Friends of Jesus

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Scripture: 15:12-14 (ESV)

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.

Devotion:

            Jesus, as he was giving his disciples one last session of teaching before he was arrested, tried, and crucified gave them a commandment. It was not necessarily a new commandment. Other teachers had advised their disciples to love one another, Even Jesus had given this command before. So why repeat what you have already said? Jesus wants his disciples past, present, and future to realize the absolute necessity of loving one another. Jesus wants to make it plain to all of us just how much he loves us. He loves us enough to give up his very life.

            All of Jesus life up to this point had been about loving people. Now he was about to sacrifice his very life to show us just how deep his love for us is. This action is no doubt seen by a modern unbelieving reader as very strange. The average person in the world today is not wired to make that type of sacrifice for any reason. We, as a society, have become too weak and cowardly to make this kind of sacrifice. Jesus, however, sees it from a heavenly perspective. His sacrifice is the ultimate in bravery and strength. He calls on those who follow him to be prepared to make that same self-giving sacrifice at any time.

            What would it mean to believe and embrace Jesus style of love? It would mean that Christians would have to live more selfless lives. Sacrificing their own ease and comfort for the way of discomfort and even death. It would mean standing firm against Satan the enemy of our souls as he seeks to make us compromise our faith for the sake of getting along with the crowd. In today’s culture being a Christian who declares any belief other than ones that the world holds are condemned and canceled. Abortion, gender confusion, sexual orientation, questioning the world’s dogmas on any of these subjects on religious grounds and you will get into deep trouble with the unbelieving world.

            Christians in the scripture above are called friends of Jesus because they obey his commandments. Today we too can be friends of Jesus. But it means giving of ourselves in a Romans 12 kind of way. Being willing to be a living sacrifice will necessarily mean that the modern person must seek the renewing of their mind and be willing to sacrifice everything for Christ. We must be strong and courageous in order to stand the tests that the world, the flesh, and the devil will throw our way. Paul talks about the whole armor of God in Ephesians 6 we should remember and put on this armor each day. As we witness to this dying and hopeless world, we must bring the message of hope and love in Christ Jesus. We must not be discouraged when the world rejects the message we bring. God will ultimately win the victory.

Prayer:

            Father in heaven, hear us as we pray. Give us the courage to give our very lives in defense of the gospel. Help us speak clearly of the love we have received as followers of Jesus so that the world may know the great, great, love of God. Help us to spread the love we have received generously to those most in need of Jesus loving touch. Help us to live in peace with the world as far as it depends on us. May our lives be examples for others to follow. Amen


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