A friend is anyone with whom you could share the intimate issues of your life without any fear of betrayal or disappointment.
From the texts above we see Jesus Christ as the perfect example of who a good friend is: to His disciples He said , “For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at meat? But I am among you as he that serveth…” Luke 22:27.
To Mary and Martha, He was a dependable friend in the hour of their sorrow and grief when their brother Lazarus died. Although He knew He would bring Lazarus back to life yet He could not help crying along with the two sisters when He noticed their pains and deep anguish over their dead brother.
“When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled, and said, where have ye laid him? They said unto Him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how He loved him!”
John 11: 33 – 36.
Similarly, to anyone who accepts Him as their Lord and personal Saviour today, He says with friendly assurance, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you”. John 15:14.
His hand of friendship is still extended to whosoever is sincerely willing to accept and obey Him.
We will consider the teaching in the following sub-topics below:
- The difference between a friend and a servant of Jesus
- Why be friends of Jesus?
- What does Jesus Demand from his friends?
- The Difference Between A Friend And A Servant.
Psalms 89: 20 – 37; Psalms 119:90; John 15: 14. “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” John 15:15.
From the scripture above the Lord Himself defined who a friend is as against a servant. With regards to a servant He said, “For the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth ….” But for a friend He said, “But I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my father I have made known unto you.” And
By those words Jesus Christ meant that anyone who enjoys a position of trust in His heart is considered as his friend. That’s exactly how He wants to interact with you – as a friend with whom He could share His thoughts where it matters.
But looking out carefully at the beginning of this verse we will draw a very important lesson there. It says, “Henceforth I call you not servants ….” The understanding here is that before the Lord made that statement, He had called them His Servants. Their relationship with Him was in two Phases; first He called them as servants then, afterwards, He accepted them as His friends. This graduation was not unconnected with their steadfastness and consistency in serving Him faithfully. See John 15:14; Luke 22:28 – 30.
“Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
John 15:14.
The words of Proverbs 22:11 aptly fits the narrative above; it says: “He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend”.
Let’s consider the scriptures below and explore a similar trend between God and some Bible characters:
A. ABRAHAM: Genesis 12: 1 – 5; 17:1 – 13; 18:1 – 33.
At the first God called Abraham as a servant (Genesis 12: 1 – 5). Then afterwards, He admonished him to pursue a life of steadfastness and perfection in His presence (Genesis 17: 1 – 13). When Abraham’s obedience and steadfastness to God was proved then, in Genesis 18:1 – 33, God paid him and his household a literal visit and ate before him as a friend. From that time onward God treated Abraham as a friend, and He shared His thoughts about His mission to Sodom and Gomorrah with Abraham.
“And the Lord said, shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do…?” Genesis 18:17.
Apostle James would eventually write about that relationship in the glowing words below:
“And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called a friend of God.” James 2:23.
B.MOSES: Exodus 3:1 – 20; Exodus 34: 27 – 35; Numbers 12: 1 – 8; Deuteronomy 34:10 – 12
Moses’ relationship with God followed a similar pattern with that of Abraham. In Exodus 3:1 – 20 God called Moses and sent him to Egypt as a servant. In Exodus 34:27 – 35 we see Moses’ rise in his relationship with God and the attendant glory which was bestowed on him as a result. In Numbers 12: 1 – 8 we see God making a distinction between His relationship with Moses and other prophets.
Numbers 12:6-8: “And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold…”
At the end of Moses’ tenure on earth, the golden tribute below was written in honour of his friendship with God.
“And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.” Deuteronomy 34:10.
Primarily, all of God’s creations are His servants (Psalm 119:90 – 91) but for those who distinguish themselves and present their spirit, soul and body holy unto Him, He receives and elevates them into a secondary and much higher relationship with Him, and with much better privileges and authority than the ordinary believer enjoys.
“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified and meet for the master’s use and prepared unto every good work.” 2 Timothy 2:20, 21.
- Why Be Friend With Jesus?
Luke 16:1-13; Matthew 25:31-46; Luke 9:23 – 26; Matthew 10:32-33; Mark 8:38.
The scriptures above give a plethora of reasons why we must seek a lasting friendship with Jesus Christ while we still have the opportunity to do so; they set forth the benefits of being friends with Jesus and the woes that would befall those who turn down this gracious offer. For those who would continue as His friends, Jesus says:
“Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel Luke 22:28-30.
But to all those who refuse Him in favour of a friendship with this present sinful world, He warns:
“Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels”. Mark 8:28. Even though the words quoted above were, at first-hand value, spoken to the people of Jesus’ days on earth, nevertheless, the Holy Scriptures also make them relevant to us when it says that the inspired words of the Holy Bible are given for our admonition. See
1 Corinthians 10:11:
“Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come”.
So, therefore, the benefits of this friendship and the woes of its neglect still bear on all of mankind who ever lived up to the age of accountability for their actions or inaction. Each person must decide for themselves what they must do with God’s offer of His Son, Jesus Christ, to us. Some people, both in the past and now in the present, turned down Jesus Christ’s offer of friendship in favour of a fleeting romance with this dying world. See the following: John 6:66; Luke 4:28-30; Mark 5:14-17. “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world and is departed unto Thessalonica……” 2 Timothy 4:10.
However, and that happily, there are others who turned their backs on the world and its glamour in favour of friendship with Jesus Christ. See also the following: John 6:67-69; Luke 4:42-43; Mark 5:18-20; Mark 10:28.
“Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.” Mark 10:28.
Today we are each faced with this same decision and must make our choice for or against a friendship with Jesus Christ.
