Friendship

“AND THE LORD SAID, ‘IT IS NOT GOOD THAT MAN SHOULD BE ALONE; I WILL MAKE HIM A HELPER COMPARABLE TO HIM.’” GENESIS 2:18 (NKJV)

● GOD DESIGNED US NOT TO BE ALONE, BUT IN COMMUNITY.

“ONE WHO HAS UNRELIABLE FRIENDS SOON COMES TO RUIN, BUT THERE IS A FRIEND WHO STICKS CLOSER THAN A BROTHER.” PROVERBS 18:24 (NIV)

1. FRIENDSHIP IS PART OF GOD’S PLAN FOR SPIRITUAL AND EMOTIONAL GROWTH.

“I HAVE GIVEN THEM THE GLORY THAT YOU GAVE ME, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE AS WE ARE ONE I IN THEM AND YOU IN ME SO THAT THEY MAY BE BROUGHT TO COMPLETE UNITY. THEN THE WORLD WILL KNOW THAT YOU SENT ME AND HAVE LOVE THEM EVEN AS YOU HAVE LOVED ME.” JOHN 17:22-23 (NIV)

2. THE FIRST STEP IN FINDING GOOD FRIENDS IS TO BE ONE.

“GREATER LOVE HAS NO ONE THAN THIS, THEN TO LAY DOWN ONE’S LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.” JOHN 15:13 (NKJV)

“LOVE IS PATIENT, LOVE IS KIND. IT DOES NOT ENVY, IT DOES NOT BOAST IT IS NOT PROUD. IT DOES NOT DISHONOR OTHERS, IT IS NOT SELF-SEEKING, IT IS NOT EASILY ANGERED, IT KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS. LOVE DOES NOT DELIGHT IN EVIL BUT REJOICES WITH THE TRUTH. IT ALWAYS PROTECTS, ALWAYS TRUSTS, ALWAYS HOPES, ALWAYS PERSEVERES.” 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-7 (NIV)

3. THE TRUEST FRIEND YOU WILL EVER HAVE IS JESUS.

“NO LONGER DO I CALL YOU SERVANTS, FOR A SERVANT DOES NOT KNOW WHAT HIS MASTER IS DOING; BUT I HAVE CALLED YOU FRIENDS, FOR ALL THINGS THAT I HEARD FROM MY FATHER

I HAVE MADE KNOWN TO YOU.” JOHN 15:15 (NKJV)

Victory Group Questions

1. How does knowing that we are made for friendship change your understanding of what it means to be a friend?

2. How can you use your friendships to build God’s Kingdom?

3. What steps could you take to cultivate a loving friendship?

4. How has God shown Himself to be a faithful friend to you?