Jesus Friends: Chosen in Grace

“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15)

Can you imagine any greater blessing than being Jesus’ friend? I certainly can’t. But Jesus’ friendship is clearly a performance-based privilege. Jesus clarifies, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command 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 remain…” (John 15:14, 16)

So what is the fruit that true friends of Jesus bear?

How often are we mindful of the fact that we are only Jesus’ friends when we do what He commands—to love one another as He has loved us (John 15:12, 17), fulfilling the foundational call to love God completely and love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37–39)? And how often do we dwell on the fact that Jesus chose us—we did not choose Him (John 15:16)?

In this world, it is natural, and can even be an act of love, to question a good friend's judgment regarding their choice of companions. Growing up in the Kingdom of God, however, can leave us feeling a bit like a stranger in a strange land. Because Jesus was and is perfect, questioning His selection of friends reveals an undeniable flaw in our character, certainly not His.

For example, consider Jesus' comparison of the Kingdom of God to a field where a man sowed good seed, but an enemy came and sowed weeds. The field owner’s solution was to let them grow together, rather than risk uprooting the wheat while pulling out the weeds. At harvest time, both would be gathered, but the weeds would be bundled and burned. I think it is safe to assume that our usual first—and perhaps only—concluding thought regarding this parable is a sense of thanksgiving that we are the wheat and not the weeds.

When Jesus walked the earth, He did not waste His time with the self-righteous; instead, He enjoyed life among "sinners." He explained to those offended by this, "It’s not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick" (Matthew 9:12). Jesus knew precisely what He was doing. Breaking the boundaries of natural agricultural laws, weeds—you and me—are miraculously transformed into wheat through faith in Him. Being around other stalks of wheat helps make that transformation possible. Everyone in heaven is simply a transformed weed, brought into the barn by God’s limitless grace.

Thomas à Kempis, in The Imitation of Christ, cautions that it is wise to "Turn your eyes upon yourself and beware of judging the deeds of other men. In judging others, a man labors in vain, often makes mistakes, and easily sins; whereas, in judging and taking stock of himself, he does something that is always profitable." In confirmation of this, remember when the disciple John told Jesus, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” Jesus replied, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you” (Luke 9:49–50). Jesus takes it even further, urging us to "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:44–45).

Jesus declared, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind" (John 9:39). Hopefully, through the constant leading of the Holy Spirit, our sight progressively reveals Christ's Church at large as the fellowship of Jesus' friends enjoying abundant life in the Kingdom of God. Concurrently, the world is an endless field of Jesus' friends and potential friends.

The truth is, just as we never know when we are in the presence of angels (Hebrews 13:2), we do not always know when we are beholding one of Jesus' chosen companions. Bearing lasting fruit means allowing Christ to love others through us—extending that same transforming grace so that potential friends become transformed wheat in His harvest. As His friends, our deepest desire is to be just like Him—sharing God’s love and compassion with everyone.

Father, forgive us for the pride that causes us to judge the company You keep. Open our eyes to see the world not as a battlefield of enemies, but as a harvest field of potential friends transformed by Your grace. Grant us the humility to examine our own hearts and the boldness to share Your love, so that the Gospel may advance to the ends of the earth for Your ultimate glory. Amen.

mgb