The Knowledge of a Friend

Scripture: John 15:14-15

You are my friends if you do what I command.  I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

Insights:  Language deteriorates over time.  For example Shakespeare had a working vocabulary of over 50,000 words.  The average American today has a working vocabulary around 10,000.  Even differing languages have degradation.  For example, in English we have one word for love, but in Greek there were four.  We use modifiers in English to differentiate our meanings regarding love.  Well, the same is true with today’s verses.  Jesus tells us He calls us friends because He discloses to us everything He has learned from the Father.  In the Greek language the word used for friend is a specific kind of friend.  In English we have to use modifiers to explain what is meant by that single Greek word.  The type of friend Jesus describes is a friend at court.  Think of a kingly court and not a judicial court.  It can also be used in reference to a best man at a wedding.  This meaning for the word friend is found in John 3:29.  In both of these examples the friend is truly a friend, but at the same time, they are servants to the real authority.  The king is still king and whatever he says to his friend the friend must do.  The best man at the wedding is the groom’s closest friend, but his job is to serve the groom however he sees fit.  It is this type of picture of friendship Jesus is describing in today’s verses.  Look at verse fourteen again.  We prove our friendship with Christ by obeying His commands.  J. Oswald Sanders once said, “Each of us is as close to God as we choose to be.”  Jesus calls us friends and shares with us everything the Father has taught Him.  We prove our love, friendship and knowledge of God by obeying Him.  As we learn from Jesus and get to know Him better, we grow in our knowledge of Him.  As we grow, we learn what He wants us to do.  After we know what He wants done, we prove our friendship by doing what He has commanded.  He wants to disclose as much as we are able to handle, but He will not give us new truths about Himself until we have obeyed what He has already told us and proven to Him we really want to be His friend.

Questions:

1. How well do you desire to know God?
2. What is your plan for having a consistently growing and vibrant relationship with the Father?

Prayer: Lord, thank You that You want an intimate relationship with me.  Mold my life into one that deeply desires You.  You have called me friend, let me grow and be a good friend back to You.  Amen.