Grace Fellowship Grace Fellowship ChurchChurch

Pastor/TeacherPastor/TeacherJim RickardJim Rickard

Tuesday, Tuesday, August 31, 2010August 31, 2010

www.GraceDoctrine.orgwww.GraceDoctrine.org

DoxologyDoxology

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.—Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.—Amen.Amen.

Memory VerseMemory Verse

John 15:13, John 15:13, “Greater love has no one “Greater love has no one

than this, that one lay down than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”his life for his friends.”

John 15:15John 15:15

XI. Slavery vs. XI. Slavery vs. FriendshipFriendship..

4. “For all things that I 4. “For all things that I have heard from My Father have heard from My Father

I have made known to I have made known to you.”you.”

6) Knowing the will of 6) Knowing the will of God is a tremendous God is a tremendous

privilege; with it comes privilege; with it comes great responsibility.great responsibility.

a) Knowing God’s plan and a) Knowing God’s plan and will means you need to be a will means you need to be a part of it and align yourself part of it and align yourself

to it. to it. (Voluntarily be His servant (Voluntarily be His servant

to accomplish His will.)to accomplish His will.)

b) Do not get in the way of b) Do not get in the way of or frustrate His will in any or frustrate His will in any

given situation.given situation.

c) If you know His will, you c) If you know His will, you operate in conjunction with operate in conjunction with His will and you do not get His will and you do not get

in the way of His will.in the way of His will.

(See the story of Balaam, (See the story of Balaam, Numbers 22-24)Numbers 22-24)

7) Knowing His heart as 7) Knowing His heart as His friend, you take on the His friend, you take on the heart of being His bond-heart of being His bond-

servant.servant.

John 15:15, John 15:15, “I no longer designate you all bond-“I no longer designate you all bond-servants, for the bond-servant does servants, for the bond-servant does not know what his master is doing. not know what his master is doing. To the contrary, I have designated To the contrary, I have designated

you all friends (loved ones). For you all friends (loved ones). For everything I heard from My Father everything I heard from My Father I have begun to make known to you I have begun to make known to you

all.”all.”

Principles: Principles: 1) Jesus declared that His 1) Jesus declared that His

followers were His friends, not followers were His friends, not merely His servants merely His servants

(DOULOS). (DOULOS).

a) The positive believer is more a) The positive believer is more than a servant of God, (i.e., one than a servant of God, (i.e., one

who ignorantly obeys orders who ignorantly obeys orders under fear of punishment), rather, under fear of punishment), rather, he is a friend, and one who knows he is a friend, and one who knows the Lord’s will and follows Him the Lord’s will and follows Him

out of love and desire. out of love and desire.

2) 2) The difference between The difference between DOULOS and PHILOS:DOULOS and PHILOS:

2) 2) The difference between The difference between DOULOS and PHILOS:DOULOS and PHILOS:

DOULOS is ignorance; DOULOS is ignorance;

2) 2) The difference between The difference between DOULOS and PHILOS:DOULOS and PHILOS:

DOULOS is ignorance; DOULOS is ignorance;

PHILOS is cognisance. PHILOS is cognisance.

Ignorance leads to Ignorance leads to reversionism. reversionism.

Ignorance leads to Ignorance leads to reversionism. reversionism.

Cognisance leads to Cognisance leads to supergrace.supergrace.

3) Our friendship with God 3) Our friendship with God is based on hearing Him by is based on hearing Him by means of His Word, Bible means of His Word, Bible Doctrine resident within Doctrine resident within

your soul. your soul.

4) When you have His 4) When you have His Word resident in your soul Word resident in your soul and then faith rest, trust, and then faith rest, trust, and rely upon it, you will and rely upon it, you will

be a friend of God.be a friend of God.

5) Being subservient is not 5) Being subservient is not the intent or the the intent or the

qualification for friendship. qualification for friendship.

a) Having the same type of a) Having the same type of thinking as Christ is the thinking as Christ is the

qualification for friendship. qualification for friendship.

Cf. Rom 12:16; 15:5-6; Cf. Rom 12:16; 15:5-6; 1 Cor 1:10; Phil 2:21 Cor 1:10; Phil 2:2

6) The Lord elevated His 6) The Lord elevated His disciples to a higher disciples to a higher position, than that of position, than that of

servants. servants.

A servant is not told his A servant is not told his master’s mind, purpose, or master’s mind, purpose, or plans; a friend knows his plans; a friend knows his

friend intimately. friend intimately.

7) Friends inform each 7) Friends inform each other and trust each other. other and trust each other. Those who treasure Jesus’ Those who treasure Jesus’

Words and abide in His Words and abide in His love are His friends.love are His friends.

8) In the N.T., the supreme 8) In the N.T., the supreme example of a friend was example of a friend was

Jesus.Jesus.

8) In the N.T., the supreme 8) In the N.T., the supreme example of a friend was example of a friend was

Jesus. Jesus.

a) His love crosses all a) His love crosses all cultural boundaries. cultural boundaries.

b) To the Jewsb) To the Jews He represented He represented one who loved His disciples, one who loved His disciples,

as He loved Himself. as He loved Himself.

b) To the Jewsb) To the Jews He represented He represented one who loved His disciples, one who loved His disciples,

as He loved Himself.as He loved Himself.

c) To the Gentiles He was the c) To the Gentiles He was the one who laid down His life for one who laid down His life for

His friends. His friends.

9) Christians will always 9) Christians will always be the Lord’s servants, but be the Lord’s servants, but

when they love as He when they love as He commanded, He shares commanded, He shares with them as friends.with them as friends.

Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship ChurchTuesday, August 31, 2010Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Tape # 10-095Tape # 10-095

Friendship with God, Part 9 Friendship with God, Part 9Upper Room Discourse, Part 409Upper Room Discourse, Part 409

John 15:15;  Rom 12:16; 15:5-6; 1 Cor 1:10; Phil 2:1-4John 15:15;  Rom 12:16; 15:5-6; 1 Cor 1:10; Phil 2:1-4   

James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2010