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January 25-26, 2003 XTREME LIVING – 40 DAYS OF
PURPOSE! Selected WE ARE FORMED FOR GOD’S FAMILY! ***
Hebrews 2:10 “God is the One who made all things, and all things are for his
glory. He wanted to have many children share his glory….” [NCV] ***
Eph. 1:5 “His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own
family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great
pleasure.” [New Living Translation] MY FIRST PURPOSE IS TO KNOW AND LOVE GOD! MY SECOND PURPOSE IN LIFE IS TO BE A PART OF
GOD’S FAMILY! ***
1 Pet. 2:17 “Treat everyone you meet
with dignity. Love your spiritual family.” [MSG] First Purpose: Knowing and Loving God = WORSHIP! Second Purpose: Being a Part of God’s Family = FELLOWSHIP! ***
1 John 4:21 “Christ has given us this commandment: The person who loves God
must also love other believers.” [God’s Word to the Nations] FELLOWSHIP IS LOVING GOD’S FAMILY! ***1Tim.
3:14-15 “I am writing these things to you….so you will know how to live in
the family of God. That family is the church of the living God….” [New Century Version] FOUR LEVELS OF FELLOWSHIP! LEVEL
1: MEMBERSHIP: CHOOSING TO BELONG! ***
Eph. 2:19 “…You are members of God's very own family…and you belong in God's
household with every other Christian.”
[Living Bible] $
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS ABOUT BELIEVING AND BELONGING! ***
Romans 12:5 “…so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member
belongs to all the others.” [New
International Version] $ THE
SYMBOL THAT YOU BELONG TO CHRIST AND HIS BODY IS BAPTISM! *** 1 Cor. 12:13 “This is what we proclaimed in word and action when we were
baptized. Each of us is now a part of his resurrection body….” [Message] *** Romans 6:3 “That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water,
we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we
entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land! That's what baptism into the life of Jesus
means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when
we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each
of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see
where we're going in our new grace-sovereign country.” [Msg] *** Matthew 28:18-20 “Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples…,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” [NIV] LEVEL
2: FRIENDSHIP: MEETING AND SHARING! ***
Genesis 2:18 “The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be
alone.” ***
Acts 2:44 “All the believers met together constantly and shared everything
with each other….” [Living] $
MOST OF US ARE TOO BUSY WITH ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO HAVE RELATIONSHIPS! FOR
FRIENDSHIP WE MUST TAKE THE TIME TO SHARE: A.
OUR EXPERIENCES! - Proverbs 27:17 “People learn from one another, just as iron
sharpens iron.” [Today’s English Version] B.
OUR HOMES! - 1
Peter 4:9 “Open your homes to each other….” [NCV] ***
Acts 2:46 “They worshiped together regularly at the Temple…, met in small
groups in homes….” [LB] C.
OUR BURDENS! $
WHEN YOU SHARE A JOY IT IS DOUBLED! WHENYOU SHARE A BURDEN IT IS HALVED! ***
Galatians 6:2 “Help carry each other's burdens. In this way you will follow
Christ's teachings.” [GW] ***
Hebrews 10:25 “Let us not give up meeting together…, but let us encourage
one another…!” [NIV] LEVEL
3: PARTNERSHIP: DOING MY PART! ***
1 Cor. 12:7 “The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving
others.” [Contemporary English Version] $ GOD DIDN’T BRING TO CCC TO
SIT AND SOAK, BUT TO SERVE! ***
1 Cor. 3:9 “For we are partners working together for God….” [TEV] ***
Eph. 4:16 “Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly.
As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that
the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” [NLT] ***
Matthew 25:40 “I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these
who are members of my family, you did it to me.” [New Revised Standard Version] LEVEL
4: KINSHIP: LOVING BELIEVERS LIKE FAMILY! ***
1 Peter 3:8 “You should be like one big happy family, full of sympathy
toward each other, loving one another….”
[Living] ***
Acts 2:42 “…They were like family to each other.” [CEV] ***
Romans 12:10 “Be devoted to each other like a loving family. Excel in
showing respect for each other.”
[GW] ***
1 John 3:16 “We know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for
us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and
sisters.” [NLT] $ THE
GREATEST PRIVILEGE YOU WILL EVER HAVE IS TO BE A PART OF GOD’S FOREVER
FAMILY! “Your strong love for each other will prove to the
world that you are my disciples." John 13:35 [Living Bible] |