The Gospel of John: John 15.9-17

Read and meditate on John 15.14.
Like a good many other words, friends must be understood in its Biblical, rather than its contemporary setting.

                                           ¹⁴“And you
are My friends if what I command, you do.”

- John 15.14

Reflect
1.  Jesus called His disciples friends. As they were friends of Jesus, so we should aspire to be. But we need to understand this idea Biblically. Let’s look at a few passages, to get God’s perspective on what this term implies. Meditate on Exodus 33.9-11. Here is the first use of friend to express God’s relationship to a man. What does this imply about how God views being friends with us? Complete the following prayer: Lord, I cannot be Your friend if I refuse to spend much time with You, waiting on You to…

2.  In Psalm 35.13, 14, and Psalm 41.9, we find the Messiah speaking about those who betrayed Him (see Ps. 35.11, 12). He says He treated them as friends. What did this involve, as you see it in these psalms? How was the Messiah a friend to those who persecuted Him? Lord, You remain my Friend even when I…

3.  Proverbs offers insight to God’s view of what it means to be a friend. Look at Proverbs 17.17 and 18.24. How is Solomon using the idea of friend here? What makes a friend a friend? Lord, I’m beginning to think that I need to work on being a better friend with You, as in…

4.  Ecclesiastes 4.9-12 offers some additional insight to what friendship entails. Summarize Solomon’s teaching here about the nature and importance of friendship. Show me, Lord, how I can begin to be a better friend, both to You and to…

5.  Finally, look at James 2.23. What made Abraham a friend of God? Taking together all these various passages, what was Jesus saying to His disciples by referring to them as friends? What does it mean to be a friend of Jesus? Bring together your prayers from questions 1-4 into one prayer.

Summary
“Now sinners are called enemies of God—enemies, that is, of the commands that they do not obey, just as those who obey become friends. The latter are named so from their fellowship; the former from their estrangement, which is freely chosen. For there is neither enmity nor sin without the enemy and the sinner.” Clement of Alexandria (375-444 AD)

Jesus calls us His friends. Would it be obvious to the people in your Personal Mission Field that you are a friend of Jesus? Why or why not?

Closing Prayer
Show me Your ways, O LORD;
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.
Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness’ sake, O LORD.
Good and upright is the LORD;
Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way.
All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth,
To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.

Psalm 25.4-10

Psalm 25.4-10 (Festal Song: Revive Thy Work, O Lord)
Make me to know Your ways, teach me Your paths, O Lord!
My Savior, all day long I wait and seek You in Your Word.

Remember mercy, Lord, and steadfast love to me!
And all my sins before You let them not remembered be!

My sins have been of old, Your love is new each day;
According to Your goodness, Lord, regard my sinful way.

Upright and good are You, You lead us in Your way;
The humble You instruct in truth and guide him day by day.

The paths of God are all of love and faithfulness;
All they who keep His covenant the Lord will surely bless.

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series IV a and b: John, edited by Joel C. Elowsky, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006. Verse translation of John by T. M. Moore.