You've Got A Friend
-
Greg Waybright
- John 15:12-17
- Knocked Down But Not Out
- 39 mins 47 secs
- Views: 1308
Pastor's Note
The unpleasant emotion of loneliness points us to something more in life. This weekend we will consider what makes a true friend and how this affects our faith. One of the biggest problems with us growing in our walk with God is that we keep things we are ashamed of a secret. Jesus envisions a church family in which we grow in honesty and transparency.
Study Notes
You've Got a Friend - Week 12 - Study Notes
You've Got a Friend
John 15:12-17
When I read John 15:12-17, I see that Jesus is envisioning what a local church like LAC is supposed to be, i.e., a community of Jesus-like friends. We are to be a community of friends -- called together by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who calls us his friends -- to love one another, to obey his commands and to go out into the world to further his mission together.
This vision of a community of friends is beautiful – and it is attractive to all people in the world. I find
that there is a deep longing for genuine friendship in the human psyche, a longing that is shared in every culture and across every generation. I’ve seen this expressed in pop music throughout my entire lifetime. When I was in college, we were moved as we heard Bill Withers tell us that when his friend feels weak, “Lean on me, when you’re not strong, I’ll be your friend. I’ll help you carry on.” We heard James Taylor and Carole King sing, “When you’re down and troubled and you need some love and care, and nothing – no nothing – is going right – you’ve got a friend.” In the 1990s and beyond, children and parents related to the relationship of Woody and Andy in Toy Story and sang, “You’ve got a Friend in Me”. And, into the 21st C, I hear countless songs longing for and pledging friendship like Bruno Mars’ Count on Me: “You can count on me like 1-2-3 … I can count on you like 4-3-2. That’s what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah.”
So, I’m convinced that almost all human beings long for true friendship. When we read Jesus’ words about friendship in John 15, we quickly see that he speaks of friendship in ways much like the way the songs speak of it. But, when we reflect more deeply on his words, we see how much more profound Jesus’ notion of friendship is. It’s better in every way than anything the songs in this world could ever even imagine.
Jesus Died for Us to Provide the Friendships We Were Created to Experience:
I believe that in John 15:12-17, Jesus takes us back to our human beginnings. When we read Genesis 1-2, we discover we were made in God’s image. One of the striking things we see is that the God in whose image we are made is revealed to be one and, at the same time, more than one. When he created, God said, “Let us make man in our image.” As we continue to read how God reveals himself to be in the Bible, we discover that our one God has always been “triune” – eternally existing as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This teaching has come up repeatedly in this farewell discourse Jesus had with his followers. “I and the Father are one. When you see me, you see the Father,” Jesus said. “When I go, another one will come – but he will not be a completely different being from me. No, when the Holy Spirit comes, I will come to you.”
Jesus’ point is that God has always existed in relationship. So, God has never been lonely. Therefore, when we first meet Adam in the Garden of Eden, we see him waking and talking with God. We are meant to have a friendship with God. No human being can fill the spot in your heart that was meant to be filled by God. But, we were also meant to have friendships with people. The first thing that was not good in God’s creation was that “it is not good for man to be alone.” The man needed someone like himself. Our need for friendship is based on the fact that we are made in God’s image. You and I were made both 1) for friendship with God and 2) for friendship with people. We need people to serve with, to share life with, and to love.
So, the less you have deepening friendships with God and with people, the less like God you will be. Machines don’t get lonely. Rocks don’t get lonely. You and I do for we were made in God’s image. Jesus, in this profound passage, is telling us that he will die for us in order to restore our friendship with God. In addition, when we become friends with God through faith in Jesus, he brings us into a community of friends we call the church. In it, we are to love one another. So, we image bearers of God need Jesus as friend because human beings alone were not all we were made for. But we also need human friends. This is the way God made us to be.
So, in my last message from Jesus’ farewell words to his disciples, I want to return to John 15:12-17 to see how one of the greatest things Jesus has to offer us in this frequently difficult world is the friendship to God and to people we were made for. I want to deal with his profound words as simply as I can by asking what friendship is according to Jesus:
The Basis: This Friendship Is Called together by Jesus’ choice – Not Ours “I chose you… (15:16).”
