Healthy Friendships: Stand By Me

March 14th & 15th - Stand By Me
Friends stand by each other even when it's hard.

Core Scripture: Matthew 26:36-46

Memory Verse:
"Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family."
Proverbs 18:24 (MSG)

Discussion Questions:

• Have you ever faced a situation where a friend really needed you and you "fell asleep at the wheel"? Explain what happened. How did you feel afterwards? What could you have done differently?
• Have you ever been the friend who needed someone to stand by you and nobody did? How did that make you feel? Has someone ever been there for you in a tough time? What did that mean to you?
• When do you need to stand by your friends? What are some specific ways you can do this? Is there ever a time when you shouldn't stand by a friend? Describe what kind of situation that would be.
• How do you "sleep in" with God? How can you stand by Him instead of "sleeping in"?
  

Bottom Line:

• Like all of us, Jesus wanted His friends to be with Him and to help Him get through this difficult experience. But Jesus found His closest friends had not joined Him in His time of difficulty. Instead, they were bystanders, when they should have been standing by Him.
• While "sleeping in" is fine, sometimes we will have to "get up early" to be involved in our friends' lives. This is what friends do.
• Jumping in can be a scary experience. But if we are going to be good friends, we must be willing to "jump in". We have to be committed to our friends in difficult times as much as in good times. Imagine what your life would be like if you had these kind of friendships. Think about how much comfort and joy you would experience knowing that you didn't have to go through anything alone.