Fight to Reach Your Friends for Jesus.

     Wow guys, this is our last week of the semester! It's been a great one, but I'm ready for it to be over. In light of us being in our hometowns for almost a month, I want to encourage you that God wants to use you, here in college, with your friends back home, at your Christmas dinner table, and in line at the grocery store.

     This bible study is diving into what God has to say about reaching our friends and how we can go about doing so.

     I want to start by showing a quick video. [Miracle Maker: lowering of paralyzed man from roof]

     Let's get into scripture and read the story ourselves. Mark 2:1-12 let's just read all the way through. 

• Paralyzed were seen as worthless.
• Can you imagine the joy of this man when his 4 friends picked this man up?
• Everyone gathered to see the man who saves, the man who heals, he calms the storms, he was very popular.

Stop at Mark 2:4. This is where most friends stop. We have the heart to bring our friends to Jesus but when we hit a barrier we stop. let's read on... 

• What are barriers that may stop us from reaching our friends?
• How can we overcome those barriers, how can we be creative?

Mark 2:5 Jesus saw the faith of his friends! This is one of the coolest part of the story. 

Jesus met the man's deepest need.

•  What are our friends deepest needs?
• What about all the other paralyzed people. The hundreds or thousands of paralyzed friends that didn't have friends to take them to Jesus?
• If it were not for these friends where would the man still be?
• What traits did these friends show?

John 15:13 "Greater has love has none like this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

• What does this mean. How do we die for our friends?
• What does this mean in terms of taking them to Jesus?

Acts 17:26-27

• Why did God place us in this time and place here and at home?
• What does the term "Sphere of influence" mean to you?

Romans 10:9-15 

• What must someone do to be saved?
• What does it take for our friends to hear the Gospel?
• Who has God chosen to bring the "good news"?

Colossians 4:2-6

• How does prayer relate to reaching our friends?
• What qualities should come from our words as we share the Gospel?

1Peter 3:15

• How can you "always be prepared" to share your faith?
• What are some questions friends may ask us that are opportunities? 
• What would you say to a friend that asked "how do you become a Christian?"

I admit this can be scary: We have help:

Acts 1:6-8 "So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his won authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

This should be our prayer: 

Ephesians 6:19-20 "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words my be give me so that I will fearlessly make know the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chins. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as i should.

Let's end in prayer:

(*i need to note that this bible study was inspired by desperation podcast.)