Friendships Are Important - Friends Accomplish More - Alone Is Dangerous! Series

Introduction

1. Open your bibles please to 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. Hold this reference.

2. There are many passages that teach the importance of having friends. They teach that two are better than one in most all situations.

3. We will discuss some of the passages from the bible that will help us to strive to develop better friendships with those that can help us to grow closer to God and Christ.

DISCUSSION

I. FIRST, LET’S LOOK AT SOMETHING THAT TEACHES THAT ILLUSTRATES THAT TWO ARE NOT ALWAYS BETTER THAN ONE!

1. Recently I read about a little snail, that lives in the ocean, that illustrates that two are not always better than one.

(1) If you think that you have problems and think that you need a friend, be sure to listen closely to what I am going to tell you about this little snail.

(2) God created this snail blind. This little snail is called a Pinna snail. This little snail has a large number of enemies.

(3) Even though the Pinna is called a snail, he is shaped more like a clam. He has a top shell and a bottom shell and hinges on the back edge.

1) Watch my hand and I will illustrate how he might look, except he would be much smaller than my hand.

2) The palm of my hand can illustrate the bottom shell and my fingers can illustrate the top shell. My knuckles can illustrate the hinge part of the two shells.

4) Notice as I open and shut my fingers against my palm. The hollow area is where the meaty part of the snail is attached and exist.

2. All kinds of creatures, in the ocean, are swimming around who would just love to eat the little snail or steal his shell and make it their home - and he can't even see them coming!

1) One of the worst enemies of the Pinna is a critter called the Cuttle Fish.

2) Often times, no sooner does the Pinna open his bi-valve [two halfed] shell than the Cuttle Fish rushes in and sets up housekeeping. This makes it extremely difficult for the Pinna to get along.

3) Since the Pinna’s shell is basically only large enough for him, with the Cuttle Fish crammed in, there is nothing the Pinna can do but partly hang out the front part of the shell.

4) The trouble with that is that some of the enemies are always swimming by and some of them eat the little blind snail and destroy him.

5) The major reason that the Pinna snail loses his life is because of the Cuttle Fish darting in and making his home with the Pinna snail.

6) Well, that illustrates when two are not better one! Sounds kind of miserable, doesn't it?

3. Let’s read 2 Cor. 6:14-18 and make a few applications, “14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. [Here, God gives Christians warning to not make relationships with others that are not good for soul. Keep in mind that we are not blind and we can refuse and say “no” to those that we don’t need to make as our close friends.]

(1) Let’s continue to read the warnings, starting in the middle of verse 14, “For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? [“Light” symbolizes truth and the living of a pure and holy life. “Darkness” symbolizes falsehood and living a sinful and ungodly life. Christians are to understand that those kind of people would be like the “Cuttle Fish” is to the Pinna snail. They will soon bring spiritual death to the Christian.]

(2) In 2 Cor. 6:15-18, God’s word challenges Christians to break all ties and associations with those who are not good for our soul and cling to God. Don’t let the bad influences bring spiritual death to us, like the Cuttle fish brings death to the Pinna snail.

(3) Let’s read 2 Cor. 6:15-18, “15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” 17 Therefore“ Come out from among themAnd be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” 18 “ I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.”

II. SECOND, TURN TO ECCLESTIAES 4:9-12. FROM ECCLESTIAES 4:9-12, WE WILL LOOK AT HOW THAT, ON MOST OCCASIONS, TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE.

1. We’ll use this same little blind Pinna Snail to illustrate how that two are better than one.