Message: “Whose Friend Are You?” from Pastor Joe

Joe Summers - March 1, 2020

Whose Friend Are You?

Whose Friend Are You? Lesson Objective: To continue the discussion on friendship by looking at our own actions and words to determine if we would make a good friend. Scripture: Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother Review from last week Definition of Friend- Biblical definition John 15: 10-14 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. Importance of Friendship- Proverbs 18:24 How does one find a friend? Be friendly Proverbs 18:24 (a) A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly Characteristics of a Good Friend Job 2:11 When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. A good friend comes to the aid of another without being asked Proverbs 18:24 (b) Are you dependable? Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10 How quickly do you come to the aid of another who has fallen Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” How do you act when you are corrected or pushed hard? Proverbs 12:26 The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray. When you give advice do you start with “If I were you” or “In my opinion” or do you start with “ The Bible says” after prayer Proverbs 16:28 A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends. Do you carry gossip or listen to gossip? Proverbs 27: 5-6 An open rebuke is better than hidden love! Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy Do you want the truth or what you want to hear? How does one find a friend? The best way is to exhibit the characteristics of a good friend I often ask the question to children “ who is your best friend”. The question for us today is who considers us their friend. So What>>>>>>>> It is a shame to go through life without someone you can call a true friend but it is even worse to go through life and no one calls you a true friend. Questions to ponder: Why would someone choose you as a friend? How about when someone wants to be my close friend but i don’t want to be close to him because of his ways of living, how can one handle it? How does this lesson address when one is in a non Christian environment?

Scripture References: Proverbs 18:24