Sermon for Easter 6: "Life in the Vine" (John 15:9-17)

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Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

 

Jesus said: “As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love” (John 15:9-10).

 

These are the words of Jesus on Maundy Thursday, which are known as His farewell discourse to which we began last week. It is remarkable that in just a matter of hours, Jesus will experience betrayal, abandonment, unlawful arrest, cruel abuse, and execution. Despite knowing what would soon take place, Jesus speaks of both His and His Father’s love for His apostles and disciples. Today, on this Sixth Sunday of Easter, Jesus continues to speak about our relationship to Him.

 

And what is this relationship? Jesus is the true Vine, we are the branches, and God the Father is the Vinedresser. This is a relationship of life in the Vine. A relationship where we, the branches, never chose to be in the Vine, but the Vine chose us out of His love as His branches. For Christ says, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide” (John 15:16).

 

Jesus never picked us because we were wiser, stronger, wealthier, or smarter than others. He chose you because He loves you. That love has its origin in Jesus being loved by God the Father. And this love’s intention is that we, whom Jesus loves, will also love others.

 

From eternity, Jesus has been loved by the Father. This love is the foundation of all things. Love is the essence of the Holy Trinity. Before there were any created beings to love, the Father was always loving the Son. Love was the basis for creation. God who is love created precious creatures to love, especially the crown of His creation: humanity.

 

This God the Father loving God the Son relationship continued throughout Jesus’ earthly mission. At both Jesus’ Baptism to fulfill all righteousness and at His Transfiguration atop the mountain, God the Father called Jesus His beloved Son. 

In this love, Jesus chose you and me, for He says, “As the Father loved Me, so I have loved you” (John 15:9). Remember, we never chose Jesus. As sinners, we do not have the will or ability to ever choose Jesus because our fallen nature only wants to flee from Him and all that He desires to accomplish with us.

 

Despite our sinful nature, Jesus loves you and me the same way the Father loves Him. So, just as the Father has loved Jesus, Jesus eternally loves us. He displayed this love when He “[laid] down His life for His friends” (John 15:13). Through His death, He won for His friends salvation on that cross! There, He took our dirty, wretched sin onto Himself, forgave that sin, and destroyed sin’s power over His friends. There, on that cross, Jesus chose us who were by nature His enemies and declared us to be His friends – and at the cost of His own life.

 

Jesus has chosen us, who were His enemies, to abide in His love! He says: “As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in My love” (John 15:9). Now, what does abiding in Christ’s love look like? Well, it means that we abide in keeping His commandments.

 

Unlike the Father’s love for Jesus and Jesus’ love for us, our love for God and our neighbor often falls short.

 

Remember, Jesus is speaking these words on Maundy Thursday. Again, He was fully aware of what would soon happen. Christ foresaw how Satan would sow discord, anger, impatience, hatred, and envy among His followers. And unfortunately, Satan has never let up, as this discord, anger, impatience, hatred, and envy still remains. As branches connected to the true Vine, we must constantly be pruned and purged by God’s Law and Gospel, because we are simultaneously saints and sinners. 

 

As branches, we face many daily frailties and shortcomings. Bumps and trials never cease, especially when we are living in this fallen world, which is led by the Father of Lies, Satan. Our flesh is weak. We get caught up in the devil’s poison and suspicion enters our hearts because of a single word or a single glance which stirs up mutual animosity. Satan is the master of this art. He employs his craftiness before anyone is really even aware of it. This is what the devil did in the case of St. Paul and Barnabas, who had a sharp dissention and parted ways (Acts 15:2). Trifles can lead to quarreling and enmity that only results in great harm. The blood begins to boil, then the devil shoots his venomous darts into the heart by means of evil tongues, and finally no one says or thinks anything good about the other. The devil keeps on fanning the flames and is eager to set people against each other and spread misery.

As branches of the true Vine, we must be on guard against Satan’s craft and cunning. We must repel any suspicion and hostility that may be stirred up in us and remind ourselves not to let love depart and die out for this reason but to hold onto love with a strong hand. And if aversion and discord have arisen anywhere, we must restore and improve the love and friendship through forgiveness and reconciliation.

