Keep It in the Family

Four unavoidable realities about friendships within the church.

| 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 | Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 | Matthew 18:15-20 | Romans 12:14-21 |

• Even the Godly are going to and feel //.
• God’s #1 goal is always for believers to pursue mutual , , and (if possible) .
• When God’s #1 goal is not possible, it should be within the of .
• So long as it’s not , sometimes the best outcome is simply to it, for it, and on.

Three things every Christian can do to foster better friendships within the church (and in general).

| James 1:19-20 | Ephesians 4:25-32 | 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 |

• Be to how my are (or might be) other .
• Be quick to , slow to , and slow to .
• ALWAYS REMEMBER: The only God wants me to is .

Small Group Questions

REMINDER: Small Groups will not meet the week of November 21st due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. Take time to discuss what you will do for your Small Groups celebration the week of December 5th.

What do you think?

1. What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish?
2. What struck a chord with you from Sunday’s service?

The story of your life.

1. On Sunday, Pastor Kyle reminded us that the only person God wants us to change is ourselves. As you think back on 2021, what is an area of your life that you have changed for the better?
2. Another thing we discussed is the topic of Godly people disagreeing, frustrating, and even hurting one another. Navigating hard topics is challenging for everyone. Share about one person you know who handles difficult conversations really well. What things do they do in those kinds of settings that seem to help? 

Digging Deeper.

1. For the purpose of today’s discussion, we are going to focus on the topic of building healthy friendships. One of the best examples of friendship in the Old Testament is that of the great King David and Jonathan. Given that Jonathan was heir to the throne and that his father Saul hated David, they shouldn’t have been friends. And yet God connected them deeply. Read 1 Samuel 18:1-4, 19:1-7, 20:30-34, and 23:15-18. Then answer the following prompts/questions.
   1. Have a few group members recap the story using their own words.
   2. What does this tell us about God? People? Friendship?
   3. In light of this, is God asking you to do anything differently as a friend?
2. The New Testament is very transparent about several sharp disagreements amongst Jesus’ disciples and even his apostles. Early in the book of Acts, Barnabas seems to have been the Apostle Paul’s traveling and ministry companion. Then something happens in Acts 13:13, followed by Acts 15:36-41 that separates them. Read these verses and respond to the following prompts/questions.
   1. Have a few group members recap the main points of the story using their own words.
   2. What does this tell us about God? People? Friendships?
   3. In light of this, is God asking you to do anything differently as a friend?
3. What insights do each of the following verses offer into what a solid biblical friendship might look like?
   1. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.
   2. Proverbs 17:9.
   3. Proverbs 17:17.
   4. Proverbs 18:24.
   5. Matthew 18:15-17.
   6. 1 Peter 4:8.

Personal reflection and application.

1. Have everyone share one thing someone else said that stood out to you from this discussion.
2. Break up into smaller groups and pray for one another.