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Pastor Rob Carlson:
"Fellowship: You were Formed for God’s Family" (40 Days of Purpose)
Pastor Rob Carlson • Sunday, October 10, 2004

My 2nd Purpose in life is fellowship.

Hebrews 2:10a (NCV)--God is the one who made all things, and all things are for His glory. He wanted to have many children share His glory...

Ephesians 1:5 (NLT)--His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. 

1 Peter 2:17b (Msg)--Love your spiritual family!

1 John 4:21 (GW)--The person who loves God must also love other believers. 

FELLOWSHIP is loving God’s family.

1 Timothy 3:14-15 (NCV)--I’m writing… so you’ll know how to live in the family of God. That family is the church...

Four levels of Fellowship

1. Membership: Choosing to belong

Ephesians 2:19 (LB)--...You are members of God's very own family... and you belong in God's household with every other Christian.

Romans 12:5 (NIV)--In Christ we who are many form one Body, and each member belongs to all the others.

1 Corinthians 12:13 (Msg)--This is what we proclaimed in word and action when we were baptized. Each of us is now a part of His resurrection Body.

Romans 6:3 (Msg)--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.


2. Friendship: Learning to share
Acts 2:44 (LB)--All the believers met together constantly and shared everything with each other. 

• Our experiences
Proverbs 27:17 (TEV)--People learn from one another, just as iron sharpens iron.

• Our homes
1 Peter 4:9 (NCV)--Open your homes to each other.

• Our problems
Galatians 6:2 (NLT)--Share each other's troubles and problems.

Hebrews 10:25 (TEV)--Let us not give up the habit of meeting together. Instead, let us encourage one another...


3. Partnership: Doing my part 
1 Corinthians 3:9a (TEV)--We are partners working together for God.

Ephesians 4:16 (NLT)--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.

Matthew 25:40 (NRSV)--Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to Me.


4. Kinship: Loving believers like family
Acts 2:42a (CEV)--...they were like family to each other.

Romans 12:10 (GW)--Be devoted to each other like a loving family.

1 John 3:16 (NLT)--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.

John 13:35 (LB)--Your strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are My disciples.

Galatians 3:26 (NLT)--You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

*Scripture is quoted from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.
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