That’s the first thing I want you to notice -- that Jesus is always the one who takes the initiative to bring together this kind of friendship, both with him and with one another in church. We usually think of friendship as being different from a family relationship because, as the maxim goes, “We cannot choose our families but we choose our friends.” And, that’s generally true. But, Jesus says that the kind of friendship he wants us to think about in a church is one in which he is the one who does the choosing. One of our young adults, Rafik Wahbi, told me last Tuesday, “I think that I and my friends would be really drawn to this idea of the church being a community of friends if we could choose the friends.” But, Jesus says, “No. I’m the one who does the choosing.”
We can see how this looks by noticing those Jesus called to himself during his ministry. When we look at them in the Gospels, we find it is an incredibly diverse group that he chose: a synagogue leader named Jairus and a prostitute, a government-official tax collector (Matthew) and a hater of the government (Simon the Zealot), Jewish fishermen and a Gentile woman with a demonized daughter… Can you imagine a group of people like that in a small group here at LAC? Jesus not only imagined it. He called it into being.
I have to speak clearly about this because churches all over the world are constantly tempted to think that real Christian community and real worship take place when we feel comfortable with one another, when we’re with people who like all the same things. No, the thing that knits us together is not how comfortable we feel with the people but is our shared conviction that Jesus is Lord -- and that we sinners are only privileged to know him as friend and be in his church is because of his grace. One of the things I love most about what is happening here at LAC is that I see the Lord calling together such a wide range of people. In this text, Jesus, the one who calls us into this friendship, commands us to be committed to one another because of our commitment to Jesus.
Oh, I know – I know: Sometimes it’s hard to love one another in such a church family. That’s why Jesus keeps commanding us to love one another. In this passage, Jesus opens his words about friendship by commanding us to love one another in v.12 and ends them with the same command in v.17. And it’s why Jesus prays in John 17 that we will be one. He knew we would need help! I call us “God’s unexpected family”. Jesus’ words here lead us to say we’re Jesus’ community of unexpected friends.
So, Jesus is the one who chooses us and draws us into friendship with him. And he chooses and calls us into loving friendship in a church like ours. Jesus has led us together and commands us to love as he loves.
The Characteristics of Jesus-like Friendship
#1: This Friendship Is Characterized By Loving as Jesus Loved – “Love one another as I have loved you… Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends (15:12-13).”
Loving as Jesus loved means at least these two things: 1) we will sacrifice for our friends and 2) we will be faithful to our friends. A true friend will seek never to let you down and never to let you go. Clearly, the kind of love Jesus is envisioning in a church like ours will be the kind in which we make sacrifices to bring blessing and help to one another. I’ve heard people say, “The kind of sacrificial love that Jesus talks about here is only something that Jesus would do for friends. But, he surely doesn’t expect that from all of us!” Listen carefully: I am convinced that Jesus is envisioning a church like ours to be growing to be a place in which we watch out for one another and make sacrifices to meet the needs of those our church family. The Apostle John, who penned this book, understood Jesus that way. Look at his words in 1 John 5:16: By this we know love, that Jesus laid down his life for us. So, we ought also to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
If God’s Spirit continues to do his work in your life and in mine, then all of us who are parts of this local community of friends will always know we are not alone. Our friend Jesus is always with us. And our community of Christian friends will be with us too. Jesus is envisioning a community of friends who look at how he loved us and love in the same way.
Christian friendship is a friendship willing to make sacrifices for our friends. And let me add this too: Loving as Jesus loved is faithful. Jesus is a friend that never lets us go. He loved us to his death – and loves us still after his resurrection.
That’s the kind of loving friendship we are to see in our church family. We serve one another s Jesus said in John 13 – but it’s service that flows from friendship. Jesus is not speaking negatively about being a servant in v.6. Remember that he started his farewell words by calling us all to serve as he served. But here, he’s speaking of something deeper. I find his words to be quite moving. If we were just servants, we would do what anyone in the service industry does, i.e., we will provide the service asked of us. That’s not a bad thing. But, Jesus points out that our service to his people is like his service to us, i.e., it is service born out of a friendship. A servant delivers the service and then goes home. A friend sticks with you through the struggle. We are to be friends to one another in the family of God.
This is one reason why we have changed our way of thinking about a “homeless meal” and now call it a “community meal.” Why? Because we want to make friends -- and then invite all who are at the meals to come into relationship not only with Jesus but with us too. I have seen over and over what happens when people first become friends of Jesus -- often in the worship service -- and then find Christ-centered friends in their church family. Hope is restored. Loneliness is quenched. Healing takes place.
