Good morning and welcome to Preaching Power Radio brought to you by Calvary Baptist Church of Evening Shade, Arkansas. I'm John Deaton, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, and this morning I want to take you to a passage that speaks about a love that's deeper than any human affection. It's a relationship that goes beyond religion, a friendship that changes everything. Did you know that as believers, Jesus calls us His friends? Not just followers, not just servants, but friends. So let's look together at John chapter 15 this morning. We're going to begin in verse 12. John chapter 15 and verse 12. Jesus says, This is my commandment that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth. But I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that ye should go forth and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another. Well, friendship, now that's a word that we sometimes toss around probably too easily in this world, but when Jesus says it, he means something eternal. He says, I have called you friends, not acquaintances, not allies, not just disciples, friends. That word changes everything. It means access. It means closeness. It means trust. And he backs it up, not just in word, but in blood. That's the heart of today's message, a Savior who became our friend, a friend who laid down his life, and he's still calling, he's still choosing, he's still drawing people into that sacred saving relationship. And the question is, are we walking in it? And the first thing I want you to see this morning is the privilege of friendship. That's right, friendship. Listen, most of us have friends, but most of us have friends, and those close friends, that closeness of friendship, amen? That privilege of being one of those friends that you can count on one hand, that you can count on. Boy, that's sacred, that's important, and I wanna talk about that today. That privilege of friendship. That's right, friendship. Not just a title, not just a role, not even just a position, but a relationship. Real, personal, and close. And listen to what Jesus says in verse 15. He says, Now let that soak in. the very Son of God, the Lord of glory, the creator of heaven and earth, everything that you can see and know and understand, God's creator of all. He's the one calling you friend, not just Abraham, not just Moses, not just the 12 disciples, but you. Do you understand what a privilege that is? Most people live their whole lives trying to earn the approvals of others. They want to feel important. They want to be known, but here's Jesus offering you the greatest connection in all eternity, friendship with himself, not based on your merit, not based on your performance, but based on his love. And here's the beauty of it right here. He shares his heart with his friends. He said, all things that I have heard of my father, I have made known unto you. Well, that's our best friends in the world we can talk to, we can share our hearts with. Jesus said that's the kind of friend that he counts us as. He shares the things. He said, all the things I heard of my father, I have made known unto you. That means no secrets, no distance, no barriers. He wants you to walk with him, talk with him. He wants you to know him. That's why he says in John chapter 10 verse 27 and 28, he says, my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. Oh listen to me, friendship with Jesus means we hear his voice and he knows our name. And once he's got you, listen, nothing, nothing can pluck you out of his hand. That's the privilege of this friendship. You're known, you're loved, you're secure forever. Now, being called a friend of Jesus is a privilege and oh, it's a privilege. What a privilege that is, amen? Then the second thing I want you to see is this. I want you to see the purpose of our calling. Let's look at verse 16 together again. He says, you have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go forth and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain. Did you catch that right there? Jesus chose you. You didn't chase him down, he came after you. Oh, he came after, he pursues us. Oh, praise the Lord, he pursued us, amen. Listen, you didn't pick him out, he picked you out. And before you ever took a step toward him, he had already stepped down from heaven for you. Friend, that's not religion, that is relationship. That's not works. Friend, that's the essence of grace. And he didn't just choose you not just to sit in a pew or to hang a title around your neck. He said, I've ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit. He's not calling you to warm a bench. You hear that, right? He's not saying, just go to church and sit and get your fill. He's calling you to walk in purpose, to live with power, to bear fruit. Now, what kind of fruit? There's the question, right? He says the kind that remains, not temporary religion, not shallow feelings, not flash in the pan faith, but a life that overflows with love, with truth, with soul saved, amen, and with hearts changed. Now listen to what the Bible says in Ephesians chapter two and verse 10. Listen to what God calls us. He says, we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. God didn't save you to sit still. Friend, he saved you to serve. He prepared works for you to walk in. And that means your life has divine purpose. You were made for more than survival. You were made to make an impact for the kingdom. So, so let me ask you this morning, friend, let me ask you this. Are you bearing fruit? Are you walking in that purpose or are you wasting what he's given you? Because if Jesus chose you, there's a reason there's a calling. There's a mission with your name on it. Now friend, if