7 "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 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. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you."
John 15:6-17
We cannot pass from these wonderful words without noting what Jesus says in 15 and 16. The disciples are no more to be called servants though to be so called when Jesus is Master would be benediction enough! - but friends. The nature and quality of this friendship is now indicated in 15b - 'all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you' - which means that in this friendship that Jesus offers His own there will be no secrets, He will tell all His heart. What an astonishing, even overwhelming, thing for Him to say, and what beatitude for those to whom He says it: But more. In 16, Jesus indicates that behind our choice of Him as our Saviour, behind our decision to follow Him, lies His choice of us, His decision concerning us. There is both encouragement and challenge here. The encouragement is surely obvious, for it is His mighty hold on us that gives us such security, and this is what can steady us in the midst of all manner of storms and pressures, doubts fears and even despair. He has a purpose for our lives, which nothing will be allowed to frustrate or finally hinder. As the old Puritan once said, 'Why should I start at the pruning knife of my Lord, He purposeth a crop'. The challenge is no less plain. We are called and chosen that we might bear fruit: we must therefore give diligence to make our calling and election sure, by showing forth the fruit of love and prayer in our lives through abiding in Him. For every branch that beareth not fruit He purgeth and taketh away.