["Pomp and Circumstance"]
Let's go ahead and find our seats this evening.
Find a seat, find a hymnal close to you.
Turn to page number 415.
Song number 415 and we will open the service with
Victory Through Grace, song number 415.
Conquering now and still to conquer.
Let's go ahead and sing it out.
Nice and strong on the first.
Conquering now and still to conquer.
Let the King in his hand.
In his own soul all the way through.
And to the wisdom of Earth.
Seemingly firm is her majesty.
Out of the buildings array.
Shout in the name of their leader.
From the tall to the small.
Not too strong is a bad dream.
True is our faith.
Yet true when love is true.
Sound number 415, sing it out.
Let's do this on the second.
Conquering now and still to conquer.
Let the King in his hand.
In his own soul all the way through.
Let the King in his hand.
Love is coming this way.
Let the King in his hand.
In his own soul all the way through.
Let the King in his hand.
Love is coming this way.
Let the King in his hand.
Love is coming this way.
Let the King in his hand.
Love is coming this way.
Sound number 415, I know you guys are tired, but let's sing it out on the last one.
All right, pay attention to the words.
Conquering now and still to conquer.
Jesus, thou ruler of all.
Sound number 415, let's sing it out on the last.
Conquering now and still to conquer.
Jesus, thou ruler of all.
Through the centers of each of their flesh.
There's no place that ever shall fall.
There shall be no peace from the east.
There's no truth to the past.
Out of the mansions eternal.
There shall be no truth to the past.
None to the soul is imagine.
None to the soul is the place.
None to the soul and the place.
There shall be no truth to the past.
Amen.
Great singing.
We want to welcome everyone here to Verity Baptist Church here on our Sunday evening service.
We are so glad to see everyone here this evening is open to service with a word of prayer.
Dear Heavenly Father, we love you and thank you for a great day you've given us.
And we thank you again for the opportunity to be in your house this evening.
And thank you for our church, Lord, and thank you for everything that this church represents.
We pray, Lord, that you bless the service tonight.
We pray for the singing, the preaching, and of course the fellowship after the service, Lord, pray that.
Everything that would be said and done this evening would only bring glory and honor to you.
In the name of the Lord Jesus, I pray, amen.
All right, it's now time for favorites where if you're selected, we will sing a stanza from the song that you picked.
Go ahead, Caleb.
You got something?
401, song number 401.
Set my soul afire, song number 401.
Set my soul afire, Lord.
Set my soul afire.
Sing it out on the first.
Set my soul afire, Lord.
All that I hope you'll find.
The empty blue wind.
Let your words be mine.
All that I hope you'll find.
The empty blue wind.
Let your words be mine.
The empty blue wind.
Set my soul afire.
Make my life a place.
Let that singing fly.
Let us go in darkness.
Let it fall and fall.
Set my soul afire, Lord.
Set my soul afire.
Rajani, song number 81.
When we see Christ, song number 81.
Now you can't sing this song without singing it with some passion, all right?
Song number 81, When We See Christ.
We all look forward to that day.
Song number 81, sing it out on the first.
But that day seems wrong.
Our time is gone today.
We're tempted to complain.
Don't let me say.
But Christ will soon appear.
You can't just cry today.
All traitors who have proven.
In the eternal days we are.
If there'll be one alone.
When we see Christ.
Life strikes them since it's now.
When we see Christ.
But let the days remain.
All sorrow will remain.
So may we run the ways.
Till we see Christ.
Sing it.
246, 246.
Song number 246, Redeemed.
How I love to proclaim it, amen.
Song number 246, sing it out on the first.
Redeemed all how to proclaim it.
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
Redeemed through his infinite mercy.
His challenge will never end.
Redeemed, redeemed.
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
Redeemed, redeemed.
His challenge will never end.
Another surge.
136.
Song number 136.
Another epic one.
Master the Tempest is Raging.
Song number 136, sing it out on the first.
Master the Tempest is Raging.
We'll build our tops tonight.
The sky is a-chattin' with bad news.
The shots of our health is blind.
There is no other who cares.
There is no other sleeping.
There is no place for madness and evil.
No matter what we do.
Amazing though it shall remain.
Please be still.
Never the wrath of the storms are seen.
Nor kingdoms or men or whatever they be.
Nor walls without the shape of one.
Nor mess with the ocean and the urban skies.
We all shall sleep in the night.
Please be still.
We all shall sleep in the night.
Please, please be still.
Matthew, go ahead.
176.
Song number 176.
Jesus Loves the Little Children.
Song number 176.
It's a fun song, sing it out, kids, alright?
Sing it out on the first.
Jesus loves the little children.
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white.
We are precious in His light.
Jesus loves the little children of the world.
Sing one more song, Miss Selena, God.
Song number 24, this will be the last song for favorites.
And we're going to end it correctly.
Alright, song number 24.
And can it be that I should gain?
Sing it out as good as you can.
