Friendship
Friendship with Jesus
03/04/10 09:09
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15: 13)
In Capernaum, when Jesus said He was the bread come down from heaven, "many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him." (John 6: 66) Soon thereafter.Judas Iscariot forsook Him. Then, in the Garden of Gethsemane, when the Judas-led mob apprehended Jesus, His friends "all left Him and fled." (Mark 14: 50). Next, Peter denied Him three times in the High Priests' courtyard. And none of His friends came forward to testify on His behalf before the Sanhedrin. Finally, as the Lord hung on the cross, only a few brave women and John stood by Him.
Yet, when the resurrected Jesus appeared to His disloyal friends in the Upper Room, the first thing He said was, "Peace be to you." He wasn't critical, angry or vengeful, He was reassuring and comforting. He was quick to forgive and forget. He viewed His friends in the best possible light and brought out the best in them by exhorting and encouraging them.
In every lasting friendship, there are bound to be good times and bad times. To survive the ups and downs, a relationship must be based on common interests, shared values, mutual respect and trust. True friends are able to deal with one another's little quirks, laugh at their jokes, share their deepest thoughts and speak openly and honestly about their concerns. When needed, a true friend shows up - - without being asked.
But arriving at true friendship takes time. Lots of time. Jesus spent three years with His apostles; yet, they still weren't prepared to walk in when everyone else walked out.
Despite the shortcomings of His friends, Jesus remained true to them. He kept up the dialog until they had reached the ultimate point in any relationship: they knew Him so well they could finish His sentences. It was that oral tradition that kept the Gospel message alive during the early years of the church.
In Capernaum, when Jesus said He was the bread come down from heaven, "many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him." (John 6: 66) Soon thereafter.Judas Iscariot forsook Him. Then, in the Garden of Gethsemane, when the Judas-led mob apprehended Jesus, His friends "all left Him and fled." (Mark 14: 50). Next, Peter denied Him three times in the High Priests' courtyard. And none of His friends came forward to testify on His behalf before the Sanhedrin. Finally, as the Lord hung on the cross, only a few brave women and John stood by Him.
Yet, when the resurrected Jesus appeared to His disloyal friends in the Upper Room, the first thing He said was, "Peace be to you." He wasn't critical, angry or vengeful, He was reassuring and comforting. He was quick to forgive and forget. He viewed His friends in the best possible light and brought out the best in them by exhorting and encouraging them.
In every lasting friendship, there are bound to be good times and bad times. To survive the ups and downs, a relationship must be based on common interests, shared values, mutual respect and trust. True friends are able to deal with one another's little quirks, laugh at their jokes, share their deepest thoughts and speak openly and honestly about their concerns. When needed, a true friend shows up - - without being asked.
But arriving at true friendship takes time. Lots of time. Jesus spent three years with His apostles; yet, they still weren't prepared to walk in when everyone else walked out.
Despite the shortcomings of His friends, Jesus remained true to them. He kept up the dialog until they had reached the ultimate point in any relationship: they knew Him so well they could finish His sentences. It was that oral tradition that kept the Gospel message alive during the early years of the church.
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