 

Love, on its own is rather easy. Love doesn’t require any great skill, but remaining in love takes realskill and virtue.

 

In marriage, the husband and wife are initially filled with affection and passion, but later, they could become bitter foes. The same happens with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ as they are branches of the Vine. A trivial cause may separate those who should be really bound with the firmest ties, but that trivial cause turns them into the worst and bitterest enemies. This, of course, is to Satan’s delight and joy. You see, Satan strives for nothing else than to destroy love among Christians and to create utter hatred and envy. For Satan knows that Christianity is built and preserved by love.

 

Therefore, Christ admonishes us to solemnly and earnestly hold firm to love as His branches. Again, He places both Himself and His Father before our eyes as the most perfect examples: “As the Father has loved Me, so I have loved you” (John 15:9). Jesus suffered and died for you, so that you would abide in His love.

 

Love is not doing whatever you want. Love is sacrificial. Love is caring. Love is disciplining.

 

As branches of the true Vine, we now abide in Him, lest we be misled by false doctrine and thus be cut off from Jesus. For wherever love and unity are destroyed and schism and discord take root, there pure doctrine disappears, and defection from Christ ensues. The branch cuts itself off from the true Vine.

 

So, we must all examine ourselves. For Christ says, “If you are truly My branches, it will surely become evident that you are My disciples by your fruit. If you refuse to bear fruit, I will not acknowledge you and accept you as My disciples.” So, how do we show ourselves to bear fruit? Well, right along with the Fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5 are the Ten Commandments: 

§  First, you shall have no other gods.

a.    Do you trust God for your financial security, physical safety, and emotional support?

b.    Do you fear God’s wrath in avoiding every sin?

§  Second, you shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.

a.    Do you keep all the vows you have made in the Lord’s name, such as confirmation, marriage and legal vows?

b.    Do you carelessly speak or misuse God’s Name?

§  Third, remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy.

a.    Do you attend the Divine Service faithfully, or would you rather prefer to be elsewhere? 

b.    Do you pray for and encourage your pastor?

c.    Do you support the church financially?

§  Fourth, honor your father and your mother.

a.    Do you honor all authorities as gifts that God has put over you?

§  Fifth, you shall not murder.

a.    Have you unjustly taken the life of anyone, born or unborn?

b.    Do you hate anyone, or are angry with anyone?

c.    Do you hold grudges or harbor resentment?

§  Sixth, you shall not commit adultery.

a.    Do you look at others lustfully?

§  Seventh, you shall not steal.

a.    Are you selfish, stingy, and greedy with your time and money?

§  Eighth, you shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

a.    Do you gossip, listen to rumors, or take pleasure in talking about the faults or mistakes of anyone?

b.    Do you speak truth in love, trying at all times to explain everything in the kindest way?

§  Lastly, you shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

a.    Do you resent or envy those who have what you do not?

b.    Do you encourage disharmony?

c.    Are you manipulative or controlling?

 

To be good branches of the true Vine, we keep Christ’s commandments. However, all too often, we fail to keep Jesus’ commandment to love.

 

If you have failed to keep Christ’s commandment to love, Christ gives us another fruit of faith. This fruit is repentance. You see, whenever we fail to abide in His commandments, in love Christ calls us to repent. When we repent, it is by God enabling us. He warns us by His Law, but then He makes His loving purpose immediately evident as well. 

True repentance is nothing else than to have contrition and sorrow, or terror, on account of sin, and yet at the same time to believe the Gospel and absolution, that that sin has been forgiven and grace has been obtained through Christ, and this faith will comfort the heart and again set it at rest. So now we are able again to bear fruit and abide by His commandments again.

 

Fellow branches, who are forgiven and saved, the love of Christ is transformational. The evidence of our faith – our fruits of faith – is seen in the changes that take place in our lives. God uses words like “born again,” “rebirth,” and “regeneration” to describe what Christ’s love does to us. Each time we repent, we are indeed “born again” in Christ to live out our lives as good branches that bear fruit.