Alright, song number 24 on the first.
And can it be that I should gain
any interest in the Savior's blood?
Now, before me,
who must this man
draw me to Him?
Who must this man
amazing love?
How can it be
that I should
survive?
Who must this man
amazing love?
How can it be
that I should
survive?
Amen, and we want to welcome you to the Sunday evening service here at Verity Baptist Church.
We're so glad that you are with us.
Let's go ahead and take a look at some of our announcements.
If you do not have a bulletin, just raise your hand and one of our ushers can get one for you.
Of course, today's I Love My Church Sunday.
We had a wonderful service this morning.
We're glad you're back out tonight for the evening service.
The verse this week, Psalm 23, 6,
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
And that's a good verse there. We like that.
If you open up your bulletin, you'll see our service time Sunday morning service 1030 a.m.
and Sunday evening service 6 p.m.
And of course, we invite you to be with us on Wednesday night for the Wednesday night Bible study at 7 p.m.
If you look at the announcements and upcoming events,
of course, today is our I Love My Church Sunday.
We had a wonderful service this morning.
The choir did a great job. The orchestra did a great job.
And then, of course, tonight after the service, we have a potluck.
So we want to invite all of you to stick around for that.
We'll have a time of fellowship in our fellowship hall after the service.
And then just a couple of announcements.
There are actually several announcements, one for the homeschool group.
If you're part of our homeschool group,
I just want to remind you that there is a Valentine's Day party this Friday, February 14th.
At 11 a.m.
And my wife has the flyer with all the information that you need for the party
if your kids want to hand out Valentine's Day cards or whatever.
It's divided into different groups.
So make sure you get that from her.
And then there will be pizza.
Of course, there's going to be activities and games and things like that.
Also, there's a teen activity coming up for the teenagers on Friday, February 21st at 6 p.m.
And you can sign up on your communication card.
Spanish service is on February 22nd at 5 p.m.
And we'd love for you to be a part of the Spanish service, of course.
We're giving the Spanish service a break with the potluck since we're having a potluck tonight.
So there will be pizza after the service for the Spanish service.
And then the family fun night is on Sunday, February 23rd at 6 p.m.
So you're not going to want to miss that, of course, especially if you have kids.
We do want to just make a quick note for the men that were interested in the Biblical Leadership Institute.
We just had some issues with scheduling conflicts.
That was supposed to start this week, but we have to move that back to March 11th.
So please make a note of that.
Nine chapters a day challenge.
If you finish, there is a clipboard in the back.
Make sure you go by there and look for your name and let us know.
Find your name.
If it's spelled correctly, put a check mark or something next to it to let us know you saw it and that it's good.
If it's not correct, you can cross it out and write it the way that it's supposed to be spelled or whatever.
If it's not there and it's supposed to be there, you can add it.
But make sure you go by there and get that looked at.
Because once the plaque is made, it's done.
All right.
So we're going to have it back there for several weeks, give you some time to do that.
Make sure you do that.
If you look at the back of the bulletin, birthdays and anniversaries for the month of February,
this today is Laura Rubin's birthday, February 10th, and Miss Lisa Sweeten has a birthday tomorrow, February 11th.
Brother Warren Louderman has a birthday this week, February 13th.
Delia Vincent has a birthday, February 14th.
And Victor and Miss Julissa Zuniga have an anniversary, February 14th.
Praise Report, Money Matters, all of those things are there for you to look at.
And I think that's it for all of the announcements.
So we're going to go ahead and sing the chorus of the week, which is the insert in your bulletin.
And we're going to sing Be Thou My Vision as we prepare to receive the offering this evening.
Sing it out on the first.
I'm waking, oh, sleeping, my voice.
Sing it out on the second.
Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word.
I am one with thee, and one with me, Lord.
Thou my great Father, and my God, your Son.
Thou in me, gladly, am I with thee, Lord.
With truth I live, all that's in deep praise.
Thou mine inheritance, thou and all ways.
Thou and thou only, first in my heart.
I think of heaven, my treasure above.
I think of heaven, my victory won.
May I meet heaven's joys of heaven's sun.
Lord of my own heart, Lord have mercy on me.
Thou be my vision, Lord of my own heart.
Amen. Good singing. We'll have the guides come up and help us with the offering at this time.
And of course, just a quick reminder that we've got mother-baby rooms.
Make sure you check your cell phones, and let's go ahead and bow our heads and have a word of prayer.
Heavenly Father, Lord, we do love you. We thank you for allowing us to gather together tonight.
Lord, we pray you bless the offering, the gift, and the giver.
We pray you bless the time set aside for the preaching of your word and of course the food afterwards.
We pray that you'd bless the fellowship and help us, Lord, to have a good time.
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Amen.
