It has been said that an expert is always someone from someplace else. Jesus did not have that approach. He called and trained men from his own part of the world to work with him. These men were family, friends, and normal local dudes. We meet Andrew first, such an average a guy that he is referenced by association to his big brother. Andrew leaves to find Peter, that big brother, while Phillip the other cohort set off to find their friend Nathanael. These friends would work together to change the world.
Nathanael confirms Jesus as Messiah immediately, maybe because he truly was and Israelite in which there was no deceit. Jesus promised him that he would see greater things! Friends help us to see more than we would ever see on our own! Nathanael was a good friend because he was not deceitful.
Friendship is a powerful tool in the hand of the Lord. He sends his disciples out two by two to reinforce the power of friendship. The Methodist revival of the 17th century was the result of two brothers, John and Charles Wesley and some friends getting serious about the things of God. Despite all the critics, the Word of Faith movement continues on in large measure because of the friendships of Kenneth Copeland, Keith Butler and Creflo Dollar, Jessy Duplantis, Jerry Savelle.
What are you accomplishing with your friends for the Kingdom of God? This is a sobering question for many of us. I hear people talk about hard ground to preach in, but who had it harder than Jesus and his friends. Well you might say that his friends denied him and ran away. That is true, but one also picked up a sword and cut a guys ear off.
Contemporary music is filled with references to friends, usually about ‘leaning on me’ or ‘getting by with a little help’ and promising to ‘come running whether it is winter spring summer or fall.’ These are not bad things of course but there is more to friendship than providing support.
Dr. Daniel Robinson in teaching on Great Ideas in Philosophy points that the Stoics linked wisdom, a commitment to moral excellence with involvement in community affairs to the title friend. In other words, friends got things done and for the betterment of everyone. That is a good model for Christians to follow.
Two friends of mine, Jimmy Winters and Al Angel sought to use their talents to capture the plight of the homeless in Newport, RI. There modest effort has resulted in 10 formerly homeless persons obtaining housing in that community. Al went home to be with the Lord yesterday. He and his wife Ellen were are great friends. She has been hanging out with Jesus for a couple of years now. They made their lives and friendships meaningful to each other and to the community. Al did it with his camera. Ellen did it in a smile and a joke. Like Al and Ellen, we will be hanging out with Jesus someday. What will your commitment to working with friends communicate when you are gone?
http://satucket.com/lectionary/Wesley.htm
http://www.weddingvendors.com/music/lyrics/b/bill-withers/lean-on-me/
http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/j/joe_cocker/with_a_little_help_from_my_friends.html
http://skdesigns.com/internet/articles/lyrics/king/friend
http://www.thegreatcourses.com/tgc/courses/course_detail.aspx?cid=660
Nathanael confirms Jesus as Messiah immediately, maybe because he truly was and Israelite in which there was no deceit. Jesus promised him that he would see greater things! Friends help us to see more than we would ever see on our own! Nathanael was a good friend because he was not deceitful.
Friendship is a powerful tool in the hand of the Lord. He sends his disciples out two by two to reinforce the power of friendship. The Methodist revival of the 17th century was the result of two brothers, John and Charles Wesley and some friends getting serious about the things of God. Despite all the critics, the Word of Faith movement continues on in large measure because of the friendships of Kenneth Copeland, Keith Butler and Creflo Dollar, Jessy Duplantis, Jerry Savelle.
What are you accomplishing with your friends for the Kingdom of God? This is a sobering question for many of us. I hear people talk about hard ground to preach in, but who had it harder than Jesus and his friends. Well you might say that his friends denied him and ran away. That is true, but one also picked up a sword and cut a guys ear off.
Contemporary music is filled with references to friends, usually about ‘leaning on me’ or ‘getting by with a little help’ and promising to ‘come running whether it is winter spring summer or fall.’ These are not bad things of course but there is more to friendship than providing support.
Dr. Daniel Robinson in teaching on Great Ideas in Philosophy points that the Stoics linked wisdom, a commitment to moral excellence with involvement in community affairs to the title friend. In other words, friends got things done and for the betterment of everyone. That is a good model for Christians to follow.
Two friends of mine, Jimmy Winters and Al Angel sought to use their talents to capture the plight of the homeless in Newport, RI. There modest effort has resulted in 10 formerly homeless persons obtaining housing in that community. Al went home to be with the Lord yesterday. He and his wife Ellen were are great friends. She has been hanging out with Jesus for a couple of years now. They made their lives and friendships meaningful to each other and to the community. Al did it with his camera. Ellen did it in a smile and a joke. Like Al and Ellen, we will be hanging out with Jesus someday. What will your commitment to working with friends communicate when you are gone?
http://satucket.com/lectionary/Wesley.htm
http://www.weddingvendors.com/music/lyrics/b/bill-withers/lean-on-me/
http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/j/joe_cocker/with_a_little_help_from_my_friends.html
http://skdesigns.com/internet/articles/lyrics/king/friend
http://www.thegreatcourses.com/tgc/courses/course_detail.aspx?cid=660
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