Friends of Jesus

What It Means to Obey, Love, Know, Be Chosen, and Bear Fruit as a True Friend of Jesus

Friends of Jesus are Characterized by:

Obeying His Commands
Loving One Another
Knowing His Ways
Having Been Chosen
Producing Lasting Fruit

Scripture List:

Worship Song List:

O Great God
They’ll Know We Are Christians
What a Friend We Have in Jesus
He Calls Me Friend
The Lily of the Valley

Marks of True Friendship with Christ

Jesus calls His followers “friends,” not servants. In this passage, He reveals what characterizes His true friends—obedience, love, intimacy, divine choice, and fruitfulness. This message draws us into the privilege and responsibility of being called a friend of Christ.

True Friendship with Christ

In John 15:12–17, Jesus offers a remarkable truth—He no longer calls His disciples servants but friends. This shift signifies more than sentiment. It reflects divine intimacy. Friendship with Jesus is not based on mutual interest but on His initiative and sovereign grace.

Marks of His Friends

Friends of Jesus are marked by obedience to His commands (John 15:14), love for one another (John 15:12), understanding of His revealed truth (John 15:15), evidence of divine choice (John 15:16), and fruitful lives that glorify the Father. These are not optional traits—they are essential.

The Joy of Knowing His Ways

Unlike the world, Christ’s friends are granted spiritual knowledge. Through the Spirit, believers are brought into divine counsel (1 Cor. 2:10-12), no longer hidden as mysteries (Matt. 13:11). This transforms how we walk, love, and serve one another as the body of Christ.

Called to Live it Out

Being chosen and called "friends" must change how we live. From loving service to bold witness (Matt. 28:18-20), our lives should be fruitful in love, truth, and gospel purpose. This lesson challenges us to examine whether we reflect the friendship Jesus extends.

Key Verses and Commentary

John 15:13 (LSB) “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” ➝ Christ defines friendship by self-sacrificial love, culminating in His death.
John 15:15 (LSB) “No longer do I call you slaves... but I have called you friends…”  ➝ Friendship entails knowledge of God’s redemptive plan, revealed to us through Christ.
John 15:16 (LSB) “You did not choose Me but I chose you…” ➝  Salvation and service flow from divine election, not human initiative.

Key Words

Friend: One brought into intimate fellowship and knowledge by Christ.
Command: Divine instruction, particularly regarding love and obedience.
Love (ἀγάπη — agape): Self-giving, sacrificial love reflective of God’s nature.
Chosen: Elected by God for salvation and service.
Fruit: Spiritual product of a believer’s life—good works, love, discipleship.

Key People

Jesus Christ: The Friend who lays down His life and reveals the Father’s will.
The Disciples: Recipients of divine revelation, commissioned to love and bear fruit.
The Church (Believers): All who are called friends of Christ, chosen to bear lasting fruit.

Living as Christ’s Friends

The original audience—Jesus’ disciples—received these truths in the shadow of the cross. Yet the message extends through time to all who call Him Lord. The characteristics of friendship with Christ transcend culture and generation. Today, we are called to embody these traits in joyful obedience.

Message to Original Audience

Jesus redefined their relationship from servitude to friendship.
They were to love one another as He loved them.
They were chosen for the mission of lasting fruit-bearing.
They were given spiritual insight into God’s redemptive plan.

Applications for Believers Today

Pursue Obedience: Obey Christ not out of duty, but as a friend.
Love Radically: Love others in the church sacrificially and tangibly.
Treasure Revelation: Rejoice in and study the Word as intimate knowledge from God.
Rest in Election: Humble yourself under the truth of God’s choosing grace.
Bear Fruit: Live a life marked by good works and gospel witness.
Know Christ More: Deepen your friendship through prayer and the Word.

Friends with the King

To be called a friend of Jesus is a stunning privilege. But it comes with a purpose: to reflect His love, obey His voice, and bear eternal fruit that glorifies God.

John 15:12-17 “Friends of Jesus"