Q7. Friends of Jesus

[Pastor Ralph]

Q7. (John 15:12-15) What is required to be counted a “friend of Jesus”? What privileges do “friends” enjoy according to verse 15? What happens when we take for granted this privilege?

[SoiKosum]

(John 15:12-15) What is required to be counted a “friend of Jesus”? What privileges do “friends” enjoy according to verse 15? What happens when we take for granted this privilege? 

 

Jesus is saying that you doing what he commands is an indication that you love him. Servants obey because they have to. Friends obey because they want to. 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 15:1415) Jesus' friends have the privilege of sitting down with the Master and understanding his Kingdom. If we take this privilege for granted then we are no more than slaves. In effect this will make our relationship with Jesus a chore and ultimately this may cause us to fall away from Jesus.

[JanMary]

Q7. (John 15:12-15) What is required to be counted a “friend of Jesus”?

 

Jesus said "You are my friends if you keep on doing the things which I commanded you to do. Jesus calls us friends because we are in a love relationship with Him. (He chose us, and we chose Him right back!) We are not servants or slaves who are only privy to commands to obey because "it's our job" but we serve Him because He first loved us and because we love Him...because we are His brothers and sisters...branches connected securely to the Vine.

 

What privileges do “friends” enjoy according to verse 15?

 

We enjoy intimacy with Jesus Who tells us "everything that He has heard from His Father"....a high privilege for us. He honors us with knowledge revealed only to His friends. We get to hear about the future, and the constant reminder of His love for us, which is the same as His love for His Father and His Father for Him. Unimaginable, the position He has given us.

 

What happens when we take for granted this privilege?

 

Relationships are 2 sided....He will never let go of me, but I can "let go of my end of the relationship rope" and neglect my Friend....and I suffer like a plant which ceases to receive water. I will wilt because I've "pinched off" the supply from the vine. I have been there and done that....and regret those few past foolish times. But He's such a true and faithful friend, He "sticks closer to us than a brother", always with open arms and no grudge or punishment when we turn back in openness and regret or repentance for our neglect of Him.

[hanks]

Q7. (John 15:12-15) 

What is required to be counted a "friend of Jesus"? 

What privileges do "friends" enjoy according to verse 15? 

What happens when we take for granted this privilege?

We show that we are His friends by doing whatever He commands us, but we also obey because we love Him! By constantly doing the will of Jesus we abide in His love and are counted as His friend. We must remember God elected us before creation, so we have been chosen to be a friend of Jesus. To be counted as a friend of Jesus is a great blessing, in that we are taken into His confidence, and among other things, His plans for the future are revealed to us. We see this when Jesus confided in the disciples telling them about His departure, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and His own coming again. However, I am careful to call Jesus my friend – I feel it is bringing Him down to my level, but if He calls me His friend, that is a big difference and I am honoured. To me He is the Lord of lords, the King of kings, my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

My favourite hymn:

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Oh, what peace we often forfeit,

Oh, what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer!

 

[blezed]

(John 15:12-15) What is required to be counted a “friend of Jesus”? What privileges do “friends” enjoy according to verse 15? What happens when we take for granted this privilege?

• We are Jesus friend if we do what he commands.  He commanded us to love one another as he loved us.  We are no longer called slaves.  Jesus shares with us everything he has learned from the Father so we can use to help in the growing of his Kingdom. 
   

[Jen]

Q7. (John 15:12-15) What is required to be counted a "friend of Jesus"? What privileges do "friends" enjoy according to verse 15? What happens when we take for granted this privilege?

 

Those who love Christ for who He is, God, Lord, Savior, Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel and who recognize who they are, sinners, unable to help themselves, unclean, unable to clean themselves and accept His offer of forgiveness and desire His righteousness in them and His Holy Spirit to work in them to conform their wills to His are to be counted a friend of Jesus.  He says it not me.  He is my Lord and Savior.  He is the One who paid the price for me to lift me up out of the miry clay and receive me into His kingdom of light.  I owe Him everything.  He gives me the privilege of knowing Him and fellowshipping  with Him.  And He calls me a friend. Amazing!

When we take for granted this privilege, we treat everything He has done for us like it is nothing, meaningless. He stills bears the nail prints in His hands and feet.

 

God Bless!

Jen

Numbers 6:24-26

 

There are no words sometimes, only heartfelt stirrings in the mind but there again He understands our heart and our desire to show Him love for who He is and what He has done.  Amazing.  I don't even know the depths of what He has done because I don't know the depths of the sin nature, except I know it is evil beyond words.  I don't know all that He has saved me from except that I know it is inconceivably awful.  So Jesus please accept  my feeble efforts and use them for your glory.  I can never repay you, find the words to thank you enough.  So give me the grace to live my life with the fruit of your Spirit abiding in me and to be ever grateful for what I don't seem to fully comprehend but You do.

[Clarence]

Q7. (John 15:12-15) What is required to be counted a “friend of Jesus”? What privileges do “friends” enjoy according to verse 15? What happens when we take for granted this privilege?

