Friends:
John 15:15 “Henceforth I call ye not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”
Jesus is talking to His disciples.
These disciples had traveled a long way with Christ, and had determined to go on with Him, although He was hated by the religious rulers and Pharisees.
There is an old saying: “A wise man is he that keeps his friendships in constant repair”
And this is as true with Christ, as well as our other friends.
A man with God can be a majority of One in any situation.
Look at John, the beloved disciple:
When Jesus’s time was come, He went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray.(John 18:1)
The eleven were with Him, but three of the eleven were closest to Him…Peter, James and John. When Judas and the band of soldiers which were to arrest Him, came; they all fled. Jesus had asked that His disciples be let go:
John 18:8 “Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:”
Mark 14:48-52 “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me?
I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the Scriptures must be fulfilled.
And they all forsook him, and fled.
And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him:
And he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.”
This young man, I believe was John….but look what he did right after that.
John 18:15 “And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.”
Peter stayed outside, for fear. But not John; he had failed and ran away with all the rest, but now he would follow Jesus, no matter what happened.
Here he was allowed to go into the place of judgement….the high priest knew him. This could have been life threatening. But he went into the palace to be with Jesus.
And after they led Jesus away to Pilate? And to Golgotha (Calvary), John was there
also. None other disciple, but he was.
John 19:25-27 “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
Then saith he to his disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.”
John was a young man; who had fled to save his life….but came back to follow Jesus, not only to find out what would happen to him; but to stand with Him, both in the place of judgement and death.
Friends. We, too, can be friends with Christ.
We can stand with Him, not that we won’t fail, but, after we have, we will seek Him and stand with Him.
A wise man is he that keeps his friendships in constant repair.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 