The Bridge Austin

God’s plan for unity is bigger than politics or culture—and it starts with the church. In this message, Dr. Tony Evans explains how Jesus breaks down walls and brings people together—without erasing their uniqueness.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Proverbs 17:17

One of the greatest and deepest needs we have as human beings is friendship. We all long for someone who knows, loves, and accepts us—someone who understands our wants, needs, hurts, and fears.

The Book of Proverbs is full of wisdom for making friends forever, and how to first be the friend we all need.

Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

There are certain marks of true friendship.

A friend is someone who shares his or her strengths, blessings, and hope; a friend will share in hard times and in celebration; a friend loves at all times.

A true friend is also someone who sharpens; Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” A good friend is the sharp edge of our lives, who encourages,

challenges, and confronts us when necessary; true friends make us better people.

And a friend is someone who sticks; Proverbs 28:14 says, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

There are some important things to remember when making friends:

We make friends by being friends; it is wise to remember that people want to be accepted, acknowledged, and appreciated. We need to pay attention to people, become great listeners, and find something to compliment.

People also want to be affirmed and assured; in this negative world, the most beautiful thing we can do is empathize with one another.

When we build friendships, we must remember to maintain them. Adrian Rogers says, “You can have a lot of acquaintances, but genuine friends are costly. They cost time and effort; there is an investment; don’t have more friends than you can show yourself friendly to.”

Finally, we must remember the ministry of a friendship. There are lost people in this world who need the love and friendship of Jesus Christ; as His Body, we have the responsibility of loving as He loved.

Apply it to your life

Are you in the ministry of making friends? If you are a leader, set the tone and the atmosphere; be approachable and real.

As a church member, learn how to greet people and remember to be warm and welcoming to the people the Lord brings in.

When we fully trust in God’s sovereign plan, we gain confidence for life—and peace in the face of death. On the next Know The Truth, Philip De Courcy wraps up our journey through the life of Joseph with a powerful reminder of God’s unwavering faithfulness to him and his family.

The relationship between the Holy Spirit and knowing what is right or wrong is often disconnected in varying degrees between believers. Join Rabbi today, as he explains how the Holy Spirit reveals truth of what is right in our hearts.

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Today, Pastor Jack teaches that just as a shepherd cares for his sheep individually, Jesus, The Good Shepherd sees us as lost sheep and His compassion over each and every one of us is personal.

The post Parable Of The Lost Sheep – 1A first appeared on Pastor Jack Hibbs.

J.John explains why we need to take the Great Commission seriously and share Jesus Christ with our friends and neighbors in a ‘natural’ way. He encourages us to invest in others through prayer, small acts of caring, and by reaching across social barriers.

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When you bow your head to pray, are you confident that God even hears you? Or do you feel like your words are falling on deaf ears? Dr. Robert Jeffress draws practical application for your prayer life from the most familiar prayer in all of Scripture. Be assured, God is listening!

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When astronauts used to orbit the moon, there was a period of about 45 minutes when they were on the back side of the moon and couldn’t receive any signals from NASA’s Mission Control. Those were the longest 45 minutes of the mission! Well, believers often go through periods of disconnection from the wisdom of God’s Word. We’re without that supernatural power and direction. Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie helps us reconnect to Scripture, and see more success in our walk of faith.

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