Honor biological and spiritual fathers. Prophecy the Father’s heart and Fatherhood into all the men.

Who are we? Where are we going? We are Family! Pray for & dismiss children to Sunday School Take 30 seconds and greet someone next to you. PRAY! Who are we? Where are we going?

Who are we? Where are we going? Father Son Holy Spirit Why this series? Why are we asking these questions? Because we desire it to become a reality in our lives. Who are we? Our identity is not something that we choose, but rather something that we receive. It’s vital that we understand where we receive it from. Where are we going? Our Purpose flows out of our identity. Introduce Table Visual: Three- Dimensional Cube. Our identity in relation to each member of the Trinity.

Who are we? Where are we going? Father Fellow Citizens of God’s Kingdom Inclusive Belonging Where are we going? On a journey that creates a church family that is fundamentally inclusive and fosters a sense of belonging. Why? Because the gospel brings radical inclusion to the excluded. How do we achieve this? Equal access Equal status Primary Allegiance to Christ

Who are we? Where are we going? Son Body of Christ Incarnational Now Who is He? Jesus Christ is Lord over all. Who are we? The Body of Christ: Metaphorically Different people fit together (1 Corinthians 12- one body, many parts) More than a metaphor Union with Him (John 15- vine and branches) Authority and power to overcome all opposition because our leader and head is Lord of all. Here and now expression of Jesus Christ (The Kingdom is Today!). Where are we going? On a journey to build a church family that is fundamentally incarnational. Meaning we embody the fullness of Jesus Christ by expressing His person and rule in the here & now. How do we do this? Strengthen our union with Him Exercise His authority Live like Him

Who are we? Where are we going? Holy Spirit Temple of the Holy Spirit Charismatic Filling Who are we? A home for God the Holy Spirit. Theme #1= Unity (in whom/ in Him/ joined together) Theme #2= Growth (working progress/ new commissions) Theme #3= Home (holy temple/ dwelling place) Where are we going? On a journey to build a church family that is inescapably charismatic. Meaning that we cannot neglect being filled with the H.S because His presence, and His power, His own glory fill His temple. He desires to fill us; we must not grieve Him.

Who are we? Where are we going? Father Family Members Relational Serving This morning, we’re going to explore another aspect of our identity- we‘re members of God’s family!

Ephesians 2:19-22 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. This passage reveals our identity as “members of the household of God”.

Family Photo Albums Introduce the importance/ significance of Family Photo Albums: Tells our story Memories of the past Informs the present Influences the future Show my photo albums My Mum is obsessed with taking pictures!

21st century photo albums!

God’s Family Album God’s Family photo album from the book of Ephesians.

#1 Before Jesus Christ 2:1-3 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind 2:12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 2:19 …strangers and aliens

#2 Because of Jesus Christ 2:4-10 4But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.   2:13-18 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

#3 We are family You are Royalty. Person next to you is also royalty.

Have we received our identity? Revelation Therefore, we must position ourselves for a revelation. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity (ESV). 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed (NIV) Revelation is a gift. How do we position ourselves for a revelation? Talk about it Think about it Read about it Write about it Sing about it Listen to it Surround yourselves with those who live it out What blocks us receiving our identity and the identities of our fellow family members? One major barrier can be found in 4:19 Paul is describes the gentiles before surrendering to Jesus Christ. Social Media example: We love to know what is going on in each others lives- we’re curious. The danger of social media is that it eases our curiosity without the personal cost of doing life with them. We can participate from a distance. What is portrayed on social media can be a false reality.

#4 We Serve Service is the fruit of receiving the revelation of being family members. Family has the potential to be great or to be awful. Key= “I’m a contributor, not a consumer” Relationships: Husband & Wife Parent & Child Christ & Church Master & Slave Commands: Submit Love Obey Honor Respect Serve 4:1-6 1I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 5:1-2 1Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 5:8-10 Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 5:18b-21 18be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. 6:7-8 7rendering service with a good will [serve wholeheartedly] as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord…   We are a visible expression of an invisible reality. Show pictures. Paul, Barnabas and Timothy. A family is not just made up of Barnabas’. Get involved in the action! If you don’t know how, talk to me.

Who are we? Where are we going? Father Family Members Relational Serving Who are we? We are family Where are we going? We’re on a journey to build a church family that is fundamentally relational in our nature. Our church is a family not a meeting. We are contributors not consumers. Why important? Because unity brings a release of the H.S (Steve Swnason).