A Friend of Jesus

Message by: Rich Vreeland

We have lots of different kinds of friends in this world.

• TV friends

• close friends

• best friends

• fake friends (social media)

Friend (noun) - a person of whom we share a bond of mutual affection…..

Romans 8:38-39
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

A NASCAR team has to be in sync.. They work together without even talking. That is what real friendships are like

Matthew 7:3
And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?

A true friend doesn't look for the speck in their friend's eye.

But we do need to look out for each other's walk… like the time Rich was working with teens.

Rich told us the time he was working with some teens, and they were playing their music (which was all secular). He heard a curse word in the lyrics. The teen defended the song with something like, “It is the only curse. It just has that one curse. It is not a big deal.” To which Rich rebutted…. If you were making brownies and you followed the instructions and added all of the ingredients, but you added just one ingredient… just one turd, would that be ok? That one (bad) ingredient matters.

James 4:4
You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

What James was saying is God really wants our all!

John 15:1-8
“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in Me. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in Me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in Me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are My true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

We need to stay connected to our best friend - Jesus. It is easy to stay in communion with him… Pray!

Jesus is looking for all of us to pray.

Everyone can pray. Some are afraid they can't… if you can order a burger, you can pray. Everyone can order a burger… Everyone can pray.

It doesn't need to be fancy. God doesn't want fancy. He wants authentic. He wants the real us.

John 15:13
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Jesus has already done it. He proved it. He showed us the greatest love anyone could show.

Not any one of us deserves it. BUT, Jesus died for every person and wants every person to come to know Him and have a personal relationship with Him.

Everyone knows John 3:16 says...

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

What does John 3:17 say???

John 3:17
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

He chose every single person.

John 15:14-17
You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are My friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose Me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using My name. This is My command: Love each other.

We need to be in love with Jesus. We should have all written a Valentine for Him yesterday.

John 11:35
Jesus wept.

Why did he cry? Because his friend died. Jesus had friends.

We can be Jesus’ friend.

We can see great blessings when we are friends with Jesus.

Romans 5:10-11
For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still His enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.