Just before he died for us, Jesus envisioned local churches being planted in neighborhoods like our own. In those churches, people are to find friends who love as he loved.
#2: This Friendship Is Characterized by Transparency – I no longer call you servants, for the servantdoes not know what his master is doing; but I call you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. (15:6-7).
In point #1, I said that a friend is one who will not let you down and will never let you go. Here, Jesus says that a friend is one who lets you in. One of the most basic parts of genuine friendship, as Jesus speaks of it, is that a friend opens up his life to a friend. Jesus will soon lay down his life so that we can know him, know our identity in him, know where the world is headed, know God’s perspective on right and wrong – good and bad, know all the things our Maker wants us to know so that we can live well and experience his shalom. Jesus makes the Father and the ways of the Father known to us.
One of the Hebrew words for friend, “cowdh”, also means secret. The word for secret came to be used for the person to whom you open up every part of your life in order to seek counsel. A true friend is one from whom you don’t hide things. So, Jesus is saying here, “When you keep my commands, it will not be as a servant or slave. It will be as a friend who is discovering how life is to be lived. Follow me and I’ll treat you as a friend. I’ll make God known to you because that’s what a true friend does”
Let’s face it: No other religion says things like this. Jesus declared that the Christian faith is a relationship with God. Mohammed put together a book – left a book. His followers are to follow the book. Then he died leaving a book. Buddha and Confucius gave saying. When they died, they left sayings to be followed. When Jesus died, he left a book but he also left himself. “I must go,” he said, “but after I go I will come to you through my Spirit. I will be with you always.”
The Christian faith is a relationship. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you may be a churchgoer or a servant of the church, but you are not yet a friend of God. This is why Scripture is so alive to us when we know Jesus. Each time we read it, it takes on new personal meaning and new application. You read Scripture and the Holy Spirit makes them alive to your mind and heart. They encourage you and direct you in new ways. They convict you of sin. Do you grasp it? There is a relationship taking place. When you place your faith in Jesus, he lets you in.
The kind of friendship Jesus envisions in a church is one in which we let people into our joys, our struggles and even our failures. And, on a human level, nothing is more important in a relationship than sharing our lives openly and honestly. Friends tell one another secrets and seek one another’s counsel. When we don’t, the relationship remains on the surface. As a friendship deepens, the honesty deepens too. Some people open up too much too soon and overwhelm the beginning friendship. But, the larger problem we have is that most of us hide things and don’t open up at all. Then the relationship remains shallow.
One of the biggest problems with us growing in our walk with God is that we keep things secret. We hide things. Of course, the problem here is that we have things inside that we are ashamed of – and often should be ashamed of! What Jesus is envisioning is a church family in which we grow in honesty transparency.
Jesus envisions local churches being places in which we find growing friendships centered in him. When we sin, our friend will not reject us – but, at the same time, will not allow us to stay in that sin. So, a community of friends in which Jesus is Lord is one that will be a grace-filled community -- offering both a new beginning to failures and a place of accountability for a new life. As Jesus suggests here – we will be committed to keeping his commands together.
#3: This Friendship Is Characterized By Service Together – I chose you so that you would go… (15:16)
We gather in church to learn, grow and worship with our friends in Christ. We need to do that to strengthen our friendship with God and with one another. Starting with 15:18, Jesus described just how hard it often is to live for him in the world. We will face opposition at times, hardship, sickness and injustice but we don’t have to face it alone. Our friend Jesus is with us – and our community of friends is with us. We need one another. Jesus has called us together personally to be that kind of support to one another.
But, we gather together to grow together and then, Jesus says, we go out into the world and bear fruit. We gather in worship to go in witness. When we go, people should see such a diverse group of “friends” witnessing together and bringing the love of Jesus together to our neighborhood. When we go, Jesus said in John 13, “They will know you are Christians by your love for one another. And when you love one another and go in my name, you will be fruit – fruit that will last.”
When you go, you will grow. And, you will see people come to faith. The healing power of Jesus will be experienced in this place where Jesus has called us together and planted us. That’s what I see Jesus saying here. Don’t you long for that to be happening more and more in and through our church family? I do.
