To Be Called A Friend Of God Because Of Obedience; Simply Acknowleding God's Authority Over Us

Today's Focus Scripture: John 14:5-21

John 14:5-21

5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”
8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.
11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.
12 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.
13 Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
19 After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.
20 In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
21 He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”

Other Scripture Discussed:

John 15:14-15
You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

Proverbs 15:20 - A wise son makes a father glad, But a foolish man despises his mother.

Definitions:

Obedience: 
Noun
1. Compliance with someone's wishes or orders, or acknowledgment of their authority.
2. Submission to a law or rule.
3. To carry out or fulfill the command, order, or instruction of one in authority
4. A sphere of jurisdiction; especially : an ecclesiastical or sometimes secular dominion

Adjective
1. obeying or willing to obey; complying with or submissive to authority: an obedient son.

LAGNIAPPE:

8 synonyms for the "Word of God" used in Psalm 119.
1. Law
2. Word
3. Ordinances
4. Commandments
5. Precepts
6. Testimonies
7. Statutes
8. Judgments

1. Law (vs. 1) – Instructional teaching, how to live, instructions for living life
2. Word (vs. 42) – Revelation of God’s will
3. Ordinances (vs. 30) – Judgments – legal pronouncements, the way God runs His universe, rules of divine administration, the way He expects us to yield to that
4. Commandments (vs. 86) – faithful, religious principles, how to live in a religious community with each other, in a community of faith, how to worship, to worship
5. Precepts (vs. 27) – teach moral obligations before God, to care for the poor, social justice, protect the rights of others, how to live morally in an immoral universe
6. Testimonies (vs. 2) – ways in which He reveals Himself, by keeping His testimonies; self revelations, we invest ourselves in seeking Him, we come to know who God is by His testimonies,
7. Statutes (vs. 8) – limitations, walls of orders, civil and religious, these set limitations upon our lives to keep us from getting out of bounds, to stay within the walls of the canyon inside which we live
8. Judgments – see ordinances

Summary - Way – The Way of His word, commandments, etc.  The way of God, the scriptural way to live for God, the bible, the way God teaches us how to live, to think, and how to lead.

"Thy Way is living the Bible Way."  And living the Bible way makes us a Friend to God.