(Outline for Discovery Publishing Retreat, May 1999)
Introduction
God, of course, manifested this aspect of His relationship in the Old
Testament, most explicitly with Abraham, Moses, and Job.
"Didst Thou not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land
before Thy people Israel, and give it to the descendants of Abraham
Thy friend forever? (2 Chron 20.7)
"and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And Abraham
believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," and he was
called the friend of God. (Jas 2.23)
"Then the men rose up from there, and looked down toward Sodom; and
Abraham was walking with them to send them off. 17 And the Lord said,
"Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18 since Abraham
will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations
of the earth will be blessed? (Gen 18.16)
[compare: The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes
his covenant known to them. (Ps 25.14) and Do not envy a violent
man or choose any of his ways, for the LORD detests a perverse man but
takes the upright into his confidence. (Prov 3.31f)]
Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as
a man speaks to his friend. (Ex 33.11)
Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God's intimate friendship
blessed my house, (Job 29.4)
One--Communication: He shared His inner self and communicated
with them, including them in His experience.
When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified,
and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me."
(John 13.21: )
Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said
to His disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." 37 And He
took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved
and distressed. 38 Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved,
to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me." (Matt
26.36)
Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, 'Father,
save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
(Jn 12.27)
[Cf: "If your brother, your mother's son, or your son or daughter,
or the wife you cherish, or your friend who is as your own soul,
entice you secretly, saying, 'Let us go and serve other gods'" (Deut
13.6)]
(cf: "But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."" Luke 10.40ff)
Four--He expected commitments "from": He risked "friendship failures" with them, and communicated clearly His expectations of "their side" of the friendship
"For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box,
that Jesus was saying to him, "Buy the things we have need of for the feast";
or else, that he should give something to the poor." (John 13.29) and
"But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray
Him, said, 5 "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii,
and given to poor people?" 6 Now he said this, not because he was concerned
about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money
box, he used to pilfer what was put into it." (John 12.4)