A. INTRODUCTION: THE CHURCH AT PHILIPPI
1. Philippi was the first city in Europe to be evangelize. How can this large continent be evangelized? One person at a time.
2. God’s call. “Come over to Macedonia and help us” (Acts 16:9). Who was the man?
a. Jailer.
b. Symbolic man.
c. Luke.
3. A Roman colony immune to taxation, insisted on emperor worship, so few Jews. First attempt to reach lost without a Synagogue.
4. Who were reached? The Philippian church made up of friends. Lydia, demon possessed girl, Philippian jailer, and a few others. “They went out of prison . . . entered the house of Lydia . . . had seen the brethren . . . departed” (Acts 16:40).
B. WHO IS A FRIEND?
1. One with whom you are comfortable.
2. True friends love in good times or trails. They remain loyal because of who you are and not what you possess. A true friend desires to be a help rather than to be helped by you (2 Cor. 12:14).
a. Job was plagued with fair weather friends. When things turned for the worse they turned on him (Job 19:19).
b. Solomon warned against the false friendship “Wealth maketh many friends” (Prov. 19:4, KJV).
c. Solomon also warned against those who are friends for money. “Every man is a friend to him who giveth gifts” (Prov. 19:6, KJV).
3. A friend is one whom you can trust. King David had such a trusted friend in Hushai (2 Sam. 15:32-37; 16:15-17). “Thy own friend . . . forsaketh not” (Prov. 27:10, KJV).
4. A friend will protect you even at the risk of danger to himself. David found such a friend in Jonathan (1 Sam. 18; 20:1-42).
5. A friend will sacrifice for you. “A man lays down his life for a friend” (John 15:13).
C. HOW TO MAKE AND KEEP FRIENDS
1. Friends are not found, they are made. “A man who has friends must himself be friendly” (Prov. 18:24). “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
I went out to find a friend,
But could not find one there,
I went out to be a friend,
And friends were everywhere!
~Author unknown
2. You make friends by accepting them unconditionally.
3. Be the kind of person others can trust.
4. Your character will attract and make friends. “Character is habitually doing the right thing, in the right way, at the right time.”
D. THE GREATEST FRIEND
“There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Prov. 18:24).
1. Jesus loves us with a greater love. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
2. Jesus made the greatest sacrifice (1 Peter 1:18-19). A sacrifice usually involves the payment of money, material goods or the laying down of one’s own life. Jesus said, “I lay down My life for the sheep” (John 10:15).
3. Jesus invites us to come to Him for salvation. “Come to Me all . . . I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).
4. Jesus invites us to follow Him in service. “Come after Me and I will make you . . .” (Mark 1:14).
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.
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