For those who are desirous to be friends with Him but are in need of some motivation to forsake the world and follow Him, I will raise some points and expound some scriptures that will help deliver this needed motivation. In doing so, let me ask you this salient question as a lead to this exposition : why should you be friends with Jesus Christ all through your life’s journey on earth?
- Because as His friends you are assured of a place in the Kingdom of heaven. John 14:1-3; 17:24; Revelation 3:11-12.
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6. - Because as His friend, who does His will, He will hear you whenever you call upon His name. Read Psalm 91:14-16 . “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7. But look at it the other way round, for those who despise the Lord, Jesus Christ: Proverbs 1:24-32; Isaiah 1:11-15; Jeremiah 11:10-11; Ezekiel 8:17-18; James 4:3. Proverbs 1:24-28: “Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me… “
3.Because He will save you in the time of trials, temptations or dangers: Psalm 91:1-12; Revelation 3:10; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Isaiah 43:1-2; John 10:27-29; 6:39.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand”. John 10:27-28. .
4.Because He will recognize and help you on the day of judgment: 2 Corinthians 5:10; Matthew 25:31-34; Revelation 20:4-6.
John 6:39-40: “And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day”.
But, conversely, see how it will go on that day with those who will turn away from Jesus, the best of all friends! Luke 13:24-28; Matthew 7:21-23; Revelation 20:11-15.
2 Timothy 2:12: “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us…”
A friendship with Jesus Christ is best if it lasts a lifetime because that’s the kind He recognizes and rewards.
“For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end”. Hebrews 3:14.
“…the LORD is with you, while ye be with Him; and if ye seek Him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake Him, He will forsake you”.
2 Chronicles 15:2.
5.Because you will inherit God’s kingdom and live with Him and His Son Jesus Christ forever and ever, if you continue being friends with Him until the end of your life. Revelation 21:1-7; 22:12-15; Hebrews 10:35-39; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 John 3:1-3.
“He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son”. Revelation 21:7.
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever”. Psalm 23:16.
- What Does Jesus Demand From His Friends?
John 15:14-16; John 14:21,23; John 15:4-9. “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
John 15:14.
The quoted verse above spells out the condition for friendship with Jesus Christ. Though brief and concise it, nevertheless, carries a weight of responsibility that can be discharged only with a deep sense of duty , and the two must be equally matched. To know our responsibilities towards this friendship and not be able to dutifully carry it out would make us unfaithful friends.
John 14:24: “He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me”.
On the other hand, to be zealous for the Lord Jesus Christ without knowing our responsibility towards Him would be serving Him in vain. “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Luke 6:46.
In both cases above knowledge is vital; that is, the knowledge of what Jesus expects from us and how to fulfill those expectations. It is on this basis (provided the will to serve is unforced) that a friendship with Jesus is made and maintained.
“And this is life eternal, that they might KNOW thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” John 17:3.
As earlier on pointed out, John 15:14 spells out the condition for friendship with Jesus Christ. Noteworthy is the fact that this is a covenant relationship between a perfect person (Jesus Christ) on the one hand and an imperfect person (you) on the other hand, and that it is based on the Bible principle found in Amos 3:3, which says: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”
Now, the only way that a perfect person and an imperfect person could agree to walk together as friends is where a condition precedent had been met, and in this case the condition is in John 15:14, which says: ” Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you.” The word “Whatsoever” in the context of that verse connotes absolute obedience, and it must needs be so because as the perfect person in this relationship our imperfection is taken care of if we follow His own ways and ideas in dealing with the issues of life in general, and as it affects our relationship with Him in particular.
Below are some of the very fundamental things Jesus expects or demands from all those who would continue with Him as friends.
- He wants us to realize our imperfection so we could see more clearly and understand more deeply our need for Him in this relationship. John 15:1-5; Romans 7:14-25; 8:1-4; Philippians 4:13; Proverbs 3:5; Jeremiah 9:23,24; Psalm 37:3-7. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13.
- He wants us to faithfully follow His exemplary life of obedience and service to His Father, Almighty God. This is the guarantee that we would be transformed into His image and likeness and therefore become fit to be citizens of His heavenly Kingdom forever. John 15:10; 1 Peter 2:21-23; Matthew 11:29; Luke 2:49; John 4:34,35; 9:4,5; Hebrews 5:7-9. “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world”. 1 John 4:17.
- He wants us to be fruitful in all good things that we do, for to be otherwise would be contradictory to our relationship with Him because He is indeed fruitful in all His works. John 15:8,16; Philippians 1:9-11; Luke 3:7-9; Matthew 21:43; Galatians 5:22,23. “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth”. Genesis 1:28.
The fruitfulness of our friendship with Jesus Christ, should not only be restricted to spiritual things (even though it is by far that aspect which is most profitable to our relationship with Him) but it must also include the works and labours of our hands.
A look at the wonders of creation will help us see the beauty with which God, through Jesus Christ, made the earth and its set ordinances, which cannot be altered. Such creativity and wisdom can also be imparted to us in the everyday life activities and business endeavours that we lay our hands on, if we are united in true friendship with Jesus Christ.
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper”. Psalm 1:1-3.
CONCLUSION .
Dear friend, having read all of the foregoing, wouldn’t you agree that the prospects of a friendship with Jesus Christ, the Son of God, far outweighs and outshines that of a friendship with this sinful and dying world? Wouldn’t you now gadly accept his forgiveness and mercy for your sins, with a personal commitment to love and obey Him as His grace enables you, so that you can activate this friendship while you still have the chance?
I believe that you should because there’s no higher calling, no greater honour and, certainly, no better deal than being in a friendship with Jesus Christ!
Why not take the initiative, right now, to invite Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour? You can bet that He’s already waiting with arms open wide to receive you.
John 6:37: “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out”.