Friends Together -- A Message for May 5, 2024

Scripture  John 15:9-17 

⁹ “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.  

¹⁰ If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.  

¹¹ I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  

¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.  

¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  

¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command.  

¹⁵ I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.  

¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.  

¹⁷ This is my command: Love each other. 

Message          Friends Together  

This morning, we read a portion of a lengthy passage of Jesus’ words found in the book of John. This teaching was given by Jesus just before his crucifixion. Jesus was working to prepare his disciples for life without him.  

Before Jesus departed for the next stage in his journey as our savior, he wanted his friends to be prepared to continue his ministry. Jesus understood group-dynamics – when [n established group’s leader suddenly departs, the group can suddenly implode. In recent history, when John Lennon told the other Beatles he was leaving the group, the other members of the band did not continue together for long. When there is a power vacuum or a power imbalance, many groups falter and die. Jesus did not want this to happen to his followers. So, he gave them a new commandment – they should first and foremost love one another.  

Love for our peers can cut through tricky relationship dynamics.  Jesus understood it would take a while before his friends would be ok after his departure – he knew they would struggle after the events surrounding his death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven. After Jesus ascended to heaven, his friends were terrified and sad. When people are grieving, they can be emotionally brittle. Little nuisances they would have previously ignored could become major points of contention. Annoyances they would have overlooked when they felt safe and secure with Jesus could have led to the group falling apart. Jesus wanted them to love each other. When we love other people, we can overlook and forgive them even when they hurt our feelings or make us angry. 

In today’s passage, another thing Jesus did was change the power structure of his relationship with his disciples. Before this moment, he was their Rabbi – their teacher and spiritual leader. The disciples were his followers and servants....” top-down.” Jesus neutralizes the power-dynamic in their group by saying that he would no longer see the disciples as his servants; instead, they were all going to be friends. The disciples and Jesus were peers. 

As followers of Jesus, we are all part of the body of Christ. We each have a unique role to play as part of that body. We are not all the same.... God does not call us to be carbon copies of each other. Some of us are called to be Sunday school teachers. Some of us are called to be Food Pantry volunteers. Some of us are called to sing in the choir. Some of us are called to be prayer warriors. Each of us has a role to play to support the congregation and the body of Christ. 

While we are fulfilling our unique role in the body of Christ, we must remember we are called to love and support each other. We need to work together to build God’s kingdom here on earth. Love will help us overcome the obstacles we face as individuals and as the community of faith. Love will also help us to overlook each other’s faults.  

Throughout our lives, we will come upon situations that will be difficult for us to accomplish on our own. Harry, alone, will not be able to cook and serve one-hundred and fifty chicken barbecue meals on May 18. But, working together, we will successfully cook and serve our meals in a few weeks. Melissa, alone, will not be able to run Vacation Bible School for forty children.... she will not be able to teach the Bible lessons, lead the games, instruct the crafters, cook the snacks, and make the banner with the kids. But, working together, we will make a successful and fun Vacation Bible School for the kids. If you came to church next Sunday, and i tried to play the piano, and sing the hymns as solos, and sing the choir anthem, and collect the offering, and pass out the bulletins, your ears would bleed, and you would probably fall asleep. But working together, singing together, praying together, we beautifully worship and praise God. 

Jesus told his friends he no longer related to them as master to servants. We are also friends with Jesus. Like the old song says, “Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?” and “In his arms he’ll take and shield you, you will find a solace there.” Jesus is kind of friend we need and is the kind of friend we should be to each other: loving, supportive, comforting, and kind. Let us work to love like Jesus and be friends like Jesus. Amen.