If we met for the first time, I would probably reach out to chake your hand saying, Hello, I am Robert Carter. How are you? He had many friends you know. Lazarus was one. We know about Lazarus in John chapter eleven. I know that He wants to have friends, because he said so.In John chapter fifteen, He revealed how much He and the Father desire intimacy of relationship with us. He used a grape vine as an example.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The verses of the bible that I shared with you reveal that Jesus Christ put His life on the line for this relationship... for you. Jesus said these things.
Then, raising his eyes in prayer, he said: Father, it's time. Display the bright splendor of your Son So the Son in turn may show your bright splendor. You put him in charge of everything human So he might give real and eternal life to all in his charge. And this is the real and eternal life: That they know you, The one and only true God, And Jesus Christ, whom you sent. I glorified you on earth By completing down to the last detail What you assigned me to do. And now, Father, glorify me with your very own splendor, The very splendor I had in your presence Before there was a world. I spelled out your character in detail To the men and women you gave me. They were yours in the first place; Then you gave them to me, And they have now done what you said. They know now, beyond the shadow of a doubt, That everything you gave me is firsthand from you, For the message you gave me, I gave them; And they took it, and were convinced That I came from you. They believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I'm not praying for the God-rejecting world But for those you gave me, For they are yours by right. Everything mine is yours, and yours mine, And my life is on display in them. John 17:1-10 (emphasis mine). His Brethren
One aspect about this relationship is the fact, that although He is God and is to be reverenced as such, His work is all-embracing. What Jesus did for you and me is amazing. It far exceeds what religion teaches if it puts God "up there" somewhere as if out of reach and too holy to be touched. Have no doubts about His holiness, but He is closer to you than you realise.
Jesus is in fact God as much as He is man... Although he was in the form of God and equal with God, he did not take advantage of this equality. Instead, he emptied himself by taking on the form of a servant, by becoming like other humans, by having a human appearance. He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, death on a cross. This is why God has given him an exceptional honor— the name honored above all other names— so that at the name of Jesus everyone in heaven, on earth, and in the world below will kneel and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:6-11. What I want you to see is that He desires your friendship as well as your worship. Abraham was known as the Friend Of God. 2 Chronicles 20:7; James 2:23. I have no falsehood in any way by saying that I, Robert Carter, am also a friend of God. You can be His friend also if you want. On the cross, Jesus cried in triumph teleō, or, It is Finished, which means He accomplished everything that needed to be done for you. There's nothing lacking; nothing left undone; all of your sin and the results of sin have been dealt with to bring you into Divine relationship with God. Hebrews 2:1-18 is a lengthy passage, but too important to gloss over. Please look carefully. For this reason we must pay closer attention to what we have heard. Then we won't drift away {from the truth}. After all, the message that the angels brought was reliable, and every violation and act of disobedience was properly punished. So how will we escape punishment if we reject the important message, the message that God saved us? First, the Lord told this saving message. Then those who heard him confirmed that message. God verified what they said through miraculous signs, amazing things, other powerful acts, and with other gifts from the Holy Spirit as he wanted. He didn't put the world that will come (about which we are talking) under the angels' control. Instead, someone has declared this somewhere in Scripture: “What is a mortal that you should remember him, or the Son of Man that you take care of him? You made him a little lower than the angels. You crowned him with glory and honor. You put everything under his control.” When God put everything under his Son's control, nothing was left out. However, at the present time we still don't see everything under his Son's control. Jesus was made a little lower than the angels, but we see him crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death. Through God's kindness he died on behalf of everyone. God is the one for whom and through whom everything exists. Therefore, while God was bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was the right time to bring Jesus, the source of their salvation, to the end of his work through suffering. Jesus, who makes people holy, and all those who are made holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus isn't ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. He says, “I will tell my people about your name. I will praise you within the congregation.” In addition, Jesus says, “I will trust him.” And Jesus says, “I am here with the sons and daughters God has given me.” Since all of these sons and daughters have flesh and blood, Jesus took on flesh and blood to be like them. He did this so that by dying he would destroy the one who had power over death (that is, the devil). In this way he would free those who were slaves all their lives because they were afraid of dying. So Jesus helps Abraham's descendants rather than helping angels. Therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters so that he could be merciful. He became like them so that he could serve as a faithful chief priest in God's presence and make peace with God for their sins. Because Jesus experienced temptation when he suffered, he is able to help others when they are tempted (emphasis mine). God wants you to be included in this group of people. It is just like He is standing before you reaching out with his hand to introduce Himself and say, Hello, I'm God. Would you like to be my friend? Do You Know My Friend?
Now that we have seen what is only a very small portion of what God has done and what He wants to continue doing for us, I want to ask you that most important question, Do You Know My Friend?
If you want to, merely close this page and continue as you are in life. That is your right to choose and God will honour that. If we were standing beside each other, I'd say something like, Jesus, I am Robert. You know me. This is... (and I'd mention your name). I'd like you to meet him.
|
Our ministry is registered with the Australian Government
Site Map :: Privacy Policy :: Permissions :: Subscribe to email teachings :: info@bashanministries.org
Bashan Ministries ABN 83 173 400 921
PO Box 109 Stirling South Australia 5152
© 2020/2021 All rights reserved