Friendship with People:

Rodney Lee Kincaid

Righting the "Ship" in Relationships. • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

Philippians 2:2–4

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ME:

Title of the Series: Righting the “ship” in Relationships

Introduction:

The thing that seems to be eroding in our world today is “relationship.”

: With God

: With People

Not saying that attendance or membership is the relationship barometer but it is an indicator.

: With People

: In Marriages

: With Children

I believe it would be higher but we also are not seeing people getting married as much as they did in the past.

: With Children

If you want to know how bad it is with kids, go ask a teacher at school.

The erosion between parents and kids manifest itself out in other ways.

The meanness, bullying, cutting, drug use.

What we are seeing in our world today is nothing more than “UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.”

To turn this all around we want to learn what Scripture tells us about having a healthy relationship.

: We want to recognize the unhealthiness of a relationship and remove it and to seek, promote, nurture, and endorse the healthiness of relationships.

: You might be asking, what should we be doing or endorsing when it comes to relationships?

Over the next four weeks this is what we are going to talk about.

PAUSE:

When you peer into a healthy, vibrant, successful, satisfying relationship …… when you slice that relationship open ….. when you put it under the microscope you will find God!

: God is the Key in the relationship with Him.

: God is the Key in the relationship with People.

: God is the Key to a healthy relationship with our spouse.

: God is the Key to a healthy relationship with our kids.

The DNA to all relationships is God!

PAUSE

There is a reason for having each of these relationships ….

Each relationship has a purpose.

But the reason for each one of these relationships is different!

Each of these relationship play different role in our lives.

LAST WEEK ...

: With God it is Fellowship

- We were created to Glorify HIM!

- We do this through fellowship with Him

Transition Statement: Whats the next relationship dynamic we are going to look at?

WE:

We are going to look at relationships with PEOPLE (Others).

: With Marriage it is Spousal Relationship (Becoming one, as help mates)

Pledge:

Passage:

2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Prayer:

How many of us have a best friend besides your spouse?

: With Our Children it is Parent Relationship: to reveal Fellowship with God, Friendship with others and what a Godly Marriage should look like.

How many of us have multiple best friends?

How many of us have friends?

How many of us have A FRIEND?

Please note, I am not talking about friends on FACEBOOK!

I have over 1500 friends on FB.

We live in a culture today that is suppose to be so connected (Social Media, phones) but yet we find that our culture is largely disconnected.

We are seeing a generation developing that is not longer valuing relationship.

Its more concerned about how many likes on instagram or their youtube accounts.

Ask yourselves, “When was the last time you sat down with someone (put the phones aside, turned off the TV) and said to that person, I want to invest in our friendship?”

I read this article from Foxnews Web Site .....

A new study into the social dynamics of 2,000 Americans revealed that the average American hasn’t made a new friend in five years.

Forty-five percent of adults say they find it difficult to make new friends, according to new research.

A new study into the social dynamics of 2,000 Americans revealed that the average American hasn’t made a new friend in five years. In fact, it seems for many that popularity hits its peak at age 23, and for thirty-six percent, it peaks even before age 21.

Other notable reasons Americans can’t seem to make new friends, as an adult, include commitments to family (29 percent), not having any hobbies that allow them to meet new people (28 percent) and moving to a new city (21 percent).

'BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE' DATING SITE RELEASES LIST OF 'UGLY' TRAITS

The majority of respondents cite friendship-making barriers that include aversion to the bar scene, where most people choose to socialize, or the feeling that everyone’s friendship groups have already formed."

📷

"We're full." (iStock)

And how many friends do adults actually have? Turns out, 16.

"For the 45 percent who are looking to make new friends, the best and most underrated way to do that these days is still in-person," says Piera Pizzo, Evite's in-house party specialist. "You can host a party, or something more low-key like a book club or happy hour, and tell each of your guests to bring a friend. You'll be surprised at how naturally social circles can come together, and at the lasting connections you can make when bonding face-to-face."

The average American has three friends for life,

MAID OF HONOR CONSIDERS BACKING OUT OF WEDDING OVER BEST MAN'S SHOCKING BEHAVIOR

.... five people they really like and would hang out with one-on-one,

And how many friends do adults actually have? Turns out, 16. The average American has three friends for life, five people they really like and would hang out with one-on-one, and eight people they like but don’t spend time with one-on-one or seek out.

.... and eight people they like but don’t spend time with one-on-one or seek out.

So how do we Right the “SHIP” in relationship?

Transition Statement: Let’s see what God’s word says about “Friendships.”

GOD:

You might be surprised about how much the Bible talks about “Friends (Ships)!”

There is 1 word used for friend in the O.T. and there are 3 different Greek words used in the N.T for the word friend.

O.T. - Hebrew word is “REA” - a powerful word meaning “friend, companion, neighbor, or fellow.”

Definition: It comes from the root of the verb “Ra’ah” to “associate with”, “to be friends with”, “to be a companion to.”

N.T. - Greeks words are ....

Suntrophos: ( Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.)

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

Pertaining to being brought up with someone.

Hetairos: ( Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.”)

Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.”

One who is linked to another.

This link can be military, religious, political, or simply friendship.

This word is only found 3 times in the N.T.

Philon: ( And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves,’”)

And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves

This kind of friend is one who is on intimate terms or in a close association with another.

These are the Hebrew and greek words we find in scripture for the word “Friend.”

When I looked into scripture I found at least 5 Characteristics of a friend.

( “A friend loves at all times ....”) Displays Love

A friend loves at all times,

Through thick and thin ..... Good and Bad ...... Help in difficult times

and a brother is born for adversity.

(, , (11) I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (15) just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. (17) For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.) Sacrificial

( Faithful are the wounds of a friend;) Faithful

just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. (17) For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend;

( I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.) Brings Unity

I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

( Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.) Counselor

Oil and perfume make the heart glad,

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.Brings Unity

and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

This person is someone who is, literally, closer than a brother () tells us ..... A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

A man of many companions may come to ruin,

Someone who is Loving, sacrificial, Faithful, brings Unity, and is a counselor.

but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Transition Statement: How many of you would like to have this kind of a friend?

You:

One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor,

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 1796 Be a Friend

Be A Friend

I went out to find a friend,

But could not find one there,

I went out to be a friend,

And friends were everywhere!

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 1796 Be a Friend

Be A Friend

I went out to find a friend,

But could not find one there,

I went out to be a friend,

And friends were everywhere!

but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

Become a friend!

Become that person who is .....

..... Loving,

..... sacrificial,

..... Faithful,

..... brings Unity,

..... and is gives wise counselor

Transition Statement: Does these characteristics remind you of someone WE know?

WE:

JESUS

Being a good friend, is being JESUS!

Our society today could use some good friends, amen?

What would our society look like with more people who are ....

.... Loving, sacrificial, Faithful, brings Unity, and is a counselor.

An English publication offered a prize for the best definition of a friend, and among the thousands of answers received were the following:

“One who multiplies joys, divides grief.”

“One who understands our silence.”

“A volume of sympathy bound in cloth.”

“A watch which beats true for all time and never runs down.”

But here is the definition that won the prize: “A friend—the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out.”

I want to leave you with a challenge this morning.

Let’s put into practice what we have learned today.

Lets’ Love, be sacrificial, be Faithful, brings Unity, and be a counselor to those who need it.

I want you to turn to your neighbor and say tp them, “I am going to try and be a better friend.”

Lets’ right this “Ship” to relationships.

Instead of complaining about it, lets do something about it.

Lets’ become that friend to someone else that we would love to have as a friend.