Being a Friend Like Jesus

Before we dive in, let’s play a quick game. I’m gonna name one part of a famous duo, and you tell me the other half. It’s easy. Let’s start off with a simple one.

Batman and— 

- Group: Robin! 

Robin! That’s right, no one missed that. How about this one from Nickelodeon? Drake and— 

- Group: Josh! 

Absolutely, Drake and Josh! 

Okay, now for all the Friends fans out there: Joey and— 

- Group: Chandler! 

Yes! Chandler! Alright, one more. The Office fans, get ready. Michael Scott and— 

- Group: Dwight Schrute! 

Right! There’s some passion in that answer, I could feel it! One more for all the Disney fans: Woody and— 

- Group: Buzz! 

Yes! Woody and Buzz! Who’s feelin' that "You Got a Friend in Me" vibe right now? Let’s sing it together: 

Group singing: You got a friend in me... 

Come on, let’s go! We’re feeling it tonight!

---

The Transition:

Now, tonight, I want to talk about something simple but powerful: What does it mean to truly have a friend and to be a friend?

What are some qualities you look for in a friend? 

- Some Answers: Loyalty, honesty... 

Yeah! Loyalty, honesty—those are great! Maybe we pick friends who have common interests, people who like the same stuff we do, and that’s fine. But tonight, we’re gonna look at what the Bible says about friendship and what it truly means to be a friend like Jesus.

---

The Problem:

Here’s something I want you to think about: we live in a world that’s more connected than ever before—globally, digitally—but somehow, we feel more divided. We see divisions everywhere—black vs. white, Democrat vs. Republican, Christian vs. non-Christian. But I believe God wants something different for us.

Harvard did a study on human happiness? You know what they found? It wasn’t wealth, fame, or even hard work that made people happy. The key to happiness? Relationships.

Now here’s something crazy: Did you know that social rejection activates the same part of your brain as physical pain? Let that sink in. Being rejected or left out actually hurts us, just like physical pain. That’s why as followers of Jesus, we’ve got to care about people and their relationships.

---

The Example:

There was a six-year-old boy who was bullied at school. The next year, instead of feeling sorry for himself, he did something bold. He made a t-shirt that said, “I will be your friend,” and wore it to school. That’s the heart we need to have—to be there for people no matter who they are.

But as adults, sometimes we lose that simple, loving attitude, and we start to live with an “us vs. them” mentality. That’s not what God wants for us.

---

The Scripture:

Now, let’s look at what Jesus teaches us about being a friend. In Luke 10, a religious leader asked Jesus, “What do I need to do to have eternal life?” Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” But the man, looking for a loophole, asked, "Who is my neighbor?"

Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan—a man beaten and left for dead on the road. First, a priest walks by and ignores him. Then, a Levite comes by and does the same. But a Samaritan, someone who was supposed to hate the Jews, stops, helps, and even pays for the man’s care.

Jesus then asks, “Which of these three was a neighbor?” The answer was obvious—the one who showed mercy.

---

Modern-Day Example:

If Jesus told that story today, maybe it would go like this:

There’s a kid named Charlie, new at school, who keeps to himself. Some guys decide they’re gonna jump him and record it for fun. Word spreads, and a smart student hears about it, but she’s more focused on her grades, so she does nothing. Another student hears but is worried about being late to class, so he walks away.

Finally, a random student sees what’s happening, steps in, and stops the fight. Not only does he help Charlie, but he befriends him, making sure he’s never alone again.

Jesus would ask, “Which one was the best friend to Charlie?”

---

The Lessons:

There are three quick lessons we can learn from this:

1. Friendship is being available 

We’re all busy, but being a friend means being available, even when it’s inconvenient. You never know who God is asking you to love right in front of you.

2. Friendship is compassion in action 

It’s not enough to just feel bad for someone; we need to act on that compassion. Jesus was driven by compassion—whether healing the sick or feeding the hungry, He didn’t just feel it, He did something about it.

3. Friendship is meeting people where they’re at 

People are messy, broken, and hurting, but God calls us to love them right where they are. Jesus didn’t just say, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” He raised the bar: “Love others the way I have loved you”—laying down His life for us.

---

The Challenge:

Switch, that’s what being a friend like Jesus looks like! You have the power, just one word, one action, one message could change someone’s life. Are you ready to be that kind of friend? To love people the way Jesus loves you?

---

And that’s the message. Let’s go out and be friends like Jesus—full of love, compassion, and action. Amen!