Be Careful Who You Are Hanging Out With
Rev. Tse Amable | October 9 2024 | John 18:15-18
KEY VERSE:
“It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. PETER ALSO WAS STANDING WITH THEM, WARMING HIMSELF.” John 18:18 (NIV)
MESSAGE:
The company you choose to spend time with can affect you in many ways. If you are sharing company with bad people, it will corrupt your good morals. It is very easy for you to become who you hang out with. Hanging out with bad people can also expose you to rough handling. When Lot chose to go and live in Sodom and Gomorrah, it exposed him and his family to the nefarious activities of gay (homosexual) people. The Bible says “... that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard” (2 Peter 2:8).
Simon Peter had a bad experience when he chose to share company with the servants and officials of the High Priest, warming himself by the fireside. The first result of Peter joining this group was it provided the opportunity for him to deny his Master. In verse 17, the girl at the door asked Peter “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” He promptly replied, “I am not”. More of those questioning followed later (see John 18:25-27).
If Simon Peter had not placed himself in the company of this hostile group, he would have escaped being questioned about his association with Jesus Christ and he would not have had the unfortunate situation to deny the Lord three times.
Be careful who you choose to spend time with especially unbelievers. The Bible declares, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers” (Psalms 1:1). Enjoying the company of unbelievers, if not for the purpose of bringing them to faith in Christ will not be a wise thing to do. Therefore, choose carefully and wisely who you are regularly hanging out with.
FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
What are the effects of staying in the company of unbelievers on your spirit and soul? How do you live as “salt” and “light” in your association with the people of the world?
PRAYER:
Lord, teach me how to choose wisely the people I share fellowship with. Your word says I am in the world but not of the world. Please, help me to be committed totally to the principles of the Kingdom of Heaven and not conform to the pattern of this world. Amen.
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
DAILY word study: WARMING
The word "warming" is translated from the Greek verb θερμαίνω (thermainó), meaning to heat or warm oneself. It implies a need for physical comfort in cold conditions, but also symbolically can suggest a desire for social comfort or blending in.
The act of warming oneself symbolizes seeking comfort in the wrong company or dangerous situations. Peter's decision to stay by the fire with those who did not support Jesus shows how easy it is to compromise when we seek comfort among the wrong influences. Believers should be mindful of the environments and associations they allow themselves to be part of, as these can either strengthen or weaken their faith.
Reflections
How do the people and environments you seek for comfort affect your spiritual journey? Are you staying in situations that compromise your faith, or are you choosing company that helps you grow?
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