You
Please open up to proverbs 18
Proverbs chapter 18 if you do not have a Bible, please raise your hand and let's give me a Bible
Proverbs 18
Just keep your hand up unless you will come by
Proverbs 18
Proverbs 18 beginning verse number 1
through desire a man having separated himself seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom a
Fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself
When the wicked cometh then cometh also contempt and with ignominy reproach
The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook
It is not good to accept the person of the wicked to overthrow the righteous in judgment
If fools lips enter into contention and his mouth calleth for strokes
A fool's mouth is his destruction and his lips are the snare of his soul
The words of a tale of error are his wounds and they go down to the innermost parts of the belly
He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him. That is a great waster
The name of the Lord is a strong tower
The righteous runneth into it and is safe
The rich man's wealth is a strong city and as an high wall in his own conceit
Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty
before honor is humility
He that answerth a matter before he hearth it. It is folly and shame unto him
The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity, but a wounded spirit who can bear
The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge a man's gift maketh room for him
It bringeth him before great men
He that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his neighbor cometh and surgeth him out
the lot causes contentions to cease in parteth between the mighty a
Brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city and their contentions are like the bars of a castle a
Man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his own of his mouth
With the increase of his lip shall he be filled
Death and life are in the power of the tongue and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof
Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing and obtaineth favor of the Lord
the peer useth in treaties, but the rich answerth roughly a
Man that hath friends must show himself friendly and there's a friend that's sicketh closer than a brother. Let's pray family father
Thank you for this evening
God, I thank you for your word and for our church Lord and as he please meet with us tonight
Give us all his tender hearts of the message Lord and please be their pastor. Please strengthen him and fill my spirit
We love you in Jesus name pray. Amen
Amen
All right over there in Proverbs chapter number 18
and I'd like you to look down at verse number 24 Proverbs chapter 18 the very last verse of the
Chapter verse 24 the Bible says a man that hath friends must show himself
friendly and there is a friend that's ticketh closer than a brother and of course today is I love my church Sunday and
This morning I spoke on the subject of how to love your church
how to love the church and we got some principles from the book of Psalms and
tonight we're gonna be here in the book of
Proverbs and I want to speak on the subject of friendships in church and how to build friendships in
Church having friends in church will be something that will help you get connected
to the family of
The church family, of course and it'll help you learn to love church and to love the church family
what I found is that the problem when it comes to this idea of friendship is that many people have
Warped views with regards to friendship. They have thoughts that are not correct with regards to friendship and I'd like to quickly
Just give you some thoughts about this from the Word of God just three thoughts here from the book of Proverbs on
How to have friends in church or how to build
Friendships in church and I don't want to spend a lot of time
Obviously we have a potluck and there's food back there
So let's try to I'll try to do move quickly if you can help me with that
I don't know how you can help me with that, but just help me
All right, however way you can and pay attention and say amen and maybe that'll encourage me
I don't know. Let me give you some thoughts with regards to
Friendships how to build friendships in church how to build friendships in church. Let me give you three thoughts
Maybe you can jot these down and we always encourage you to take notes number one
I would say this and you're there in Proverbs 18 24
I want you to notice the Bible says a man that hath friends must show himself friendly a man that hath friends
Must show himself friendly and when the Bible says here show himself friendly. This is not only talking about
Being friendly obviously when we use the word friendly we're talking about
being warm being kind being
Approachable being
Someone that's easy to get along with and I definitely think you can apply this here
If you're going to have friends, you need to be a friendly person
You can't be cold and and mean and and on edge
But I think it's more than that when the Bible says here a man that has friends must show himself friendly
Yes, of course be a friendly person be warm be approachable
Be kind be someone that's easy to get along with but I think what it means here and what the deeper
Teaching is that a man that has friends. They need to have the attributes of friendship. They need to show themselves show himself
Friendly and the first thing I'd like to say tonight
And if you want to jot this down you can do that is
This when it comes to developing friendships and specifically I'm talking about developing friendships and building friendships within the congregation
Within church how to build friendships in church number one you have to focus on being a friend not just having friends
You should focus on being a friend not just having friends
I think that's what this verse is telling us a man that have friends must show himself friendly you want to have friends
then you need to be a friend if you want friends you have to be a friend there is a
Famous little saying that says it that goes like this
I went out to find a friend but found none there
I went out to be a friend and found them everywhere and oftentimes people get this idea
And they say I don't have any friends or it's hard to make friends. It's hard to find friends
Well, I would say this it is absolutely difficult to find friends
But if you decide to be a friend you're gonna find that you're gonna find friends everywhere and everyone out
There is looking for someone to be a friend
And I think the first thought when it comes to friendship is this you're there in Acts chapter
Excuse me Proverbs chapter 18 go to the book of Acts if you would in the New Testament keep your place there in Proverbs
We're gonna come back to Proverbs
