Identity

You may not have had a loving father. My mom had a good dad, but he never told her he loved her. I had a great dad who spent times with me and show his love to my brother and me all the time.

Who Am I in Christ?

Galatians 3:26 NLT

26 For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

We we place our faith is Jesus, we are adopted into the family of God. We become his children because we have been justified by faith in Christ. We have a new relationship. We are no longer slaves but are sons or daughters of the most high.

Galatians 4:4–7 NLT

4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.

God sent his son. Shows pre-existance of Jesus. The father lovingly sends his son. The son obediently goes. This show the relationship between son and father… between us and the father.

Born of a woman - Jesus was the pre-existent God, but he also became a human. As such, he subjected himself to the structure of the universe he created. He also was a Jew and subject to God’s law… the one none of us could keep. Jesus kept it perfectly.

God sent him to buy freedom for us - Redemption means to buy back. It was the price paid for a slave. He paid the price to buy us out of slavery and put us into his family.

Our adoption gives us a new relationship with God. In Roman culture, when a person was adopted he was no longer a slave, but had the full rights and privileges of the Roman family who adopted him. He was equal to any biological sons or daughters. There was no difference.

Because you are his children, he sent His Spirit… We now can call God… daddy. Paul is almost saying, that now you are God’s children, act that way. God gives us the HS as a gift and that is how Christ lives in our hearts. It means that belong to

We are the child of a good father. We used to be slaves until the Father sent Jesus to buy us out of slavery. Jesus paid for us to be free from slavery. He also made it possible for us to be adopted into the family of God… to he his co-heir.

The Slave has a master.

A master is over the person waiting for them to make a mistake so they can correct them, etc.

The son has a father.

A loving father is there to help us do life. He wants to see us succeed and grow and he helps us through mistakes we make.

Romans 8:15–18 NLT

15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. 18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.

We get to call God… daddy.

We were adopted into the family. He chose you. explain adoptive love

We are not slaves… we are sons and daughters.

The slave is an employee.

The son is an heir.

We are not an employee working for God. We are in the family business. We are heirs of what God is doing here in earth. Everything he is giving Jesus, he gives us.

ILL - son working for a dad…

Son of the owner of the Coca cola bottling in Rome… his attitude was better than the others.

Lane - working in towing business.

me working for my dad...

Mindset - I am not an employee, I am part of the family business. You are an heir. God is not your boss, he is your dad who is going to give you his kingdom.

Romans 8:17 NLT

17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Co-Heirs - We are heirs along with Jesus. God will give us everything that he gave Jesus. Whatever Jess receives, we receive.

As you invest in your church, you are working in the family business and are co-heirs with Jesus.

Philippians 2:12–13 NLT

12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

We work hard to show the results of being a son or daughter. We want do good because of devotion to our father.

There are some things we have to do just like an employee. We have to do the work. We have to obey the father.

HOWEVER the motivation is different.

The slave is driven by duty.

The son is driven by devotion.

We do the work out of love and devotion. I always wanted my dad to be proud of what I was doing. I never wanted to do anything to hurt his name or his reputation because I loved him.

Luke 10:38–42 NLT

38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. 40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” 41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Martha was thinking like a slave.

Mary was focused on her relationship with the Lord.

We get to sit at the feet of Jesus and develop our relationship with Jesus.

I am a son or daughter in Christ.

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