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.
Adoption signifies ...that you are ...... legally ... a child of God.
At the time of Paul's letter to the believers, ... the word adoption ... was used much differently ... than we use it ... today.
When we speak about adoption today, ... we are talking about taking a child that is not our own flesh and blood, ...... and legally making them ... our own.
That is not the Biblical meaning of ... adoption.
Remember through Regeneration you are...... literally ... a child of God.
Not adopted ... in the modern sense of the word.
Through regeneration ... you are in fact ... a child of God.
Understand that the Romans and the Greeks had a ceremony they went thru ......with their own flesh and blood children.
And that ceremony was called ... Adoption, ...... which literally means ... "the placing ... of a son."
As long as a child was under the legal age of inheritance, ... they were considered ... a full-fledged member ... of the family.
They did not enjoy all the rights and privileges ... of family membership.
When they became an adult, ... that is the legal age of inheritance, ......they went thru a ceremony called ......the "toga vi-ril-is".
They would take the toga off the back of the adult, ... and place it on the back ... of the youngster.
And then pronounce them to be A full-fledged member of the family, ... with all the rights and privileges.
And It becomes very clear ... in Paul's letter to the Galatians ... that Adoption in the Scriptures ... is the Ceremony of ... "Toga Virilis"
Hear God's Word: BIBLE " Now I say, ... as long as the heir is ... a child, ... he does not differ at all from a slave ...although he is owner of everything, ... but he is under guardians and managers ... until the date set by ... the father. (that is until the date of toga virilis). The Scripture continues: So also, we, ... while we were children, ... were held in bondage ... under the elemental things ... of the world.
But ......, God sent forth His Son, ... born of a woman, ... born under the Law, ... so that He might redeem those ... who were under the Law, ... that we might receive ... the adoption as sons." END (Galatians 4:1-7)
The term "adoption as Sons" is used for a reason because the Ceremony of "Toga Virills" ... was done only ... to young men.
But now ......Praise God ... it is being offered to all ...both men and women.
To all ... who are in ... Christ Jesus.
This transformation ... this truth ... is so magnificent, that during the Baptism Service the following proclamation is declared: (Open Prayer book page 169)
(Loud) "Heavenly Father, ... we thank you ... that by water and the Holy Spirit ... you have bestowed upon this your servant the forgiveness of sin, ... received them as your own children ... by adoption."
Beloved ... Here is the ... significance:
With Re-generation ... you are born again ... you became a child of God...... literally.
And this is significant ... because ... if you are not his child literally ... you cannot go through ... "Toga Virills".
You cannot be ... Spiritually adopted.
And through "Toga Virills" ... Adoption ... you become a child of God... legally.
And the beauty is ... that these both happen ...simultaneously.
They both happen ... at the very same moment!
For those who are in Christ Jesus...... you are immediately instated ...... with all rights ... and all privileges.
You are not just a child being fed, ...but an heir ...receiving all that heaven ... has available!
No wonder Paul states in our text... "And if children, then heirs; ... heirs of God, ... and joint-heirs ...with Christ." (Romans 8:17)
You and I are ...... children of the King!! (2 Corinthians 6:18)
Through Regeneration ... We are literally washed clean ... and become born anew... Born again... a new creation in Christ Jesus. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
And Spiritual adoption ... emphasizes the fact that God looked at us ......loved us ......and chose us ...to also be legally ...a part of his ... family"
So, ... both statements are true... "We are born into ... and we are adopted into... The family of God.
So ... Welcome to the family! (Long Pause)
A Sunday School teacher was registering the children and she asked two brothers ... their age and birthday.
One of the two boys said, ... "We're both seven.
My birthday is April 8, 2004, ... and my brother's is April 20, 2004."
The teacher was a little confused and said, ... "But that's impossible!"
The other brother said, "No, it's not, ... one of us is adopted."
Before she was even aware ... the words came out, ... "Which one?"
The boys looked at each other ... and smiled.
Then one of them said, ... "We asked Dad that a while ago, ... but he just said he loved us, ... and he couldn't remember which one ... was adopted."
Beloved ... If you are in Christ, you are a child of the living God, ... born literally... And adopted legally into the family of God.
We are children of God.
And if children, then heirs of God.
Remember Gods Word, "If you are Christ's, ... then you are Abraham's seed, ... and heirs ... according to the promise." (Galatians 3:29).
As you read the Word of God, ... you will come to understand ... That As a child of God...... you have received ... an inheritance.
We become heirs, ...the Scripture says, ... heirs with Christ.
And it gets better ... for we share the same inheritance as Jesus ... the only begotten Son.
You are not only an heir of God, ...... but you are a joint heir with Christ. (Long Pause)
Most married couples probably have what is referred to as a ......joint checking account.
In a joint checking account, two people or more ...share one account.
Now, ... if you have a joint account, ... how much can you write a check for ...on that account?
