Untitled Sermon (14)

My name is Brenden Griffith! I’m Youth Pastor at College Heights Baptist Church I grew up in a small town about an hour and a half away called Meeker, Oklahoma. When I was a middle school student, I remember a lot of things from that period in my life. I remember the good times and I remember the bad times. I remember those students who were around me who tore my spirit Biblical Friendships Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 I. Introduction

Point 1 - Lift each other up One popular way that Jesus would send out his down and those who build me up. What kind of student areyou? Some of us in this very room might be the kind of student who tears peoples spirits down. Others might have the desire to build people up, but just don’t really know how to be the kind of friend to build someone up. The bible offers a healthy formula to being a good and productive friend!II. Body Ecclesiastes 4:9-109 Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. 10 For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up

disciples, would be in pairs. Luke 10 shows us that We are stronger and safer together than we are apart. When one disciple faced times of difficulty the other could build him up. When you face time of difficulty in your life, having a friend present to build you up makes all the difference. It could be when you’re sharing the gospel and people around you are making fun of you for following Jesus. It could be when you’re dealing with a sin struggle. Are you lifting others up or tearing them down? We each need to have people in our lives who can lift us up in spirit and keep us accountable in our relationship with God.

Point 2 - Synergy Does anyone know what Synergy means? It is the collaboration of two or more people on a project or situation, which the outcome would be better than if the two people had worked independently of each other. I’ll give you an example, Imagine with me a man who has been at work all day, he is walking back to his truck after work through a field and starts to get hungry. He spots the man who owns the field as his stomach starts growling and sees the owner of the field standing under a tree. The owner of the tree, looks up and sees tons of ripe and

ready to eat apples on his tree and thinks to himself, “I wish I had a ladder, so I could reach my apples.” The man with the ladder overhears this and says “Hey, lets work together! They put the ladder under the tree, both got apples, and ate their fair share! Synergy is just a fancy word for teamwork! How do we have teamwork with others? It could be starting a bible study with your peers on your sports teams or the clubs you’re involved in. I started a bible study with my baseball team in school. It could be by inviting others to Sermons 5

participate in FCA and learn how they can make an impact on campus for Christ! It’s working together with other believers so that more people can hear about the hope of salvation through Christ! In this story each man had something different to offer, but because they worked together they were able to achieve something that neither could achieve on their own! Do you have synergy with others around you? The God of the universe has gifted each of you with unique skills, platforms, and abilities to use for his Glory! If we work together, with synergy in our hearts we can accomplish so much Sermons 6

FCA Mission statement - To lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His church. As Christians, the Lord speaks to us in ways that the culture doesn’t understand. Jesus is calling us to lift each other up in our times of pain and temptation and to have a synergy with other believers, using our skills for God’s glory. If we want to live out that FCA Mission statement and enter into a growing relationship with more together than we can on our own!III. Conclusion Sermons 7

Sermons 8 Christ and his church, we must make it our mission to have biblical friendships with those around us and be the kind of friend that God is calling us to be. In conclusion, let us remember the words of Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 and the importance of biblical friendship. As followers of Christ, we have the opportunity to be the kind of friends who lift each other up, offering support and encouragement in times of difficulty. Let us strive for synergy, working together with other believers to accomplish great things for God's glory. May we be intentional in our relationships, seeking to build up those around us and pointing them towards a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and his

Sermons 9 church. Together, let us embrace the call to be good and productive friends, shining the light of Christ in a world that desperately needs it.