 

In order to strengthen and increase our faith, love, and obedience, God gives us the Means of Grace – His Word and Sacraments. The Word of God together with the Body and Blood of Jesus under the bread and wine nourish us in love as the Holy Spirit transforms us in the Divine Service. We are transformed into desiring to keep Christ’s commandments, to obedience as evidence of our fruits of faith. “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). This is our life in the Vine. It’s a life of obedience and repentance, as we rejoice in God’s love for us! Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia! Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.  

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Sermon for Lent 5: "Do You Know What You Are Asking?"

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

[Intro]

Have you ever volunteered for something before you knew all of the specifics? I have, and likely you have too. We say, “Sure, I’ll do it. When do you need me?” “Now.” We often find ourselves caught in situations such as this, because we jump in before we know what we are getting ourselves into.

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, volunteered before they knew all of the specifics. In fact, they volunteered before even the question occurred. James and John asked Jesus: “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory” (Mark 10:37). Jesus replied to them saying, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” (Mark 10:38). Promptly they said to Jesus: “We are able” (Mark 10:39a).

This seems out-of-character for James and John. We would think that this is something that Peter would ask, since he usually finds himself in a situation like this. But, this is James and John. Keep in mind, this is the same John that Jesus calls “the disciple whom He loved” (John 19:26; John 21:7). This is the same John — who with the Holy Spirit’s inspiration —wrote the Gospel of John, the Epistles of John, and Revelation.

Now, do James and John know what they are asking Jesus? Has this occurred to them? And for us, are we sure we are able?

[Jesus’ Cup and Baptism]

Like James and John, we don’t always know what we are volunteering for. Jesus will drink from this cup and be baptized, but this cup and this baptism that Jesus is referring to is not what James and John likely had in mind. And frankly, us too.

Jesus will not be drinking wine from this cup. Instead, this cup is the cup of rejection. This cup is the cup of suffering. This is the cup of death filled with the sin of the entire world. Jesus would drink from this cup not because it is tasty, but because it was the will of His Father. This cup is enduring God’s judgment upon the sin of the entire world that only Jesus as the Son of God is able to endure.

Likewise, Jesus tells of a baptism that He will soon be baptized. Now, this baptism may not be what you expect either. This baptism is not a “ritual washing,” like that of John the Baptist. This is not a “baptism of repentance.” This baptism is not a washing from sin. Instead, this baptism signifies only death.

This has been planned by God from the very beginning, since He foreknew Adam and Eve’s fall into sin. And since Adam and Eve fell into sin, all of their descendants —you and me — have done the same. We, like sheep, have gone astray. For this reason, Jesus’ ministry began with a sinners’ baptism in the Jordan River where He placed Himself under God’s wrath on behalf of all humanity. And Jesus completes His ministry with a bloody “baptism” on the cross, where the full wrath of God is placed upon Him as He atones for all sin (1 John 5:6-8).

So ever since His Incarnation — when God became man — Jesus has been on a death march. This is His purpose. This is what He came to do. Now, His disciples did not quite understand this as of yet, but they will follow their Lord on this journey to the cross.

This march toward Calvary began in Bethlehem, continued to the Jordan River, and finishes in Jerusalem, where Jesus would be condemned and delivered up to the chief priests and the scribes, who would deliver Him to the Gentiles, where He will be mocked, spit upon, flogged, and killed, and where He will rise again.

This is just as Jesus said would happen. In fact, in Mark’s gospel, Jesus predicts His death three times. This third time, Jesus is the most specific and this is what we heard today.

Now, this is not what the disciples wanted to hear. For them — and us — success and glory do not look like a dead man on a cross. This looks more like failure than anything. So, how can humiliation and death have anything to do with God’s restoring His kingdom?

James and John were no different than the other disciples, since they were all more interested in their future careers of presumed earthly glory. For James and John, they must have figured that they were special already. They were two of the first four disciples called by Jesus. They were among the inner circle of the Twelve. After all, they were invited to events that not all of the disciples witnessed. They were invited to the transfiguration, along with Peter. But, they wanted to get the jump on Peter and the rest. They assumed that since there is only a right hand and a left hand, they would volunteer for those positions, before anyone else tried.

