The Problem of Friends
A. WE ALL NEED AND DESIRE FRIENDSHIP.
B. FRIENDS ARE PRECIOUS BLESSINGS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
A. SOLOMON'S ADVICE: "BE CAREFUL"( Prov. 22:24-25 ).
B. HAS TO DO WITH INFLUENCE( 1 Cor. 15:33 ).
C. ARE WE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE ENDORSE?( Eph. 5:11 ).
D. WORLDLY FRIENDS CAN BE DISASTROUS( Jas. 4:4; 2 Cor. 6:14, 17-18 ).
E. QUALITIES TO BE SOUGHT IN FRIENDS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN
WEALTH, EDUCATION, PRESTIGE, POPULARITY, etc.
F. WE SHOULD ASK, "WHO IS UPLIFTING TO ME?" & "WHO NEEDS ME?"
A. BE FRIENDLY( Prov. 18:24 - KJV ).
1. Wesley: "Sour godliness is the devil's religion."
2. Dogs know who to win friends - by being friendly.
3. "As cold a wind as ever blew;
A colder church, and in't but few;
As cold a minister's e'er spak,
Ye'll all be hot ere I come back."
Robert Burns
4. How much do you want friends? How friendly are you?
B. BE HELPFUL IN ADVERSITY( Prov. 17:17 ).
1. Action is important ... Prove yourself a friend( 1 John 3:18 ).
2. There is good in adversity. Shows who your friends are. Fair-weather friends
and shadows. Some are good at being a friend until you need one.
C. POSSESS A HUMILITY THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO MIX WITH ALL
CLASSES OF PEOPLE.
1. Snobbery is resented by everyone( Phil. 2:3; Rom. 12:3, 16 ).
2. Jesus associated with the lowest( Luke 5:30 ). Why?( vs. 31-32 ).
3. Our attitude toward others will determine our success at humility.
a. Compassion( Matt. 9:36 ).
b. Hate the affliction, not the afflicted( Jude 22 ).
c. Remember our own shortcomings( Luke 18:13 ).
4. Remember( Prov. 16:18 ).
D. BE UNSELFISH( Phil. 2:4; Matt. 20:26-28 ).
1. You don't make friends merely to take advantage of them.
2. Nor do you make friends in order to bully them. Control Freaks freak me out.
E. BE TOLERANT( Col. 3:12-13 ).
1. All of our friends are going to have faults. Nobody's perfect.
2. We can afford to forgive. We can't afford not to( Matt. 7:1 ).
3. Give the benefit of the doubt( James 1:19-20 ). Then forgive anyway.
4. Look at yourself( Matt. 7:3 ). Burn's - "To A Louse."
F. BE SINCERE AND TRUTHFUL( 1 Pet. 2:1; 3:10-11 ).
1. Love should come from within( 1 Pet. 1:22 ).
2. Can we come on "too strong?" Doesn't that arise suspicion?
G. GOLDEN RULE( Matt. 7:12 ).
H. BE STABLE - DEPENDABLE - CAN YOU BE COUNTED ON AS A FRIEND?
1. Some are too unstable to be trusted - Blow with the wind.
2. A question of character( Psa. 1:1-3 ). Like a tree planted by the water.
3. Promise Keeper( Psa. 15:4 ).
4. Responsible!!!!!
I. BE LOYAL.
1. Example of Onesiphorus in Paul's troubled times( 2 Tim. 1:16 ).
2. Job's friends( Job 19:14, 19 ).
3. "Love is not love which alters when alteration finds
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O, no! it is an ever fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken."
- Shakespeare
4. Does not involve taking up for one's wrongs, but loving in spite of them.
J. SUMMED UP ... BE A FRIEND.
1. These things will make me a better friend.
2. Manifest in me, they will make my friends better friends.
3. Personal Question:
"If I were someone else, would I want me for a friend?"
A. WHO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND?
B. HOW DO WE BECOME FRIENDS OF JESUS?( John 15:14 ).
