"Love your spiritual family." That's what God wants you to do. That's the second purpose of your life. Why? First, your physical family is going to eventually fall apart. In fact, many of them fall apart here on earth. But your spiritual family is going to go on forever. It will last forever and ever and ever. And so you're going to spend more time with your spiritual family than you do with your physical family. God wants you to learn to love them.

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

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

“Love your spiritual family!” 1 Pet. 2:17b (Msg)

MY 2nd PURPOSE IN LIFE IS FELLOWSHIP.

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

FELLOWSHIP is loving God’s Family.

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

FOUR LEVELS OF FELLOWSHIP

LEVEL 1: MEMBERSHIP: CHOOSING TO BELONG

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

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

“This is what we proclaimed in word and action when we were baptized. Each of us is now a part of His resurrection Body.” 1 Cor. 12:13 (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.” Rom 6:3 (Msg)

LEVEL 2: FRIENDSHIP: LEARNING TO SHARE

“All the believers met together constantly and shared everything with each other.” Acts 2:44 (LB)

· OUR EXPERIENCES

“People learn from one another, just as iron sharpens iron.” Prov. 27:17 (TEV)

· OUR HOMES

“Open your homes to each other.” 1 Peter 4:9 (NCV)

· OUR PROBLEMS

“Share each other's troubles and problems.” Gal. 6:2 (NLT)

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

LEVEL 3: PARTNERSHIP: DOING MY PART

“We are partners working together for God.” 1 Cor. 3:9a (TEV)

“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.” Eph. 4:16 (NLT)

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

LEVEL 4: KINSHIP: LOVING BELIEVERS LIKE FAMILY

“...they were like family to each other.” Acts 2:42a (CEV)

“Be devoted to each other like a loving family.” Rom. 12:10 (GW)

“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.” 1 John 3:16 (NLT)

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

“You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” Gal. 3:26 (NLT)

Prayer Response

Let’s pray: "Dear God, I want to be a part of your family and I want to learn to love my spiritual family just like you do. Forgive me for taking it casually. I want to grow in the levels of fellowship, so today I’m choosing to belong. I’m not going to float around anymore. I want to learn to share and make time to develop real friendships. I want to do my part in the family of God. I want to learn to love other believers like brothers and sisters. Teach me the meaning of real love. In your name I pray, Amen.”

Pastor Rick Warren, Saddleback Church – Lake Forest, Calif.