Friendship in a Christian Context

Review

Remember that God designed man for relationships.

Genesis 2:18 “Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’”

Remember that friends can shape us.

Proverbs 13:20 “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”

Remember that identity is before relationships.

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Group Activity

Discuss in groups the following questions together:

Who is your closest friend, and what qualities make them a good friend?

What are some things you value the most in a friendship?

Do your friendships pull you closer to God or farther away from Him?

Godly Friendship: The Art of Building Each Other Up

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

God designed friendships for

Answer: building us up, not tearing us down.

True friends will challenge you to grow.

True friends will encourage you when you stumble.

True friends will remind you of the truth when you are struggling.

You should ask yourself: Are my friends sharpening me to be more like Christ? And am I sharpening them?

Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 tells us that, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!”

We were never intended to walk alone, rather we were made to walk with God.

Having Godly friendships will make us stronger and help us to endure through life’s many challenges together.

The Character of a True Friend

Short discussion: What does character mean to you?

Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

Godly friendship is built on

Answer: love, loyalty, and sacrifice.

True friends will be there when it counts, and in every season.

True friends will not abandon you when it is inconvenient for them to be there.

True friends will stick by your side when life gets too hard to handle.

John 15:13–15 “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants… but I have called you friends.”

Ask yourself: Am I the kind of friend that loves others as Jesus does? Would my friends say I am loyal, honest, and encouraging?

Jesus provides the perfect example of a faithful friend.

He shows that true friendship is not about what we get from our friends, but about what we give to them.

Choose Your Friends Wisely

Short discussion: What does it mean to choose your friends wisely?

Proverbs 13:20 says, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”

We should be careful with the friendships we form because

Answer: the people closest to us shape who we become.

True friends will chase after God with you.

True friends will protect you from harm.

True friends will not encourage you to take paths that are detrimental to you.

1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.’”

Ask yourself: Which friend has the biggest influence on me right now? Are they helping me to grow closer to God or are they pushing me away from God?

Choosing your friends wisely does not mean that you have to reject people, it means that you are surrounding yourself with people who will encourage your walk with Christ.

Friendship with God

Short discussion: What would you rate your friendship with God out of 10? Why?

James 2:23 says, “and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.”

The greatest friendship that we can ever have is

Answer: friendship with God Himself.

God’s original design for man was to dwell with Him.

He desires daily, honest communication with us, just as we would talk to our friends every day.

When we spend time with Him in prayer and Scripture, our friendship with Him grows deeper.

Exodus 33:11 tells us that, “Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.”

Ask yourself: How often do I talk with God as a friend? Do I make time each day to listen to Him and share my heart with Him?

God invites us into a close, personal relationship through faith in Jesus.

He doesn’t just call us servants, rather, He calls us friends.

Forgiveness and Reconciliation in Friendship

Short discussion: Have you ever had a really bad argument with a friend and had to make up with them later?

It is true that every friendship will face hardship and conflict because none of us is perfect.

But Godly friendship is marked by

Answer: forgiveness and grace.

Colossians 3:12–13 says, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

True friends forgive one another.

True friends do not hold grudges.

True friends extend grace.

Ask yourself: Is there someone that I need to forgive and make amends with? How can I show kindness and patience in my friendships this week?

Discussion

What would you say makes a friend “Godly?”

How can you be an “iron sharpens iron” friend?

What does it mean to you to be a friend of God?

Is there a friendship in your life that needs forgiveness or needs boundaries?

Challenge

This week pick another friend and do one intentional thing to encourage them in Christ by:

Sending them a verse

Praying with them

Tell them one reason why you are thankful for them

Be a friend who sharpens others to be more like Jesus.

Prayer

Father, we thank you so much for the friends you have given to us. You tell us that John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” and you have given us the ultimate friendship through Jesus. Help us to build one another up, to forgive quickly, and to choose friends that draw us closer to You. Make us the kind of friends that reflect Your love for others in all that we do. In Jesus’ holy name, amen.