WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

John 21:20-25
This is John's recollection. He sees himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved." This is not to say that Jesus did not love the others. He did. But what is clear is that John felt and appreciated that love in a special and strong, way and he expressed it. John is the only Gospel that records Jesus calling the disciples his friends.

1. REMEMBER THE LORD WITH PASSION
The writers of the four Gospels each wrote from a slightly different point of view, each with his particular approach:

Matthew - this account is written for a Jewish audience, and thus has numerous references to Jewish observances and to Old Testament Scripture.
Mark - believed to have been written by Mark for Peter, who dictated to him.
Luke - Luke being a physician, the book is written with a more scholarly approach and with much detail.
John - the passion of Jesus is evident in this account.

John 1:1-14
John is excited as he goes into great detail to talk about his friend, Jesus. We must strive to have this kind of passion for Jesus. We don't need to be hyped up in an emotional frenzy, but we do need to be genuinely excited and enthusiastic about Jesus.

vv. 12,13 Jesus has given us something very special, and John appreciates and expresses it.

We can look back at events and situations that which Jesus has pulled us through. Life does have its sad and troubling moments, but even then we need to be excited about Jesus and his faithfulness.


2. REMEMBER THE LORD FROM SCRIPTURE
As Jesus attends a wedding in John 2 and turns water into wine, the disciples put their faith in him (2:11). They had been following him up to that point but had not put their faith in him yet.

John 2:12-17
This is the first time that the disciples equate Jesus' actions with Scripture. They were starting to identify the Lord. He was becoming to them not just a happy wine-changing leader of men, but a zealous God-loving fulfiller of Scripture.

John 5:16-18
The Jews here ignore Jesus' point that God works daily and therefore so must his sons, and get upset with him instead. They fail to identify him as Lord.

John 5:31-47
vv. 39,40 It is not the Scriptures or study of them that saves. It is obedience to the Scriptures that saves (gives eternal life). What saves is being able to identify Christ as Lord through the Scriptures and then making life-changing decisions based on that conviction.

The people had read Scripture all their lives and waited for the promised Messiah, yet did not recognize the Lord when he was present among them.

If we do not obey Scripture, the verdict in verse 42 falls on us: "...you do not have the love of God in your hearts."

When you read Scripture, you see Jesus (the disciples did, at the temple-clearing). Yet sometimes we study the Bible and fail to see Jesus (like the Jews in John 5). Read more carefully. Study, examine, investigate.

We have to remember the Lord through Scripture.