I call you friends (and not slaves) because I have made known to you everything I learnt from my Father. The major part of Jesus’ farewell discourse was instructive: Jesus wanted to make sure that he was leaving behind a group that would further the cause of God that he had initiated. He grasped at every opportunity to remind the disciples of their privileged position as his friends. He had “initiated” them into his family by revealing to them the secrets of the family. However, they had to be aware that it was a privilege that also doubled as a responsibility. Because he had made known to them the secrets of the family, they had now become “insiders,” and as such, were bound by the tenets of the family, the most important one being love. The family of Jesus is held together by love, a love that seeks the good of the other (to lay down one’s life for one’s friend). But since Jesus realizes that what he is asking of them is a rather tall order, he assures them that as members of the family, they now have the backing of the family, something that a slave would not have. All the resources of the family are at their disposal, including the approval of the Father (whatever you ask the Father in my name you will be given). 
As Jesus’ friends and members of his “inner circle,” the disciples had been privileged to observe Jesus in action. Consequently, it was not so much Jesus giving them instruction as to them seeing Jesus in action. They had witnessed him time and again as he laid down his life for others. He was able to do that because he was being true to whom he was. As one begotten out of love, Jesus had no option but to love. As friends of Jesus, the same had to be said of Jesus’ disciples. A friend is begotten out of love and outside of that love, there can be no friendship. Friendship endures as long as love is expressed between friends. One remains a friend of Jesus by loving. One remains a disciple of Jesus by loving.