Let me summarize what Jesus has said:
Jesus has personally called us together to be a community of friends. We are friends called by Jesus, friends who have surrendered lives to Jesus and, therefore, are committed to keeping his commands. And the specific command he has for us is this: Love one another! Do you see what this means? It means you should not jump around to different churches when something or someone bothers you. Jesus has called you to your church. You grow as you work through things with your friends. So, you and I are to stick with the awkward and unfinished group Jesus has called together.
And, it means you should not remain anonymous in your church. You must find a place of fellowship (like a small group) and a place of service. When you do, you will experience deepening Jesus-like friendships that are characterized in these ways:
- ·By sacrificial and faithful service to our “friends”
- ·By honest, transparent and grace-filled relationships
- ·By engaging in God’s mission together
When people see that happening here, they will want to be a part of it. They’ll know we’re Christians. And believe me, it will all be… to the glory of God.
To His glory,
Dr. Greg Waybright
Senior Pastor
Greg Waybright • Copyright 2015, Lake Avenue Church
Chinese Translation
You've Got a Friend - Week 12 - Study Notes - Chinese Translation
破碎但不丟棄----你有一個朋友
約翰福音15：12-17
在讀約翰福音15：12-17時，我看到，耶穌希望像我們Lake Ave.這樣的教會，能夠成為一個由有著耶穌生命的朋友們組成的團體。我們應當是一個彼此成為朋友的群體，我們被主稱為祂的朋友，是因著主耶穌的恩典召集我們在一起，彼此相愛，遵從祂的命令，一起到世人中間傳揚祂的使命。
這個關於朋友的團體是一個很美的意象，對於世人來說，它也很有吸引力。我發現，在任何文化和世代中，人類的心理都有著尋求真正友誼的深切渴望。我有生之日一直在流行音樂中感受到這一點。在我大學時期，聽到比爾威瑟告訴我們，當他的朋友軟弱的時候，他說：“靠著我，當你不夠強壯，我會做你的朋友，我會幫你剛強”。我們聽到詹姆斯泰勒和卡羅王唱到：“當你倒下和困惑，你需要愛與關懷，一切都無礙，因你有朋友同在。”在九十年代之後，孩子們和父母們都喜歡玩具總動員裏的吳迪和安迪，“我就是你的朋友。”進入二十一世紀，我聽到過無數的歌曲，都是在渴望和祝願友誼，比如布魯諾馬斯的歌曲‘依靠我’：“你可以依靠我，就像數算1-2-3……我也能依靠你，就像數算4-3-2。這就是朋友的含義。”
因此，我覺得，幾乎所有的人都渴望友誼。在約翰福音15章中，當讀到耶穌說的關於朋友的話語時，我們馬上就看到，祂說到友誼的時候，和歌中唱的很相像。但是，當我們更深刻地思考耶穌的話語時，我們就會看到，耶穌的友誼的概念，比世間的歌曲中唱到的友誼要美好得多，並且是世人所想象不到的。
耶穌為我們受死，為要賜給我們友誼，這友誼是自我們受造起就應當經歷的
我相信，在約翰福音15：12-17，耶穌又將我們帶回到了人類的起初時期。在讀到創世紀1-2章時，我們知道，我們是按照神的形象所造的。令我們震驚的是，聖經啟示給我們的這位神，不僅僅是一位神。當祂造人的時候，祂說，“讓我們按照我們的形象造人。”繼續讀聖經中所啟示的神，我們就會發現，我們的神是“三位一體”的，永遠以聖父，聖子和聖靈而存在。耶穌在和門徒們的告別談話中不斷地重復這件事。“我與父原為一。你們看見了我，就是看見了父。”祂說，“我離開了，還有一位要來，不是與我完全不同的。當聖靈保惠師來的時候，我就與你同在了。”
耶穌的重點是，神永遠在關系中存在。因此，神永不孤單。所以當我們在伊甸園初次見亞當的時候，我們看到他和神一起走路和談話。我們應當與神建立關系。沒有一個人能填充你內心原本屬於神的位置。然而我們也應當與人建立關系。在神的創造中，第一件不好的事情是：“那人獨居不好。”那個人需要他的同類。我們需要友誼，是因為我們是按照神的樣式造的。你和我被造是因著：1）與神的友誼；2）與人的友誼。我們需要服事人群，與人分享生活，也需要去愛別人。
因此，你與神和與人的關系越淺，你就越沒有神的形象。機器不會孤單，石頭不會孤單。然而你和我會，因為我們是照著神的形象造的。在這段深奧的經文中，耶穌告訴我們，為了恢復我們與神的關系，祂會為我們而死。另外，當我們因著相信耶穌，與神成為朋友，祂就將我們帶入神的家，也就是教會。我們要在其中彼此相愛。所以，因為有神的形象，我們需要耶穌做我們的朋友，因為人類獨居不是神造我們的目的。我們也需要其他人做朋友。這就是神造我們的方式。
在我的上一篇信息中，談到耶穌與門徒告別時說的話，今天讓我們回到約翰福音15：12-17，看一看，在這個艱難的世界上，耶穌所賜給我們的最美好的東西之一，就是與神和人的友誼。讓我從耶穌對友誼的定義開始，來更深入一步思考耶穌的話語的：
基礎：這個友誼是由耶穌主動呼召的，而不是我们“是我揀選了你們……(15:16).”