 

According to the notes, the Greek word for "Friends" is philos which means, "pertaining to having a special interest in someone, beloved, dear, loving, kindly disposed, devoted,then as a substantive, one who is on intimate terms or in close association with another, friend"

Jesus called his disciples his friends if they obeyed his commands (v14). His first and foremost command was that they should love one another (v12). John recorded that Jesus said that he would share with them intimately, about his father-so he said..."I do not call you my slaves any more...I have called you my friends."

[RebeccaMallinson]

To be a friend of Jesus, rather than a servant, is to obey through love, not duty.  Friends have the privilege of intimacy and at least some enlightenment of God’s will.  We are very ungrateful if we take this privilege for granted.  This is not the way for a true friend to behave, so we will distance ourselves from God.

[lighthouse2014]

Q7. (John 15:12-15) What is required to be counted a “friend of Jesus”? What privileges do “friends” enjoy according to verse 15? What happens when we take for granted this privilege?

The requirement of being counted as a friend of Jesus is that we obey his commands and love one another as he has loved us while we were yet in our sins. Christ died for us, no greater love can be then to give your life for a friend.

Our privileges we can enjoy for being a friend of Jesus are; his love; his joy; our understanding of the Kingdom; being part of his administration and to rule and reign with him.

If we take these privileges of Jesus for granted, we can believe that these privileges are ours for taking with out realizing what Jesus has done for us, We maybe deceiving ourselves into a false faith. We have no friendship with Jesus at all and we become arrogant, believing he owes these privileges to us for our proclamation of his name. If we are truly friends, we will know where our place in the Kingdom.     

[quilter]

1.We are to love one another as Jesus loved us and he loved us enough to give his life for us.

2. Because Jesus Christ is Lord and Master he should call us slaves but instead he calls us friends. How comforting it is to be chosen as his friend.

3. We are not part of our Savior if we don't love others. To love him is to love others we are not following his commandment if we don't love. There is no place in his Kingdom for ones that don't love.

[PeteD]

Lesson 26 Question 7

We are counted as a friend of Jesus if we keep his command to love each other as Jesus has loved us. The love that is required, or rather is engendered by Jesus' loves is that of self sacrifice for our friends.

The privileges that we as Jesus' friends enjoy are that we are  now made aware of much of what He learned from the Father - we now know  his Father's kingdom enterprise plans, so,   we are no longer just servants but now are part of the 'family business.'

If we take this privilege for granted we will have diminished joy. That is, we will be lacking and incomplete.

 Let us stay close/ remain in/abide with Jesus daily.

[Stanley Tavaziva]

Q7. (John 15:12-15) What is required to be counted a "friend of Jesus"? What privileges do "friends" enjoy according to verse 15? What happens when we take for granted this privilege?

 

We are to love each other as Jesus loved us, and he loved us enough to give his life for us. We may not have to die for someone, but there are other ways to practice sacrificial love: listening, helping, encouraging, giving. Think of someone in particular who needs this kind of love today. Give all the love you can, and then try to give a little more.

 

Because Jesus Christ is Lord and Master, he should call us servants; instead, he calls us friends. How comforting and reassuring to be chosen as Christ’s friends. Because he is Lord and Master, we owe him our unqualified obedience, but most of all, Jesus asks us to obey him because we love him.

(Ps 8:3 )

When I look up at the heavens, which your fingers made,  and see the moon and the stars, which you set in place,

 

(Ps 8:4)

Of what importance is the human race, that you should notice them?  Of what importance is mankind, that you should pay attention to them,

 

(Ps 8:5)

and make them a little less than the heavenly beings?  You grant mankind honor and majesty;

 

(Ps 8:6)

you appoint them to rule over your creation;  you have placed everything under their authority,

 

Our Lord used the term friend, He told His disciples that they were no longer slaves , or servants , but His friend which carried a lot of privileges. It was a great privilege to be called the friend of God or a friend of Christ.

 

Remember, we were created for a life-mission of “abundance” for God we can’t accomplish the work of His kingdom on your own. We have to cooperate with God and respond in obedience and trust.

[haar]

Q7. (John 15:12-15) What is required to be counted a "friend of Jesus"? What privileges do "friends" enjoy according to verse 15? What happens when we take for granted this privilege?
 

Obedience is required.

 

The Lords tells friends everything about the kingdom, His Kingdom. Their prayers are also answered.

[pickledilly]

Jesus is a friend to anyone who belongs to the Father and obeys what He has told us, as we’re motivated by our love for Him.  Every friend of Jesus has mind-blowing access to the heart of Father.  I love Pastor Ralph’s statement that “Jesus' friends have the privilege of sitting down with the Master and understanding his Kingdom.”  Only through Jesus and His Spirit within us do we have any understanding of the truths of God and his Kingdom.  He teaches us on a spiritual level, revealing things that are undiscernible to the natural human mind. And “You get to share in his joy and plans for the future.”  What a promise and privilege that we are co-heirs with Christ!  As His friend (which is the best way to start a relationship that leads to the marriage of a bride and groom!) He shares all His joy and strength and peace and wisdom with us.  And He shares the encouraging hope that by His Spirit, His own inheritance has been promised to us when we are united with Him forever.

