December 10, 2024
Jesus was called a friend of sinners by the Pharisees (Matthew 9:11; 11:16–19). … Jesus’ purpose in befriending sinners was not to join with them in their sin, but to save them from it (1 Timothy 1:15). Christ did not come to earth to indulge in sin, but to call sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32). In order to do that, Jesus Christ humbled Himself as a servant, taking on human flesh so that He could both sympathize with our weakness and die in our stead (Philippians 2:5–11; Hebrews 4:15; Romans 5:6). … He laid down His life for His friends. There is no greater love (John 15:13). There is no better friend.
However, Christ’s friendship does not end at Calvary. Jesus not only died for us, but He has given us new life (2 Corinthians 5:17) and has risen from the dead so that we, too, might be resurrected and receive a glorified body like His on the day He returns (2 Thessalonians 1:10; Philippians 3:20–21). He has sent us the Holy Spirit to be our guide, teacher, comforter, advocate, aid, strength, and empowerment (John 14:26; 16:7–15). He has given us His Word, through which the Spirit illumines our hearts and minds to the truth of God and His very precious promises to us (Hebrews 4:12). Even now, Jesus intercedes with the Father on our behalf, if we are indeed His friends (Romans 8:34). He has gone to prepare a place for His friends to live with Him eternally (John 14:2–3).
Who would not want a friend like Jesus?—CompellingTruth.org1
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The fact that Jesus is a friend of sinners means that He is our friend and is waiting for us to acknowledge His presence and availability. God’s love for us is almost beyond imagining. When we consider Jesus’ Incarnation—His leaving heaven to be born as a helpless human infant in order to grow and experience life among us—we begin to get a glimmer of the depth of that love. When we add to that His sacrificial death on the cross, it is staggering.
To be a “friend of sinners,” Jesus subjected Himself to living in a fallen, depraved world, for we “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Despite our sinful condition, Jesus desires a relationship with us. … Jesus made it clear that He had “come to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). He was willing to associate with those who were, by the standards of the self-righteous Pharisees, not good enough. But it was those who were open to hearing Christ, and they mattered to God! ...
Jesus, our friend, spent time with sinners, not to join their sinful ways but to present them the good news that forgiveness was available. … When Jesus’ enemies called Him a “friend of sinners,” they meant it as an insult. To His glory and our eternal benefit, Jesus endured such slights and became “a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24).—GotQuestions.org2
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“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15).
We have been reflecting on the gift of relationship we have received in Christ. Because of Christ, we have been adopted into a new family. In today’s reading, Jesus uses another word to describe His relationship with His disciples—friends.
John records Jesus’ final night with His disciples before the crucifixion. He prepares the disciples for His soon-to-come death, resurrection, and ascension. He knows that His relationship with them will change. Using the analogy of a grapevine, Jesus compares them to branches that are connected to a vine. He is the vine, and they are the branches (John 15:5). Their job is to bear fruit (v. 2). But this can only be accomplished if they remain connected to the vine! (v. 5).
The disciples remain connected through their obedience (v. 10). But He also speaks to their motivation for obedience. They are not servants, but friends (v. 14). This may contradict our idea of friendship. Isn’t it usually between two equal parties? If Jesus has the right to demand obedience, how is He a friend? In two important ways! First, Jesus calls us friends because He revealed important things to us. He explains, “I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (v. 15). We are not called to blind obedience but to understand God’s mission. Second, Jesus laid down His life for us (v. 13). This is the greatest gift one friend can offer another.
One hymn says,
What a friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and griefs to bear
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer.
Prayer is a result of this intimate friendship with Jesus. You can share with Him what is on your heart today.—Ryan Cook3
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If you already know Me you will understand why I’m calling you My friend. But if you don’t know Me yet, I want to be your friend.
You might wonder why you should bother, or what is the point in having Me as a friend. You’ve probably experienced so little true friendship in your life, and you might not know if you can trust Me. Others have let you down; what makes Me any different? Why should you believe Me when I tell you I want to be your friend, and that I’m never going to desert you? Or maybe you wonder why I would be interested in you—a “bad” person, a sinner.
Invite Me into your life and discover how your life will be transformed and so much better.4 It all starts with taking a step of faith to accept Me as your savior.
I know that what you’ve been through in life has taught you to distrust everyone and everything, but when you put your trust in Me, you will find that I am Someone you can depend on.
You can invite Me into your life by praying a simple prayer, such as “Jesus, I want to be Your friend and I want You to be mine. Please forgive me of my sins, and come into my heart. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, and help me to draw near to You and come to know You as my Best Friend. Amen.”
You will never regret inviting Me into your heart and life, and your life will never be the same again. And when this life ends, you will be with Me in My heavenly kingdom for eternity.
Your Forever Friend, Jesus
Published on Anchor December 2024. Read by Jerry Paladino. Music by Michael Fogarty.
4 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).
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