Jesus has given us the privilege of his friendship and he's called us to walk in purpose and to bear fruit, then the third thing I want you to see this morning is this. I want you to understand the power of love and prayer. So let's finish reading verse 16 and 17. It says that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you that you love one another. Do you see how those two things go in hand in hand? That prayer and love, love and prayer, one fuels the other. It's almost like you need them both, right? You have to have love to be able to pray, and to be able to pray, you need to be able to pray in love, amen? But both come out of this friendship with Jesus, though. Listen to me there. Listen to me on this. Both of those things, prayer and love, come out of this friendship with Jesus. Each one fuels the other. And he says this, Whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you. That's not a small promise. Boy, that's a heavenly blank check right there. Amen. I'm not being name it, claim it preacher. I'm just telling you that when you walk with God and you're in his will and you're doing his commandments, amen, that there's nothing he won't do for you. But listen, I want you to notice these conditions very close. Notice the conditions. He said, in my name. That means in His authority, in His will, with His heart behind it. And we've got to be in His will and under His authority to get this, okay? I want you to understand that. It's not just saying things and demanding things from God. Prayer isn't about manipulating God. It's about aligning with Him. Oh friend, align your heart with God and you won't go wrong and it's going to bless your life, I promise you. But I want you to listen to this powerful truth over in 1 John chapter 5 and verse 14 and 15. And he says this in 1 John chapter 5 and starting in verse 14, he says, And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us. And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desire of Him. He hears us! Amen? Listen to me, say, Child of God, He hears you. And if He hears, He answers. Not always the way we expect, not always the way we want, but always in love, always in wisdom, always in His perfect timing. And don't miss the second part Jesus said. He says, these things I command you that you love one another. It's not a suggestion, but it's a command here, right? He commands us to love one another. Why? Because love is the evidence that we've truly been with Jesus. Love is the mark of his presence in us. Love is the fruit that lasts. And when we love like he loves, and when we pray like he taught, then we walk in power that this world just can't understand. So let me ask you, are you praying with confidence? Are you loving like Jesus loved you? Because friend, there is power, real power in love and in prayer. So hear me this morning. Listen, the power of love and prayer isn't just a doctrine. It's a way of life. A way of life for those who are friends with Jesus. We've seen the privilege of friendship. We've uncovered the purpose of our calling today. And listen, we felt the power of love and prayer through this message. But Jesus didn't just call us to follow from a distance. He invited us in close, very close. And in that friendship is purpose. In that calling is power. And in that love is everything we need to live and pray with confidence. So let's walk in it fully, joyfully, and faithfully as friends of Jesus. Now, if that's the kind of friendship that Jesus offers, how could we ever walk away from it? Listen, he's not asking you to earn it. He's not waiting on you to clean up your life first. He's calling you right now to come and to walk with him, to know him, not just as Lord, but as friend. Hmm, his friend. And maybe you've never truly trusted him. Maybe that's your place this morning. Maybe you've known about him, but you've never known him personally. Well, this morning, listen, can be your moment. You can remedy that right now, right where you are. If you've never been saved, why don't you call on Jesus today? That's all I'm saying. Just call on his name. Listen, you ain't got nothing. If you're not saved, friend, you got a lot to lose. But if you don't know Jesus, listen, there's nothing to lose on asking him and believing on him. There's only things to gain. I promise you that. All you need to do, bow your heart today before him. Admit to the Lord that you're a sinner. Believe that he died for you and that he rose again. And Romans 10 and 9 and 10 says, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead. And he did. He said, if you believe that thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth under righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Ask Him to forgive you, to save you, and to be your Savior and friend. In Romans 10 and 13, listen, I'll reaffirm that, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. God doesn't lie. He said if you call on Him, He'll answer. So if you'll call on Him today and you'll come to Him humbly and with all your heart, friend, He'll receive you. He'll forgive you. and he'll never let you go. And today, friend, if you need a church home, listen, we'd love to have you at Calvary Baptist Church, located Highway 167. We're between Evening Shade and Ash Flat, Arkansas. Listen, you can learn more, get in touch with us at calvaryes.org. If you got any questions or you need any help, listen, but don't wait another day. Don't miss this friendship that Jesus offers. Come to him, trust him, walk with him. Oh, friend, walk with him today. You'll never, you'll never, Never regret it. And until next time, remember, there's no greater friend than Jesus, and he's wanting to walk with you right now.