But go to Acts chapter 9 Matthew Mark Luke John and then the book of Acts in the New Testament Acts chapter number 9
the idea is this that
Finding friends is difficult
But everyone's looking for a friend and when you decide that I don't need to find friends
But I need to be a friend if you focus on being a friend not just having friends
You're gonna find them everywhere. I went out to find a friend but found none there
I went out to be a friend and found friends everywhere. You know something I've learned about
Friendships especially as I talked to people with regards to this sometimes helping people with this is that I think we have this wrong
Idea oftentimes we're looking for someone to reach out to us
We're looking for someone to be our friend the Bible says here. You must show yourself
Friendly sometimes people want friendships that are easy. They don't cost them anything that doesn't there's no no time invested
They want friends that are available
But available when I need them to be available not too needy not too much not to this not to that
but the truth is this that
Friendship is a relationship and you have to invest in it the truth is that friendship requires work it requires
investment and you don't want to sit around and wait for someone to reach out to you you want to
Try to be a friend. This is highlighted in the book of Acts Acts chapter 9
If you look down at verse number 26
I just want to show you this story real quickly
Acts chapter 9 in verse number 26 the Bible says this and when Saul and of course
This is the man who will later be known as the Apostle Paul
But he just got saved the Saul of Tarsus the Bible says and when Saul was come to Jerusalem
He assayed that were to say it is an older word
We don't use it a lot today
But it means he attempted to or he tried he say notice these words to join himself to the disciples
That little phrase there says means he attempted to join himself to the disciples
He tried to join himself to the disciples
but they were all afraid of him and believe not that he was a
disciple here the Bible tells us that he tried he attempted to join the group to join the church to join the
Disciples, but he found it difficult now
He found it difficult because they were afraid of him and let me just say this they were afraid of him for good reason
Obviously there was a reason why they were afraid in fact if you look up into verse number one in that same chapter
Acts chapter 9 in verse 1 we find the Apostle Paul before
His conversion verse 1 says this and Saul yet breathing out
Threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord went unto the high priest
So that's why they were afraid of him because before he got saved
He was breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples if you quickly look at chapter 8
Just the chapter right before chapter 8 in verse 1 the Bible says this about Saul and Saul was
consenting unto his death and of course the first martyr Stephen in the New Testament
Aside from the Lord Jesus Christ of course the Bible tells us that Saul was there
He was consenting unto his death and at that time there was a great persecution against the church
Which was at Jerusalem and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the Apostles and devout men carried Stephen
To his burial and made great lamentation over him look at verse 3 as for Saul
He made havoc of the church entering into every house and hailing men and women committed them to prison
All right, so we understand why they were afraid of him. They had good reason to be afraid of him
He was leading the charge against the persecution of the believers
But I want you to notice if you go back to Acts chapter 9 in verse 26
I think nobody's surprised if you know the story of the book of Acts and you know the Apostle Paul or Saul of Tarsus
It doesn't surprise us that it says that he assayed to join himself to the disciples
But they were all afraid of him and believe not that he was a disciple
But I want you to notice verse 27 verse 27 might be a little surprising to you
If you don't know the story in verse 27 says this but Barnabas took him and brought him to the Apostles and
Declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way and that he had spoken to him and how he had preached boldly
At Damascus in the name of Jesus and he Saul was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem
So notice in verse 26 he has saved himself to join them
He had tried he attempted to join himself the disciples was unsuccessful
But then Barnabas reaches out to him verse 27 Barnabas took him and brought him and declared
Unto them and as a result verse 28. He was with them
He was accepted because of Barnabas Saul was welcomed
Into the fellowship of believers the Bible says he was with them coming in and out at Jerusalem
And this is what we need to learn in regards to friendships
Within the church, let it never be said first of all
Let me say this let it never be said of Verity Baptist Church that someone assayed to join themselves
Unto us and found it difficult
Let's make sure that we have a church filled of Barnabas who are looking out for new people and looking out
To to welcome people. Let's make sure we're a welcoming church and and I'm thankful that we are a welcoming church
But let's make sure that we keep that mindset and that welcoming spirit
Let's strive to be a Barnabas that goes out of his way Barnabas Saul wasn't making do
Barnabas did not need Saul at this time Saul wasn't doing anything for Barnabas yet Barnabas went out of his way
To bring him in he went out of his way to make him feel welcomed
He went out of his way to invest in Saul
He went out of his way to do something for Saul, and this is what we need to learn you say
I'd like friends at church. I don't have any friends at church
Well, you got to focus on being a friend not just having friends and if you go out and decide I'm gonna be a friend
I'm gonna reach out to someone
I'm gonna find someone who needs a friend and I'm gonna be a friend to them
I think what you'll find is that when we go out to find a friend we found none there
But when we go out to be a friend you'll find them everywhere and you need to be a friend
You need to focus on being a friend not just
Having friends and let's make sure that we're welcoming people
Let's make sure that we're people that are easy to get along with and likeable and friendly
Let's have all those attitudes of friendliness, but let's also have attitudes of friendship
So number one tonight we had a focus on being a friend not just having friends
Don't just sit there and say well somebody needs to reach out to me and somebody makes it
It has to make it easy for me and somebody has to put all the work and effort for me
No, why don't you put the work in effort? Why don't you be the Barnabas? Why don't you reach out?
