Our Sonship

OUR SONSHIP

1 Jn. 3:2

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. Rabbis are notoriously stubborn individuals, by necessity. One day 4 Rabbis -- Bloom, Levy, Victor and Morris -- were having a theological argument. At the conclusion, they voted and it was 3 to 1, with Rabbi Victor being on the losing end. But Rabbi Victor decided to appeal to a higher authority.

2. "Oh God," he cried out, "I know that I’m right and they’re wrong! I would be most grateful if you would give us a sign to prove to them that I am right."

3. At that moment a storm cloud obscured the sunny sky, let out a mighty rumble and then dissolved. "See!" said Rabbi Victor, "that was a sign from God. I knew I was right."

4. But the other rabbis disagreed, pointing out that it wasn't unusual for storm clouds to form on hot days.

5. Just as Rabbi Victor was getting ready to ask God for a gigantic sign to end the argument, the sky turned pitch black, the earth shook violently, and a deep, booming voice says, "He’s Right!"

6. Rabbi Victor smiled, turned to the other three rabbis, and said, "So! Are you now willing to admit that I am right?"

7. To which one of the Rabbis answered, "Well, we’ll certainly admit that the vote is now 3 to 2!”

B. TEXT: 1 John 3:2

“Beloved, NOW are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”

C. THESIS

1. Maybe some of you ladies have felt the unfairness of you being born a woman and men having the upper hand. 2. Maybe you’ve wished you could’ve been born a man.

Gender discrimination causes pay differences between men and women.

3. Let me tell you a wonderful truth: in Christ God has taken that difference away! Gal. 3:28 says; “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

4. We’re going to look at why you ladies are as good as any “son.” We’re looking at who Jesus the Son of God is, what being “in Christ” means, and the implications of our Sonship. The title is, “Our Sonship.”

I. JESUS WAS/IS UNIQUELY THE SON OF GOD

A. THE “ONLY” SON OF GOD

1. The Nicene Creed says, “I believe in one God, the Father Almighty …And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made …”

2. Jesus was God’s Son before He was physically born of Mary (Ps. 2:7,12; Prov. 30:4; Heb. 1:2; John 3:17).

3. John 1:14,18 & 3:16,18 tells us that Jesus is the Father’s “mono-genes,” the only genetic Son. The angels are sons by creation, we are sons by adoption, but Jesus is “The Son” (87X in N.T.) by eternal coexistence. Jesus alone is of one substance with the Father.

4. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus called God, “Abba, Father!” (Mk. 14:36), using the intimate words a child might use to say “Daddy!”

B. JESUS CLAIMED A SPECIAL, UNPARALLELED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER

1. John 5:18 “calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” Jn. 8:54, “My Father, whom you claim as your God….” John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.”

2. John 1:18, “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.” NIV

C. SPECIAL PRIVILEGES OF THE SON OF GOD:

a. He has all powers of Judging (John 5:22-23);

b. Owns everything that belongs to God (Jn. 16:15);

c. He alone possesses immortality (Jn. 5:26; 1 Tim. 6:16; 2 Tim. 1:10);

d. Jesus alone will raise the Dead (Jn. 6:40,44);

e. He alone has ever seen the Father (Jn. 6:46);

f. Only through The Son can the Father be known (14:6);

g. If you’ve seen Jesus, you’ve seen the Father (14:9);

h. The Son dispenses the Holy Spirit (Jn. 15:26; 16:15);

i. Prayers in the Son’s name are answered by God (15:16);

j. The Son was glorified and loved by the Father before the world began (Jn. 17:5, 24).

D. ILLUSTRATION: Access to High Places

1. During the Civil War, a man’s son deserted his post in battle and was to be shot by a firing squad. So the father went to Washington DC seeking the President’s pardon.

2. But he couldn't get passed the front gate to the White House; the guards denied him access.