A couple of Notes & John 15

We all have tough weeks; weeks that seem to interfere with our jobs and with the things that we want to do. I think that it could be true that pastors get a few more of those weeks that the rest of us. Last week was one of those weeks for my pastor. Yesterday morning he asked me if I had a message that I could preach for the evening service. Since I was supposed to preach at Hopedale at the beginning of June but was called away, I had a sermon ready--I was just going to have to spend the afternoon going over it and getting it fresh in my mind.

I think that it went well. Sometimes it's hard to tell from the church comments (they love me and I love them). I know that I went a little longer than Pastor Terry usually does (yes, I know all about long winded preachers!) but truthfully could have gone on still. There is just so much information to try to share in such a short period of time. In the end, I always feel like I've finished a workout and somehow feel a bit physically spent. It always feels good to have a time to veg-out and relax after preaching.

It was a good Sunday.

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I watched the Rick Warren forum with Senators McCain and Obama this weekend. I didn't see all of the Obama segment. From what I saw, I was surprised that McCain seemed to handle the questions better that Obama. I realize that being in a baptist church is somewhat hostile territory for many of the political stances that Obama has and that may have been apart of it. It was obvious that he was choosing words carefully. If you haven't seen it, it may air again or I'm sure that it is stored on the 'net somewhere--maybe CNN.com?

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John 15

I used to have a real problem with people that would tell me that they talk (pray) to Jesus just like He was their friend. I always wanted to yell at them, "He's not your friend. He is your Lord!" I never did yell at them--it was a personal judgment (and a personal problem). Then, all of a sudden, this verse jumps up and yells at me:

Verse 15 "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."

If I can change the order today, I'll use that as the verse I liked best.

Wow! I am a friend of Jesus! Talk about your name dropping! "Oh Jesus--yeah, He's a friend of mine!" Or what about the other way? When he Accuser comes before the Father with your name on his lips and Jesus (sitting at the right hand) says, "Now wait a minute. John Hill happens to be a friend of mine!" How cool is that?!

Something important I've learned:

Jesus truly wants for us to know what He knows and to understand His teachings. I don't think that we have taken Jesus serious when it comes to knowing the things that He has taught us. I really believe that we are way more concerned with the things that we want than we are with the things that God wants for us.

A question to consider:

Are you a friend of Jesus?

John