He calls me friend - by Bec Bonython
John 15:9-17
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 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. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.”
Could I ask you to stop for a moment and re-read this passage a couple of times? Allow God to speak to your heart and let a phase jump out at you. There is something in here for everyone.
What caught my attention was v15 – we are no longer servants, because a servant does not know his Master’s business. Instead, we are called His friend and everything that Jesus knows is made available to us.
A servant often lives in the house of the Master and has access to the Master. The servant has a pretty good idea of the comings and goings of the house. But this knowledge is only obtained through observation and an awareness of the surroundings. The servant receives a command without knowing the reason why the thing is ordered. The servant dare not ask why this is happening, or offer an opinion. The servant would never be privy to participate in a discussion or know the intricate financial or relational details of the household. No….the servant just does their job and gets paid. The relationship is distant and subservient.
Yet, when we love Jesus, obey His commands and remain in Him, the promise is that Jesus now calls us friend. We are no longer observers in the contractual relationship, but active participants in a covenant relationship. It is not a subservient relationship, but one where we can boldly converse with Jesus, ask for His time and inquire about things. As our friend, He is our confidant, support and comfort. As our friend, He wants to share deep and spiritual things with us, just like He did with His disciples – sharing plans as to why He came, His death and resurrection. What’s more, the friendship that Jesus brings is a sacrificial one. Where He loved us so much that He gave His life for us. Now that is real and deep and true friendship!
The challenge for us today is to follow Jesus’ example and reciprocate the friendship – to sacrifice our life to our friend, Jesus.