Sermon Central
-
Spiritual Adoption - What Does That Mean?
Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Jul 20, 2014 (message contributor)
Summary: Adoption during the writings of Paul meant something totally different then it does today. Adoption signifies that you are legally a child of God. You are a full fledged member of the family. A joint heir with Christ. Updated July 2023.
For Those Not Familiar with an Anglican Service there are four Scripture Readings that proceed the Message. Today's Readings were Isaiah 55, Psalm 65, Romans 8:7-17 and Matthew 13:1-9 & Matthew 13:18-23.
A young man entered the movie theater ... loaded down ......with popcorn, ... drinks, and ... candy.
As the lights dimmed ... he began to pace up and down the aisle, ... scanning all ... the darkened rows.
It was obvious ... he was looking for the people ... with whom ... he had come.
After three or four unsuccessful trips up and down the aisle, ...he finally stopped and asked loudly, ...... "Does anybody here ... recognize me?" (Pause)
We all want ... to belong.
We all want ... to be known by others.
We all want to know ... that someone out there... cares about us.
We have a need ... to be part of something ... to belong.
We have a need ... to be in ... community.
That is how we are ... wired.
It is the way ... God created us.
God created both Adam and Eve ...... so man would not be alone; ...so they would both ... support, nurture, ... and care ......for each other.
The first thing Jesus did ... when he began his ministry ... was to gather a small circle ... of friends.
A group who would eventually become ... the initial leaders ...... of the church.
Yes ... Jesus needed to teach them, ... yet at the same time ... they also became a community.
They became a family ... they were close to one another.
In fact, ...At the Last Supper, ... Jesus tells them: ..."I no longer call you servants, . . . now ... I call you ... friends." (John 15:15)
Beloved... You and I are not just servants, ... and we are not ... just friends.
We are much more.
The Scriptures are clear... We ... we are children of God.
Our text from Romans puts it this way:
Hear God's word BIBLE "All who are led by the Spirit of God ... are children of God. ... For you did not receive a spirit of slavery ... to fall back into fear, ... but you have received a spirit of ... adoption. ... When we cry, 'Abba! ... Father!' ... it is that very Spirit ... bearing witness with our spirit ... that we are children of God, ... and if children, ... then heirs, ... heirs of God ... and joint heirs ... with Christ." END (Romans 8:14-17)
Paul states in out text, you have received a spirit of adoption... and we are children ... of God.
In the Kingdom of God, ...there are no orphans there are no ... stepchildren.
Through Christ Jesus, ... we are ... children ... children of ... God.
Beloved ... we need to grasp that ... for it is an miraculous ... truth!
It is an amazing ... promise.
You can almost feel the incredible joy ... that the apostle John felt ... as he wrote these words: Hear God's promise:
BIBLE "Behold ... what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, ... that we should be called ...... children of God!" END (1 John 3:1).
It is difficult to fully fathom ... that the God of the universe ... would allow us to be his children.
You and I have received a spirit of adoption ...You and I are a child ... of God.
Now "Adoption": Is a term ... that is often misunderstood ... in Scriptures.
The doctrine of adoption has a twin truth ... they go together... And ... And They are inseparable.
The first truth is...... regeneration ... that is the experience of ...... new birth.
You know about ... the new birth:
Jesus stated clearly... "you must be born again". (John 3:7)
And when a person accepts Christ as their Lord and Savior..., they are ... born again.
They experience the new birth ...... They experience regeneration ... and become God's child...... LITERALLY!
Not metaphorically ... not figuratively.
We are ... literally, ... children of God.
He literally ... is your Father...... and you are part of the family, ... the family of God.
So Beloved ... Welcome to the family!
That is the promise of regeneration...... a new birth ... you are a new creation ... in Christ Jesus.
And its twin...... is the doctrine of ... "adoption."
Paul states this truth to the believers gathered in Galatia: BIBLE "God sent his Son, ... born of a woman, ... born under the law, ... 5 in order to ... redeem those ... who were under the law, ... so that we might receive adoption ... as children." END (Galatians 4:4-5)
Regeneration signifies ...... that you are...... literally ... a child of God.
