Manifested love Pt 21: We are friends

John 15:14-17                        14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I 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. 16You 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. 17This is my command: Love each other.

1Corinthians 13:1-3              1If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Let’s take a look at what has happened this night:  Jesus has washed the feet of his disciples even though one of them is about to betray him.  Peter has denied Jesus publicly three times.  Jesus has announced himself as being one with the Father and He with Him, and Jesus has even predicted his death three times.  It has been a momentous evening with profound implications for the growth of the Kingdom.  But Jesus is not done.

Friends and servants

It was probably astounding for the disciples to hear Jesus refer to them as friends.  To their way of thinking the only human being who was called a friend of God was Abraham and they must have thought themselves vastly inferior to Abraham.  Certainly, the disciples thought of themselves as servants of Jesus, and they often used terms such as Master or Teacher (both terms of authority) to refer to him.  There is a difference in meaning between friend and servant which Jesus goes on to explain.  But we should recognize that our understanding of ‘friend’ is significantly different than Jesus’ use of the term.  We tend to think of significant friends in our lives as peers; someone with whom we have equal access to each other’s lives.  That friend is someone to whom we can reveal our deepest hurts and concerns, seeking help and counsel, and from whom we can expect similar revelation. 

Certainly we don’t have equal footing with Jesus.  We are not divine; he is.  If we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior then our love of him must be unconditional.  He is the Creator, and his ways are far beyond our understanding (Isaiah 55:8-9).  But Jesus’ friendship is conditional, while his love of us is not.  Please understand this:  Jesus loves us no matter what we do or how we live, but nonetheless he wants better for us.  He wants us to pursue holiness and righteousness and enter the Kingdom.  But to be his friend requires that we obey his commands.  We are used to mutual interaction with our friends, but our interaction with Jesus is obedience.  This is how we show our love of him.

This is a difficult concept for modern people.  We are used to our pride and self-importance, and used to determining our own path.  But if we are honest with ourselves, we must recognize that path often leads to struggle and suffering.  God’s precepts, though, are grounded in what is best for his children and are best summarized by the two greatest commandments.

36Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the Law?  37Jesus replied:” ‘Love the LORD  your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  38This is the first and greatest commandment.  39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Loving God is everything.  Even though we are frail and fallible, doing everything we can to love him helps us live better and more fruitful lives.

I chose you to bear fruit

In the earlier part of chapter 15, we learned the parable of the vine and the branches; that the purpose of the branches is to bear fruit for the Gardener who also supplied the nourishment necessary.  The vine metaphor was given to underline the reason the disciples (and us) are chosen.  We are not chosen just to be friends of Jesus; we are chosen with a purpose in mind.  We are chosen to ‘bear fruit’, that is, to spread the good news of the Kingdom.  Now we might think that “There is no way I can minister to people!  I’m not trained!”. Believer, that is a lie from Satan.  Ministry is not standing at a pulpit.  Ministry is loving people more than yourself.  Ministry is helping a friend in need even when it is inconvenient.  Ministry is buying a cup of coffee for a panhandler who hasn’t bathed in a week.  Ministry is telling people about your personal experience with Jesus and how He changed your life.  You don’t have to be a Billy Graham to bear fruit.  Bearing fruit really is quite easy:  It just means you are being real with your life and the reason you are the way you are is Jesus.

What about me?

This is the meaning of verse 17.  Another way to say ‘bear fruit’ is to say ‘love one another’.  The corollary of loving one another is to be consistent.  I think we all know of that person who ‘talks the talk’ but doesn’t ‘walk the walk’.  This is a description of the hypocrite who doesn’t live like he speaks.  Ministry by those kinds of people is useless and worthless because it gives bad testimony about the love of Jesus.  I once knew a pastor who came to town with seemingly a great message.  I wondered where he came from but couldn’t find out.  His ministry grew, people came to Jesus, but under the surface was great sin.  Eventually he was discovered, but rather than repent and seek forgiveness and restoration, he simply moved on to start again at some distant place.

Does this sort of thing reflect the love and glory of Jesus?  No, we have to live out our love; we must be consistent.  And since we are sinful creatures, we must continuously check in with Jesus.  Did I do anything today to offend?  Did I hurt anyone’s feelings?  Did I swear?  Believer, find your quiet place.  Find that spot in your home where you can talk to him.  Let him reveal those parts of your soul that aren’t very pretty and let him heal them.  If you do this, life will go well for you.