2 Timothy 1:15-18 A Disciple is a good friend
We all have this desire to have close personal friendships with others, we are all discouraged why people abandon us. Paul was like us he celebrated those who were good friends and was discouraged by the bad ones.
Vrs 15 Phy-gelus & Herm-oo-gen-es Fair weather friends. This verse does not tell us that they turned away from the Lord but that they turned away from Paul.
A bad friend…
-only has time for you when they need you.
Job 19:14 “my close friends have forgotten me”
-is not trustworthy. 3 under this topic The bad=betrayal (Judas), the ignorant (simple, just never learned how to be a good friend) & the lack of self control (some people mean well but they just cant things up or control themselves from hurting you).
George Elliot said…”Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts, nor measure words, but to pour them all out just as they are, chaff and grain together knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then, with the breath of kindness blow the rest away”
-is uncommitted: Like a wet bar of soap, the tighter you grab they get away
-does not live the Gospel toward you (summarize them) Job 6:14 “he who withholds kindness from a friend, forsakes the fear of the Almighty”
NO sacrifice, compassion, forgiveness, mercy or healing
Vrs 16-17 Own-e-seph-orus example of loyalty and a good friend.
A good friend… (This is what the disciple should aim towards)
-helps in a time of need. “refreshed” He met his physical needs…food and drink…also could be an encouragement and a constant reminder of the work of God (saying “Paul…keep your chin up…the Lord has got this)
Something that many people do not realize that a great time of need is when a person is caught up in sin
Someone once said “In our dealings with those caught in sin, mercy is incomplete unless we do as Jesus did; call it sin. We have winked, giggled, made alibis, or ignored sin all too long. A friend in deed is one who says quietly, but firmly, "What you're doing friend is sin. It is harmful to you and to others. It is destructive to God's will for you.”
This echoes Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend ;profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
-sticks with you even in worst moments. “Not ashamed of my chains” That also means that they will not hit the road when your relationship is having problems…they are committed to working things out
A small boy defined a friend as "Someone who knows all about you and likes you just the same."
-persistent in helping. “Searched” Starts with… I needed to reach out to you because I knew you were hurting.
Most of us will help if asked…but how many of us will seek out friends to help out to help.
If you find it difficult to make friends it may be because you are looking for people to meet your needs. “What need do I have?” “How are they meeting it?”
A great way to make friends is to seek out others and meet their needs. Good Samaritan
-is fruitful. “service he rendered” A good friend gives. It is important to realize a good disciple is fruitful, because of that they have the ability to be a great asset as a friend because they guide you into more fruitfulness.
Someone who is a good friend rubs off on you in positive ways. We all remember our parents saying things like “I don’t like how you act when you are around so and so”
But we all realize who is a positive influence on us…faithful servants of the Lord are. A word of clarification just because someone is faithful in service does not mean they are faithful or fruitful servant of the Lord.
Unfortunately I have come across people who are very consistent and committed but by their actions but it often seems that the service they give is very self motivated, we are not to judge but when we see people that are miserable and serving it causes us to wonder if their lack of joy has to do with their wrong motivation. (“I serve because it makes me feel…”
Example: have you ever gone somewhere that you did not want to go? (you did what you were asked…but how did you act)
Paul used Onesiphorus as an example because he knew his heart was in it. How do we know someone’s heart is in it Matthew 12:34-35 (not only are they there but it is how they act when they are there)
-prays for you. Paul continues the example of a good friend by praying for extra mercy for Onesiphorus. This is an example of a prayer of thanks. When we look at the book of Job we see in chapter 42 that Job prayed for his friends that “have not spoken right about the Lord”
So we see a good friend prays for their friends whether they are doing right or wrong. The temptation is…
when they are doing right we just expect that and don’t thank God for them
when they are doing wrong we are so ticked that we find it difficult to pray for them.
We may say “this is tough to be a friend like this” you are right it is that is why we look to Jesus for guidance
Jesus is the best friend, GOSPEL Proverbs 18:24 “a friend who sticks closer then a brother”
We may also say “I don’t have anyone like this in my life” don’t be discouraged no one is going to fit the perfect bill of friendship…but Jesus can fill that void for you. The lack of solid friends just helps you to realize how much more you need the friendship of God.
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