這是我希望你們註意的第一件事 --- 在我們與耶穌的友誼中，以及我們與教會會友彼此間友誼中，耶穌永遠是起始者。通常來說，我們認為，友誼與家庭關系是不同的，有一句格言說，“我們不能選擇家庭，卻能選擇朋友。”一般來說這是不錯的。然而，耶穌說，祂所想讓我們在教會中思考的友誼，是以神為起始的。我這樣說是因為拉菲克瓦比告訴我：“我覺得我和我的朋友們都認為，教會是一個自己能夠選擇朋友的團體。”但是耶穌說，“不對，我才是做出選擇的人。”
讓我們看看那些耶穌在世上所選擇祝福、並且收為門徒的人們，我們會發現，那是一個非常多元化的群體：管會堂的涯魯和一個妓女，一個稅吏（馬太）和一個恨惡政府的人（奮銳黨的西門），猶太漁夫和女兒被鬼附的外邦婦人……你能想象如果我們教會有這樣一群人嗎？耶穌不僅只是想象，祂將他們選召了出來。
我必須要提到這個話題，因為全世界的人都認為，真正的基督徒團體和真正的崇拜，都是以人們感覺彼此在一起舒服為前提的，都是由一些有共同喜好的人們所組成的。不是的，使我們在一起的，是我們都認耶穌為我們的主 ---- 我們這些罪人能有幸被當作祂的朋友，正是因著祂的恩典。在Lake Avenue 教會中，我最喜歡的一件事就是，我看到神將各類人召集在一起。在這段經文中，耶穌，這位召聚我們在這個友誼之中的主，命令我們，要因著我們對祂的委身，而彼此委身。
我知道，在這樣一個教會大家庭中，有時候很難彼此相愛。這也就是耶穌不斷地命令我們要彼此相愛的原因。在這段經文中，耶穌在第12節一開始，在談論友誼之前，就命令我們彼此相愛。又在第17節以同樣的命令結束。祂也在約翰福音第17節禱告說，願我們合而為一。祂知道我們需要幫助! 我稱教會為“在神裏出人意料的家庭。“耶穌的話語引導我們，使我們成為在耶穌的團體中異想不到的朋友。
因此，耶穌揀選我們，使我們成為祂的朋友。祂也揀選我們，呼召我們，進入像我們教會這樣充滿愛的友誼中。耶穌帶領召聚我們，又命令我們像祂愛我們一樣彼此相愛。
像耶穌的友誼有何特點
第一，這個友誼的特點是，要像耶穌愛我們一樣彼此相愛 ----“你們要彼此相愛，像我愛你們一樣，這就是我的命令。人為朋友舍命，人的愛心沒有比這個更大的。（15：12-13）。”
要像耶穌一樣去愛有兩層意思：1）我們要為朋友做出犧牲； 2）我們要對朋友忠心。一個真正的朋友永遠不會讓你失望，也不會離棄你。很顯然，耶穌希望能在我們這樣的教會看到，因著我們的付出，而帶來對彼此的祝福和幫助。我聽到人們說，“耶穌所說的犧牲的愛，只有祂自己才能為朋友做到。祂肯定不會期望我們能做到！”請仔細聽：我深信，耶穌期望我們這樣的教會能夠成長，以至於我們能夠彼此守望，犧牲自己的利益，而成全教會。使徒約翰，也就是這部書的作者，正是這樣理解耶穌的。請看他在約翰一書3：16中所寫的：主為我們舍命，我們從此就知道何為愛，我們也當為弟兄舍命。
如果神的靈在你我的生命中不斷作工，那麽，我們所有屬於這個群體的朋友們都將知道，我們是不孤單的。我們的朋友也是永遠與我們同在。我們在教會的朋友也會與我們同在。耶穌盼望我們因著看到祂如何愛我們，而以同樣的方式彼此相愛。
基督徒的友誼，是願意為朋友做出犧牲的友誼。讓我加上這句話：像耶穌愛我們一樣彼此相愛，就是忠心。耶穌是我們的朋友，祂從不會撇棄我們。祂愛我們到死，在復活之後，祂仍然愛我們。
