1. Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard Sunday, August 24, 2014
“I Call You Friends”
Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard
Sunday, August 24, 2014

2. Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity. blood is thicker? Or Hebrew parallelism?

3. John 15:12-17
12 This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

4. John 15:12-17
16 You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. 17 This I command you, that you love one another.

5. Friendship
It looks as though Jesus had one concern on His mind at the last supper: that His friends would remain friends with each other
Doing this seems to lift people into a realm of friendship with Jesus and, in fact, with God the Father

6. John 16:26-27
26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father. Surprise: it’s not agape It’s phileo

7. Continuing rant . . .
The bond of love that connects the heart to God is that of love for others
It’s not being holy or well-behaved or knowledgeable or powerful in prayer
Like the old poem: Abou Ben Adhem by Leigh Hunt

8. Often the poor . . . Give more Widow’s mite
One time at Christmas . . .

9. A friend Calls out the best in you
Sees it when you don’t see it yourself
Makes you believe you will make it (in spite of your doubts)
Tells you the truth
Risks relationship to do this
But defends you with intensity

10. Has FUN with you

11. And sometimes just hangs . . .

12. Us Two, A. A. Milne What do you hear about friendship in this poem?
How does it relate to the passage we read in John 15?