Friends - Week 4 - Recap

Last night we wrapped up our series on Friends by talking about Identity.

Musician Sarah Kelley was talking at the end about her own self-hate she had for herself when she was in high school.  Do you think that’s a problem today for high schoolers?  (Many answered yes due to who they hang out with, how others treat them, bad parents, and so forth)

Remember her advice – patience with ourselves, keep a journal, think about our like and dislikes, worship God through it all (when you dwell on self-hatred you are dwelling on yourself!  When you are worshiping God you are looking for answers from the Holy God who can help get you through anything).

Turn to the right people for support – not a boyfriend that is trying to help you commit suicide as Sarah had!

 Sean also mentioned 4 principles for building relationships…

1. Take an honest look at your own life.  Who do you really want to be and act as?

2.  Have realistic expectations.  BFF’s aren’t usually made over night.  Neither is “true love.”

3. Be a good friend.  Don’t always look for what you can get out of a relationship, but what you put into it.

4.  Ask God for a true friend.  If you’re centered on God’s will, then it will help you in the searching process and you won't compromise what you want in a friend just for the feeling of having another friend.

I’m guessing that at some point in life everyone has been labeled something…

Somebody’s brother or sister, based on your intelligence, looks, activities…who knows.  But that can't be where your identity comes from.

We broke up into groups of 3-4 and studied these verses. 

Ephesians 2:10 – God has created us for the purpose of doing good. We’re his “work of art.”

Philippians 1:6 – God has begun to work within us, and he’ll keep at it.

Psalm 139:13-14 – God has knit us together, we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.”

Romans 12:5-6 – We are part of the body of Christ; we have different gifts.

Colossians 3:12-13 – We are loved and forgiven.  We need to show love and forgiveness to others.

Matthew 5:14-16 – We lighten up the world with good deeds and praise.

1 Corinthians 3:16 – We are God’s temple.  The Spirit lives in us.

Genesis 1:27– We have been created in God’s image.

We finished up with our Prayer Cards
1. Your request for someone/something else.

2. A specific action – that because of you who are and based on these verses, you want to put into action this week. For example: how will you show love and forgiveness? What good deeds will you do? How will you honor God with your body as his temple? Looking for a specific! Whoever gets your card will pray that you accomplish it and hopefully even ask you if you did it!!!

3. Let’s review the 4 weeks of friends, then I want you to write down which of the 4 themes that you need prayer for.   A. Loneliness (Samaritan woman)       B. Peer Pressure (wicked, sinners, and mockers - choose friends wisely – choose areas/times that you can help others without succumbing to temptation.   C. Comparisons (disciples, valuing each other)  D. Identity
To see all 4 lesson recaps of the Friends series click here.