Conqueror's Sunday School Class – Sunday, May 12, 2024

Taught By: Todd Comstock, Jr.

Stewarding Life: The Value of Friendships
Ephesians 4:25-32

I. Stewarding our friendships with ___________ (Ephesians 4:25)

       True friendships are built on trust, and trust is built on truth. 

               A. To sustain a long-term relationship, we must do away with
                   all ____________________.  

Question: Is it ever OK for a Christian to lie?

               1. The Hebrew Midwives (Exodus 1:16-19) 

               2. Rahab and the two spies. (Joshua 2:4-5) 

               3. David (“a man after God’s own heart”). (1Samuel 21; 27) 

 Proverbs 6:16-17, Proverbs 12:22, Proverbs 12:19,Revelation 21:8 

               B. To sustain a long-term relationship, we must value the ___________________.  (Ephesians 4:15)

 _______________must always accompany the truth, because sometimes the truth ______________________!

 Proverbs 27:6 “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” 

II. Stewarding our friendships with __________ (Ephesians 4:26-31)

Truth builds a vital quality into friendship – a foundation without which a friendship will never last. True friendship is built on trust. 

               A._________________ destroys relationships. (4:26) 

               B. Anger shows itself in six different subsets: (4:31)          

1.____________________________________________________ 

2.____________________________________________________  

3.____________________________________________________

4.____________________________________________________

5. ____________________________________________________

6.____________________________________________________

Proverbs 22:24-25 “Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.”  

               C. Anger invites a Satanic _____________________(4:27)

III. Stewarding our friendships by our _____________________. 

      Two types of relationships we as believers are to have: 

               1. Relationships with the _______________ 

       We must__________________ not __________________.   

               2. Relationships with _______________ _________________ . 

                              a. For the purpose of __________________(4:29) 

Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”

Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” 

                              b. True friends must also be great ______________ 

                               Matthew18:21-22. Jesus says, “Forget the SCOREBOARD; make forgiveness a habit.”

“When you forgive, you set two people free, and one of them is yourself.”

Conclusion:
Friendships are extremely valuable. They are a gift from God to help us get through life. Guard them vigilantly! Invest in them purposely! And value them greatly! You’ll never regret it. At the end of your life, you will be thankful that you stewarded your friendships.