Making Friends | Friends | Mitch Harrison

Making friends doesn’t have to be complicated. Jesus gave us a simple way to connect with others: love, listen, and be present. As John 15:12 says, “Love each other as I have loved you.” Instead of waiting for the right friendships to find you, what if you started by being the kind of friend you’d want to have?

KEY VERSES

  • Proverbs 18:24 NLT - There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.

  • John 15:12-15 NLT - This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.You are my friends if you do what I command.I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.

  • John 15:12 NLT - This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.

  • Philippians 2:6-8 NLT - Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human formhe humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

  • John 15:13 NLT - There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

  • 1 Thessalonians 2:8 NLT - We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.

  • Philippians 1:9-10 MSG - So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.

  • John 15:14 NLT - You are my friends if you do what I command.

  • John 15:15 NLT - I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.

HEARING WHAT GOD IS SAYING

One of the best ways to hear what God is saying right now is to look at what He has said in the Bible with a few friends. Discovery Bible Study is an easy-to-use way to hear from God, make good changes in our lives, and share with others what God is up to. Grab some friends, pick a verse or story from above, and dive deeper into this week’s message.

Recap

+ Reconnect

To begin the study, each person answers these questions:

  • What are you thankful for?
  • What is causing stress for our neighbors and people around us?
  • What can we as individuals or as a group do to help?

+ Recap

  • Have someone retell the story from your previous meeting.
  • Did you live out your response from last week?
  • Did you tell anyone else about the story from last week?

Discovering What God Is Saying

+ Read and Retell the Bible Story

  • One person reads the story out loud to the group.
  • Someone else in the group retells the story in their own words as they remember it, and others fill in what’s missing.

+ Read and Look

  • Read the passage again (different version if possible)
  • What does this passage say about God, Jesus, or His plan?

+ Read and Look Again

  • Have 1-2 more people retell the story as if they were telling a neighbor outside their home.
  • What does this passage say about people in general?

Doing What God Is Saying

+ Consider

  • What in me needs to change to better DO what God is showing me today?
  • How will you respond to/obey this passage in a tangible, perhaps even costly ways in the next 47 hours?
  • Have someone record these for prayer time, and for the beginning of the next meeting.

Sharing what God is saying

+ Praying Together

  • Take prayer requests
  • Pray together

+ Share

  • Who in your life needs to hear this story?
  • Who could you invite to study the Bible like this?

Become a Partner

Every time you give in Jesus’ name, you make a difference in others AND you make a difference in your own life! Partnering together in generosity helps accomplish things together that could never be accomplished alone! You can partner together in giving today with a single gift, or schedule recurring giving using your checking account, debit, or credit card.

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