GOD’S WORD FOR APRIL 27
GOD’S WORD FOR APRIL 27 ~ ~ John 15:13 ~ ~ “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
FRIENDSHIP—-today’s gift that the Bridegroom sent!!!
Jesus calls us His friends!
Moses and Abraham are called Friends of God too.
James, the half brother of Jesus, tells us that Abraham was a friend of God. James 2:23
“And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God”
God treated Moses like a friend, too. He talked to him face to face. We see this in Exodus 33:11
“ So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. …”
Jesus called His apostles friends several times, at least.
“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”
“You are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you.”
Anyone who is in Him and obeys Him is His friend!!!
In Luke 12:4 we see Jesus talking to His apostles, saying, “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.”
I suspect that there were many times when He called them friends as they traveled together for three years, living together, eating together, walking together, talking and joking. I think they were more than friends……..I think they were buddies.
He answered the Pharisees’ complaints this way, as told us in three of the gospels:
Mark 2:19, Mt :15; Luke 5:34
And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.
He didn’t keep it a secret. He didn’t mind that, even though He showed the leaders that He was the Son of God, He still wasn’t embarrassed to call His apostles His friends.
He’s not ashamed to call us friends either. We may be a little uncomfortable at times with that. After all, He is the Great God and Creator of the Universe and beyond, existing from everlasting to everlasting. Power beyond measure, and Love spreading just as far. …………and can He call US His friends, ………Casually…..like Joe Blow next door? It’s mind boggling, yet, I think, when we get to know Him in eternity, it will come naturally to us…..just as natural, I suspect, as falling on our faces in rapturous worship of Him. That’s just the way He is!!!!
Live in the Light of Our Lord 