True Friends
John’s gospel records this incident between Jesus and His disciples. He records,
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command.
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.” John 15:12-14.
Here Jesus notes several things. First he tells his disciples to love each other as he has loved them. He states,
“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”John 15:13.
This statement I am certain come to have even greater meaning when they see Jesus actually giving his life for those who would believe in them.
Jesus then states,
“You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:14.
Intimacy with Jesus is doing what Jesus asks us to do. True friends will be loyal to one another and do what is right for one another.
This statement marks a distinct change in the relationship of the disciples to Jesus. They are no longer his servants but his friend. Jesus states,
“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.” John 15:15.
A servant does only what he is told to do. He does not necessarily know why his master is doing a particular thing.
A true friend on the other hand has intimate knowledge on the reason why his friend is doing a particular thing.
Jesus had at this point imparted to his disciples why he came to earth.
In John 3:16,17 he states,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16,17.
This is the message Jesus wants his friends to take to the world.
True friends of Jesus. True believers in Jesus will take this message to the world.
Please think about it.
John’s gospel records this incident between Jesus and His disciples. He records,
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command.
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.” John 15:12-14.
Here Jesus notes several things. First he tells his disciples to love each other as he has loved them. He states,
“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”John 15:13.
This statement I am certain come to have even greater meaning when they see Jesus actually giving his life for those who would believe in them.
Jesus then states,
“You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:14.
Intimacy with Jesus is doing what Jesus asks us to do. True friends will be loyal to one another and do what is right for one another.
This statement marks a distinct change in the relationship of the disciples to Jesus. They are no longer his servants but his friend. Jesus states,
“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.” John 15:15.
A servant does only what he is told to do. He does not necessarily know why his master is doing a particular thing.
A true friend on the other hand has intimate knowledge on the reason why his friend is doing a particular thing.
Jesus had at this point imparted to his disciples why he came to earth.
In John 3:16,17 he states,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16,17.
This is the message Jesus wants his friends to take to the world.
True friends of Jesus. True believers in Jesus will take this message to the world.
Please think about it.
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