Dear Family and Friends,
 
F•R•I•E•N•D•S is Aileen’s all-time favorite television series. And judging from the show’s popularity, she’s not alone.
 
There are many reasons why this show continues to be so appealing.
 
But underlying the humor and touching scenes, is a model for what friendships should look like.
 
The six unique characters show us what it’s like having true friends, and being true friends.
 
In a way, this show makes us long for friendships like theirs.
 
Where does this longing come from?
 
God, Who made us in Their image. Who designed us so that we too may experience the relationship They, the Trinity, have.
 
Why is a study of friendships important?
 
Have you noticed that in today’s society, relationships have become so strained, many are even breaking?
 
But that doesn’t mean we have to just suck it up and get by with fewer to no relationships.
 
It doesn’t mean we no longer need each other.
 
No, it means we must try even harder to overcome what Satan has been doing for centuries – destroying God’s creation by first separating then coercing us into destroying each other.
 
What’s his latest ploy for keeping us apart?
 
We live in perhaps the most individualized society in the world.
 
Our society prioritizes individual pursuits and experiences; consider the insatiable pursuit of money and power. And society now dictates that for every winner, there is a loser.
 
We are being led away from community engagement and social connections.
 
Technology and social media were developed to connect people.
 
They have instead become tools to disconnect us; consider the popularity of Netflix and the many “doing church” online today.
 
Given the growing need to restore relationships and friendships, let’s spend the next few weeks looking at Biblical friendship.
 
Yes, the Bible has that much to say about friendships. Let’s start with Jesus and His disciples.
 
“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”  John 15:15 NIV
 
We all have friends. And though some are close while others are not, we loosely call all of them – friends.
 
And we tend to use that same ‘friend’ definition when reading the passage above.
 
But is this what Jesus meant when calling His disciples – friends?
 
The Greek word for friend (philos) means so much more. A friend is someone who is loved dearly. Someone in a close, personal relationship characterized by mutual affection and care.
 
Allow me to close by saying F•R•I•E•N•D•S is a great show.
 
But the Bible shows us a better model of a true friendship.

“After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family.
 
And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.”  1 Samuel 18:1-4 NIV
 
This is the kind of friendship we all need and want.
 
In love always,