This Sunday we return to our Upper Room series. Jesus says this wonderfully provocative thing: "I no longer call you servants, but instead I call you friends." And then he begins to clarify what he means by friendship, and it feels rather... demanding. I found myself thinking about this a lot during our vacation, especially as frequently as I hear people talk about their loneliness. Most of us aren't seeking more acquaintances; yet we do hunger for more substantive relationships. Why is that so challenging, particularly the deeper someone knows us? And what would it mean to be friends with God - especially in any practical sense? Let's talk about the privilege and challenge of abiding friendship: "No Greater Love" (John 15:9-17).
