What a Friend We Have In Jesus, Part 2

Topic Scripture: John 15: 12 – 15

Last week, we learned that it is not enough for us simply to know Jesus as our Savior, Master, King and Redeemer. We must also know Him as a Friend. This is God’s desire, as found in the Bible.

A friend is someone who is attached to you and has strong feelings of affection for you. A true friend is someone who wants the very best for you.

And that is who Jesus will be to us, if only we let Him.

We also looked at what kind of friend we have in Jesus. We learned that:

1. 1. In Jesus, we have a friend who has proven His love as the greatest kind of love (John 15: 12 – 13) and,
   2. In Jesus, we have a friend who will love us at all times and will never give up on us (Proverbs 17:17).

This week we’ll be continuing from there.

WHAT KIND OF FRIEND WILL WE HAVE IN JESUS?

3. In Jesus, we have a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24)

The type of friend the Bible describes in the above scripture is very rare to find. Normally, when things go wrong, our friends can turn against us.

But not Jesus. Jesus is, and remains, closer to us than we can ever think or imagine at all times. May we all experience this friendship in Jesus’s Name!

4. In Jesus, we have a friend who will never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13: 5 – 6)

Human friends may fail us, but Jesus will not. Human friends may abandon us. Jesus will not. With all power and authority in His hands (Matthew 28: 18 – 20), He assures us He is with us always. No matter what (Isaiah 23: 2).

5. In Jesus, we have a friend we can go to with all our problems and issues. (Mathew 11: 28)

Jesus never gets tired of us or our problems. Not only is He a friend who is there for us in our difficult times, but He is also able to take care of those problems.

He never shuns us, never pushes us away when we have problems. Instead, He tells us to bring our issues and complications to Him. He can handle them.

6. In Jesus, we have a friend who will fill us with a sense of peace. (John 14: 27)

In the scripture above, Jesus reminds us that He is the only one who can fill us with peace in the storms of life. His peace surpasses all human understanding, guarding our minds and soothing our hearts. With Him, we need no longer be troubled or afraid.

7. In Jesus, we have a friend who will always want the best for us and out of us. (Proverbs 27: 17)

Some so-called friends get envious when they see you progressing, but true friends want to see us doing well. They want to see us shining, excelling, and advancing in life.

Jesus is that type of friend. He always wants the best for us and out of us. He is always urging and encouraging us to do better and shine in life.

8. In Jesus, we will have a friend who will always give us good counsel and good advice. (Proverbs 27: 9)

It is a pleasant thing to receive good counsel or advice from a friend. Such advice is one you always know you can trust, because it was given with your best interests at heart.

And who desires better for us than Jesus? No one. That is why we can rest assured in His counsel and advice. We know it is not to destroy us, but to bring us to an expected end (Jeremiah 29:11).

9. In Jesus, we have a compassionate friend. (Hebrews 4: 15 GNT)

One reason Jesus took on flesh and became human like us was to prepare Him to be our Heavenly High Priest, who defends us and speaks in our interest. And He does this with sympathy and compassion.

Jesus has feelings for you, Beloved. He is touched by whatever we go through. When we are struggling or disturbed, Jesus receives us with compassion.

10. In Jesus, we have a friend who will speak on our behalf and do all He can to help us. (1 John 2: 1)

Jesus speaks on our behalf and intercedes with the Father for us. He defends us in the Heavenly courts when Satan tries to accuse us before the Father.

11. In Jesus, we have a friend who, even when we don’t treat Him well, still calls us friends. (Matthew 26: 48 – 50)

In the above scripture, Judas betrays Jesus but Jesus still calls him “my friend”. Not once did Jesus call Judas “my enemy”. Even when we don’t treat Him well, even when we sin, even when we hurt Him, Jesus still sees us as His friends and gently calls us to repentance.

12. In Jesus, we have a friend who, although He is highly elevated and is superior to us, still wants to relate and interact with us. (John 15: 15)

Sometimes, when people get promoted or elevated, they no longer want to relate to those they consider as “beneath” them. But Jesus, even though He is elevated above all things and has a Name above every other name (Philippians 2: 9), still wants to relate to you and me as friends. He comes down to our level and interacts in love and friendship with us.

What a friend we have in Jesus indeed!