I Call You Friends

"I no longer call you servants because a servant does not know his master's business.  Instead, Ihave called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you" (John 15:15).

When Jesus came to earth he offended the pious Jews with their strict rules and the image they had of what God was like and their preconceptions of the Messiah.  Jesus was a friend of sinners, and his circle of friends included the likes of the hated tax collectors, a Samaritan woman who had five failed marriages and was living with another man. He pardoned a thief hanging there next to Him on a cross, a man who would never know spiritual growth.  Jesus had uncompromising grace towards sinners blended with a hostility towards sin. For too much of the church history we have given lip service to "hate the sin while loving the sinner," but how well do we practice this principle?  The Christian Church has always found a way to soften Jesus' words on morality. An example of this: Many Christians who adamantly condemn homosexuality, disregard his straightforward commands against divorce. We keep redefining sin and changing the emphasis.

 

All too often, sinners feel unloved by a church that keeps altering its definition of sin which is exactly opposite of Jesus' pattern.  This man, Jesus, from an obscure little town, was sinless friend of sinners, who set a pattern that should convict us.  Jesus befriended sinners and He wants to bring us into a deeper intimate friendship with Him.

 

In the deeper intimacy established by the Lord in this discourse He now unfolded more fully to His disciples what their being His “friends” involved. He had already made clear that it meant their doing all that pleased Him. But there was to be more than this. Accordingly He says, “No longer do I call you servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends.”

This did not mean that they were no longer His servants. Such they continued to be, and they ever delighted so to describe themselves (douloi, bondservants; see 1 Pet. 1:1; Jude 5:1; Rom. 1:1). With the believer the capacity of being a servant carries with it the intimacy and communion of friendship. The servant (doulos) as such does not know what his master is doing; his knowledge is limited to his duty. If, however, his master takes him into his confidence, the scene is changed. There is cooperation and sympathy and fellowship. A friendship is established. And this is just what the Lord now says: “I have called you friends for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known unto you” (v. 15).

By this communication of the Father’s counsels and ways, a communication constantly being made to us by the Spirit through the Word, Christ brings us into partnership with Himself, in His purposes, interests and operations, we are His friends. This is more than the friendship produced by loving obedience. To be partners is a greater privilege than to be servants.

His next word provides a beautiful connection. In making them His friends to share in His thoughts and purpose He it was who took the initiative: “Ye did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My Name He may give it you” (v. 16). This is not election to eternal life, it is choice for service and fruitfulness. The statement looks back to two facts, one to the immediately preceding subject of the combined service and friendship, consequent upon the communication of the Father’s counsels and operations made to the disciples through the Son, the other to the first part of the chapter, where the Lord was speaking of the union with Himself as the requisite for fruitbearing.

Vine, W.E.: Collected Writings of W.E. Vine. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1996

 

It is true that we are not to be "friends with this world," (James 4:4), to take on the sinful culture of this world, we are called to care for the needs of this world. The Church has a good history in this regards, caring for the sick, the lepers, the homeless, the down and out. We are called to emulated that pattern set for us by our Savior and friend. We have "Good News" our God cares and we are His person while here on earth.  The German theologian Jurgen Moltmann expressed it well, "God weeps with us so that we may someday laugh with Him."  

Daily Prayer:

Father forgive me where I have been judgmental and unwilling to be involved with those I have considered unworthy.  Open my eyes to those you wish me to minister too, and bring Your Love to them. May this year be a new beginning in my walk with You, in service with You.  Thank you for being my friend.     Amen