Why don't you make the introduction? Why don't you introduce yourself? Why don't you say hi. My name is what's your name?
I'm so glad you're here Saul. Thanks for being here
Why don't you be the one that reaches out and be a friend because the Bible says a man that have friends the show himself
friendly
So let's be friendly
Focus on being a friend not just having friends. Let me give you a second thought this evening number one
I said focus on being a friend not just having friends if you can make your way back to Proverbs chapter 27 this time Proverbs 27
I'm giving you three thoughts from Proverbs. I gave you seven thoughts from Psalms this morning
I'm giving you thoughts from Proverbs this evening Proverbs chapter 27
And I'd like you to look down at verse number 17
Proverbs chapter 27 in verse number 17
And this is of course a very well-known verse with regards to friendship Proverbs 27 and verse 17 the Bible says this iron
sharpened with iron
Iron sharpened with iron and the Bible says so a man sharpened at the countenance of his friends
Number one focus on being a friend not just having friends
Let me give you another statement this evening, and it is this choose to be a friend who?
Encourages spiritual growth choose to be a friend, and I would say this not only should you choose to be a friend?
But you should choose friends that encourage
Spiritual growth why does God why would God even create this concept of friendship?
What is the point of having a friend the point of having friends is for those friends to make you better?
And if you find yourself being made worse by your friends, and you need to find some new friends
Iron sharpened with iron the Bible says so a man sharpened at the countenance of his friends
You ought to choose and be a friend you ought to choose and be a friend. I'm saying that very
Purposefully not only should you choose friends that encourage spiritual growth
But you ought to be a friend that in skirt and encourages spiritual growth
And you've got to ask yourself this question keep your place there in Proverbs of course
We're coming back to Proverbs
But fine with me if you would the book of 1st Samuel 1st Samuel chapter 23 if you find
All the one and two books they're all clustered together
1st and 2nd Samuel 1st and 2nd Kings 1st and 2nd chronicles and like you to find 1st Samuel chapter 23
You've got your place in Proverbs do me a favor when you get to 1st
Samuel keep your place there as well because we're going to come back to it 1st Samuel chapter 23
And you should ask yourself a couple of questions first of all ask yourself this are your friends making you a better Christian
Are your friends making you a better Christian or maybe you should ask it this way are you making your friends a better better Christians?
The Bible says in 1st Samuel 23 in verse 16 of course if you're familiar with the life of David
You know that Jonathan was and David were good friends the Bible says that their souls have been knit together
and in Proverbs 23 in verse 16 the Bible says this and
Jonathan saw son arose and went to David into the woods and
Strengthened his hand in God I want you to notice that that's an amazing verse
I think the Bible says that Jonathan
Goes to his friend David and as a result of Jonathan's friendship to David
Jonathan
Strengthened his hand whose hand David's hand he strengthened his hand in
God and I've got to ask you the question could that be said of you as a friend
Could it be said of you as a friend that because of your influence that because of your friendship that because of your
Time spent with an individual you have strengthened their hand in God
Could it be said of your friends that your friends are making you better see you have to not only focus on being a friend
But you not just focus on being a friend, but you ought to focus on on on on
Developing friendships and finding friendships that are going to make you better choose and be a friend who encourages
Spiritual growth you have to consider the fact that your friendships should be making you a better person a better Christian
They should be strengthening your hand in God keep your place there in first Samuel 23 go with me
If you would to the book of Deuteronomy Deuteronomy chapter number 13
Deuteronomy chapter number 13 you got to focus on being a friend
not just having friends and
You ought to focus on being a good friend
You ought to choose and be a friend who encourages spiritual growth
again as a
result of your influence when you show up to your little huddle of friends
And you've got your group of friends there
Are you making that situation better more?
Spiritual more godly people are being sharpened as a result of the things you say the influence you bring the the the things you talk
About or are they becoming worse or?
Are your friends making you worse are your friends making you better as a Christian or worse?
Are you making your friends better as a Christian or worse are your friends making you a worse Christian?
The Bible says in Deuteronomy 13 and verse 6. I'd like you to see it of course
This is in the Old Testament. This is under the Old Testament law and
This doesn't apply to us today. We do not live in Old Testament Israel under this law so the
Application the the specific application is not for us
But there's a principle here that we can learn Deuteronomy 13 and verse 6 the Bible says this if thy brother
the son of thy mother or the son of thy daughter or
The wife of thy bosom notice these words or thy friend
Which is as thine own soul look at these words?