This seems so underhanded, since elbowing your way to the top is hardly loving your neighbor. And when the other disciples heard of this, they were upset. But, likely their anger and annoyance was only because they didn’t have the idea to ask Jesus first. So, like children shoving their brothers and sisters out of the way, the disciples, too, wanted to be noticed.

What the disciples didn’t know is that these positions were already filled. God the Father had already made those choices and they were filled by criminals who would be nailed to the cross to the right and to the left of Jesus.

[Our Cup and Our Baptism]

We are all not immune to this. Our sinful nature often leads us to be selfish and leads us to think that we need the glory and we need the power. And even if we do not want to be in charge, we often do want to have input, and we definitely do not want to be ignored and treated like we do not really matter.

Like the disciples, we get caught up in ourselves. We stop looking at our neighbor as someone to serve, and instead look inside and say, “What do I want?” So, our families and friends become fractured and split. Husbands and wives divorce. Children and parents stop talking to one another.

This is not how God created it to be. “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve” (Mark 10:45).

So, Jesus dismissed the request of James and John. After all, this is not His to grant, but the Father’s. However, they will all drink the cup that Jesus would drink. They would all suffer for proclaiming Christ crucified for the forgiveness of sins. 

For the disciples, none of them would have a celebrity life. Instead, they were often hated and reviled, stoned, stabbed, and crucified. They would all drink from the cup of suffering. They would all face the prospect of a bloody baptism. James would be beheaded by Herod Agrippa (Acts 12:1-2). John would survive an attempted assassination with poisoned wine. Although John would die, but in exile for daring to preach Christ crucified and risen.

Jesus indeed warned them and us: “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” (Mark 10:38).

Within our own families and friends, how many of us avoid talking about Jesus in fear that by doing so, we could cause conflict? We often try to avoid hostility, but we will all experience it as a consequence of our baptismal incorporation into Christ as Jesus teaches us in John 15:18-25. So, if the world persecuted Jesus during His earthly ministry, the world will persecute Christ’s followers. You see, opposition to Jesus will split families and friends. But even if we are forsaken and persecuted by the ones we love, Christians are all part of the family of God through the new kinship of all who hear the Word of Jesus.

Did James and John know the hostility with which they would be received? Did they know that they and future followers of Jesus would be beheaded, burned alive, tortured, and drowned for taking up their cross?

Did you know that you would be mercilessly ridiculed and derided by the sinful world when you were baptized? Did you know that when you were confirmed in the one true Christian faith? Did you know that’s what you said when you stood up here and said that you would rather die than fall away from the faith?

It’s not easy when the tide of opinion turns against you, when the shouts of “Hosanna!” change to “Crucify!” It’s not easy when those around you pit you against “science” or “fairness.”

[Jesus Serves Us Through His Love]

We certainly have our own bitter cup to drink from. It’s hard to drink the suffering and death, the disappointment and heartache that can come with this life. It’s hard, but this is not impossible. Even unbelievers experience suffering in this life. But we — as followers of Christ — have something else. We have the promise. We have the covenant. We have the new covenant!

The world has its false gods of fairness and being nice and living life to its “fullest.” But all that leads only to eternal death. All the good deeds in the world cannot keep us alive. All the fairness and equality in the world cannot forgive our sins. Fairness and equality cannot take away our sin and guilt. We will still suffer. We will still die.

Jesus is different. Jesus is life. He offers us all the cup of salvation. He baptizes us into His household. Our Father in heaven sent His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Jesus marches on to the cross to save you, in order to serve you. Jesus enters into Jerusalem in order to be the High Priest who offers up the once-for-all sacrifice for your sins and the sins of the whole world. Jesus was born into this world to be that sacrifice, for without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.

On the cross, Jesus drinks the cup of God’s wrathful judgment against sin, and Jesus has done so in the place of all people. This is the true glory of Jesus!

