Woodspring Community Church

A family-friendly church in Weston-super-Mare

Friends 2

Developing friendships is preparing the way for the Gospel

IS40: 3 A voice is calling, "Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.

4 "Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley;

5 Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, And all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

A Public Friend is …….

(Your definition)

Multitude – those He healed

A Social Friend is …….

(Your definition)

Eg. Jesus and the 70, plus supporters

Tax gatherers and sinners – whom he partied with

(Mat 11:19 NASB) "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

(philos)

A Personal Friend is …….

(Your definition)

Eg. Jesus and the 12, plus some women

An Intimate Friend is ……

(Your definition)

Eg. Jesus and the 3, plus the Marys & Lazarus?

God wants us for His friends.

Adam

Walked with God in the garden – as a friend would.

Abraham

(2 Chr 20:7 NASB) "Didst Thou not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before Thy people Israel, and give it to the descendants of Abraham Thy friend forever?

Is41:8 "But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, Descendant of Abraham My friend,

James 2:23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS," and he was called the friend of God.

Moses

(Exo 33:11 NASB) Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

Jesus

John 15: 13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

14 "You are My friends, if you do what I command you. (remember Adam)

15 "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

If God is our friend – what kind of friend is He?

Public

Social

Personal

Intimate

As we develop in our relationship with Him we move from one space to the next, but that doesn’t mean we leave the previous space(s) behind.

The language we use and the themes we talk about will differ in each space.

Sometimes we can get embarrassed, intimidated or condemned by someone displaying their intimate relationship with God in the public setting. Sometimes these people get a false title of “spiritual” and become elevated the eyes of the congregation. This is not helpful or healthy.

The nature and content of our conversation with God - The Father – The Son – The Holy Spirit will vary depending on the social space we are in at the time.

Sometimes we will pray personally in a public space – but deliberately – for purpose.

Jesus demonstrated this throughout His life – can you think how?

Public

John 11: 41 And so they removed the stone. And Jesus raised His eyes, and said, "Father, I thank Thee that Thou heardest Me.

42 "And I knew that Thou hearest Me always; but because of the people standing around I said it, that they may believe that Thou didst send Me."

43 And when He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth."

(Mark 6:41 NASB) And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food and broke the loaves and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before them; and He divided up the two fish among them all.

Social

John 17: 17:1 These things Jesus spoke; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify Thy Son, that the Son may glorify Thee,

2 even as Thou gavest Him authority over all mankind, that to all whom Thou hast given Him, He may give eternal life.

3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.

Personal

Luke 22: 31 "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat;

32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."

Intimate

Healing – Jairus’ daughter

(Mark 5:40 NASB) And they began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took^ along the child's father and mother and His own companions, and entered^ the room where the child was.

Mount of Transfiguration

Matt 17:1 And six days later Jesus took^ with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and brought^ them up to a high mountain by themselves.

2 And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.

Garden of Gethsemane

Matthew 26: 36 Then Jesus came^ with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said^ to His disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."

37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed.

38 Then He said^ to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me."

How we share the Gospel will be influenced by the kind of social space we are in; by the kind of friendship we have.

How might we share the gospel in each of these friendships?

Public

Social

Personal

Intimate

Office Address:

0845 519 3873