Together - Covenant Friendship
Luke 6:12-16
Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity![a]
2 It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes!
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.
Psalm 133
COVENANT FRIENDSHIP
ERNEST SHACKLETON PHOTO*
With his ship helplessly frozen in place, what did Shackleton do?
He formed his men into teams, took them out onto the ice, and they played soccer. In fact, they did it a lot. But in his book South: The Endurance Expedition that details the trials of his crew, he only mentions it once. “Hockey and soccer on the floe were our chief recreations, and all hands joined in many a strenuous game.” He set a strict daily eating schedule of breakfast, lunch, tea, and dinner. During the evening hours, they took turns staging concerts and plays below decks to break up the monotony of the long dark winter nights.
Ken Downer
PHOTOS*
They [Shackleton and crew] were isolated from the outside world, but they were surrounded by deep friendship and community. Many of us today find ourselves surrounded by the outside world, but isolated from deep friendship and community.
BOOK REC.
WE WERE MADE FOR FRIENDSHIP BECAUSE WE WERE MADE IN THE IMAGE OF FRIENDSHIP.
24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
John 17:24
15 No longer do I call you servants,[a] for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you…
John 15:15-16
A friend is someone who KNOWNS you and loves you ANYWAY.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Some Christians try to go to heaven alone, in solitude. But believers are not compared to bears or lions or other animals that wander alone. Those who belong to Christ are sheep in this respect, that they love to get together. Sheep go in flocks, and so do God’s people.
Charles Spurgeon
Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
Genesis 2:18
Isolation is just as dangerous to the soul as sickness is to the body.
Justin Whitmel Early
We are the most physically connected and yet spiritually isolated people who have ever walked the planet. Our default perspective should now be to assume that if you’re a modern American, you are lonely.
Justin Whitmel Early
Characteristics of Modern friendship
- Digitally known, emotionally unknown
Technology can give us the sensation of being known when, actually, we are completely isolated. When we spend our relational time snacking on technology, we will die from the preventable disease of loneliness. The internet and smartphones are fantastic for connections, communication, and knowledge. But connections are not friends, communication is not intimacy, and knowledge is not wisdom. Use a social network for intimacy and you will invite great harm. Use a chatroom for wisdom and you are guaranteed foolishness. Use connections for friendship and you are destined for loneliness.
Justin Whitmel Early
- Connected by similar interests, not by similar vision
No matter how much time you spend with someone, or how many common activities you share, if vulnerability and honesty are not practiced regularly such that you turn from loving your shared hobbies to loving each other, then you are not in a friendship but a companionship.
Justin Whitmel Early
- Built on comfort together, not built on adversity
Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.
Proverbs 27:6
As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17
Jesus modeled COVENANT FRIENDSHIP
Covenant friendships are decided by the Father
12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.
Luke 6:12
These were the men who would carry on what He had done, and without them the work of Jesus would never extend to the whole world. No wonder Jesus gave this critical choice an entire night of prayer.
David Guzik
The righteous choose their friends carefully,
but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
Proverbs 12:26
33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”
1 Corinthians 15:33
Covenant friendships are built on similar vision, NOT similar interests
There are many interesting connections with this group. There are brothers (James and John, Peter and Andrew); business associates (Peter, James, and John were all fishermen); opposing political viewpoints (Matthew the Roman-friendly tax collector, and Simon, the Roman-hating Zealot); and one who would betray Jesus (Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor).
David Guzik
Covenant friendships see all
A spirituality that suppresses what we truly feel and substitutes for it what we think we ought to feel is no spirituality at all. It is a mask that bears no resemblance to Christ.
Richard J. Foster
Covenant friendships last as long as forgiveness is given