Our song is love unknown because we cannot fathom that kind of sacrifice. We cannot fathom the boundless love for you that loves to the point of suffering God’s wrath for our sin — all the sin of the world, focused on one, poor, frail, broken human body. Mocked, spit upon, flogged; nailed to a cross; lifted up and gasping for breath. Unfairly, undeservedly, and willingly.

Are you able to be baptized into the Baptism with which Jesus is baptized? I hope so. The hymn God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It proclaims our baptism into Christ’s death as we earlier sung:

Sin, disturb my soul no longer:

I am baptized into Christ!

I have comfort even stronger:

Jesus’ cleansing sacrifice.

Should a guilty conscience seize me

Since my Baptism did release me

In a dear forgiving flood,

Sprinkling me with Jesus’ blood? (LSB 594, stanza 2)

In your baptism into Christ, you were baptized into His death, killing your sinful flesh. We are indeed set free from Satan’s bondage and all enemy forces under his control. And that Baptism baptizes you also into His resurrection from the dead, giving you new, bodily life in heaven.

Are you able to drink the cup that Jesus drinks? I hope so. He has taken away the sin and the punishment from you so that the cup that you drink at this altar is only His blood, shed for you for the forgiveness of sins, for your salvation and eternal life.

By grace through faith in Jesus Christ, He comes to you by these means — not to lord it over you, but to serve you as He continues to do at each Divine Service through His Means of Grace in Word and Sacrament. And by the power of the Holy Spirit, you are brought to faith and sustained in it — not to lord it over one another, but to serve.

There is no other person like Jesus. No other person loves the way Jesus loves you and this is the place where you receive this love through His Word and Sacrament. We receive His grace in the cup, in the font, and in His promise. As we make our way through the sufferings of this life, Christ sustains you. He will lead you to paths of righteousness and holiness. He has already accomplished salvation for you, just as He promised. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

T SOLI DEO GLORIA T

Sermon for Easter 6: "True Friendship" (John 15:9-17)

 

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! {He is Risen, indeed! Alleluia!}

 

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

[Intro]

You’ve got a friend in me. You’ve got a friend in me.

You’ve got troubles, we’ll I’ve got ‘em too.

There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you.

We stick together and see it through.

You’ve got a friend in me. You’ve got a friend in me.[1]

Those are some of the lyrics of the title song from “Toy Story”.

As you may be aware, this children’s movie is all about the friendship bond between a boy and his toys and the toys, themselves.

·        What a joy it is to have friendships.

·        Friends stick together no matter what.

·        Friends tell each other what is on their minds.

·        Friends tell each other when we make mistakes.

·        Friends share secrets with each other.

·        Friends defend each other.

But, the ultimate friend is one who lays down his life for you.

[No Greater Love]

Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends” (John 15:12-13).

You see, everyone who abides in Jesus – who follows His commands and instructions – is His friend.

As Jesus said, “Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love” (John 15:9b-10).

We became friends of Jesus when He laid down His life for us as he was nailed to that wooden cross. You see, Christ’s death is the highest expression of love.

Through Christ’s death and resurrection, He brought us to Him. He brought us to God the Father.

In response to Christ’s love in making us justified with God the Father, we follow Christ’s commands and instructions, because of His love.

Now, this obedience is not what makes us friends with Jesus. This is not about good works, since everything good has already been accomplished through Jesus. This obedience is what characterizes you as His friend.

[Friendships]

For us today, when we think of friends, we may think that the friendship goes both ways. Like, I’ll help you and you’ll help me.

Well, this isn’t how it goes with Jesus. Friends of Jesus cannot turn around and say that Jesus will be their friend only if Jesus approves of all that they do.

And, there are those who would claim that Jesus would approve of how they live, even if it is forbidden by God’s Word – they think, “I don’t have a problem with this, so Jesus must be ok with it.”

They think of themselves as making the decision for God. As if, God needs any help.

Despite our weakness to sin, Jesus still loves His creation. But, He is not happy when His name is invoked for approval of sin – approval of saying I’m right and you’re wrong, God.

True friends of Jesus are obedient to Him and to His Word.

