Jesus talking to the 12.
Not the masses. But the 12 invited in to intimate relationship with Jesus.
The way for the slave is mechanical obedience without any love between his master and himself. He knows what the master does but never the reason why. And here Jesus is inviting His servants to elevate past slavery to friendship.
And the truth is that we sit in church and sing “I am a friend of God...” but not all are. Because there are conditions placed upon believers in achieving that sort of connection with Christ.
My commentary says it well, “He will not pour out His treasures into vessels that will spill them.” In other words, He knows who can be entrusted with His devotion and He’s particular about who He lets in on a deeper level. We must remember that His call to friendship was conditioned by the power of reception on the part of the hearers.
To be called a friend of God insinuates that communication is involved. To be a good friend one must listen, get to know the other, learn the voice, have frequent interaction. So we are under divine obligation to keep our ears open and our hearts prepared to receive what is communicated to us by Him. Again my commentary says, “Many a message from your Lord flits past you like idle wind thru an archway because you aren’t listing for His voice.”
Friendship requires work on both ends.
And let’s remember that in all cases of friendship with us, it’s Christ who does the wooing and pursuing. “We Love because He first loved us.” The apostle Paul said it beautifully, “I was apprehended of Christ.” His choice of us precedes our choice of Him.”
And He’s calling today. Calling us into friendship from our position of slave. He’s whispering from within today, “I want so much more for you and Me.”
How willing will I be to engage in the work required of me to be a trustworthy vessel who brings honor to God because of the position I’ve been called to be with Christ: friend?
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