Sao Paulo Sermon 6.22

Big Idea:

You were made for friendship (deep relationship/identity) with God.

A - Love one another.

B - Love requires obedience, obedience reveals relationship.

C - You were chosen for friendship with God.

B’ - Obedience bears fruit, fruit reveals relationship.

A’ - Love one another.

Intro:

Good evening…

Brazil is a special place. This is my 4th visit to Brazil. I’ve been to here more times than I’ve been anywhere else in the world, other than the US. I love it.

Each time I’m here I learn something that helps me follow Jesus better, and then help others (back in the US) do the same. And a lesson this country teaches well (at least in the church) is friendship.

And it only makes sense that one of the themes for the VBS/EBF we’ve been supportiing here in Sao Paulo is, “God loves you and wants to be your friend.”

Friendship is personally difficult for me. For one, I’m a naturally shy person. It’s difficult for me to make friends. I’m never sure what to say, especially when I don’t know the person. But I really do want to be your friend!

Growing up, I was raised by a single-mom. We never had money. And my mom moved us (my brother and I) around often. Anywhere there was affordable housing. For a shy kid, this was my worst nightware.

Each school year, we’d move and I’d have to make all new friends. Additionally, although I currently live and pastor in Connecticut, I was born in San Diego, California. And friendship in California is weird. It can be very shallow. So, even your “friends” aren’t very good friends.

And because of this, when I hear that “God wants to be my friend,” it has a different meaning to me. Because my definition of friendship is influenced by the brokenness I have lived through. I hear, “God wants to be my friend,” and if I’m honest, I think, “That’s nice, but I want more.”

Because of my past, friendship can be unappealing to me, especially when it comes to God. My heart craves something deeper and more concrete!

But in my 20 years of following Jesus, here’s an important lesson I’ve learned: God defines reality or truth, not my experience. And it’s my responsibility to change the way I think so that it’s more consistent with God’s truth. Not the other way around.

It’s like what the apostle Paul says…

Romans 12:2 NLT

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world (even if your personal experience confirms it), but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think…

God’s definition of friendship is much different than mine. Honestly, it’s very consistent with how I see friendship practiced here in Brazil!

…In the book of John, chapter 15, Jesus teaches about friendship. Today, our passage is John 15:12-17 if you want to follow in your Bible…

And for a little context…

Jesus and the disciples have finished the Passover dinner.

Jesus is about to go to the cross.

Judas (one of the disciples) has left the room in order to betray Jesus. He’s not a good friend - he’s from California.

And Jesus gives final instructions about the importance of love, obedience, power and relationship.

And in verse 12, He says…

John 15:12 ESV

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Exegesis:

This is actually the 2nd time Jesus says this during the current conversation. And He’ll say it again in verse 17. And, anytime Scripture repeats something, it’s important.

Back in Connecticut, my church knows that I use sports to help explain the Bible. And right now, the NBA (or basketball) Finals are happening. In the game of basketball, there are lines painted on the court that tell you what you can or can’t do…

If you stand inside of a painted box (4 lines) underneath the basketball hoop too long, it’s a violation. You’ll have to give the ball to the other team.

When someone fouls you, sometimes you get to shoot uncontested from another line (free throw).

And all around the court, there are boundary lines: The sidelines and baselines. These are very important lines. Because, when playing basketball, you must stay within those lines if you want your actions to matter.

For Jesus, love is the boundary lines. In His Kingdom, and as His followers, we MUST understand how important love is. Because everything we think and do must stay within His love, otherwise, it doesn’t eternally matter! That’s one reason Jesus repeats himself!

So, what does love look like? Because we can see lines painted on the basketball court, but it’s difficult to see love. Additionally, we use love in many different ways (at least in America):

I love my wife and kids.

I love Jesus.

I also love ice cream.

I love Churasscuria.

Confusing. So, what does this boundary of love look like? Jesus tells us…

John 15:13–14 ESV

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.

For Jesus, love is not just an emotion. It’s not just an action. It includes both, but it’s not limited to either. Love is an identity. It’s a characteristic that describes who you are and what you do. And for Jesus, love is a willingness to do whatever it takes to show someone they matter, no matter the cost. Even if it requires your life.

That sounds extreme. But again, God defines truth, so it’s important we get this! But He doesn’t just tell us what’s true, He shows us.

