During the lesson, the information for you to know is written in regular type, and what we suggest speaking or reading aloud to children is in bold. All resources for this lesson, including the Teacher Guide, Student Page, Family Connection Card, and other resources can be downloaded in a ZIP file by clicking on the following link:
In some lessons you will find "resource articles." These are articles written by experts from around the world to help equip you for your work with children and adolescents. Share them with parents or guardians if you consider it appropriate.
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.
Ecclesiastes 4:9–10
From the very beginning, God planned for us to have relationships with others. When He said, “It is not good for the man to be alone,” He taught us about the importance of relationships. Friendship is a gift from God, who is the friend of the friendless. Friends can bring companionship in our loneliness, help and support us during times of need, and enrich our lives with love and enjoyment. The worth of a true friend cannot be underestimated.
Who is the best friend you have ever had? What made that friend so special? What did you and your friend do to help and encourage each other? How did that friendship lift you up? Now think of someone who may need a friend. Pray for that person. Reach out in friendship. Let yours be the hands of Jesus, lifting that person up in love.
Encourage the students to ask family members, “Who is your best friend? What makes your friend so special?” The teens can then share that true friends are a gift from God.
Teacher Tip: If possible, email or text the Family Connection Card to the families of your students.
Greet the students as they come into class today. Ask them to think of their good friends in preparation for the lesson.
What are some characteristics of a good friend?
Allow the students to share their thoughts.
Those are great characteristics to have in a friend. God created people to be connected to one another through fellowship and friendship. When people do not have these connections, they often struggle with depression, loneliness, and anger. Everyone needs deep and meaningful relationships with others. In fact, people who have friends live healthier, happier, and longer lives! Let’s learn more about this gift from God and how we can be good friends to others.
Let’s learn about how to be a good friend from an example of friendship in the Bible. David and Jonathan had a wonderful friendship.
Optional: If possible, share the image from The Action Bible.
Jonathan was the son of Saul, Israel’s first king. While David was still a teenager, he was chosen by God to be the next king of Israel. Normally, Saul’s son Jonathan should have been the next king. Normally, David and Jonathan should have been enemies. But instead they were devoted friends.
The Bible tells us that “the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David.” They were such close friends that they called each other brothers. Let’s read more about it in God’s Word.
Have a student read 1 Samuel 18:3–4 aloud from the Bible. If that is not possible, the passage is printed here for you.
And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.
1 Samuel 18:3–4
A covenant is a promise of faithfulness between 2 people. Jonathan gave David his robe, armour, and weapons to show that he was committed to this promise.
David and Jonathan protected each other and cared for one another. When King Saul wanted to kill David, Jonathan knew that his father was wrong. So, he warned David to leave before the king could commit the murder. Jonathan was a faithful friend.
What can we learn about how to be a good friend from Jonathan and David?
They cared for each other and protected each other. They helped each other. They were trustworthy and honest with each other.
Jonathan loved his friend more than himself, and he was faithful to David even in difficult circumstances. In fact, his love for David was so great that he risked his life and his relationship with his father to protect his friend. Listen to what the Bible tells us about good friends.
If you are using the Memory Verse Poster, show it to the students.
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24
What does this verse teach us about having unreliable friends?
Having unreliable friends does not necessarily mean you will have help in times of need. Having many friends is not better than having good friends.
What does it mean to be a friend who “sticks closer than a brother?”
It means being faithful in all circumstances and putting the needs of your friend before yourself. Guide the teens to understand that the kind of loyalty this verse is suggesting is even more than would be expected of a brother.
There are many other stories of friendship in the Bible. Elijah and Elisha were friends and 2 of the most well-known prophets of Israel. Elijah was older than Elisha, and Elijah mentored and taught his younger friend. Elisha saw Elijah do amazing miracles in the name of God, and he saw Elijah’s faithfulness to God. Not long before Elijah was taken to heaven to be with God, Elisha made a commitment to his friend. Listen to what he said.
When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”
2 Kings 2:1–3
What promise did Elisha make to his friend?
How do you think Elijah responded?
Three times Elijah told Elisha to stay because the Lord had sent him somewhere else. Each time, Elisha promised to stay with Elijah. And each time, Elijah told Elisha that he would soon go to be with God and asked Elisha not to tell anyone. Elisha kept Elijah’s secret, and he stayed with Elijah until he was taken to be with God.
What can we learn about the characteristics of a good friend from the friendship of Elijah and Elisha?
They learned from one another and spent time together. They were honest with each other and were careful to keep each other’s secrets.
Elijah and Elisha trusted each other. They were honest with each other and were careful to keep each other’s secrets. Even though Elijah was much older, Elisha saw that he could learn from Elijah, and he valued the opportunity. Listen to something else the Bible tells us about friendship.
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17
What can this verse teach us about friendship?
Good friends teach and learn from one another. They make each other better people.
What are the benefits of being a friend who helps better the other person?
Allow 2–3 students to share their thoughts.
Now that you have heard the stories of some good friends, what are some other characteristics we learned that good friends have?
Allow 5–6 teens to share their thoughts. If these ideas are not mentioned, suggest that trustworthiness, kindness, loyalty, sense of humour, generosity, honesty, and helpfulness are all characteristics of a good friend.
A true friend is a gift from God. You can bless your friends by being a good friend. Being a good friend means you are loving, faithful, and trustworthy. Being a good friend helps the other person become wiser and kinder. We should try to be friends like these.
When God gave us the gift of friendship, He gave us so much more than just people to spend time with. He gave us community so we would not be alone. He gave us love and comfort in times of need and in times of celebration. He gave us people to help us to be more joyful, healthier, more confident, more secure, and generally better people. There are many benefits to true friendship. Listen to what the Bible tells us about caring relationships.
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:9–12
What benefits of friendship does this verse tell us about?
Two people can accomplish more together than alone. If a person falls down, his friend can help him get up. Two people can protect and comfort each other.
What do you think it means that a cord of 3 strands is not quickly broken?
A cord of 3 strands is stronger than a single or double strand.
If the cord of 3 strands is a friendship, who do you think the third person in the friendship is?
God
The truest friendships are those where God is at the centre. We sometimes make mistakes and poor choices. We sometimes behave selfishly and unkindly. But when we put God in the centre of our friendships, we can ask for His help to keep our friendships strong. We can ask Him to help us to be good for our friends.
Optional: If you are using the Student Pages, your students can write their ideas and then pray about them.
Think of someone you know who needs a friend. How can you be a good friend to that person? Think of a way to be a friend and pray for that person.
Give the teens a few minutes to think and pray.
Now think about some ways you can be a better friend. Ask God to help you to recognize the characteristics in your own life that need to change in order for you to become a better friend. Ask Him to be at the centre of your friendships.
Give the teens a few minutes to think and pray. Then close with a blessing based on Proverbs 13:20 and Proverbs 18:24:
Blessing: May God bless you with friends who are wise so that you may walk in wisdom, and may you be a faithful friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Lead the children in singing this quarter’s song, if possible.
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