Evening Prayer BCP – Sermon 315

• Evening prayer BCP      
• 6.30p.m.
• 13th October 2019

Prayer to Start

May the words of my lips and the thought of our hearts be graciously received for the Glory and Honour of our Lord Jesus Christ

                             AMEN

INTRODUCTION

Friendships are special –

A real friend will accept you for the way you are – believes in you – encourages you – is trustworthy – and will never forsake you – will forgive your mistakes – and enjoy being with you –

Most of us – will have fewer real friends – in our lifetime – than the number of fingers on one hand 

Friendships are about love and commitment – on both sides

Jesus wants to be our best friend – are we willing to be His?

In our NT lesson He is talking to His disciples about what His friendship will mean – to them and for those that come after – 

Point 1        Friendship with Jesus

“You did not choose me” – said Jesus – I chose you” –

True – friendships – happens through choice – they work because time and effort is invested into the relationship – and people want them to succeed more than anything –

Suppose – we’ve been given the choice – from a freshly opened box of chocolates – which one would we choose? – the coffee creams? – Turkish Delight – toffee cracknel? –  or the nougart – which always seems to end get left over at the end of every box?

When we have a choice we can afford to be choosey – which makes the words of Jesus all the more remarkable –

because of the thousands of people He could have chosen – in Lymm – He chose us – to be part of His church here at St. Mary’s 

Unlike chocolates – the people Jesus chooses – are not selected because of their outward appearance – or their hard or soft centers –

But for the qualities – He can use –for the fulfillment of His purpose – He chooses those who will respond to His word –

He chose His disciples – and history has more than vindicated His judgment

and the greatest wonder of them all – is that no one is left out – not even the nougart will be left in the empty box –

It is Jesus who takes the initiative – not us – it is we who do the rejecting not – Him –

“You are my friends if you do what I command”

“This is my commandment – love one another as I have loved You”

Jesus is love –

if instead of the word love – we write the name of Jesus into Paul’s passage – in 1 Corinthians 13 – we get a remarkable picture of what Jesus is really like – and what He expects – 

Jesus is patient – and kind – Jesus envies no one – is never boastful – never conceited – never rude- Jesus is never selfish – keeps no score of wrongs –  – takes no pleasure in sins of others but delights in the truth –  there is nothing Jesus cannot face  – there is no limit to His faith, hope, endurance –

Of all the commands Jesus has given us – none is more challenging than the one in our NT passage –

and instead of His name – He wants us to put ours

And none of us are even close to doing that –

But though we fail – and even reject Him – He still has a place for everyone who is ready to receive Him –

None of us deserves His love – and yet He still glimpses in each one of us – something special – and precious – precious enough to die for – 

“There is no greater love than this – that someone should lay down His life for His friends” –

Our obedience to Jesus – should not be out of guilt – or obligation – or fear or punishment – but out of love  – because we have been forgiven  – and set free –

It’s only when God Himself deals with the sins that we have committed – that forgiveness – can be experienced

God sent Jesus Christ His only Son – to die on the cross for our sins – to pay the price – once and for all – so we can be forgiven – and reconciled back to Him –

Jesus is our friend – we are not His servants – we are bonded to Him – through Love – we are part of His kingdom – of chosen people – and because of that – set apart from others –

Point 2      The cost of His Friendship

And this separation will be noticed –

Just as Jesus was persecuted for opening up peoples’ hearts – to the truth – so too His disciples will be persecuted –

“If the world hates you, it hated me first – as you know well”

“If they persecuted me – they will persecute you – if they have followed my teaching – they will follow yours”

Some people will be drawn to us – like bees to honey – others will hate the very ground we stand on –

Jesus brings us the truth about God’s purpose for each one of us – He shows us what is really important – about God and about life –

He answers our most fundamental questions – about what we give our lives to? – what priority we give our careers? – our lifestyle – money and possessions? – how much of our lives we give to God?

In the Gospels Jesus tells His disciples – “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves”

Society expects us to conform to its ways – and when we try to follow Jesus – and rise above the world’s standards – it will punish us

In our OT reading we have an example of the deception the world will use against us – intrigue – blackmail – intimidation – even flattery – satan will try every trick in the book – to prevent God’s witness succeeding –

as Nehemiah found out – it’s a battle from beginning to end. 

But it also shows us – how evil can be defeated –

Nehemiah kept working for God – saying Oh No – to a meeting at Ono

He got his priorities right – to coin a golf phrase – he kept his eye on the ball –

His response was courageous – He prayed and He asked God for strength – to carry on –

The wall was finished in 52 days – and the people realized why – and it was God who got the credit – not Nehemiah

Point 3        Holy Spirit will help you tell

Today Jesus sends us a special advocate to help us with our wall building –

“When the Advocate has come, whom I shall send to you from the Father – the Spirit of truth – He will bear witness to me”

As His disciples we will never have to witness alone – or unaided – we will always have a senior partner – there to help us 

“I appointed you to go out and bear fruit – fruit that will last – so that the Father may give you whatever you ask in my name”

We have been chosen and bought – and commissioned by Jesus – to go out in His name –

And because we belong to Him – we also belong to the Holy Spirit – who will guide and empower us – and gives us the confidence we need

In a court of law – a witness – is someone who testifies to what they have seen and heard –

They are not the defense – or prosecuting attorney – we don’t have to come up with the theory – as to how things happen – we just have to say what we know –

As Francis of Assis once said – we have to “Preach the gospel to all the world – and if necessary use words”

To live in friendship with Jesus means learning to live from God’s resources – rather than our own – knowing that Jesus provides everything we need – we just have to believe and trust in Him –

Conclusion

We are as close to God as we choose to be 

His friendship will never fail –

Are we ready to receive Jesus as our best friend today? – Let’s finish with a prayer –

Closing prayer

Lord Jesus,

Teach us – that you believe in us – totally – enough to die for us – so that we might enter into your kingdom –

Flood us with love today – so that we might first love – You – and then live for – You –

Through Jesus Chris our Lord

                                                AMEN