“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” (John 15:13-15).
Introduction
One of the amazing consequences of being saved is
that, not only do we become the children of God, but we also are entitled to be
called the friends of Jesus. The Lord Jesus Christ is the best Friend we will
ever have and that friendship will endure throughout eternity.
How did it begin?
Our friendship with Christ is solely the work of God, for no man could come up with the idea that he might be a friend, rather than a mere servant, of God. According to our text this friendship is based firmly upon love, not the human kind, but the divine. The Bible teaches us that “God is love” (1 John 4:16) and “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16). The manifestation of God’s love was in motion before we came under its influence. “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). This love brought us new life. “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10).
The Husbandman planted the Vine and He expects the branches to remain connected to it. This relationship is more than unity, for man can be united in a cause but not in friendship with other members. We can say without any exaggeration that our friendship with Christ is His life flowing through us. Therefore this friendship is spiritually charged with unconditional love. How can we not be overwhelmed with joy to hear from the mouth of the Lord, “Ye are my friends”? In that He speaks of sacrificial love for us, we must see that Jesus is placing Himself at our disposal for eternity. He gave His life as a demonstration of this love to prove that there can be no greater love relationship than this. “There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). He died that we might live. If we are reading these verses correctly we must conclude that Christ did not die for strangers but for His friends. Do we see that He was our Friend long before we were His friends? He literally calls Himself the “friend of … sinners” (Luke 7:34).
How is it maintained?
Those who suggest that there is no condition connected to this friendship have a cheap view of divine love. Jesus reveals that there has to be concrete proof of this friendship in action, which is obedience. We see then that this love relationship must flow both ways. He gave His all for us, and He simply requires us to trust Him enough to obey His word. This thought is exactly the same as the one we encountered in :10, If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love: “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love.” This means that we must come to terms with the fact that we are called to lay down our lives for the Lord. “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
Though He is always our Friend, friendship with Christ cannot be maintained by us if we do not actually follow Him and obey His word. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). But do we in the natural obey our friends? Such a thought never enters our minds. True friendship is not based on servitude but loyal love, so our obedience to Christ is not borne out of duty but is a display of heartfelt love. Obedience here is rooted firmly in our personal relationship with Him. Then obedience is not a burden but a blessing.
How deep is it?
In light of our text we clearly see that this friendship with Christ knows no holy limitations or boundaries, or as Paul says, “To know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge” (Ephesians 3:19). This is intimacy with the Lord that has no measurable height or depth.
Friends tell each other what is on their hearts, and even secret things. Jesus tells His friends divine truths that are kept secret from the world. Our relationship transcends servanthood, for a master does not tell his servants intimate and personal details. Instead as Christ’s friends we are given the privilege of understanding the wisdom of God. “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God” (1 Corinthians 2:9-12). We can know God’s will instead of dashing blindly through life. We experience the direct leading of the Holy Spirit and have that inner witness which comes from faith in His word.
John 5:20 reads, “For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth: and he will show him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.” This makes the closing words of our text mightier still, for the Lord promises to make known to us spiritual truths. “Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand” (Luke 8:10).
Conclusion
It is to our shame that we do not desire such a deep friendship with Christ as this. Therefore it is our own fault if our spiritual lives are powerless, joyless and without the enjoyment of God’s love. What an honour to be called the friends of Jesus! How it must sadden Him when we do not follow through by replying to His love with obedience to Him. God has been calling friends to Himself since the beginning. “Abraham believed God … and he was called the Friend of God” (James 2:23). This same call goes out to us today. Shall we turn a deaf hear to His voice?
© 10/5/2010