Last year I memorized Romans 5:8 in Portuguese…

“Mas deus demonstra seu amor por nos, Christo morreu em nosso favor, quando ainda eramas pecadores.” Pecadores is a fun word. Americans usually memorize 3 words:

Bom dia.

Obrigado.

And, pecadores.

For Jesus, as He’s teaching about love, He says love is willing to DO… whatever it takes to show someone they matter and are valuable.

Jesus DID this… while we were still sinners, He died on the cross for us. We didn’t deserve this. But He DID it because He loves us. We matter and are valuable to Him. And He DID it because that’s who He is. He is love.

And Jesus teaches His disciples, “If you follow Me, this is how we love, and this is what love looks like.” Love looks like Jesus!

…But we also find that word “friend” here... Again, He says…

John 15:13–14 ESV

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.

There’s something different about the way Jesus uses “friend.” It’s NOT like how I understand it. It’s deeper. More powerful. He continues…

John 15:15–17 ESV

No longer do I call you servants, 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. You 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. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

When Jesus uses the word “friendship,” He’s describing deep relationship. In fact, it describes the DEEP LOVE between Son and the Father. Think about it:

Jesus, the Son, knows and shares the Father’s heart. According to Jesus, His friends now know and share the Father’s heart.

At Jesus’s baptism, the sky broke open and the Father declared, “This is My Son whom I have chosen!” Jesus tells us that we are chosen us too.

The Son can ask the Father for anything (because He shares His heart). Jesus says that we (as FRIENDS) can ask the Father for anything too.

And the Son obeys the Father’s commandments to show His love. Those who are friends of God obey the Father’s commandments because they love Him.

The Father and Son share the deepest, most loving relationship possible. And as friends, we are invited into that relationship of love.

And this is where my thinking MUST change. In the Kingdom of God, friendship is not superficial. It’s not something to be devalued or treated lightly. Friendship is the deepest form of relationship sourced from the greatest love. And our proper response to, “God loves you and wants to be your friend,” should never be “Oh, that’s nice,” but rather…

1 John 3:1 NKJV

[What] manner of love [is this…] that we should be called children of God!…

I believe it’s appropriate to even substitute “children” with “friends” with for the purposes of the passage. “What manner of love is this, that we should be called friends of God!” Nothing can compare to this privilege. Nothing more valuable. Not even being a professional basketball player who wins an NBA championship.

Response:

So, as we close, let me remind us that “God loves you and wants to be your friend.” Our hearts should leap with joy at this. We are invited into the greatest, most meaningful relationship available to all of creation.

Therefore, how do we respond to God’s word? I have 4 suggestions:

If you need to get right with God tonight, do that. You’re being invited into friendship with God. And all you need to do to is turn from your sin and put your faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Let everything you do be sourced from God’s love. Do whatever it takes to show people they matter and are valuable to you; and by that, you show the love of God.

Obey God’s commandments. This is a weird response to the idea of friendship. When you think of friendship, the idea of obedience isn’t usually part of the conversation. But here’s what helped me process the partnership between obedience and friendship… Jesus defines reality and truth. And Jesus describes His deep relationship with the Father with obedience. Obedience is the pattern of love modeled by the Son. Therefore, it’s how WE love and practice friendship (deep relationship) too. Friendship is strengthened by reading God’s Word, and then OBEYING God’s Word.

Prioritize your God-given identity. There are many voices in this world telling us who we should or shouldn’t be. But only One voice is worth listening to. And that Voice tells us that our identity is friend of God, who is loved and is to deeply love others. That’s who we are and what we do.

And here’s my final encouragement…

My Brazilian friends, you already know how to do friendship well. It seems to be very natural to your culture. That is a gift from God. And for us Americans, you model what it looks like to love friends well. Thank you for that. I’m grateful, we are grateful for your obedience to Christ’s commands to love one another, just as He has loved you.

Let’s pray…

Father, thank you for today. Thank you for your love towards us. Thank you that You invite us into friendship. We know we don’t deserve it. But it’s available to us by grace, because of what Your Son Jesus did for us on the cross. We don’t want to waste this opportunity. We ask that by Your Holy Spirit, you would do whatever you need to do to make our lives right with You. We want to live the rest of our days loving You and loving one another. In Jesus name, amen.