Being Friends With Jesus

Introduction

Who is your best friend? What makes them your best friend? Maybe you were in the same first grade class. Maybe yall shared snacks in the cafreteria or played together on the plyground. Maybe you went to college together or worked that first job together. Some friends bonded over sporting events or other hobbies. Life is so much harder when you dont have friends to share it with.

Focus: Jesus has invited His followers into a graduated status with Him that consists of relationship.

Function: We should continually grow in our knowledge of Jesus and His word so that we can be friends that invite others to friendship.

Bg Idea: To be friends with Jesus, I need to learn and live who Jesus is.

Being friends with Jesus means Jesus has chosen you

*Mention going to the pet store and choosing Christopher Wallace…even after learning of his deficts, we still chose to love him until his last day.

God has chosen to love you.

John 3:16 “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Romans 5:8 “But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 8:38–39 “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

God has chosen to instruct you

God has chosen to forgive you

Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus,”

Jesus says we are no longer servants but friends. God has allowed those of us who receive Christ to graduate from workers for God to workers with God. We dont just get instructions from God and do, we hear the heart of God and obey.

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

In God’s divine soverignty, you and I were created, considered and selected to become a part of God’s grand emconpassing narrative of worship and redemption of the world. That means we we have a God-given purpose throug a God-given plan, which places God-given value on our God-given lives!

Bring friends with Jesus means you can choose just like Jesus did

You can choose to love others

1 Corinthians 13:4–13 “Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known. Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love—but the greatest of these is love.”

You can choose to instruct others of God’s instructions.

Matthew 28:19–20 “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

You can choose to forgive others.

Matthew 18:22 ““I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven.”

Through free will, God gives us the opportunity to receive God’s Son’s sacrificial gift of salvation. God also allows us the opportunity to live out that salvation as a witness and testimony to others.

There are times we dont always make the right choices, but we have a friend…explain

Close

Jasmine Girl by Jay Manokaran

Jay Manokaran tells the story of a girl named Shanti who wanted a wooden doll with a red dress from Ramu’s toy shop.

As she was describing it to her best friend, Jodi asked “ How will you afford it?”

Shanti replied “I asked my mom if I could make jasmine garlands and sell them at my aunt’s market stall. Want to do that, too?” Jodi agreed.

The next morning they were outside picking blossoms and knitting them together under the mago tree. Shanti could see herself hugging the doll.

“If we sell enough garlands, we can each get a doll,” Shanti sad.

But Jodi shook her head “My family is low on money this week. Ill use my money to pay for Kiran’s medicine.” Kiran was Jodi’s little brother.

“Is he sick?” Shanti asked.

“He is. But when he gets his medicine, he’ll be fine.” Jodi picked up her garlands. “My mother is expecting me. Ill meet you at the market.”

Shanti spend the afternoon selling her garlands at her aunt’s market stall. But where was Jodi? By early evening, Shanti had sold all her flowers.

Shanti was on her way home when she saw Jodi heading to the market with her garlands. “Why are you so late?” Shanti asked.

“I had to watch Kiran while my mother ran an errand.” Jodi said.

“Why didnt you take him with you?” Shanti asked. Jodi replied that he was too sick to go out because he was constantly coughing.

Shant knew that Jodi wouldnt make enough money for the medicine now. The market would be closing soon.

Shanti looked at the money pouch clutched in her hand. It was supposed to be for the beautifil doll she’d been dreaming of for so long. Then she looked at her friend’s tired face. “Here. Keep this for the medicine.” Shanti put her monet into Jodi’s hand.

That night Shanti cried, thinking about the doll. What if someone bought it before she’d saved up enought again?

The next week while Shanti and Jodi gathered blossoms, Kiran came too. The medicine had cured his cough, and he ran about laughing and throwing flowers into the air.

Jodi said “Now you’re Kiran’s best friend. Your money made him well.”

The three of them sold garlands at the market that afternoon. After Shanti helped her aunt pack up the stall, she ran to Ramu’s shop. She burst in and spilled her money across the counter. “My doll!” she cried. “The one in the red dress!”

Ramu said, “Im sorry, Shanti. Someone bought it.”

Shanti gasped. She gathered up her money and ran out the door before Ramu could see her tears.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” her mother asked when she ran inside.

“My doll is gone!” Shanti sobbed.

Her mother hugged her, then handed her a bumpy package wrapped in paper. “Jodi dropped this off for you.”

On the front of the package was a note: For our best friend, Shanti. From Jodi and Kiran. With shaking hands, Shanti unwrapped it.

Her doll! Jodi bought the doll for Shanti! The dress glowed a rich red, and the hair was braided with tiny white flowers.

Shanti hugged the doll. “I’ll call her Jasmine,” she said.

What a beautiful illustration of what it means to be a friend?! Shanti was willing to sacrifice her doll for her friend’s brother to be made well. Not only was Jodi’s brother made well by the medicine, but Shanti gained a new bestfriend in Kiran. Jesus does that for us. When we are sick Jesus heals us. When we dont have money, Jesus provides for us. But the greatest act of friendship Jesus gave us was his life.

John 15:13 “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.”

That story about Shanti and her doll was for the Gen Alphas in the room but this one is for the Millennials…

You've got a friend in me You've got a friend in me When the road looks rough ahead And you're miles and miles From your nice warm bed You just remember what your old pal said Boy, you've got a friend in me Yeah, you've got a friend in me

You've got a friend in me You've got a friend in me If you've got troubles, I've got 'em too There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you We stick together and can see it through Cause you've got a friend in me You've got a friend in me

That was for the Millennials but let me try the Boomers and Gen Xers

No, Not One

1 There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus– No, not one! no, not one! None else could heal all our soul's diseases– No, not one! no, not one!

Refrain: Jesus knows all about our struggles, He will guide till the day is done; There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus– No, not one! no, not one!

2 No friend like Him is so high and holy– No, not one! no, not one! And yet no friend is so meek and lowly– No, not one! no, not one! [Refrain]

3 There's not an hour that He is not near us – No, not one! no, not one! No night so dark but His love can cheer us– No, not one! no, not one! [Refrain]

4 Was e'er a gift like the Savior given? No, not one! no, not one! Will He refuse us a home in heaven? No, not one! no, not one! [Refrain]