Are You Adopted?

Psalm Reading:

Speaking about adoption today:

Psalm 103:8–13 ESV

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

Intro:

We understand the parent-child relationship

Give example of my relationship with my child versus that of other children.

It is similar with God. We are not just people who are not subject to his wrath, but we are heirs of His Kingdom.

John starts his gospel with explaining the beautiful promise of adoption.

John

verses 6-8

E/A: God uses people to speak herald messages from Him. For Jesus, the OT prophets spoke of Jesus coming, but right before Jesus comes, John is paving the way.

Might be confusing to some at that time so John is very careful to point out that John the Baptist is not God, but simply a messenger.

But most important thing here is God has called John and he is faithfully calling people to Christ.

I: God has ordained witness as a means to salvation. He rarely calls people vocally. How many of you in this room are here right now because another person told you about Christ or invited you to church?

Implications: This is an example of the nature of all Christian witness. So that all might believe. We are all called to do this in some way. Many ways to live the gospel, but here its talking about speaking.

Not a sermon, but can you say what Christ has done in your life?

This task of witnessing is hard because the..

Jews

E/A: The true light is Jesus, He died for the sins of everyone.

Irony. Jesus came to His people. Jesus made the world, and He looked after the Israelites. They were entrapped in sin so much that even after all this provision, they did not know the messiah when they saw Him.

Implication: How should we be any different? We are not born into the people of Israel, so how will we ever accept Christ if there is no one to witness.

Application: It is vital that we are prepared to give witness to the greatness of Christ. We should expect opposition.

Jesus

But some do accept Christ. Not in their own power but from Christ.

If you receive Christ believe in His Name—you will be saved/adopted as son/daughter

His Name is not just believing Jesus Christ was the name of this person, it means we believe in His authority, everything He stands for. Jesus claims to be God.

John 8:58 ESV

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

Why does he say it like this? He is claiming to be God.

This is where we talk about adoption:

Adoption is profoundly different than mere justification.

Define justification and adoption.

Christianity can so often be tagged as a moral system. Do’s and don’ts.

So early in John’s Gospel, we see adoption as children of God is the ultimate end of true religion, not some form of moral enlightenment

This will lead to us living better and more ethical lives, but this is so much more.

God goes from being our enemy, to being our atonement, to being the way we are adopted into God’s family.

This makes us heirs of God’s inheritance.

What is this inheritance? Eternal life, communion with God, life in the new heaven and new earth, eternal special care.

A: This is a big truth here, but something like this has to profoundly shape how we live. I dont want to give too many specific examples because I am worried I might limit the way this affects how we life, but here are a few high level ones.

How do we treat our prayer? Are we truly talking to our Good, Good, Father?

How do we treat other believers? The person who’s back you are gossiping behind. Thats God’s child too.

Church unity? We are God’s family, if a family aught to look out for one another and strive for unity how much more should the CHurch of Jesus Christ?

How do you treat yourself? Do you live like you are part of God’s family?

Summation

Argumentation Conclusion:

Adoption is a supernatural act. It does not happen by physical birth, the will of parents, but from God (v13). God is the one who does this work in us.

Re-state Thesis: If we are adopted into God’s family, then let us live like we are!

Benediction: You can be truly adopted into God’s holy family. As Paul says in his letter to the Ephesians,

Ephesians 1:3–6 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.