HOW TO BE A BETTER FRIEND

TEXT- ROMANS 16:1-16

INTRODUCTION

THIS MORNING OUR TEXT IS FOUND IN ROMANS 16:1-16 AND THE TITLE OF MY MESSAGE IS, "HOW TO BE A BETTER FRIEND".

ROMANS CHAPTER 16 IS ONE OF THOSE CHAPTERS WITHIN THE BIBLE THAT HAS BEEN SADLY NEGLECTED BY MANY PEOPLE.

ONE REASON FOR THIS IS BECAUSE IT CONTAINS MANY NAMES THAT ARE HARD TO PRONOUNCE.

YET, WITHIN THIS PASSAGE WE FIND SOME PRACTICAL INSIGHTS CONCERNING FRIENDSHIP.

SOMEONE HAS REFERRED TO THIS CHAPTER AS "A PICTURE GALLERY OF PAUL'S CLOSE FRIENDS IN THE SERVICE OF THE LORD."

BEING A MISSIONARY CAN SOMETIMES BE A VERY LONELY EXPERIENCE.

ON AT LEAST ONE OCCASION PAUL SAID THAT EVERYONE HAD DESERTED HIM WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE LORD.

2 TIMOTHY 4:16,17; "AT MY FIRST DEFENSE NO ONE SUPPORTED ME, BUT ALL DESERTED ME; MAY IT NOT BE COUNTED AGAINST THEM. BUT THE LORD STOOD WITH ME, AND STRENGTHENED ME, IN ORDER THAT THROUGH ME THE PROCLAMATION MIGHT BE FULLY ACCOMPLISHED, AND THAT ALL THE GENTILES MIGHT HEAR; AND I WAS DELIVERED OUT OF THE LION'S MOUTH."

EVEN THOUGH PAUL EXPERIENCED TIMES OF LONELINESS, HE STILL HAD MANY FRIENDS ON WHOM HE COULD COUNT ON.

IN FACT, HERE IN OUR TEXT HE REFERS TO 27 DIFFERENT FRIENDS WHO IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER PLAYED A PART IN HIS MINISTRY.

IF I WERE TO ASK YOU HOW MANY REAL FRIENDS YOU HAD, COULD YOU NAME THEM?  WOULD THERE BE 27 OF THEM?

THIS MORNING I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A FRIEND.

HERE IN OUR PASSAGE, PAUL MENTIONS FOUR CHARACTERISTICS THAT CAN MAKE YOU A BETTER FRIEND.