The document discusses the importance of friendship in Christianity. It makes three main points: 1) Friendship must be proven through sacrificial love, as demonstrated by Jesus laying down his life for others. 2) Friendship must be practiced by loving one another as commanded by Jesus, as shown through kindness, loyalty, and mutual support. 3) Friendship must be proclaimed, so others know we are Christ's disciples by our love for one another. Christians are called to live out true friendship modeled by Jesus.

1. A Friend Indeed
John 15:9-17

2. • John 15:9-17 "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you;
abide in My love. 10If you keep My commandments, you will
abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's
commandments and abide in His love. 11"These things I have
spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your
joy may be full. 12This is My commandment, that you love one
another as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than
this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. 14You are My
friends if you do whatever I command you. 15No longer do I
call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master
is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I
heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16You did
not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you
should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain,
that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
17These things I command you, that you love one another.

3. A Friend Indeed
John 15:9-17

4. I. Friendship must be Proven

5. I. Friendship must be Proven
• John 15: 13 "Greater love has
no one than this, that he lay
down one’s life for his
friends."

6. I. Friendship must be Proven
• John 15: 13 "Greater love has
no one than this, that he lay
down one’s life for his
friends."
• Ephesians 5:25 Husbands,
love your wives, just as
Christ also loved the church
and gave Himself for her

7. AGAPE

8. AGAPE
• Of the love of human to human (1 John 4:21 And this
commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God
must love his brother also.)

9. AGAPE
• Of the love of human to human (1 John 4:21 And this
commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God
must love his brother also.)
• Of the love of men towards God (1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us
love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves
is born of God and knows God.)

10. AGAPE

11. AGAPE
• Of the love of God towards men (Romans 5:8 But God
demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were
still sinners, Christ died for us.)

12. AGAPE
• Of the love of God towards men (Romans 5:8 But God
demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were
still sinners, Christ died for us.)
• Of the love of God towards Christ (John 15:10 If you keep My
commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept
My Father's commandments and abide in His love.)

13. AGAPE
• Of the love of God towards men (Romans 5:8 But God
demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were
still sinners, Christ died for us.)
• Of the love of God towards Christ (John 15:10 If you keep My
commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept
My Father's commandments and abide in His love.)
• Of the love of Christ towards men (Ephesians 3:19 to know
the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be
filled with all the fullness of God.)

14. Labor of Love

15. Labor of Love
• 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4 We give thanks to God always for you
all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3remembering
without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and
patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our
God and Father, 4knowing, beloved brethren, your election
by God.

16. Labor of Love
• 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4 We give thanks to God always for you
all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3remembering
without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and
patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our
God and Father, 4knowing, beloved brethren, your election
by God.
• David Lipscomb - Labor of love - The labor and fatiguing toil
to which they were led by their love to God and to their
brethren. This love had been manifested by the untiring and
devoted toils which they had undergone to help their
brethren in distress. Love makes us willing to labor and suffer
for those we love. Love to God is expressed in obedience
(John 14:15,21,23); love to man in considering the interest of
others rather than our own (Philippians 2:4)

17. • 1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that
He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our
sins.

18. Benefit Your Brother
• Titus 3:1-5 Remind them to be subject to rulers and
authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2to
speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all
humility to all men. 3For we ourselves were also once foolish,
disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures,
living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4But
when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man
appeared, 5not by works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing
of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

19. II. Friendship must be Practiced

20. II. Friendship must be Practiced
• John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love
one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one
another. 35By this all will know that you are My disciples, if
you have love for one another."

21. II. Friendship must be Practiced
• John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love
one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one
another. 35By this all will know that you are My disciples, if
you have love for one another."
• Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the
kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

22. II. Friendship must be Practiced
• John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love
one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one
another. 35By this all will know that you are My disciples, if
you have love for one another."
• Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the
kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
• Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born
for adversity.

23. II. Friendship must be Practiced
• John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love
one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one
another. 35By this all will know that you are My disciples, if
you have love for one another."
• Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the
kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
• Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born
for adversity.
• Proverbs 18:2 A man who has friends must himself be friendly,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

24. ONE ANOTHER

25. ONE ANOTHER
• 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore comfort each other and edify
one another, just as you also are doing.

26. ONE ANOTHER
• 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore comfort each other and edify
one another, just as you also are doing.
• Romans 12:9-10 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is
evil. Cling to what is good. 10Be kindly affectionate to one
another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to
one another;

27. ONE ANOTHER
• 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore comfort each other and edify
one another, just as you also are doing.
• Romans 12:9-10 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is
evil. Cling to what is good. 10Be kindly affectionate to one
another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to
one another;
• Galatians 5:13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty;
only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but
through love serve one another.

28. ONE ANOTHER
• 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore comfort each other and edify
one another, just as you also are doing.
• Romans 12:9-10 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is
evil. Cling to what is good. 10Be kindly affectionate to one
another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to
one another;
• Galatians 5:13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty;
only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but
through love serve one another.
• Galatians 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the
law of Christ.

29. Practice Makes Perfect

30. Practice Makes Perfect
• James 1:22-25 But be doers of
the word, and not hearers only,
deceiving yourselves. 23For if
anyone is a hearer of the word
and not a doer, he is like a man
observing his natural face in a
mirror; 24for he observes
himself, goes away, and
immediately forgets what kind
of man he was. 25But he who
looks into the perfect law of
liberty and continues in it, and
is not a forgetful hearer but a
doer of the work, this one will
be blessed in what he does.

31. Practice Makes Perfect
• James 1:22-25 But be doers of • James 1:27 Pure and undefiled
the word, and not hearers only, religion before God and the
deceiving yourselves. 23For if Father is this: to visit orphans
anyone is a hearer of the word and widows in their trouble,
and not a doer, he is like a man and to keep oneself unspotted
observing his natural face in a from the world.
mirror; 24for he observes
himself, goes away, and
immediately forgets what kind
of man he was. 25But he who
looks into the perfect law of
liberty and continues in it, and
is not a forgetful hearer but a
doer of the work, this one will
be blessed in what he does.

32. Visit

33. Visit
• Visit - to look upon or after. To inspect, or examine with the
eyes.

34. Visit
• Visit - to look upon or after. To inspect, or examine with the
eyes.
• Matthew 25:43-46 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in,
naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you
did not visit Me.'44"Then they also will answer Him, saying,
"Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or
naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'
45Then He will answer them, saying, "Assuredly, I say to you,
inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you
did not do it to Me.' 46And these will go away into everlasting
punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

35. Christ - the perfect friend

36. Christ - the perfect friend
• Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be
content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said,
"I will never leave you nor forsake you."

37. Christ - the perfect friend
• Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be
content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said,
"I will never leave you nor forsake you."
• Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest.

38. Christ - the perfect friend
• Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be
content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said,
"I will never leave you nor forsake you."
• Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest.
• 1 Peter 5:6-7 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty
hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7casting all
your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

39. What can remove you from
God’s love?
• Romans 8:34-39 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who
died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right
hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or
distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword? 36As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day
long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." 37Yet in all
these things we are more than conquerors through Him who
loved us. 38For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor
angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor
things to come, 39nor height nor depth, nor any other created
thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which
is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

40. III. Friendship must be Proclaimed

41. III. Friendship must be Proclaimed
• John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love
one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one
another. 35By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you
have love for one another."

42. III. Friendship must be Proclaimed
• John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love
one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one
another. 35By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you
have love for one another."
• 1 John 3:10 In this the children of God and the children of the
devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is
not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.