Friendship

Peters story:

In Junior High, i had almost no friends. At first I wasn't really aware of it. I thought I was fairly cool- sure, no one paired up with me for group work, and I always got picked last for sports teams, but that was OK!

Teacher :"What's wrong with you guys? Why are you so mean to each other? And why doesn't anyone like Peter? I think he's nice! Why isn't anyone his friend?"

I had 2 friends. they were imaginary. And they never played with me, they only played with each other.

You know how in your schools there's probably a few of those awkward people that no one really likes, everyone kinda thinks is a loser?

Those kids thought I was a loser.

Then I went to OLVC, and prayed a simple prayer- that I would be loved.

At that time popularity was the most important thing in the world to me! I wanted people to like me, and more than that, to respect me, and be willing to confide in me, to trust me!

In Grade 10, made a ton of friends! They became my life.

The 2nd commandment says that there should be nothing more important to us than God. My friends had become more important.

Friendship is a great gift from God- a very good thing. But we can sometimes not treat our friends right- we can treat them like Objects. Pizza Love? We have to love them for their own sake- not for what we get out of the friendship!

Fairweather friends- like us for what they can get. A true friend is committed to you even when it gets rough- especially when it gets rough, 'cause that's when you need them!

Love wants the best for other people.

Story- Jesus heals the paralyzed man.

Friends should be the kind of people who bring us to Christ.

2 implications-

1. We need to be the kind of people who bring our friends to Christ.

What if someone is no longer willing to be your friend because you try to evangelize them, or they are living in sin and you try to talk them out of it?

Must put the good of the person before the friendship!

Friends on drugs? Suicidal? living in sin?

It is a spiritual act of mercy to tell them so, and help them out!

Of course, be gentle, loving, compassionate, non judgemental. Being non jadgemental does not mean being unable to discern between right and worng- it means not assuming motives in the other.

Demonstration- Get someone to argue with me and prove to me that Gravity exists, and thus I should not jump off a cliff.

Act offended- tell them i am as convicted of my idea as they are, and therefore they are being ignorant and small minded, and I will do what I very well please, so stop being so preachy, or we can't be friends.

What is that friends duty?

Jen from Sacramento story- Florence.

2. Our friends should bring us to Christ.

Fellowship!

Blanket demonstration- the more friends we have supporting us the better.

Even Jesus had 12 apostles- and when he sent them out, he did it in 2's, so they were not alone.

Christians are like Bananas- they grow better in bunches.

Catherine story.

Jesus said "Greater love hath no man than he who lays down his life for his friends."

Are you willing to die for your friends? How about to give up the bigger slice of cake? How about to listen to them when they are emotionally unstable? Or preach to them when they need it!


Friendship is an incredible gift from God, a way that he helps us to get holy. But remember that it comes with a duty- to love your friend means to put their interests before your own, and to sincerely desire the best for them, even when they don't desire it for themselves. But ultimately even though your friends come before you, they should always come after God!