Slaves and Friends

- what would you say to a person who said to you, “you can be my friend if you do everything I tell you to do”?

- that’s not friendship, that’s slavery!

- yet that is exactly what Jesus says to us!

- our attitude to friendship: equality, one to one, face to face discussion

- we don’t think of demands, commands, obedience and authority

- Jesus: “I want you to be my friend but if you are going to be my friend you must do everything I tell you to do”

- – many amazing promises to encourage his disciples

- – another amazing promise: “you can be my friend if you do everything I command you”

- what dominates this night is love which culminates the next day in the Lord giving up his life on the cross

- – loved to the max – the basis of all commands and warnings and promises

- note all the verses with love in them

- love behind all promises, warnings, commandments

- high point is 15:13

- disciples are to live in love – defines our relationship

- different kind of love: disciples are identified as slaves and friends

- slavery is not condemned but is an exalted status