John 15:15 - Friends of Jesus.
John 15:15 (NIV) 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.
INTRODUCTION
Because Jesus Christ is Lord and Master, he
should call us servants; instead, he calls us
friends. How comforting and reassuring to be chosen
as Christ's friends! Because he is Lord and
Master, we owe him our unqualified obedience, but
most of all, Jesus asks us to obey him because we
love him. [Life Application SB]
COMMENTARY PEARL
The original Greek word for friend in
this verse does not mean a casual acquaintance
but a close, trusted relationship. The same word
is used to refer to the best man at a wedding
(John 3:29) and a kings inner circle of
intimate, trusted friends. In royal courts, servants
must keep their distance from the king, but the
inner circle of trusted friends enjoy close
contact, direct access, and confidential
information.
That God would want me for a close friend
is hard to understand. But the Bible says,
He is a God who is passionate about his
relationship with you (Exodus 34:14 NLT).
God deeply desires that we know him
intimately. In fact, he planned the universe and
orchestrated history, including the details of our lives,
so that we could become his friends. The Bible
says, He made the entire human race and made
the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and
space for living so we could seek after God, and
not just grope around in the dark but actually
find him (Acts 17:26-27 The Message).
Knowing and loving God is our greatest
privilege, and being known and loved is Gods
greatest pleasure. God says, If any want to boast,
they should boast that they know and understand
me These are the things that please me
(Jeremiah 9:24 GNT).
Its difficult to imagine how an
intimate friendship is possible between an
omnipotent, invisible, perfect God and a finite, sinful
human being. Its easier to understand a
Master-servant relationship or a Creator-creation
relationship or even Father-child. Yet God wants us as
his friends, and thats an incredible honor.
[Daily Devotional by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
COMMENTARY
God wants more than servants. Its true
He is worthy of our unequivocal service; we owe
Him our entire lives. But He didn't create human
beings in His image simply so we could carry out
orders. Angels and any number of unknown creatures
could do that (Psalm 103:20-21). No, He wants a
relationship founded in love and reciprocated by hearts
like His. We may serve Him, but we aren't simply
servants. Jesus calls us friends.
That's one of the many features that
makes the Kingdom of God an extraordinary
environment. All Kingdom citizens are friends with the
King. It isn't an equal friendship, of course, but
there are times in Scripture when God treats it as
though it is. He gave Abraham the right to
negotiate with Him and called him friend," wrestled
with Jacob, spoke face to face with Moses as with
a friend, and let David speak to Him in
intimate terms and even argue with Him at times. The
Potter and the clay, the Shepherd and the sheep,
the Master and the servant these are true
illustrations of our relationship with God, but they
aren't sufficient. By themselves, they are too
impersonal. Clearly God wants the kind of relationship
where hearts connect and converse and exchange
ideas and desires and dreams.
Don't squander that relationship. We all
need to learn to serve well, but God doesn't
leave you strictly in the role of servant. He is
calling you higher. Its entirely possible that
when you are most focused on obedience, He is
trying to draw you into a deeper conversation on
more intimate terms. Express your heart to Him
and listen to His. Ask Him what His deepest
desires are - for your life and for those around
you. Like John at the Last Supper, lean against
Jesus and listen to His whispers. He shares
confidential information with those who have learned to
love Him well. In so doing, you begin to fulfill
your original design as one made in His image.
You step into the relationship you were designed
for. [The One Year Heaven On Earth Devotional by
Chris Tiegreen]
ILLUSTRATION
Years ago, when I was first hospitalized
after my diving accident, I dreaded the long,
lonely nighttime hours when friends weren't allowed
to visit my ward. So I comforted myself by
imagining a personal visit from another Friend - the
Lord Jesus. I was inspired to do that after
reading today's Scripture verse, where Jesus
specifically names His disciples as friends.
I pictured Him coming through the doors
of my hospital ward, walking over to my
bedside, and saying, "Hey, friend. What did you learn
in physical therapy today? Was it nice to see
your sister at dinnertime? Anything you'd like to
talk about or get off your chest? Tell me all
about it, Joni." Talking with Jesus like that
strengthened my confidence in Him. He became my Friend
who saw me through months of dark, suicidal
depression. If you find yourself alone with no friends
around, remember Jesus is your comforting friend. He
will support you.
Dear Jesus, even though I can't see You,
I know beyond any doubt that You are with me.
Your companionship calms my anxious heart, stills
my racing thoughts, and lifts the dread and
worry from my shoulders. Thank You for being
there, ready to talk about things great or small -
or to just hold my hand - at two in the
morning. [A Spectacle of Glory by Joni Eareckson Tada
and Larry Libby]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
I am your best friend, as well as your
King. Walk hand in hand with Me through your life.
Together we will face whatever each day brings:
pleasures, hardships, adventures, disappointments.
Nothing is wasted when it is shared with Me. I can
bring beauty out of the ashes of lost dreams. I
can glean Joy out of sorrow, Peace out of
adversity. Only a Friend who is also the King of kings
could accomplish this divine alchemy. There is no
other like Me!
The friendship I offer you is practical
and down-to-earth, yet it is saturated with
heavenly Glory. Living in My Presence means living in
two realms simultaneously: the visible world and
unseen, eternal reality. I have equipped you to stay
conscious of Me while walking along dusty, earthbound
paths. (John 15:13-15; Isaiah 61:3; 2 Corinthians
6:10) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
Relax in My peaceful presence. Do not bring
performance pressures into our sacred space of
communion. When you are with someone you trust
completely, you feel free to be yourself. This is one of
the joys of true friendship. Though I am Lord of
lords and King of kings. I also desire to be your
intimate Friend. When you are tense or pretentious in
our relationship, I feel hurt. I know the worst
about you, but I also see the best in you. I long
for you to trust Me enough to be fully yourself
with Me. When you are real with Me. I am able to
bring out the best in you: the very gifts I have
planted in your soul. Relax, and enjoy our
friendship. (Rev. 17:14; John 15:13-15) [Jesus Calling
by Sarah Young]
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
EXCELLENT VIDEO SERIES ON 28 REVELATIONS OF
JESUS
1st of 28: Divine Dining:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_7j1QIKqmY
2nd of 28: Pictures of the Divine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lNI-OQ7-eQ
3rd of 28: A Dirty Bible:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMkPvBuuFd4
4th of 28: Cared For:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztXyJVdcCds
5th of 28: Saved:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX45kGRe1HI
6th of 28: You Can Change:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd0gkvK18fo
7th of 28: Reprogramming Our Brains:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov36f_RapXc
8th of 28 Our Holy Father:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XabXLEXsxbY
9th of 28 Gifts of Service:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtuGZviodkA
10th of 28 The Holy Spirit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in89XVs4cGo
11th of 28 The Law of God:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_Q601HjogI
12th of 28 The Sabbath:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sakgnKoTzZI
13th of 28 The Church:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkFw2XsTW-w
14th of 28 The Gift of Prophecy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiO2VC09NPI
15th of 28 Stewardship:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z_lNLAataw
16th of 28 Marriage and the Family:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EybxvMQ0K7E
17th of 28 The Remnant and Its Mission:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oK6tix2K2qA
18th of 28 Christian Behavior:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecVGsQfAo7Q
Live ongoing series in progress.
