Sixth Sunday of Easter

Sixth Sunday of Easter (B)

May 5, 2024

Text: John 15:9-17

Alleluia!  Christ is risen!  He is risen, indeed!  Alleluia!

            Our Lord Jesus Christ does not consider us mere servants.  He calls us friends.  Think of that.  The God of the universe, the Almighty Creator of all that is, the eternally begotten Son of our heavenly Father, calls you and me His friends.  He came for this very purpose, to make it so.  God came down, the eternal Son of the Father, born in time, to be one with us, flesh of our flesh, to suffer and die for us, for the forgiveness of our sins, who is risen and lives for us, that we may have life and friendship in Him.  That is the reality into which we are baptized.  No longer mere servants, but friends. 

            For a servant does not know what his Master is doing.  The servant simply follows orders.  The Master does not owe the servant an explanation, a rationale for the things He commands.  Often the servant has no understanding of the objective of his task, and in many cases, he has no personal interest in it, other than to keep his job.  He is simply to carry out his duties, no questions asked.  We may call ourselves servants of God, and that is certainly true.  But not in the sense of servile obligation.  We have a different motivation for our service.  And that is love for our Friend who has saved us and made us His own.  He has taken us into His confidence and companionship, and He has given us to share in the blessing of His success.  So His business is very much our business.  We know His business, and we get to participate in it, as His trusted and beloved confidants. 

            To be a friend of Jesus is not unlike the ancient office of “Friend of the King.”  That there is such an office is not to say that we have to pay someone to be the King’s buddy.  The “Friend of the King” is the King’s companion and counselor, his right-hand man.  He is the consigliere, the Secretary of State, the King’s closest advisor.  In the Bible, Hushai the Archite (you remember him, right?) served as David’s “Friend of the King” (1 Chron. 27:33), while Zabud (another beloved biblical hero… don’t you know him?) served in that capacity for King Solomon (1 Kings 4:5).  To be “Friend of the King” was a high honor.  The possessor of that office had the King’s ear, His love and absolute trust, and he shared in all the joy and blessings of the Kingdom.  But so also the possessor of that office loved the King and showed himself to be loyal and trustworthy, treating the King’s business as his own, even at great personal risk.  For example, when Absolom rebelled against his father David, Hushai became David’s spy, pretending to defect to Absolom’s camp, and passing on secrets (2 Sam. 15-17).  Imagine if he had been found out.  David had entrusted Hushai with his very life.  So… “Friend of the King.”

            Well, you are not simply the “Friend of the King.”  You are the Friend of Jesus!  You are the Friend of God.  And just think what that relationship means for who you are and what you do, for your very identity, and your mission, your purpose, in life.

            First of all, what does it mean that Jesus is your Friend?  It means that in love, He chose you for Himself.  By grace.  Not because you deserved it.  And not because you chose Him.  You did not choose Him.  He chose you (John 15:16).  (So much for “making a decision for Jesus.”)  Just as the King elects His own “Friend,” so Jesus elects you, He chooses you. 

            And then He brings about the reality by His agape love for you.  Agape love.  Jesus’ love is not just a sentimental feeling in His heart.  Agape is the self-giving, sacrificial love of the cross.  It is the love written in Jesus’ blood and death for sinners, for you.  “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (v. 13; ESV).  The amazing thing about the love of Christ, agape love, is that it does not love what is already loveable.  No, God’s love fashions its own object.  It looks upon what is unlovable, that which rejects all love, and loves it unto death, loves you unto death, fashioning you into the object of His love.  See, this is an acting love.  It does things.  It creates the new reality of this relationship, this friendship.  This love led Jesus to become your Substitute on the cross, to die for your sins.  This is the love in which Jesus is risen from the dead and lives for you, and rules all things for you from the right hand of the Father.  This is the love that keeps you close, so that you abide in Jesus, as a branch connected to the Vine.  And so His love flows into you, and through you, and out toward other objects of His love.  And so you share in the fulness of His joy.

            What does it mean that you are Jesus’ friend?  It means that you stay close to Him.  You abide in Him, and in His love.  Which is to say, you abide in His Word.  You are continually in His House, and at His Table.  You know how it works among friends.  He is ever in your home.  And you are ever in His.  You rejoice in the good things He puts before you, and you are confident in your position before Him, because you know that He chose you and He made it so by His love and death. 

