Wednesday Discussion Notes on FRIENDSHIP from October 4, 2023
Question: What does it mean to be a friend to someone?
Read Isaiah 5:1-7
- God owns the vineyard in this passage
- The vine is Israel
- God expects Israel to bear good fruit
- What kind of fruit is this vineyard yielding? Blood shed and distress
Read John 15:1-8
- God is the owner of this vine, He is the gardener
- Jesus is the vine
- The disciples are the branches
- If we remain connected to Jesus, the vine, we will bear much fruit
- Jesus tells us how to be effective in our lives, remain in Him, know Him and follow his teachings
- We can only bear good fruit if we stay connected to Jesus. Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing.
- God, the gardener takes care of the vines, he prunes it by cutting off branches without fruit
Read John 15: 9-17
- How do we remain connected to Jesus? By knowing and keeping his commands
- In order for us to be effective and to be a true friend to someone else we have to be attached to the source that will allow us to be a true friend.
- Human friendships without God as the center are based on common interests, shared goals, money, status etc.
- Friendships among Christians should be based on our relationship to Jesus. Jesus is a true friend to us because he shares his relationship with God with us. Jesus tells us that God is his source of life. He is one with God and relies on him for everything.
- Jesus reached down to humans to be our friend and told us about his Father.
- He said that those who obey him are no longer servants, but his friend
- The more you learn about Jesus and grow in your understanding of who he is and obey his commands, the more effective you will be in your friendships with others
Midweek Lesson Notes from October 11, 2023
JESUS and PETER’s FRIENDSHIP
Read John 13: 33-38
- We are called to love each other the way Jesus loved us, he laid down his life for us
- Was Peter really ready to lay down his life for Jesus?
- Are you really ready to lay down your life for Jesus? For your brother or sister in the church? For a stranger? For someone who does not know God?
- Peter was quick to say he would not abandon Jesus but he was not ready. Jesus told him he would disown him three times.
- Did Peter take the time to evaluate his heart and make some changes so that he would be ready to die for Jesus? Do you take time to evaluate your heart so that you could be ready to serve someone in need?
Read Luke 22: 31-34
- Jesus told Peter the truth about himself. It is very loving of someone to tell you the truth about your heart so that you would have the opportunity to change. Jesus followed up by also giving Peter hope that he could and would make changes and eventually get to the point where he would be able to die for Jesus.
- Do we give people hope that they can change? Do we see people for you they could become or for who they are with their shortcomings? How loving are you to someone else? Do you speak the truth in love to others and encourage them to follow Jesus? This is true friendship. Jesus showed his disciples how to be a true friend to him and to each other.