"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. 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." John 15:13-15
Remember David & Jonathan.
Remember Ahab & Jehoshaphat.
Two groups of two men who had two very different notion of frienship.
What is a true friend?
Do you have a friend who challenges you to strive to know God better? Someone who encourages you to keep going, and not give up? Someone who loves you enough to tell you even things you may not want to hear if only to help you turn your eyes back to God?
Do you have a friend who will understand you and accept you no matter what? Someone you never need fear being judged or misjudged?
Even if you do not have a friend like that right now, you can certainly have one in Jesus.
You will never find a friend like Jesus who knows your very heart and yet promises to never leave or forsake you.
...who knows every fault, weakness and shortcomings, and still calls YOU friend.
Take time this week to send your Project Jonathan partner a card or an e-card just to show appreciation and encouragement. Share a verse or a Q.T. that blessed you with your partner.
--from Nakwon EM Sunday Message April 15
3 comments:
hi jdsn~ sorry, if it's not too much, do you think you can add that little paragraph you read at the beginning and end of the sermon??
Sure.
Here it is:
What is a friend? Friends are people with whom you dare to be yourself. Your soul can be naked with them. They ask you to put on nothing, only to be what you are. They do not want you to be better or worse. When you are with them, you feel as a prisoner feels who has been declared innocent. You do not have to be on your guard. You can say what you think, as long as it is genuinely you. Friends understand those contradictions in your nature that lead others to misjudge you. With them you breathe freely. You can avow your little vanities and envies and hates and vicious sparks, your meannesses and absurdities, and in opening them up to friends, they are lost, dissolved on the white ocean of their loyalty. They understand. You do not have to be careful. You can abuse them, neglect them, tolerate them. Best of all, you can keep still with them. It makes no matter. They like you. They are like fire that purges to the bone. They understand. You can weep with them, sing with them, laugh with them, pray with them. Through it all--and underneath--they see, know, and love you. A friend? What is a friend? Just one, I repeat, with whom you dare to be yourself.
C. Raymond Beran
thank you! :)
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