 

When we take this for granted, we presume upon our Friend.  The necessary components of love and respect are compromised as we begin to focus on self more than on Him.  If this goes too far, we can become casual, unappreciative, and even distant.  We'll crimp our attachment to the True Vine and restrict the Spirit's flow of power and energy that makes us fruitful.  Every vibrant friendship requires active participation from both sides!  We’re can’t neglect our responsibilities in this relationship or else we will suffer losses in the benefits of this gift of friendship.

[royk]

Q7. (John 15:12-15) What is required to be counted a "friend of Jesus"? What privileges do "friends" enjoy according to verse 15? What happens when we take for granted this privilege?

As we become a more sincere member of Jesus' family, we recognize more what He has done for all of us, and especially  how He has done it individually for each of us. He has done it gracefully, and with infinite wisdom, and He reminds us that the Holy Spirit is here now to be our guide to the truth, in every moment that we remain in Him.

 

This privilege from the creator of the universe is available to anyone who learns to trust and grow closer to Christ. Like any friendship it only gets better by spending time together, and enjoying that time.

 

To take for granted such a privilege is like admitting that we haven't spend enough time praying and meditating on His word. How can me learn Him truly, except by prayer and studying the word of God?

 

Taking any of this for granted is a path to destruction. And since we know this more deeply, will we/I not long to be with Him in prayer and meditation? What a joy divine, leaning on the everlasting arms of our Savior!

 

Will, we are sinners and we are prone wander off the path, and leave the God we love. We are warned by Peter that the devil is on the prowl all the time. That is why we are warned to obey and to remain in Christ, by Christ himself. He is the best friend we can every have.

[Joe_Applegarth]

What is required to be counted a "friend of Jesus"?  All that’s required of us to be counted as a friend is to obey His commands and the greatest of course is to “Love each other as I have loved you.” (v. 15:12)

 

What privileges do "friends" enjoy?  He will no longer call us “servants”, He will make known to us everything that He learned from God the Father (v. 15) and we will become shareholders in His kingdom.

 

What happens when we take for granted this privilege?  To "take for granted" is to be complacent or neglectful.  If we are obedient and love God, if we’re trying to live a godly, Christian life, our fruit will manifest itself positively.  If we’re complacent or neglectful toward Him and fail to obey His commands, the fruit that we ultimately yield will reflect that as well.  God always has a way of sending us a reminder when we’re taking Him for granted.

[Old Jerry]

I don’t think that there is any requirement to be a “friend of Jesus”. All we have to do is try to follow in his footsteps and try to get to know him better. If we are his friend then we are in the family of the Kingdom of God. If we take for granted this privilege he will not share the future of the family business.

[Godswriter]

Q7. (John 15:12-15) What is required to be counted a “friend of Jesus”? What privileges do “friends” enjoy according to verse 15? What happens when we take for granted this privilege?  

The requirement for it is simple to obey His commandments and love Him. They hear everything that the Father is doing and it is made known to them. When we take it for granted we end up losing our reward in Heaven. 

[Jonathan Edwards]

To be a friend of Jesus, one must obey the commandments set forth by Christ.   The Sermon on the Mount comes to my mind; I need to do a serious study on that portion of the Bible.  We need to view our fellow man through the eyes of Christ.   How short I am in regards to this matter.  

We are beckoned by Christ to go and bear forth fruit, produce eternal works and get answers to prayer.

If we don't stay on the straight and narrow way; we will not be Christ's full partners nor be true representatives producing Christ's works as Christ produced during his ministry.  Christ wants us to a deep love for our fellowmen; we are to share with Christ all things that the Father has made known to Christ (John 15:15).  We must be on the  "get go";  we must be on the offensive.  We are proactive Apostles.   It is crucial in this cynical age that we truly have genuine hearts of love for all mankind----we pray urgently for salvation and we sacrifice worldly pleasures to be evangelistic.   Oh that we could experience the Apostolic love that filled the hearts of the first Methodists!   May God forgive me for lack of this agape love that Christ spoke about.

What a tragedy if one gets into a Laodicean spirit----lukewarmness.   Backsliding is inevitable to the one who does not pursue John 15.   Billy Graham's dearest friend and co-evangelist fell into this trap.  Templeton left the faith and the evangelical ministry years ago.   We need the renewing of the Holy Spirit so much.  Apostle Paul witnessed this backsliding amongst his own coworkers; he set his sight on Spain nevertheless!

 

 

[Irmela]

Q7. (John 15:12-15)

What is required to be counted a "friend of Jesus"?

What privileges do "friends" enjoy according to verse 15?

What happens when we take for granted this privilege?

A friend wants to or desires to live in a way that pleases Jesus.  A servant would do things because of being duty-bound. 

A friend shares what is to transpire or what he is doing. 

In teaching his disciples all about his Kingdom over three years, Jesus is explaining the inner workings, the philosophy behind his Kingdom, how to heal, how to pray, how to trust, how to undergo and understand persecution. Jesus spoke in parables to the crowds, which included his enemies, "but when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything" (Mark 4:34).

As Jesus's friends we get to share in his joy and plans for the future. We get to be able to be part of those who share about and so doing expand His kingdom.