John 15:15

“I no longer call you servants, for the servant does not know what his lord is doing, but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you”.

It had been no accidental lapse, or careless slip of the tongue, that had made Him call them friends. He has treated them as friends, rather than as servants, because, instead of just asking for blind obedience, He has revealed to them God's purposes. He has introduced them to the mysteries of God. What a privilege is this, to be party to the inner secrets of God. Because we are His friends God does not ask us to act blindly, but shows us what He is doing. The details may need working out, but the overall pattern is clear. He treats us not as servants but as friends. We are in it together. This is why we must be friends with each other, loving one another. Yet it was perfectly appropriate that Paul should term himself ‘the servant of Jesus Christ'. While we gladly accept the friendship of Jesus with wonder at the privilege, we must not presume upon it. We are still His servants. A servant can be a friend too, but he should not be presumptious.