            And so, for this reason, you keep His Commandments.  Not to gain position with Him.  (You already have that.  You are the Friend of the King!  That is your identity.)  But precisely because you are His friend.  Now, of course, this is not to say that you don’t sin, and for that, you constantly repent and ask forgiveness.  As you often must among all your friends.  But it deeply grieves you when you sin (doesn’t it?), because you know you’ve let Him down.  But then, you also know how friends are reconciled.  Confession.  Forgiveness.  And continuation of the relationship in love.  So, restored, you go on living according to His Commandments and doing what He gives you to do, because He loves you, and you love Him. 

            And for His sake, you love one another.  Because finally that is His Commandment.  Love.  Love for Him, the first and greatest Commandment.  And the second, like unto it... Love for your neighbor (Matt. 22:37-39).

            Now, this is not to say that Jesus commands warm and fuzzy feelings in your heart toward your neighbor.  He is giving you to love with His love, and that is to say, agape.  Well, what does that mean?  It means loving your neighbors, and especially your brothers and sisters in Christ, even when they are unlovable.  In fact, it means loving your enemies.  Seeking their good.  Forgiving their sins, being patient with their weaknesses, caring for them, even dying for them.  It is risking rejection, and when rejection comes, suffering it for them.  It is never to require them to earn your consideration.  It is utter self-giving… in Christ, who gave Himself for you.  It is wonderful when those you love are, in fact, lovable.  And that does happen.  Quite often, thank God.  In that case, the loving is much easier.  But Christ’s command is to follow Him, and do as He does, even, and especially, when it is hard, because that is who you are.  Jesus’ business is self-sacrificial love for sinners.  And as “Friend of the King,” that is your business, too.

            And, beloved, that is not just to sit back and love them in your heart, from afar.  That is not how Jesus loves.  Jesus loves you incarnationally.  He came… He comes… in the flesh, to you, and for you.  When you love your neighbor, you become the incarnational presence of Jesus for him.  That means getting your hands dirty.  It means contact.  Action.  Interaction.  For his good.  For his salvation.  Speaking to people.  Responding to people.  Conversation.  Hospitality.  Communion.  “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth,” St. John writes (1 John 3:18). 

            We live in such a virtual world.  Online.  Hands off.  Heads down, buried in screens.  For whatever good it may offer, social media has ruined us.  We don’t know how to be social anymore, really present for and with one another.  After Easter, we visited family in the Columbia Gorge, and went on a hike in the beautiful early spring weather.  So many people on the trail.  But as we walked along, not one of them… not one… would look us in the eye or respond to our greetings.  Not because they were being mean, but because people just don’t do that anymore.  Now, that seemed rather extreme to me.  But you know that is the trend.  What happens when you walk through Wal-Mart (talk about a soul-sucking place)?  Even walking in the neighborhood, I’d say only about 50% of people will interact for the fraction of a second it takes to acknowledge another’s presence and existence… to acknowledge, beloved, the Image of God before each one of us in the face of another human being. 

            Let it never be said of a Christian, that he will not acknowledge the Image of God.  Let it never be you.  Loving with the love of Jesus means many things.  Let me suggest it at least means this: When you see another divine-image-bearing human being, look at them.  Look them in the eye.  Look at them with the love of Jesus.  See Jesus in them.  And say hello.  Maybe that is all that will happen.  Maybe your greeting will be ignored, or rejected.  So be it.  Christ’s love is ignored and rejected continually.  Maybe it will lead to a handshake and a conversation.  Whatever the case, remember that you have been injected into the situation, by God, as the “Friend of the King” (there are no accidental meetings).  You are Christ’s ambassador wherever you go.  Don’t ignore anyone Christ wouldn’t ignore. 

            And now, especially among one another, among your fellow Christians, here, in this place, among those with whom you go to Communion…  As Friends of the King, Jesus calls you to be friends of one another.  Greet each another with Christian love and friendship.  Look one another in the eye.  Encourage each other.  Be for one another, with one another, really present, incarnationally present to each other.  Help one another.  Serve one another.  Sacrifice for one another.  Bear with one another.  Abide in Christ’s love, and so love one another.

            Finally, never underestimate the importance of prayer.  Prayer, too, is an incarnational reality.  In the Lord’s bodily presence, you speak (with your mouth and vocal chords) to Him as to a Friend.  He gives you to speak to Him about His business.  About His Kingdom.  About your needs.  About your neighbors, your brothers and sisters, and about their needs.  And he hears.  And He answers.  Always.  Because He loves you.  “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”  Such is the Savior’s love for you.  And that love has been vindicated.  For Christ is risen!  He is risen, indeed!  Alleluia!  In the Name of the Father, and of the Son X, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.