Friendship With Jesus

ONE

In Mark 3:13 we read;

 Jesus went up into the hills and summoned those he wanted. So, they came to him and he appointed twelve; they were to be his companions and to be sent out to preach, with power to cast out devils.

Three things are striking:

First, what Jesus wanted was a group of companions – a group of friends

Second, He sends them out to bring his mission to others

Third, He sends them with power – enough power to overcome the devil.

Really, we could say that Christianity is about a friendship with Jesus and friendship with others that carries so much power – Satan will never be able to withstand the force of our friendships!

TWO

At the Last Supper, John 15:15, Jesus looked across the table and said;

“I shall not call you servants any more, because a servant does not know his master's business; I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father.”

Friendship is a special type of love that involves three things:

I.        Friendship is the coming together of two people who love the same thing. It is the union of two wills into one.

II.      Friendship is unconditional love. We don’t value friends because of their accomplishments or attributes. We just simply think the world is a better place because they are in it, and we delight in them.

III.    Friendship is a demanding love. We think our friends are good just because they exist, but we don’t want them to stay that way. We want them to grow to reach all their potential.

Jesus loves us as friends in the same way. He wants a deep friendship with us because we both love the Father. He loves us unconditionally, yet He wants us to grow to be the best we can be.

THREE

The best way to foster friendship with Jesus is by prayer.

Too often we look at prayer as just one more task to be done. Teresa of Avila said prayer is taking time to be alone with him who we know loves us.

If I want to spend time with a friend, I set a time and a place. I make enough time so that we are not rushed. With any friend I spend no less than thirty minutes.

Set a time and a place to give Jesus your undivided attention for a set amount of time. It’s amazing what can happen with even five or ten minutes of undivided attention.

Then tell Jesus what is on your mind or how you are feeling or what is going on in your life. Speak to him honestly and unfiltered. Isn’t that what we do with friends?

We can listen to Jesus by reading His words in the Gospel and by thinking about his words and actions.

FOUR

Jesus said; “You are my friends, if you do what I command you.”

Friendship is a union of wills. It is the coming together of two people who love the same thing. With Jesus we love and want to do the will of the Father.

We can through a daily resolution. 

A resolution is to choose a simple concrete thing to remember and do based on what Jesus has said to us in our meditation.

Put that into practice today and you will be united to Jesus in His love for the Father and we will be friends.

FIVE

Jesus said; “You did not choose me, no, I chose you; and I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last; and then the Father will give you anything you ask him in my name. What I command you is to love one another.” John 15:16

Jesus seeks friendship with us because He delights in us and  wants us to grow.

He then sends us out to live friendship with others because that is the primary way he will reach them – through us, through our friendships.

There are so many people in our lives who are distant from Jesus. Our friendships with them will be the bridge they cross over to friendship with Jesus.