Sunday Words of Encouragement June 14, 2020

I enjoyed our early morning worship sitting on my porch watching the cardinals, doves, and finches playing and eating at the feeders. The hummers buzzed in later during the sermon.

Pastor continued his series on “Better Together”. He noted that friendship is usually built on common interests and values. Many of us have institutionalized friends or friends based on events, such as church, church small groups, sports interests, (book clubs), etc. Beyond those friends, Pastor suggests it is good for each of us to have a couple of “sticky friends”.

Everything and everyone takes a piece of our time. Euripides said, “One loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives.” Solomon said, ‘a real friend sticks closer than a brother’.

God created friendship and modeled friendship with humans again and again: with Adam and with Noah and many others. Acts 4:42-45 shows the believers gathering as friends, united in love. Our best model of friendship is Jesus. Jesus had many disciples but three close friends: Peter John and James.
William Shakespeare commented on friendship saying: A friend is someone who knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.

Are you awed that God has chosen you as a friend? John 15:18-19.

POINT: We are Better Together when we make room to experience real friendships.

When you make room for friends you:

Pray and commit yourself.
Put yourself in their space
Do something together.

Make room for others.

Here is a song about finding a friend in Jesus.

Verses for Today:
John 15:18-19 (NIV)
18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

Lord, I thank You that You chose me as a friend. Help me to be a better friend in this world.