John 15:13-14 -- Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.
Lord thank You for this new week. Thank You for the blessing of this past weekend and being able to spend it with family. All praise, honor, and glory to you oh Lord! In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Who would you die for? It's an interesting question. For those who are married you'd hopefully say your spouse. For those with children again hopefully you'd say for them. Maybe a sibling. Maybe you'd say Mom and Dad… but what about your friends?
Who do you consider a friend?
How do you personally define friend?
What does friend even mean in this day and age?
Now that you've asked yourself some of these things, how many friends do you have?
Facebook tells me I have 364 friends. Just shy of having a friend for every day of the year. Am I willing to die for all 364 of them?
Jesus tells His disciple there is no greater love than for someone to lay down their life for their friends. However, Jesus doesn't just leave that hanging out there for the disciples, for historians, for theologians, for us, for culture, for society, or for facebook to interpret.
Nope, there are two ways God's Word clarifies to us exactly what friend means to Jesus.
First we have the original Greek language John wrote this in. If we look at the word itself we uncover a clear definition.
Friends in the Greek here is "philos" which means: properly; dear, friend, actively, fond, friendly. Thayer's Greek Lexicon adds even more clarity saying how "philos" is used here is: specifically, he who associates familiarly with one, a companion.
Second, Jesus continues on in the next verse to simply say, "You are my friends if you do what I command you.".
Well, I between the original Greek definition and Jesus giving direct clarification, we have a very clear understanding of what He is saying here.
So, now the question is do you actually have any friends that fit that Greek definition? If so how many?
I can quickly and easily say out of 364 "friends" on Facebook there are not many who fall into properly, actively, dear, fond, friendly, familiarly, and considered a companion. Nothing against anyone, but our relationship is connected through the news feed, not through companionship and walking together in life.
In my time with the Lord today, there was just a lot of questions for me ponder and pray about. Who are my friends? How present am I in their lives? Am I walking with them in companionship? Do they feel the same? Is there activity and friendliness and fondness present?
Ultimately, the question on my heart to ask you Christian, follower of Jesus, taking the Greek definition of familiarity with Jesus and companionship with Jesus; knowing Jesus considers you His friend if you follow His commandments…… are you a friend of Jesus?
No judgement here. I'm just asking the questions that are on me from my quiet time with the Lord today. I've asked myself that question. If you will confront it and not run away or hide from it, but soberly review your life against this, it could help awaken you to some things that need to change in your life.
I've said a lot today so I will close out with prayer. Lord, give each person the courage and strength to look into the mirror of Your Holy Living Word. Holy Spirit awaken them and bring them past fear and any self-deception to look at the cold hard facts on where their lives line up with Your Word. Give them peace and joy in You and guide them to exactly where they need to be. I ask this in Jesus mighty name. Amen!
You are loved, you are prayed over, you are not alone.
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