entice the
Secretly saying let us go and serve other gods
Which thou has not known thou nor thy fathers namely of the gods of the people which are round about you not
Nigh unto thee or far from off thee
From the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth notice verse 8 thou shalt not consent unto him
Nor hearken unto him neither shall thine eye pity him neither shalt thou spare
Neither shalt thou conceal him look at verse 9, but thou shalt surely kill him
Now again that doesn't apply to us today. I'm not telling you go out and kill a friend
That's being a bad influence obviously
This is under the Old Testament nation of Israel and the law that they had but I will say this
Obviously the old this is Old Testament law
But there's a principle here that we can learn from and it is this that sometimes there are friendships that need to die
Sometimes there are friendships that you just need to kill
There are friendships that you just need to get rid of why because they're not being a good influence on you
They're not making you better
They're making you worse
The whole point of having friends is that they help you that they make you better
They're making you a better Christian iron
sharpeneth iron and if you have a friend in your life that's making you worse you need to end that relationship and
If you are a friend that's making others worse you need to get right with God
But thou shalt surely kill him thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death and afterwards the hand of
all the people
You've got to ask yourself. Are you making your friends better? Are you making them worse?
Are your friends making you better? Are they making you worse does it become a gossip session when you show up?
Does it become a carnal?
Conversation when you show up
Iron sharpeneth iron that is the purpose of having friends so we need to focus on being a friend not just having friends
We need to choose and be friends who encourage spiritual
Growth and let me just say this to the young people especially the teenagers
I want to challenge you teenagers don't be the rotten apple
Don't be that kid that ruins the youth group and ruin don't be that kid that needs to bring all the worldly
influences and wants to talk about all the bad movies and all the bad TV shows and all the bad YouTube videos and wants to
Cussing and once you look just don't be that person
Decide you're gonna be a good friend
You're gonna be a good influence, and if you're worldly and you're sinful keep that to yourself. Don't ruin everyone else
Focus on being a friend not just having friends and choose to be a friend who encourages spiritual growth choose to
Be a friend who encourages spiritual growth and choose to have friends that encourage spiritual growth
Let me give you a third thought this evening, and we'll finish up. I've only been preaching 20 minutes
I'm gonna try to close this up in the next 10 minutes, so we can get to the potluck all right
Go to Proverbs chapter 25 if you kept your place there in Proverbs
Proverbs chapter 25 I said focus on being a friend not just having friends
Choose to be a friend who encourages spiritual growth and make sure you are a friend choose friends that encourage
Spiritual growth and choose to be a friend that encourages spiritual growth focus on being a friend look
We're about to have a potluck and praise the Lord for it. I'm glad you're here
It's a perfect time to try to be friendly and make friends
You know sometimes that potluck line can be a little long
Take that opportunity to fellowship with your brother or sister in Christ that you happen to be
Standing with and be a friend and be a good friend
Number one focus on being a friend not just having friends number two choose and be a friend who encourages spiritual growth
But then number three tonight Proverbs 25, I don't think this will surprise any of you
Proverbs 25 verse 17 the Bible says this withdraw thy foot from my neighbor's house
Lest he be weary of thee and so hate thee here's point number three be careful not to become too comfortable with any one friend
Be careful about spending too much time with any one friend
This is what the Bible says Proverbs 25 17 withdraw thy foot from my neighbor's house
He says be careful about spending too much time with any one person
Why lest he be weary of thee and so hate thee?
Let me just go ahead and say it and I hope I don't hurt your feelings, but let me just say it
I don't care if you guys want to listen to me about this or not
I'm gonna keep reaching it. I'm gonna keep teaching it. I'm gonna keep preaching it you do
Whatever you want. I'm not your mom. I'm not your boss. I don't need to know how you spend your time
I don't care how you spend your time
But I'm gonna keep teaching and preaching this
because whether you want to listen to me or not at the very least the next time you get in a fight with your friend because
You're spending too much time with them
At least maybe you'll be so ashamed to make a big deal about it because you'll be like well pastor
He's bringing it up like every other week
That's my goal
Because the Bible says be careful about spending too much time
With any one person why because you'll end up hating each other
You'll end up getting on each other's nerves. You'll end up saying things you shouldn't say you'll end up
That's what the Bible says and look you do what you want you do you?
But the next time you get in a fight with someone because you spent just a little too much time together
Hopefully you'll be like well
I'm just gonna go ahead and forgive them because pastor keeps bringing this up
If I can shame you into being spiritual, I'll do it
If I can embarrass you into choosing the right of making the right choice
I'll do it you ought to be careful about spending too much time
with any one friend
You say well is there anybody I can spend a lot of time with here's the people you can spend a whole lot of time with
your best friend the Lord Jesus Christ
and your
Best human friend ought to be your spouse
Spend all the time in the world with your wife spend all the time in the world with your with your husband
Here's the thing you they'll probably get on your nerves too, and you'll probably get on their nerves, too
But you're married so they can't do anything about it. You just have to learn to work through that thing and and and do it
But everyone else you got to be careful about spending too much time
Well draw thy foot from thy neighbor's house
Lest he be wary of thee and so hate thee and again. I don't care what you do you do what you want
I'm gonna teach the Word of God
Second Samuel chapter 13, did you keep your place there in first Samuel go to second Samuel chapter 13?
