What Jesus said about Friendship & Loyalty

Jesus on friendship: calling His disciples friends, loving one another as He loved them, laying down one’s life for friends, and weeping at Lazarus’s tomb.

1. Jesus calls obedient disciples friends because he has made the Father's purposes known.

   Read the Scripture (KJV) John 15:14–15

   King James Version

   John 15:14–15

   ¹⁴Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

   ¹⁵Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

2. Love one another as Jesus has loved you.

   Read the Scripture (KJV) John 13:34–35; 15:12, 17

   King James Version

   John 13:34–35

   ³⁴A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

   ³⁵By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

   John 15:12, 17

   ¹²This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

   ¹⁷These things I command you, that ye love one another.

3. Mutual love is a public mark of Jesus' disciples.

   Read the Scripture (KJV) John 13:35

   King James Version

   John 13:35

   ³⁵By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

4. Greater love lays down one's life for friends.

   Read the Scripture (KJV) John 15:13

   King James Version

   John 15:13

   ¹³Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

5. Jesus loves his own to the end.

   Read the Scripture (KJV) John 13:1

   King James Version

   John 13:1

   ¹Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

6. Jesus loves friends deeply and weeps at Lazarus's tomb.

   Read the Scripture (KJV) John 11:33–36

   King James Version

   John 11:33–36

   ³³When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,

   ³⁴And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

   ³⁵Jesus wept.

   ³⁶Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

7. Jesus lays down his life voluntarily for others.

   Read the Scripture (KJV) John 10:11, 17–18; 15:13

   King James Version

   John 10:11, 17–18

   ¹¹I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

   ¹⁷Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

   ¹⁸No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

   John 15:13

   ¹³Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.