We All Need Friends

Tonight we’re starting a 4-week series called, “Friends: Finding True Community”. Now the purpose of this series is to explore the place that friendship has in our lives, and to do so through a Biblical lens. In the coming weeks we’ll explore topics such as:

The importance of friends for human flourishing

The selfless attitude our friendships should have

The importance of having close friends, and

The significance of truth and reconciliation within friendships.

ENGAGE

I want you to take a moment and ask yourself two questions: “Do I have friends?”, and “How do I know someone is my friend?”.

For some of us, we can think of dozens of people that we would call “acquaintances”, but sometimes struggle to point out our close friends.

For some of us, it’s easy to view the connections we have on social media and the internet, school, and even sports teams or music groups as an answer to those questions. But there is a big difference between being friends on the internet or in a group setting, and the connection we can have where there is trust, honesty, and deep, genuine care.

We all know that; we all can feel that, even if we can’t articulate it.

American writer, Lilianna Hogan, wrote “While having a community is essential, you can often feel pressured to have lots of friends in this modern age of social media and online connection. However, we must resist this pressure. It is more important to have quality and close connections to fewer people than many superficial friend connections” (“How to Be a Good Friend, WebMD, August 24, 2021, https://www.webmd.com/balance/features/how-be-good-friend).

INSTRUCT

Community is essential to a healthy life. No matter what you believe, we all understand that we were made to be in community, and at the heart of community is friendship.

That’s why we place so much value in our small groups. Because although it's awesome hanging out with everyone in a big group, there are conversations and relationships that can only happen in a smaller, more intimate setting. When moments of vulnerability arise, there are things that we are willing to share in a smaller group than in a large crowd.

Community is key, but you can’t have true community if you don’t have those deeper connections and friendships.

We all need friends. We all need that kind of friendship where we can share our deepest fears and darkest struggles. We all need friends. We all need those people that we can lean on when it feels like we have no one else to. We all need friends. We weren’t made to do life alone; we were made for relationships.

CONVICT

Throughout scripture, we can see that friendships aren’t just important, they are vital to our flourishing as human beings. Those close, devoted friendships even help us grow in our faith. But even more, they are something we are called to be in. We are called into friendship to be in community with one another. We are called to be in relationship in order to hold each other accountable. We are called to share life with one another so that, together, we can mourn in our sufferings and celebrate in our victories.

“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24)

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)

“But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (1 Corinthians 12:24b-26)

INSPIRE

Who are your friends? Who are the people that you can share life with? Who are the people that you can be a friend to?

We are made for community, and at the heart of community is friendship.

We weren’t made to do life alone - We all need friends.

SMALL GROUP GUIDE // Sept. 23, 2022

What do you think of when you hear the word “friend”?

Name some friends in your life. What makes them friends?

What does the Bible say about friendship?

Proverbs 18:24, 27:17; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Galatians 6:1-3; Ephesians 4:1-7

Why is friendship so important?

Who is someone that you can be friends with that you aren’t already friends with?

SMALL GROUP GUIDE // Sept. 23, 2022

What do you think of when you hear the word “friend”?

Name some friends in your life. What makes them friends?

What does the Bible say about friendship?

Proverbs 18:24, 27:17; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Galatians 6:1-3; Ephesians 4:1-7

Why is friendship so important?

Who is someone that you can be friends with that you aren’t already friends with?

SMALL GROUP GUIDE // Sept. 23, 2022

What do you think of when you hear the word “friend”?

Name some friends in your life. What makes them friends?

What does the Bible say about friendship?

Proverbs 18:24, 27:17; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Galatians 6:1-3; Ephesians 4:1-7

Why is friendship so important?

Who is someone that you can be friends with that you aren’t already friends with?

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