See here's what happens, and this is the problem with spending too much time sometimes with people is that you get a little too comfortable
And you get a little too comfortable with any one friend
You ought never get so comfortable that you sin with somebody else
Second Samuel 13 in verse 1 let me just show you this story
There's so much in this story
I mean the I could preach a whole sermon series just out of this story
But let me just highlight this for you real quickly second Samuel 13 in verse 1 the Bible says this and it came to pass
after this that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister
whose name was Tamar and
Amnon the son of David loved her and
Amnon was so vexed the word of Vax means
distressed
That he fell sick for his sister. This is half sister Tamar
He's in love with his half sister Tamar for she was a virgin and Amnon thought it hard for him to do
Anything to her so Amnon is in love quote unquote we find out later that it's not really love
but he thinks he's in love with his half sister Tamar and
To his credit Amnon thought it hard for him to do anything to her
To his credit up to verse 2 he has these wrong desires for this young lady
But he's not gonna act on him. He thought it hard for him to do anything to her
He thought you know I can't do anything about it. I'm not gonna act on this
I'm not gonna do anything
But the story changes and it hinges on this one little phrase found in verse number 3 the Bible says this
But Amnon had a friend
And Amnon had a friend, but it wasn't a very good friend
Amnon had a friend, but he shouldn't have had this friend
Amnon had a friend, but this friend was not sharpening him was not making him better was not
Encouraging him to do right. This was the rotten apple friend
The Bible says but Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab the son of Shimei David's brother and Jonadab was a very
Subtle man doesn't that remind you of the serpent in the Garden of Eden?
The serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field by the way, you know the rotten apples are usually the subtle ones
They're not the ones that get into trouble they just get you into trouble
In verse 4 the Bible says this and he said unto him why art thou being the king's son lean from day to day
You know you ought to be careful about friends who are always affirming you
You ought to be careful about friends who are always telling you you're right, and you deserve better
You know the Apostle Paul said am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth
One thing that my wife and I have found in ministry is that nine times out of ten you're gonna get mad at me
And you're gonna get mad at her and you're not gonna get mad at your fellow church members
And you're not gonna get mad at the staff and the staff wife
You're not getting mad because they're never gonna really to correct you on anything
See sometimes people say things in my presence or my wife's present. I think myself. Why did you just say that?
Now I'm gonna have to say something about what you just said
I
Can't just let you say that no, that's not okay. That's not fine
Be careful about friends who are constantly affirming you
You're not the Lord Jesus Christ. You're not always right
And if your friends are always telling you like you're right you deserve better. You're great. Hey, that's not a good friend
That's a slimy friend
Who's lying to you and telling you everything you do is good everything you do is right
the Bible says
He said to him. Why are thou being the king's son lean from day to day?
Says you deserve more than that, but I want you to notice verse 4 look at the in the middle of verse 4
I want you to notice
He said why he said unto him why are thou being the king's son lean from day to day and then notice this little phrase
he says wailed thou not tell me and
The answer that should have came from Amnon at this point should have been no. I'm not gonna tell you
But the problem with Amnon and John adapt is that they spent a little too much time together
They've gotten a little too comfortable with each other in
Fact they've gotten so comfortable that Amnon says will thou not tell me
Tell me I need to know tell me
And I'm gonna said unto him. I love Tamar my brother
Absalom's sister and they began to talk about things. They shouldn't have talked about they began to share things
They shouldn't have shared. They got a little too comfortable with each other
Listen you ought to be careful about spending so much time
With someone that you just get come when you get comfortable enough to start sinning and start talking about things you are not me you
Spend a little too much time
Bible says in verse 5 and John adapts said unto him lay thee down on my bed and make thyself
Sick and when thy father cometh to see thee say unto him
I pray thee let my sister Tamar come and give me meat and dress the meat in my sight that I may see it and
Eat it at her hand here
Jonathan begins to give Amnon a plan his friend Amnon had a friend and Jonathan begins to tell
Amnon well, here's what you should do and here's how you should what you should do about it
And here's how you can get your way and here's how you can get away with it
I don't want to spend all night on this but notice how the story ends in verse number 11 second
Samuel 13 and verse 11 the Bible says this and when she had brought them unto him to eat. He puts John adapts friend
his plan into action and
Tamar comes and brings him something to eat because he's pretending to be sick the Bible says he took hold of her and
Said unto her come lie with me my sister and she answered him nay my brother
Do not force me for no such thing ought to be done in Israel
Do not vow this folly and I wither shall I cause my shame to go and as for thee thou shalt be as one of
The fools in Israel now therefore I pray these speak unto the king for he will not withhold me from thee knows verse 14
Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice, but being stronger than she look at it
being stronger than she forced her and lay with her
You know how the story ends
It starts it