Half of the balance?
No, ... to have a joint checking account means that you can draw out of that account ...100% ... of whatever ...... is in the account.
And God's word promises ... (Slow) that we are joint heirs ... with Christ Jesus.
We share in His kingdom, ... not just a part of his kingdom.
We share in all ... all of ... his kingdom.
We have access with Christ ... to all the promises of the Father, ......to all the blessings of the Father, ...to all the inheritance ... of the Father.
How Glorious ... We ... We are joint heirs ... with Christ.
All that Christ has ... is available to us.
We are children of God.
Born again ... adopted ...and made heirs ...with Christ Jesus.
We our full heirs... Joint heirs ... with Christ Jesus.
Heirs with all the rights ... with all the privileges and with ... all the promises.
And that inheritance is offered to us.
It is not forced... but offered ... to us.
God calls us...... with his gracious love ... to lay hold to our ... inheritance. (Pause)
Yet the sad truth is ...... most knowingly or unknowingly ... reject it.
Yes ... You can refuse ... God's offer.
You can refuse the ... inheritance.
You can refuse it, ... or you can claim it. (Long Pause)
I will end with this story ... which took place in Gatlinburg Tennessee which Lee and I the privilege to visit when we stayed for a week in the smokey mountains.
I believe this story puts this all ... into prospective. (Long Pause)
Fred Craddock ... went one summer to Gatlinburg, Tennessee to take a short vacation with his wife.
One night they found a quiet little restaurant where they looked forward ... to a quiet private meal.
While they were waiting for their meal, ... they noticed a distinguished looking, ... white-haired man moving from table to table, ... visiting the guests.
Craddock whispered to his wife, ... "I hope he doesn't come over here."
He did not want the man to intrude ... on their privacy.
But the man did come by their table.
He said, "Where you folks from?"
They said, "Oklahoma."
"Splendid state, I hear, ... although I've never been there.
What do you do for a living?"
"I teach homiletics ... at the graduate seminary of Phillips University."
"Oh, ... so you teach preachers, ... do you?
Well, ... I've got a story ... I want to tell you."
And with that he pulled up a chair ... and sat down at the table ... with Craddock and his wife.
Dr. Craddock said he groaned inwardly. ...Oh no, here comes another ... preacher story.
The man stuck out his hand.
"I'm ... Ben Hooper.
I was born not far from here ... across the mountains.
My mother was not married when I was born ... so I had a hard time.
When I started to school, ... my classmates had a name for me, ......and it was not a very nice name.
I used to go off by myself at recess ...and during lunch time ... because the taunts of my classmates ... cut so deeply.
"What was worse ... was going downtown on Saturday afternoon ... and feeling every eye burning a hole ... through me.
They were all wondering ... just who ... my real father was.
"When I was about 12 years old ... a new preacher came to our church.
I would always go in late ... and slip out ... early.
But one day the preacher said the benediction so fast ... I got caught ... and had to walk out with the crowd.
I could feel every eye in church ... on me.
Just about the time I got to the door ... I felt a big hand on my shoulder.
I looked up ... and the preacher was looking right at me.
"'Who are you, son? ... Whose boy, ... are you?'"
"I felt the old weight ... come on me.
It was like a big, ... black cloud.
Even the preacher ... was putting me down.
"But as he looked down at me, ... studying my face, ... he began to smile ... a big smile of recognition.
"'Wait a minute,' he said, ...`I know who you are.
I see the family ... resemblance.
Why You're ... You're a son ... of God.'
"With that he slapped me across the rump and said, `Boy, ... you've got a great inheritance.
Go ... and claim it.'" (Pause)
The old man looked across the table at Fred Craddock and said,
..."That was the most important single sentence ... ever said to me."
With that he smiled, ...shook the hands of Professor Craddock ... and his wife, ... and moved on to the other tables.
Suddenly, Fred Craddock remembered.
On two occasions ...the people of Tennessee had elected a boy ... who was born out of wedlock... to be their governor.
And His name was ... Ben Hooper. (Pause)
Beloved ... The choice is yours: ......you can reject the inheritance ... and walk away.
Or you can accept it ... you can claim it ... as your very own.
You ... You are a joint heir of Christ Jesus ... adopted legally ... and born literally ... into the family of God.
You are joint heirs ... with Christ Jesus.
Beloved ...`I know who you are.
I can see the family resemblance.
You are a son of God ... a son of the King ... a prince of the Kingdom.
And You are a daughter of God ... a daughter of the King ... a princess ... of the Kingdom.
Beloved ... You and I ... We are the body of Christ and We have .... a great inheritance.
(Slow down) You ... and I ... are heirs ... joint heirs ... with Christ Jesus.
And for that I say ... Thanks be to God!
And all God' said ... Amen!
I received much of the information concerning adoption from a Sermon by Jerry Shirley titled " Welcome To The Family" and I commend it to you.
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