Ressurection Sunday

Adoption: Found at the Foot of the Cross

John 19:26–27 ESV

26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

I’ve never preach a resurrection Sunday message from this angle before, but I believe God is speaking into the town, into the church, and into you. This is the one of the biggest concepts of Jesus’ death and resurrection. The story of Adoption as a man becomes a child and an elderly women accepts a son. It is believed in this time that Joseph, the husband of Mary would have died. Mary would be left alone. She has sons. James, Jude, or another male sibling, but those children had yet to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. Ir kind of speaks to the difficulty and necessary prayer that bringing a family member into the salvation could be. It’s often harder to preach to those who knew us the best because they don’t know who we are today.

Jewish history tells us that Mary would have been forced back into Jewish customs had she been under the authority of her sons. In those days women needed to be under a man. A widow with no children would be worse off than a child with no parents. to the disciple it’s about the compassion and care for people. This is symbolic for the relationship we need to cultivate with Jesus.

The reality is while Jesus was suffering the worst possible death imaginable and still used his painstaking breathes to make sure Mary was taken care of. So these are the realities of this Easter:

Romans 8:14–15 ESV

14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Adoption wasn’t huge in those times and the Jewish people don’t didn’t even have a word for it. You won’t find adoption in the Old Testimant, although you will find instances of adoption such as Esther and her uncle Mordiqi. Adoption in the Roman culture typically didn’t happen until puberty was hit and usually done for monitary gain or because the person who was being adopted had some intrinsic value. This value was typically equated to someone being smart, well taken care of, and accelerated because this person who adopted to continue a family name of someone who didn’t have an heir.

But Paul uses this term openly. Meaning anyone can be adopted. Paul is pointed in making use of family terms such as Father, brother, adopted because he is purposefully laying out the ideals of a family. He is trying to communicate how much you and wanted. This is also why Paul uses the term as sons. Culturally in those days daughters were considered less desirable so he wanted to make sure you knew he meant you were desired at the highest level of desire you could receive.

This also means that you are positionally in line to receive the inheritance that God has to offer.

Romans 8:17 ESV

17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

The other part of this verse is the term led by the Spirit. The verb used here means willingly led. You cannot be forced into a father-son relationship with God. The Holy Spirit doesn’t force you to follow Him. He shows your the path and guides you through the obstacles of life, but there is no force.

Willingly led

The beauty of the cross and resurrection is this: The avenue in which we can accept God has been open.

Today we celebrate Jesus’ return back to Heaven. The bible tells us that he ascended to His place in Heaven and that he is talking to God about us on a constant basis. Jesus is our High Priest. He is our intercessor. So the idea is this:

1. He cares for us.

The reality is this- adoption can only be found at the feet of Jesus. Adoption is near and dear to me as I believe all children should get a chance at a good home. In the natural adoption is taking someone a child in who is in a bad situation and giving them a safe, loving, and thriving place to find who they were created to be.

I don’t know what your physical lot is in life if you grew up with great parents or if your parents lacked parental skill, but God desires to be with you. He desires a relationship with you.

In the physical world when a healthy adoption is made it’s because the person typically wants you. We celebrate was is typically called a

Gotcha Day

It’s the day you were physically brought into the life of the adoptive parents.

Romans 8:32 (ESV)

32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

James 4:8 ESV

8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

God desires a true relationship with you. He wants to be with you. He purposefully removed the hurdles that would get in the way of us becoming his children.