Starts with Amnon having wrong desires towards a young lady, but he thought it hard to do anything unto her
He wasn't gonna act on it and it ends with Amnon raping her
taking advantage of her
being stronger than she forced her and
Lay with her and what made the difference what made the difference was this Amnon had a friend
But he had a friend he shouldn't have had
He had a bad friend
He had a friend he got a little too comfortable with
He had a friend he spent a little too much time with
Be careful not to become too comfortable with any one friend
Be careful about spending too much time with any one friend be careful about getting too comfortable with look
Your job as a friend is to make people better not worse
You ought to be better church members as a result of your friendship not worse
Gotta be better Christians as a result of your friendship not worse go back to Proverbs 13. We'll finish this up
Proverbs chapter 13 and by the way
Amnon ends up dying as a result because of this he gets murdered and
When Amnon is murdered guess what Jonah does he goes to David, and he says let me tell you what Amnon did
That's the kind of friend John Adab was and these are the kind of friends we should avoid
and
You dead sure should not be this type of friend when it comes to be a friend you ought to focus on being a friend
Being a good friend not just having friends. Don't sit around waiting for people to befriend you hey you go befriend them
You go find someone that needs a friend you go find a soul out there
somewhere out there and and be a part of this and be a friend and
Make sure no matter who your friends are whether it's you
Being a friend to someone or someone being a friend to you make sure they encourage you in spiritual growth make sure they're making you
A better Christian make sure iron is sharpening iron, and if it's not maybe you need to kill that relationship
And be careful not to become too comfortable with any one friend
Don't spend too much time with any one person don't get too comfortable with any one person
Don't be the John Adab
to Amnon
Proverbs 13 and verse 20 the Bible says this he that walketh with wise men look at it shall be wise
That's the goal
That's the goal of friendship
Walk with wise men so that you'll be wise but notice the compare and contrast
But a companion of fools shall be destroyed
That's happening
He was a companion of fools, and he was destroyed
So when it comes to friendship
You ought to be a friend
You say I want friends and be a friend a man that has friends with showed himself friendly
But let me say this be a good friend
Be a friend that encourages your friends to do good to do right to be spiritual
iron sharpened with iron
Don't be a foolish friend and don't have foolish friends
Make sure you don't have people around you that are going to pull you down and make you worse and get you backslidden
Make sure you're not the John Adab to an Amnon and make sure you don't have a John Adab as an Amnon
Spire heads in that world of prayer. Heavenly Father Lord we do love you
And Lord we thank you for these clear
Passages with regards to friendship
And Lord I pray you'd help us to realize that friendship is not just something that we do
And there's no purpose to it. It's something that you've
Instructed us about and help us to have good friendships and spiritual friendships and Lord
I think the most important thing is that we decide that we're gonna be good friends
Help us to be good friends Lord
I pray you'd help every teenager in this room to make a decision to not be the rotten apple in the youth group and to
Not be affected by the rotten apple in the youth group
But it's not just teens. I pray you'd help these adults
To realize that there is a purpose to friendship
And help us Lord to have wisdom when it comes to friendship, but sometimes we need to limit things sometimes we need to kill things
Lord I pray you'd give us the wisdom to do it in Jesus name we pray
Amen. All right well God bless you. Thank you for being here tonight
I do just a couple things first of all I want to invite you to the potluck that we have tonight
And we hope that you'll stick around of course if you go out these doors
And you head towards the back there's a big room and the food is there
There'll be a line. I think it starts on this side, and I just want to invite you to stick around
For fellowship we have brother RJ come up and lead us in a final song
And then we'll have the potluck after that and then of course
I want to thank you for being part of our I love my church Sunday. We appreciate you being here, and we do hope that
You know I hope you know and that my wife, and I love you all very much
We're praying for you and because we love you that means sometimes
We're going to tell you things you don't want to hear
But that's the whole point and I hope you have enough maturity to understand if there's anything we can do for you
Please let us know we're gonna have brother RJ come up and lead us in a final song
And if you don't mind brother RJ, would you pray a blessing on the meal?
Now scrub a song looks and turn to page number 355
So number 355 the sermon was about how to be a good friend
But now we're gonna sing about the greatest friend. We could ever have a man saw number
355
Let me get there myself saw number 355 what a friend we have in Jesus see it out
Oh
Great see you want to thank everyone here for being with us here on church for Sunday evening service
And if you have any questions about salvation
Baptism or church membership pastor will be at the door and love to talk to you or and direct you to someone who's trained
To do that as well. And as obvious we have a fellowship after this service
So stick around and let's pray for the food your heavenly fire will love you
And then again, we just thank you for everything you do for us and thank you for this church
Thank you for all everyone that's in this church tonight. Lord. Pray that you bless the fellowship tonight
We pray for the food and we hope Lord at everything that would be said and done this evening would only bring glory and honor
To you name you love you Lord in Jesus. Am I pray. Amen
You