Today's Sermon:
Are Relationships Worth the Trouble?

I. Relationships May End in......

- Vs. 10, 16

II. Relationships May Pose a .....

- Vs. 14-15

III. Relationships Bring Great .....

- Vs. 9-12, 19

These men acknowledged that they had suffered both psychological pain and physical mistreatment. Somehow, they had survived unbroken, in large part due to the shared strength of their bond of friendship. Before being arrested, they had served together as house-church planters. Then, after their arrest, they had together endured years of imprisonment and cruel treatment because of their faith. In prison, they had together led hundreds of fellow prisoners to Christ. And now, less than a week out of prison, they sat in my hotel room and together actually re-enacted for me some of the torture that they had received in prison…After years of cruel emotional and physical mistreatment, these three friends had walked out into freedom with an obvious and contagious sense of joy. Their testimony was one of humor and hope. Their lives were evidence to the strength that can be found in community and fellowship and faith.-Ripken/Lewis, The Insanity of God, 223-226