這就是我們應當在教會大家庭中看到的愛的友誼關系。耶穌在約翰福音13章中說，我們要彼此服事，這服事應當是出自友誼的服事。耶穌並不是說做一個仆人不好。祂在離世之前，曾呼召我們都要像祂一樣服事人群。但是在這裏，祂說到了更深一層的意思。祂的話很感人。如果我們只是仆人，我們就會做所有仆人所做的事，比如，我們提供別人所要求的服務，這並不是壞事。但是，耶穌指出，我們服事祂的子民，要像祂服事我們一樣。那是出於友誼的服事。一個仆人服事結束之後就會回家。然而朋友卻會在你困難的時候和你在一起。在神的家中，我們是彼此的朋友。
這就是為什麽我們改變了對“流浪漢食物服務”的說法，而改稱之為“社區食物服務”。為什麽？因為我們要和他們成為朋友 ---- 然後邀請那些吃食物的人們不單與耶穌建立關系，也和我們建立關系。我多次看到人們初次與耶穌成為朋友的情景 ---- 經常都是在崇拜的時候----然後他們就可以在教會中找到以基督為中心的朋友。於是，他們恢復了希望，平息了孤獨，得到了醫治。
就在耶穌為我們受死之前，祂還在盼望，眾教會都能建立在我們教會這樣的環境之中，人們都能夠找到像耶穌愛我們一樣彼此相愛的朋友。
第二：這個友誼的特點是坦誠–以後我不再稱你們為仆人。因仆人不知道主任所作的事。我乃稱你們為朋友。因我從我父所聽見的，已經都告訴你們了（15：15）。
我在第一點中說過，朋友不會讓你失望，也不會離棄你。在這裏，耶穌說，朋友是讓你進入他生命的人。正像耶穌說的，真誠友誼的一個最基本的部分就是，朋友之間的生命是相互敞開的。耶穌犧牲自己的生命，正是為了讓我們認識祂，知道我們在祂裏面的身份，明白世界將如何走向，了解神如何看待正確和錯誤、好與壞，知道我們的創造者所想要讓我們知道的一切，如此我們才能很好地生活，並且經歷祂的平安。耶穌向我們啟示了父神和父神的道路。
希伯來文的朋友這個詞是“cowdh”，也是秘密的意思。秘密這個詞用來描述一個你可以完全對他敞開，並且向他尋求建議的人。很顯然，耶穌在這裏是在說: “你遵守我的命令的時候，並不是像一個仆人或者奴隸那樣，而是像一個朋友在領悟應當如何生活。來跟從我，我要像對待朋友一樣對你。我會讓你認識神，因為這就是真正的朋友所做的事。”
讓我們面對這個事實：沒有其他的宗教會像耶穌這樣說。耶穌宣告說，基督教信仰就是與神的關系。默罕默德寫出了一本書，他的跟隨者都遵循著他書裏的教導，他去世之後就留下了一本書。佛陀和孔子都留下了很多言論。他們去世之後，人們就遵從他們的言論。耶穌離世後，祂留下了一本書，但祂也留下了祂自己。“我必須要離世，”祂說，“但是我走後，我會藉著聖靈保惠師和你們同在。我永遠都會和你們同在。”
基督教信仰是一個關系。如果你不知道我在說什麽，你可能只是一個例行去教會的人，或者是教會的仆人，但是你可能還不是神的朋友。正因為如此，當我們認識耶穌之後，聖經對我們來說就是活的。我們每一次都聖經的時候，它都對我們個人彰顯出新的意義和內涵。你讀經的時候，聖靈就會將經文在你的頭腦和內心中活化起來。這些經文就會以新的方式來鼓勵和引導你，也會定你的罪。你明白了嗎? 這中間涉及到一個關系。當你信靠耶穌的時候，祂就讓你進入祂裏面。
