Need a friend?

" No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends "

JOHN 15:15

Jesus gives all who trust him the privilege of being his friends

(John 15:14–15)

Friendship with God and with each other is the cornerstone on which Friends Parish is built and we know that there are times when you just need a friend, someone to talk to, someone to count on, someone to understand. Each one of us longs to be more connected, more deeply, with friends. And this is because God made us for true friendship.

Friendship is actually rooted in the BIble

How you ask? Consider the 8 points below

1. The First Problem in the World was Solitude.

Everything God created was “Good” by his own definition yet God said in Gen 2:18 that “it is not good for man to be alone”. There may be many more problems we face in life but our first problem as man was social isolation.

2. Friendships run throughout the Bible from

  • Adam and Eve who enjoyed one of the first elements of friendship through companionship Gen 2:18,
  • To Enoch and Noah, who “walked with God” in Gen 5:24 and Gen 6:9,
  • through to Abraham who God called His “friend” in Isaiah 41:8,
  • through to Moses who spoke with God “face to face, as a man speaks with his friend” (Ex. 33:11).
  • And then came Jesus, the “friend of sinners” John 15:13-15. Today God calls us to be His friends and friends to each other through communities.

3. Solomon’s wise proverbs teach us many principles for forming true friendships, for example, it teaches us

  • how to find true friends in Prov 13:20 and Prov 22:24-25,
  • the importance of loyalty in Prov 18:24; 19:6; 27:9–10
  • that one core damaging part of friendships – spreading secrets Prov 16:28; 17:9)

4. True Friendship is a bond not a contract.

While many people form friendships for what they can benefit, and so when we no longer get what we benefit, we leave, like a contract, the Bible teaches us that a friendship is a stronger bond than that.

Proverbs teaches us about “a friend who sticks closer than a brother” in Prov 18:24 It commands us, “Do not forsake your friend” (27:10). It warns us about how fickle some friendships can be “Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend” (19:4).

5. Local churches are great places to form good friendships independent of culture.

The book of Acts portrays the church as fulfilling ancient ideals of friendship (Acts 2:42-47; Acts 4:32­-35). Also, John calls fellow believers in churches his “friends” (3 John 15).

6. Jesus calls us to Eternal life through Friendship with Him.

According to Jesus, “this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). He rescued us from sin to create an intimate relationship with the Trinity forever (14:20–23).

7. THE CROSS – the ultimate demonstration of friendship.

On the night before he died, Jesus said, “greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Through his death, Jesus expressed the deepest love for his people, those He considered his friends. Jesus is therefore Our Truest Friend

8. True Friendship is: Our sacrificial Christ-like love for each other.

Jesus said in John 13:35: “by this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” And later in this same conversation, Jesus defined this “love for one another” in friendship terms. He said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12).

We want to share that friendship with you.

Reach Out