Moses: Friendship with God develops through encounters, conversation, trust, and time together.
Enoch: Friendship with God is a daily walk, not an occasional encounter.
Noah: Friendship with God is demonstrated through faithfulness and obedience.
Peter: Genuine friendship can survive failure and make room for restoration.
John: Our identity begins not with how much we love God, but with how deeply God loves us.
Jesus: Friend of sinners, he approaches people with grace, bringing healing rather than rejection.
What kind of friend does that relationship make us?
John 13:35 NLT – (35) Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.
Acts 4:32-37 NLT – (32) All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. (33) The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's great blessing was upon them all. (34) There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them (35) and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need. (36) For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means "Son of Encouragement"). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus. (37) He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles.
A friend of Christ is a friend who gives generously
A genuine friend does not simply have room for you in their heart; they make room for you in their life.
Acts 9: 26-27 NLT — (26) When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer! (27) Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.
A friend of Christ is a friend who believes when others doubt.
A Christlike friend sees more than who you have been; they believe in who you can become.
Acts 11:22-26 NLT – (22) When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. (23) When he arrived and saw this evidence of God's blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. (24) Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord. (25) Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. (26) When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.)
A friend of Christ is a friend who goes looking for others
Some friendships begin because someone was willing to take the first step.
Acts 15:36-39 NLT – (36) After some time Paul said to Barnabas, "Let's go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing." (37) Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark. (38) But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work. (39) Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus.
A friend of Christ is a friend who makes room for failure
A true friend doesn't pretend you haven't failed; they refuse to believe failure must be your final chapter.
Acts 11:23-24 NLT – (23) When he arrived and saw this evidence of God's blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. (24) Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord.
A friend of Christ is a friend whose encouragement points people toward Christ
The greatest thing a Christian friend can do is help another person grow closer to Christ.
Barnabas was an encourager, an advocate, a generous giver, a mentor, and a man who saw possibilities in people others had dismissed. Barnabas made the world in which he lived in a better place and a better place for the kingdom. He was a disciple fulfilling the methodology of ‘go forth and make disciples’.