耶穌期望教會中有的那種友誼，能夠我們讓彼此進入我們的喜樂，我們的掙紮，甚至我們的失敗之中。在人類的關系中，沒有什麽比公開和真誠地分享我們的生命更重要的了。朋友之間會互訴秘密，詢問建議。當彼此之間不這樣做的時候，就意味著彼此間的關系還在表面程度。當友誼加深的時候，坦誠度也會加深。有些人太早就讓對方知道太多，這樣就會讓剛開始的友誼有些招架不住。但是，更大的一個問題是，我們大多數人都喜歡隱藏自己，不坦誠對待對方。這樣友誼就會停留在膚淺的關系上。
我們與神同行的最大的一個問題是，我們對神有所保留。我們會對祂隱藏一些事情。當然，我們所隱藏的都是令我們羞愧的事，也經常是值得羞愧的事！耶穌希望我們所成長的教會大家庭是坦誠而透明的。
耶穌期望在教會中，我們的友誼是以祂為中心的。當我們犯罪的時候，我們的朋友不會拒絕我們，但是同時，也不會讓我們停留在罪中。所以，以耶穌為主的群體之中的朋友們，應該是一個充滿恩典的群體，在彼此的失敗中給予新的開始，它也應當是一個得到新的生命的地方。正如耶穌所說的，我們要共同遵循祂的命令。
第三：這種友誼的特點是一同服事 ---- 是我揀選了你們，並且分派你們…..(15:16)
我們在教會中與基督裏的朋友們一起學習，成長和敬拜。我們需要這樣做，才能加強我們與神，與人之間的關系。從15：18開始，耶穌描述了在世上為祂而活是多麽困難的事。有的時候我們會面對反對，艱難，疾病和不公平，但是我們不需要單獨去面對。我們的主會與我們同在，我們團體之中的朋友們也和我們同在。我們彼此互相需要。耶穌親自呼召我們，要如此互相支持。
但是，我們一同聚集，一起成長之後，耶穌說，我們需要進入世界出結果子。我們一同敬拜，為祂做見證。這樣人們才能看到一個多元化的群體，一同做見證，將耶穌的愛帶給我們的鄰舍。在約翰福音第十三章，耶穌說，你們若有彼此相愛的心，眾人因此就認出你們是我的門徒了。當你們奉我的命彼此相愛，你們就會結出果子，就是那不能朽壞的果子。
當你走出去的時候，你就成長了，你就會看到人們認識和信靠耶穌。在這裏，耶穌呼召我們聚集在一起，我們會經歷到耶穌醫治的大能。這就是我所領會的耶穌話語的含義。你有沒有盼望這一切在我們的教會越來越多地發生？我是這樣盼望的。
讓我總結一下耶穌所說的話：
耶穌親自呼召我們聚集在一起，使我們彼此成為朋友。我們是耶穌所呼召出來做朋友的，我們是一群把生命交托給耶穌的朋友，因此我們也委身遵守祂的命令。祂給我們的命令是：要彼此相愛！你知道這是什麽意思嗎？意思就是，當有一些你不喜歡的事情發生，或有你不喜歡的人時，你不應該在各個教會之間跳來跳去，你應當和你的朋友們一起解決問題，一同成長。所以我和你應當共同面對逆境，建造耶穌所呼召的群體。
也就是說，你不應當在教會中不留下姓名。你需要找一個團契（比如一個小組），和一個事奉的地方。當你這樣做的時候，你就會更深刻地經歷到像耶穌那樣的友誼，這友誼有著下面的三個特點：
• 舍己與忠心地事奉我們的“朋友”
• 忠誠，坦率，充滿恩典的關系
• 共同履行神的使命
當人們看到這些的時候，他們也會盼望加入我們。他們就會知道我們是基督徒，相信我們，那麽，一切的榮譽將都歸於神。
榮耀歸給神，
Greg Waybright 博士
主任牧師
Greg Waybright • Copyright 2015, Lake Avenue Church