Introduction

Good morning, family! Today, we are going to talk about a powerful topic that touches all of us - friendship. As C.S. Lewis once said, “Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art...It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.”

Let's turn our Bibles to the book of Luke chapter 5, verses 17 through 26. “And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them. And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things today.”

Opening Prayer

Let us pray. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of friendship. We ask that you help us choose friends who challenge us to be better, who lead us closer to you, and who reflect your love and truth. May our discussion today open our hearts and minds to appreciate the friends you’ve placed in our lives and inspire us to be friends who point others to you. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

I. The Power of Friendship

The power of friendship is a theme that resonates deeply within the human experience, and it is a theme that is beautifully illustrated in the passage we just read from the book of Luke ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO