Young People's Group

“YOU ARE MY FRIENDS”

by Pastor Mitch
April 28, 2013

The Lord Jesus As Our Friend

“What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear”

These words of Joseph Scriven from his most beloved hymn came to mind as I thought about the Lord Jesus as our friend. Truly, there is no greater friend like the Lord Jesus. In the text of John 15, the Lord Jesus spoke to His disciples concerning His friendship with them.

1. Showing The Greatest Love For His Friends

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” 
John 15:13

What is the greatest expression of love in friendship? According to the Lord Jesus, it is to willingly give up one’s life for his friend. It is not an easy thing for a person to lay down his life for another. And yet this was how the Lord expressed His matchless love. He chose to give His life for His disciples. There was continuous great love for His disciples from the beginning to the very end, where He sacrificed His life for them (John 13:1). In the text of Ephesians 5:2, Paul wrote how Christ loved us and gave Himself for us as an offering and sacrifice to God. John also wrote in his epistle that we know love because He laid down His life for us (1 John 3:16). Truly, there is no greater love shown than for Christ to die for us.

2. Making Known What He Was Doing To His Friends

“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.” 
John 15:15

The Lord Jesus’ regard for His disciples as friends can also be seen by what He revealed to them. He showed to them all things that He had heard from His Father. He shared and revealed many things to His beloved disciples. He did not regard His disciples as mere servants but sought to relate to them as friends. He called them His friends. His revealing things to His friends reminds me of how God revealed to Abraham things to come because He had known him as friend (Genesis 18:17). It is indeed a great privilege for the Lord Jesus to reveal wonderful things to His disciples.

Our Response – Obeying His Command

“You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” 
John 15:14

“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” 
John 15:12

“These things I command you, that you love one another.” 
John 15:17

What is our response to the Lord Jesus since He does these things for His friends? Our natural response should be one of obedience to His new commandment. The Lord Jesus knew that there were difficulties and conflict among His disciples. He wanted them to obey Him by keeping this commandment to love one another. Firstly, they were to love one another as Christ had loved them. The Lord Jesus’ love is one that is most sacrificial. Let’s learn to love one another with the Lord’s kind of love in mind. Secondly, we are to bear the fruit of love. This is what God has appointed us to do (John 15:16). Let’s be challenged to bear the fruit of love through the Spirit (Colossians 1:6, 8) and to continue in it. Only then can we say that we are obeying the Lord’s command. Let’s seek to respond to the Lord’s friendship by seeking to love one another.

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