March 22, 2026
- Bob Clifford
- Mar 22
- 4 min read
Living Water Vineyard Devotion
Sunday — 14 Days Until Resurrection Sunday
“From Servants to Friends”
John 15:15 (NLT)
“I no longer call you servants… Now you are my friends…”
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Let Me Ask You a Question…
Who is your best friend?
Not just someone you know…
but someone you trust.
Someone you can sit with and just be yourself.
Someone who knows your story—your highs and your lows.
Why are they your friend?
Is it because of what you do for them?
Or because of the relationship you share?
Pause and really think about that for a moment.
Because most of us know what friendship feels like…
but we don’t always realize that God is inviting us into that same kind of relationship with Him.
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Now Imagine This…
What if I told you:
God wants that kind of relationship with you.
Not distant.
Not formal.
Not based on performance.
But close… personal… real.
Not a relationship where you’re constantly trying to “get it right”…
but one where you walk with Him.
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People in the Bible Who Were Called Friends
This might surprise you…
There were people in Scripture who actually walked with God like that.
Abraham was called a friend of God.
Moses spoke with God face to face, as a man speaks with a friend.
David was called a man after God’s own heart.
They weren’t perfect.
They had failures… doubts… moments they got it wrong.
But they stayed close.
They walked with Him.
They listened.
They trusted His heart.
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And Then Jesus Comes…
Jesus steps into the world and looks at ordinary people—fishermen, tax collectors, men with rough edges—and He says:
“I no longer call you servants… I call you friends.”
That would have been shocking.
A servant works for the master.
A servant follows instructions.
But a friend?
A friend is invited in.
A friend knows the heart.
A friend walks closely.
Jesus is saying:
“I don’t just want your obedience…
I want your closeness.”
“I want you to know Me.”
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A Story from Church History — Friendship That Cost Everything
There’s a story from history that has always stayed with me.
During World War II, in the Nazi concentration camp of Auschwitz, there was a priest named Maximilian Kolbe.
The conditions were brutal. Starvation, fear, suffering everywhere.
One day, a prisoner escaped.
And in response, the guards chose ten men at random to be sentenced to death in a starvation bunker—an underground cell where they would be left without food or water.
One of the men selected began to cry out:
“My wife… my children… I’ll never see them again…”
And in that moment, something extraordinary happened.
Maximilian Kolbe stepped forward.
He wasn’t one of the chosen.
But he said to the guards:
“I am a priest. I have no family. I would like to take this man’s place.”
The guards agreed.
And Kolbe was sent into the starvation bunker in place of that man.
For days, witnesses said that instead of chaos and despair, something different filled that cell.
There were prayers.
There were songs.
There was peace.
Even in the middle of suffering… there was a presence.
After weeks, Kolbe was the last one still alive.
And he ultimately gave his life.
But the man he saved… lived.
He went home to his family.
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Why That Story Matters
That’s not just a story about sacrifice.
It’s a picture of friendship with God.
Because Maximilian Kolbe wasn’t trying to earn something from God.
He had walked so closely with Jesus…
that when the moment came…
he lived like Him.
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)
That’s what Jesus said just two verses before calling us His friends.
Friendship with Jesus doesn’t stay theoretical.
It transforms us.
It shapes us.
It teaches us how to love.
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A Simpler Picture — Everyday Friendship
Not all of us will face a moment like that.
But we are invited into something just as real—every single day.
There was another man, much less known, named Brother Lawrence.
He worked in a kitchen… washing dishes.
Nothing glamorous.
But he learned how to live with God in every moment.
He said:
“The time of business does not differ from the time of prayer.”
In other words…
Washing dishes… was no different than worship.
Cooking meals… was no different than prayer.
Why?
Because he lived like a friend of God.
He stayed aware of His presence.
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What Makes Someone a Friend of God?
It’s not complicated.
A friend of God:
• Spends time with Him
• Listens for His voice
• Trusts His heart
• Chooses relationship over performance
God is not looking for perfect people.
He is looking for people who will walk with Him.
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A Simple Shift
A servant says:
“What do I need to do?”
A friend says:
“Jesus… I just want to be with You.”
That’s the shift.
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Why This Matters
Because when you begin to live like a friend of God…
Prayer stops being a checklist—and becomes a conversation.
The Bible stops being words on a page—and becomes alive.
Joy begins to grow—not because life is perfect, but because you’re not alone.
You’re not striving anymore.
You’re walking.
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Reflection Questions
1. Who is my closest friend, and what makes that relationship strong?
2. Do I relate to God more out of duty… or friendship?
3. What is one simple way I can be with Jesus today—not to perform, but to connect?
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Prayer
Jesus,
Thank You that You don’t just call me to serve You—
You call me Your friend.
Help me to know You more.
Not just to do things for You,
but to walk with You.
Teach me to hear Your voice,
to trust Your heart,
and to stay close.
I want a real relationship with You.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
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Worship Moment
“Good Good Father” – Chris Tomlin
“You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are…
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am…”
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Invitation
One of the most powerful moments of friendship with Jesus…
is remembering what He did for us.
This Good Friday, we’re gathering for a special night of:
• Dinner together
• Worship
• Communion
• Reading the story of Jesus’ sacrifice
It’s a chance to slow down…
draw close…
and remember the love that made a way for us to be called His friends.
It’s filling up fast—and it’s a great opportunity to invite someone.
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