE SINCERELY FRIENDS WITH JESUS WHICH IS EVIDENCED BY THE LIVES THAT THEY LEAD.
You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
j) JESUS’ FRIENDSHIP IS BASED ON UNCONDITIONAL LOVE!
FRIENDSHIP IS NOT ONE SIDED, BUT IT IS MUTUAL; IN OTHER WORDS, ONE IS NOT ALWAYS GIVING AND THE OTHER IS ALWAYS TAKING!
FRIENDSHIPS MUST BE TESTED TO DETERMINE THEIR VALUE.
AS A CHILD OF GOD, OUR FRIENDSHIP WITH HIM WILL BE TESTED BY OUR OBEDIENT LIVING FOR HIM.
IT WILL BE TESTED BY LIVING FAITHFULLY IN AN UNFAITHFUL WORLD!
FRIENDSHIP MUST BE WILLING TO MAKE SACRIFICES. JESUS SAYS THAT
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
THE QUESTION THAT I WANT TO PUT FORTH TO YOU IS, “WHAT SACRIFICES ARE YOU WILLING TO MAKE FOR JESUS?”
REAL FRIENDSHIP WILL NOT ALWAYS TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR, BUT WHAT YOU NEED TO HEAR, THAT YOU MIGHT GAIN STRENGTH, AND SEE THINGS AS THEY REALLY ARE.
A REAL FRIEND WILL CELEBRATE WITH YOU, CRY WITH YOU, STAND UP FOR YOU,
LIFT YOU UP AND NOT TEAR YOU DOWN!
h) PEOPLE WILL SAY, “I’M WITH YOU AS LONG AS YOU ARE RIGHT.”
BUT, LET ME TELL YOU THAT I NEED YOU TO BE WITH ME WHEN I’M WRONG AS WELL.
i) THAT’S WHAT JESUS DOES. HE DOES NOT ABANDON US WHEN WE MESS UP.
j) YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE HE’S A FRIEND LIKE NO OTHER
4. THE DIFFERENCE IN BEING FRIENDS WITH SOMEONE AND BEING ACQUAINTED WITH SOMEONE.
AN ACQUAINTANCE IS SOMEONE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED TO, BUT YOU DO NOT NECESSARILY HAVE A MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.
a) FRIENDSHIP IS ESTABLISHED BY RELATIONSHIP.
b) THERE ARE THINGS MORE THINGS THAT I WILL DO FOR A FRIEND
THAN I WILL DO FOR SOMEONE WHO IS JUST AN ACQUAINTANCE.
c) SAD BUT TRUE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THAT THERE ARE MANY WHO ARE ONLY ACQUAINTED WITH JESUS
d) MATT. 7:22-23
Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
e) AN ACQUAINTANCE WILL NOT HAVE YOUR BEST INTEREST AT HEART.
f) BUT A TRUE FRIEND WILL ALWAYS WANT WHAT’S BEST FOR YOU.
g) THAT’S JESUS AND HE’S THAT KIND OF FRIEND.
h) I’M TRYING TO HELP SOMEONE THAT IS STRUGGLING WITH FRIENDSHIP PHYSICALLY AS WELL AS SPIRITUALLY.
i) IT PAYS TO HAVE JESUS AS A FRIEND BECAUSE HE’S THE PERFECT FRIEND.
j) MAN-MADE FRIENDSHIPS CAN BE DISAPPOINTING AT TIMES, BUT JESUS WILL NEVER DISAPPOINT YOU.
k) WHY? BECAUSE HE’S A FRIEND LIKE NO OTHER
l) JESUS HAS A LOT TO OFFER HIS FRIENDS; THE QUESTION IS WHAT DO WE HAVE TO OFFER HIM?
m) I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT FOR ME, JESUS IS MORE THAN JUST AN ACQUAINTANCE!
5. THREE POINTS/CONCLUSION. THERE ARE ADVANTAGES TO HAVING JESUS AS A FRIEND
a) ONE, BEING FRIENDS WITH JESUS WILL MAKE US ACCEPTABLE TO GOD ALTHOUGH WE WILL BE REJECTED BY THE WORLD.
19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
b) TWO, BEING FRIENDS WITH JESUS IS PIVOTAL TO HAVING OUR PRAYERS ANSWERED,
16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
c) THREE, BEING FRIENDS WITH JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO GET TO HEAVEN
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
d) A FRIEND OF JESUS NEVER HAS TO WORRY IF…
• HE WILL LEAD IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BECAUSE HE WILL
• HE WILL GIVE STRENGTH IN TIMES OF WEAKNESS/HE WILL
• HE WILL HEAR AND ANSWER PRAYER BECAUSE HE WILL
• HE WILL BEAR BURDENS BECAUSE HE WILL
• HE WILL BLESS BEYOND MEASURE BECAUSE HE WILL
• HE GENUINELY LOVES YOU BECAUSE HE DOES
• HE WILL COMFORT IN TIMES OF LONELINESS BECAUSE HE WILL
• HE WILL FIGHT YOUR BATTLES BECAUSE HE WILL
• HE’S A FRIEND THAT NEVER…
• FORSAKES
• LEADS ASTRAY
• MISJUDGES
• HOLDS GRUDGES
• GOSSIPS
• LIES
• DOES WRONG
• CRITICIZES
• PROCRASTINATES
• HE’S A LOVING AND FAITHFUL FRIEND THAT WILL…
• IF HE’S FOR YOU, WHO CAN BE AGAINST YOU
• TURN ENEMIES INTO FOOTSTOOLS
• TURN ADVERSARIES INTO ALLIES
• MAKE LONELY NIGHTS BEARABLE
• MAKE TROUBLED DAYS ENDURABLE
• MAKE HIGH MOUNTAINS CLIMBABLE
• MAKE DEEP VALLEY’S CROSSABLE
• MAKE THE STING OF DEATH CONQUERABLE
• HE’S THE ONLY FRIEND THAT GIVES ETERNAL LIFE
HE’S A FRIEND LIKE NO OTHER
A FRIEND THAT STICKS CLOSER THAN A BROTHER