Friendship with God

In the middle of Jesus longest recorded discourse in the gospels (John 13-17), we come to a place where Jesus offers up his view of what friendship with Him looks like.  Here are the 4 verses:  John 15:13-17 - "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command you .  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 I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask in my name, he may give it to you."

Jesus is doing the defining of what friendship means.  It means we...

1.  Do what He says (vs. 14)

We are not to talk about it, write books about it, have conferences about it.  We are to do what he says.  How this would fix most of the issues in our lives, if we would be obedient.

2.  Acquainted with what He is doing (vs. 15)

Do we know what he is up to in our cities or the nations?  We as his friends should be intimately acquainted with what he is doing both in us and around us.  We should be concerned about this.

3.  Live with a "Going" Mindset that bears fruit (vs. 16a)

We are not to simply exist, but to live in such a way that bears the fruit resulting from obedience.  We are to do this "going", not just being lived out in the confines of the safety of the Jesus Bubble.

4.  Bear Fruit that Remains (vs. 16b)

This one is important.  So much of our lives are up and down and a re-learning of things we should know by now, but seem so often to forget.  Friendship with Jesus results in fruit that remains and continues to have impact.  How is this in our lives where we have been and served?  Do people think of us?  Does our investment continue to shape their relationship with God and how they are investing in the world?  Sobering questions.

5.  Ask for things that are in line with His name (vs. 16c)

Friendship with him means that we can freely ask the Father to do things in the name of Jesus and Jesus says that the Father may give it to you.  The request have to be in line with his name (his will), and when they are, he gives his friends what they ask for.  Just think of the implications.

So, what does our friendship with him look like according to his words above.  Maybe it is time to get some things "righted" in this friendship.