Creator, Father, King #225

No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

HAVE YOU EVER GONE through the process of being picked for a team game at school during gym class, break time, or recess on the playground when you were younger?

Phew! It can be quite an ordeal.

In the highly dramatic world of school social structures, nobody wants to be picked last. You want to be part of the “Chosen Ones”—among those first selected. Of course, the team captains often base their picks entirely on whims and personal preferences:

• Who are my best friends?
• Who’s the fastest kid here so I can win?
• Whom do I currently have a crush on?
• Who traded their candy bar for my applesauce at lunch today?
• Who has the coolest hairdo?
• Who didn’t rat on me when I got Mrs. Sourpuss to sit on the whoopee cushion yesterday?

As you can see, choosing people for school teams is quite a fair, impartial process.

In John 15, shortly before his arrest, Jesus gave his disciples some stunningly good news: he told them he had chosen them to be his friends.

What applied to Jesus’ disciples now applies to all followers of Christ. If you are a Christian, Jesus has chosen you to be his friend.

Are you amazed by this incredible reality? You should be!

What’s It Mean?

If this news doesn’t immediately knock you over, remember our original relationship with God. Apart from Christ, we deserved eternal condemnation in hell (Romans 6:23). But through God’s sovereign act of election, he chooses to “befriend” lost sinners. Ultimately, this is an amazing act of God’s grace, not our doing. God takes the initiative, and we respond in faith.

Imagine that! Through Christ, you can be a chosen “friend” of the Lord God Almighty—your sins completely washed away. Rather than call you to a life of slavery or servanthood to pay off your sin debts, Jesus gladly calls you “friend.” Yes, he’s still the Son of God and deserves all of your worship and respect, but this is a huge privilege and a remarkable level of intimacy with the one who created and governs the universe.

Christian, rejoice in your friendship with God and his Son!

Now What?

“Produce lasting fruit.” This is what Jesus said he appointed you to do if you are his friend through saving faith (John 15:16).

Did You Know?

Abraham (Isaiah 41:8) and Moses (Exodus 33:11) are specifically mentioned as “friends” of God in Scripture.