What A Friend We Have In Jesus!

“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” (John 15:12-14; NKJV)

We can give without loving, but we can’t love without giving. We can give of the resources vested upon us such as time, talent and finances. But, giving of ourselves would be the ultimate sacrifice of love. How many of us would die for a friend?

What kind of person would die for a friend? On this Good Friday, Jesus Christ, the very person who proffered that “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” comes to mind effortlessly. As Jesus was drawing close to the day His death by crucifixion, He said that “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:24-25; NKJV)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16; NKJV) While Jesus died for the whole human race, His hope would be that as many of us as possible could be His friends. He believes in our friendship with Him because He thinks we are worth it!

To the religious amongst us, it might seem sacrilegious to even think that we can actually be a friend of Jesus. Yes, we can by living in manner which is worthy of our high calling in Christ Jesus. The friends of Jesus are to walk in love. Like what my Senior Pastor, Dr Rev Kong Hee, would say: We are to love God wholeheartedly and to love people fervently. And, it has to be on a daily basis; no off-day, so to speak. “Then He (Jesus) said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” “ (Luke 9:22-24; NKJV) Whom would we give our lives to?

Thank God for sending Jesus to atone for our sins on that very first Good Friday. What a friend we have in Jesus! The challenge would be: What kind of friend are we to Jesus?