3. The Fairview Family Review of message 1 & 2

4. The Fairview Family As God’s family, God desires for us to be together: - A place to belong - A place to experience God’s kind of love - A place to grow up in the Faith - A place to discover purpose - A place from which we are launched into ministry into ministry

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7. 1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

8. The Fairview Family 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

9. The Fairview Family 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

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12. 13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,

13. The Fairview Family 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

14. The Fairview Family 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

15. The Fairview Family 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through Him and for Him.

16. The Fairview Family 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

17. The Fairview Family 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

18. The Fairview Family 1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways,

19. The Fairview Family 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

20. The Fairview Family 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high

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22. 22 And He put all things 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,

23. The Fairview Family 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

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28. 1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,

29. The Fairview Family 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,

30. The Fairview Family 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

31. The Fairview Family 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;

32. The Fairview Family 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

33. The Fairview Family 7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

34. The Fairview Family 1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

35. The Fairview Family 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

36. The Fairview Family 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

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38. 19So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.

39. The Fairview Family 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

40. The Fairview Family 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

41. The Fairview Family 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

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43. -When the Scriptures reveal a command or principle, we know with authority and confidence that our obedience to His Word is following Jesus

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45. 14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

46. The Fairview Family -The Holy Spirit leads us by revealing the Scriptures to us. -The Holy Spirit leads us according to God’s established pattern of authority.

47. The Fairview Family Jesus is the Head, the leader of the church. By church we mean both the world-wide church and every local expression of His church. Every member of God’s family is to be submitted to the leadership of Jesus

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49. Jesus has given every member of His Body spiritual gifts and natural talents. These are to be used under the control of the Holy Spirit for the building up of the Body.

50. The Fairview Family Some of these gifts enable the member to serve as a leader in the family. Other gifts enable the member to serve in a variety of worker roles.

51. The Fairview Family God’s gifts usually line up with the God given natural talents and the person’s personality.

52. The Fairview Family Leadership in a local church is established Biblically by spiritual gifts, spiritual maturity, and a specific call of God all of which is confirmed by the Body together.

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54. Every leader at every level of the church is to have the same pattern. Each will have been given spiritual gifts, grow to a level of maturity, and sense a call of God to serve in a specific area.

55. The Fairview Family The church then confirms this leading. The specific area may change many times yet it will be the same pattern of gift, call, and confirmation of Body

56. The Fairview Family The family analogy is helpful here. The leader leads in the context of the family.

57. The Fairview Family The leadership of the church models a walk of spiritual maturity which gives confidence from the Spirit to the family.

58. The Fairview Family Decisions, vision, direction from leaders to the family must line up with God’s Word and be a result of a process of prayer, of love, of unity, and seeking to best fulfill Jesus commands.

59. The Fairview Family The family confirms the leaders and the leaders seek to lead the family to be effective in obeying Jesus.

60. The Fairview Family The leaders seek to equip and encourage all of the members to grow in faith and serving. As everyone does the part God assigns, the family is able to grow in every way.

61. The Fairview Family Major decisions should be born out of prayer and confirmed by the family in prayer, in love and in unity. Leaders know that if the direction is from the Spirit of God He is fully able to confirm His desire in the minds and hearts of all of His children.

62. The Fairview Family Often God’s timing is found in this process of seeking the Spirit’s confirmation.

63. The Fairview Family No local church family does this perfectly. However, that is not an excuse for a lack of unity, love, or obedience.

64. The Fairview Family Jesus leads by His Spirit and His Word through His gifted and maturing children following His pattern for leadership in His family.

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66. The family can only follow Jesus together if we are each following Jesus personally.

67. The Fairview Family We are to seek to grow in faith and use the gifts God has given us. We are to encourage one another in these areas. We are to work together with each one doing our God given assignment in unity and love.

68. The Fairview Family Focusing on Jesus leads us to put Jesus first and to desire to serve one another and serve others together. Every one of us is vital to the family.