Getting Ready for Sunday August 9, 2009

Sermon for Sunday August 9, 2009

“The Friend’s Responsibility”

Friendship is not all fun and games. Confronting friends about destructive behavior in their life can be a risky thing, however it is our responsibility to love people enough to tell them the truth. Today, we will learn how to be accountable and hold others accountable.

Set List for August 9, 2009

Song
Author
Recording

Happy Day
Ben Cantelon Tim Hughes
“Holding Nothing Back” Tim Hughes

Friend of God
Israel Houghton Michael Gungor
“Live From Another Level” Israel Houghton

Forever
Chris Tomlin
“The Noise We Make” Chris Tomlin

Faithful
Alex Nifong
“Attention” Kristian Stanfill

We Shine
Steve Fee Louie Giglio
“We Shine” Fee


We continue our series this week “Beyond the Surface” talking about the side of friendship that most people would rather avoid. Do you love your friends enough to be able to confront them when they are wrong? We’re not just talking about personal preferences like which side of the roll the toilet paper should dispense from, or whether to push the toothpaste from the top or bottom. What we are talking about is speaking the truth in love. When a friend is going down a road that will lead them into trouble, it’s our responsibility as a friend to act. Our sermon this week tells us how we should act in such situations.

As I was thinking about the music for this service, I of course knew there wasn’t a lot to go with for such a topic. We will open up with “Happy Day” which is simply a song that celebrates the fact that Christ came that we could be with him forever. As I thought more about the topic, I was reminded that God doesn’t ask us to do anything that He doesn’t do. In John 15, Jesus calls us friends, which is where the celebration of “Friend of God” comes from in this service. God calls us “friend”, but He also confronts us when we are wrong. All throughout the scriptures you can see God confronting and disciplining those who would stray. Proverbs 3:11-12 says, “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves.” If we are a true friend, we will gather the courage to confront those we love with the truth, even when it’s not the easiest thing to do.

“Forever” and “Faithful” are songs that declare of course God’s faithfulness, and the fact that He will never change. We will close the service with “We Shine” which is a declaration of what we intend to do as Christians, to shine the light of Christ to a darkened world.

Thanks for taking the time to check out what will be happening on Sunday. I’m really looking forward to this service. It’s been a great series, and if we truly take the message and run with it, we can turn our church, and world upside down. I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

Bro. Doug