Friends
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November 28, 2007
How do you choose friends?
What constitutes a “real friend”?
Most people find themselves friends with people whom they share common interests. Others are drawn together by proximity; i.e. going to school together, working together, being the same age, living nearby, etc.
i.e. My grandparents were saved at a Missionary Baptist church, THE Missionary Baptist church, in their rural
Back then, the world was smaller to the people who often were born, lived and died in the same area. Thus, friends were at a premium and very likely the people who lived and worked beside you your entire life. More importantly, these were the folks you went to church with as well. This worked VERY well, as it emphasized and exemplified the New Testament model of the community church.
Anyway, the entire world is open to us today via technology. We can literally befriend nearly anyone in the world. Thus, we must take extra care and apply wisdom is choosing our friends.
How should we go about choosing our friends?
What things should we look for?
What should be our criteria or should we even have criteria (isn’t that discrimination?)?
1. A True Friend is Unchangeable
Proverbs 18:24 “A friend loveth at all times and a brother is born for adversity”
A true friend will stick beside you even when others will not. Remember how many “true” friends at Job had when he was tried? ONE!! God! What good is a fair-weathered friend?
2. A True Friend is Profitable
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. For it they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.”
God expects us to be friends with each other for many reasons. One of those reasons is to help each other when we “fall”. We are to HELP each other!
3. A True Friend is Stimulating
Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”
The people we associate with WILL INFLUENCE
4. Our Best Friend
Proverbs 18:24 “A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”
First, if we desire to have friends, we must show ourselves friendly. Secondly, we must remember that no matter how many friends we have, they will still fail us at some point. We are only human and we are all subject to failure (sin). However, there is ONE who is not subject to failure or sin…JESUS! If you desire to have the only true friend you may obtain, you need JESUS. Those whom are unsaved are truly friendless. For the redeemed, we are never without a friend!
5. JESUS Has Already Loved Us More Than Any Other Friend Can
John 15:13-14 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
Would you give your life for any one of your friends? JESUS died for each and every one of us personally. He called us friend even before we were born in that He made a way that we might escape Hell and our just end. He died that you and I might not have to die.
6. Examples of Biblical Friends
a. Moses and Aaron Exodus 4:16
b. Caleb and Joshua Numbers 14:6
c. Elijah and Elisha II Kings 2:6
d. Disciples sent 2 X 2 Luke 10:1
e. Paul and Barnabas Acts 13:2
f. Paul and Silas Acts 15:40
Once we find JESUS via salvation, He calls us friends instead of servants (even though we are indeed servants).
John 15:15 “Henceforth, I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”
Remember the One that has already called you his friend and also remember to show yourself friendly to those who he has also called His friends!!