We are obedient to Jesus by reading and proclaiming His Word for “reproof, for correction, for improvement” in our lives (2 Timothy 3:16). The Bible was written by God so “that by patience and by the encouragement of Scripture we might have hope” (Romans 15:4).

You see, Scripture gives us teaching for no other purpose than to point us to Jesus, to admonish us to repent, to encourage godliness, to strengthen our faith and assure us of our salvation.[2]

Through God’s Word, we know that we are conquerors over sin, death and the power of the devil, because of Jesus’ death and resurrection from the grave.

[Born of God]

We became Christ’s friends when we were “born of God” and we continue to be Christ’s friends “when we love God and obey his commandments” (1 John 5:1a, 2).

We were born of God when Jesus chose us when we were baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit with the water and the Word.

We continue to be Christ’s friends through our study of God’s Word. You see, each time we are in the Word, God reminds us of His friendship with us.

We continue to be Christ’s friends when we worship Him each week, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, at the Divine Service.

Through the Holy Spirit’s work in bringing us to faith, we became fellow conquerors because of Christ’s eternal victory. “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith” (1 John 5:4).

Sola Fide: Faith Alone. You see, by grace through faith, we are saved through Jesus.

Our faith in Jesus is the “dividing line” between us and the sinful world.

We have hope.

The world only has despair.

The sinful world wants everyone to obey their own sinful desires. This is Satan’s doing. He does not want us to be content with what we have and how we live. Nothing is ever good enough.

Now – for us Christians – Jesus says we are His friends when we obey his instructions. And in obeying His instructions – which are not a burden – He freely gives us all that we need: forgiveness of sins, salvation and life everlasting.

In response to Christ’s friendship with us, we “go and bear fruit” (John 15:16) in our words and actions to spread the good news of Christ. In bearing fruit, we are pruned by God the Father through His Word to bear more fruit and are kept in the one true faith.

Now, you can choose to not be Christ’s friend by not following His commands. But, this only brings loneliness as you cut yourself from the vine of Christ.

And, even if you do choose to go away from Christ and His promises, He is there waiting for you with open arms offering forgiveness when you repent of your sins. This is true friendship!

Only through faith alone in Christ alone, the victory is ours!

Martin Luther once wrote, “Victory must happen through faith in Christ. For what could this fragile Vessel accomplish against Satan, the god of the world? But the true God is greater! He always triumphs in us through Christ…. To be born of God is to believe in Jesus Christ. He who believes in Christ is now a warrior. For we are still engaged in the battle itself and are about to be victorious. God has placed us in the midst of wolves, in the kingdom of the devil. As weapons, He has given us His Word and Spirit, and He tells us to do battle and to conduct ourselves as bold warriors under Him Himself as our Prince while He Himself looks on and is also victorious.” (AE 30:311)

[Jesus Chose You!]

We are victorious over sin, death and the devil – not because of anything that we have personally accomplished.

We are victorious because God chose us. Christ – who came by water and blood – chose you and me!

Now, none of us here today are here because we chose to be here. We are here because God called us here. God invited us here today to partake of His blessings.

As Jesus said, “You did not choose me, but I (Jesus) chose you.” (John 15:16)

Since Jesus chose you and me to be His friends, we can now pray directly to God the Father through Jesus to ask Him for all our needs of body and soul.

Since we are His friends, Christ personally forgives you of all your sins when you ask for forgiveness.

Since we are His friends, Christ strengthens our weak faith in His Holy Supper.

Jesus accomplished everything for us, so that we would understand love and thus love one another. This is true friendship!

We are truly blessed to have a friend who will never leave us nor forsake us. This friend is named Jesus.

You’ve got a friend in Jesus. We’ve got troubles with sin, but Jesus has died and rose for you. And there isn’t anything Jesus would do for you – you who abide in Him. Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

 

T SOLI DEO GLORIA T

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[1] Randy Newman, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from Toy Story, 1995.

[2] Kolb-Wengert, “The Book of Concord: Formula of Concord (Solid Declaration)”, 643.