You've Got A Friend In Me

The Reality of Friendship with Jesus

Rooted in Love (v. 9)

In the Gospel of John, Jesus’ relationship with the Father is often set up as the model for our relationship with Jesus.

The Father and the Son love each other with a perfect and complete love. Jesus loves us with a perfect and complete love. We strive to love God with a perfect and complete love. Though this side of heaven we fall short of that goal.

The only adequate analogy for how much Jesus loves us is how much the Father and the Son love each other.

Initiated by Jesus (v. 9, 16)

“I have loved you...”

The tense that this is in in the original Greek communicates that this love is a complete love.

Undoubtedly Jesus makes this statement with the cross in view, the most complete act of love ever given.

“I chose you...”

In a reversal of the customary Jewish practice (normally would-be disciples approached a rabbi they wanted to follow), the disciples did not choose Jesus but He chose them.

This is easily seen in that Jesus was the one who first approached the disciples not the other way around.

Sometimes we get a little nervous when we start talking about Jesus choosing us, because of the way the doctrine of election has been taken to far. However, we can’t reject all election outright in part because of the clarity of this verse.

They didn’t choose Jesus

Jesus choose them

What did Jesus choose them for? It is important to not read into this verse more than Jesus actually says. Jesus states very clearly that they were chosen or ordain to go and bring forth fruit.

In other words Jesus had chosen them or called them to ministry.

Like the disciples we to are called or chosen to engage in the ministry that God has planned for us.

Two things to notice about ministry

Called - “I chose you”

Equipped - “whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give it to you.”

Exemplified by Jesus (v. 10, 12, 13)

We have already discussed the inseparable link between obedience and love. Here Jesus reiterates that truth, but also builds upon it by offering Himself as the example of such love.

My belief about loving God is that the best way to love God is to obey God.

Jesus exemplifies such love(v. 10) - “I have kept my Father’s commands and abide in His love.”

In verses 9 and 12 Jesus reminds us that He loves us.

However, the greatest example of love is the cross which Jesus is clearly alluding to in verse 13.

It is in the shadow of the cross that Jesus calls us His friends.

It is in the cross that Jesus proved His love beyond any doubt.

There is no greater love than when a man gives His life for His friends and you are my friends.

Can you imagine being in that moment with Jesus looking you in the eye and saying those words?

Jesus is no longer physically on the earth, but He knows you and He sees you and those words are just as true for you as they were for His disciples.

Mandated by Jesus

Continue (v. 9)

A perpetual motion machine is a hypothetical machine that can do work infinitely without an external energy source. This kind of machine is impossible, as it would violate the first or second law of thermodynamics

The Bible presents love and obedience as a self perpetuating mechanism.

The more you obey Jesus the more you love Him and the more you love Him the more you obey Him.

When Jesus admonishes us to “continue in His love” He is telling us to stay in that cycle.

Command (v. 12, 17)

Jesus has said already in verse 10 and before that to love Him we must keep His commandments, but what are His commandments?

At least in part His commandment is to “love one another” (v. 12, 17) This is yet another example of love becoming self perpetuating.

The Results of Friendship with Jesus

Close Connection

Abide

Remember that the context of this passage is the I AM statement from verse

Abiding is Jesus in you and you in Jesus.

Friend

What does it mean to be the friend of Jesus?

Jesus defines His friends as those who do what He commands.

In this way the friendship is not reciprocal in that the disciples cannot make the same claim on Jesus, that He is their friend if He does what they say.

As love is connected to obedience so too is the friendship

The dictionary defines a friend as: a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.

Thus friendship is being attached to another person.

I believe the point here is that Jesus, that God, does not view us as ants or some other insignificant life-form.

A Friend is someone who:

Knows you and loves you anyway

You can talk to

Will help you

Will pray for you

Will give you godly counsel

Will tell you the truth even when it hurts

It is interesting that Jesus makes the point that He doesn’t view us as servants even though that is exactly what we are. Paul calls himself the bondservant or slave of Christ with frequency.

All who obey Christ are His friend.

Fulfilled Joy

Jesus mandated obedience and love but here (v.11) He promises joy.

Joy is frequently connected to Jesus

Luke 2:10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;

Even John the Baptist leaped for joy within his mother’s womb when in the presence of Jesus for the first time.

His enemies accused Him of being too joyful on occasion - Luke 7:34 “The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

Luke 10:21 At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.

John 16:24 “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit

Eternal Fruit

Have you ever considered that God wants to use you to impact eternity?

What does the Bible teach us about good fruit produced in the life of a believer?

It is produced by the Holy Spirit. - Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

They are representations of the attributes of God. All good fruit is sourced in God. - James 1:17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

We cannot bear fruit by our own strength - John 15:4, 5

They have eternal benefit - John 15:16

Bearing fruit is the result of abiding in Christ - John 15:2-6

Good fruit can be temporarily faked - Matthew 7:15-20 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “So then, you will know them by their fruits.

We should be known by our fruit - John 13:35

It was the death of Christ that planted the seed that enables us feeble branches to bear fruit. - John 12:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

What is the purpose of bearing fruit? John 15:8 - The Glory of God