What does it mean to be a friend?
A, This is how people in this world make friends! Luke 16:1-9
To understand these scriptures correctly, one must pay attention to this phrase-->(The unrighteous servant said to himself!)
1. Jesus said to his disciples: There was a rich man, which had a servant; and the same was accused
to him that he had wasted his goods. 16:1
2. He said to him: How is it that I hear this of you? Give an account and be no longer my servant.16:2
3. The servant said to himself: What shall I do? For my master has fired me. I can’t did, and I am
ashamed to beg! Luke 16:3
4. I am resolved what to do; after I am put out of my job, they may receive me into their houses. 16:4
5. He called each of his mater’s debtors to him and said to the 1st: How much do you owe my master?
He said: 800 gallons of oil. He said to him: Sit down and write 400. Luke 16:5-6
6. Then he called another: How much do you owe? He said: 1000 bushels of wheat.
He said to him: Take you bill and write 800. Luke 16:7
7. The master commended the unrighteous servant, because he had done wisely; for the children of this world are in their
generation wiser than the children of light. Luke 16:8
8. I say to you: Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when you fail, they may receive you into
everlasting habitations. Luke 16:9
(Unrighteous people always think, they can do unrighteous and still claim to believe Jesus and be in heaven!)
They deceive themselves by thinking God is all love! They forget God is righteous also!
9. People in the world are making this same mistake all the time!
Worldly people think they are wiser! In truth they are fools!
I say, they are out of their minds, would them themselves receive a cheater into their house?
Unrighteous people do unrighteous things can expect to be in heaven?
10. May the world forever wake up and read 1 Cor.1:25--> For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the
weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.
B. These are real friends!1. And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea.
And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. Acts 10:24
2. And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together. Acts 10:273. So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything
the Lord has commanded you to tell us. Acts 33
4. Felix ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to take care of his
needs. Acts 24:23
5. Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are
in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-- and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Heb.10:24-25
6. If you have this kind of friend you can do the next item!Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
7. I no longer call you servants, for a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything
that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. Jn.15:15
C. Attending Bible study and Sunday worship is an effective way to test your friendship!
1. You are a Christian. You have strong desires for your friends to be saved in Jesus!
2. Naturally, you would ask them to come to church with you!
3. They feel your desire, they come with you!
4. If they can ignore your feeling, the most they are is acquaintance, not friend!
5. I had 37 high school graduated good friends 50 some years ago!
The closer I get to the truth in the Bible, they stay the farther away from me!
In reality, my presence presented them big problem in their lives!
In my present, they can’t say curse, can’t smoke, can’t brag, can’t drink wine…too many can’t!
Who wants to be in such a situation and be suffocated?!
6. I value what Apostle Paul said in 1 Cor.11:1--> Be imitators of me, as I imitate Christ!
Yes, let them all come to imitate us. We don’t imitate them!
7. If people in the world are wise enough they would come imitate us as we imitate Christ!
I know this world would be at peace instantly!
May the Lord bless you and keep you always! Preach this on October 28, 2012