Sermon # 46 - Be A Son, Not A Slave Series

We read in Romans 8:15, For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (KJV)

There are two kinds of spirits that are mentioned in the verse above, one is the spirit that makes us a slave, and the other the Spirit of adoption that gives us the right to call God our ‘Abba Father’ thereby making us sons and daughters of God. In this series that we studied through the year, we have pondered on how we can be freed from every form of bondage in our lives, which we realized was God’s will for each one of us. In order to be set free from these enslavements, we need the Spirit of God, without whose help no one can be delivered.

God created man as the crown of His creation, for He made man to be the ruler over all that He created. Man was also made in the likeness and image of God. We must therefore remember that irrespective of how we appear, we are all created by God in His image and likeness.

When we read the genealogy of Jesus as recorded in Luke 3:38, Kenan was the son of Enosh. Enosh was the son of Seth. Seth was the son of Adam. Adam was the son of God. (NLT)

In the above mentioned verse we note that Adam is referred to as the son of God, because God had created Adam in His own image and likeness. However, when Adam disobeyed God, he became a slave, because he chose to obey Satan, and disobeyed the command of God. Adam decided to believe the lie of the enemy, rather than the truth that God had spoken to him.

However, God out of His bounteous love did not want to abandon man to slavery, but determined to restore this fallen man back to the status of being His son. God did this by coming down as a man, dying on the cross for all of our sins, being buried, and rising again on the third day and going up into heaven. He purchased our redemption by His death, and gave the authority for all who accepted this salvation to be called the sons of God. Not only did he adopt us as His own, He also sent the Holy Spirit to live inside of us so we can witness and proclaim this message to everyone.

God longs for us to be His children, which implies that He wishes that we live His way, and reflect Him in everything. Jesus set an example for us by living the life that was totally pleasing to God the Father, and when we follow in His footsteps we declare to the world that we are indeed the children of God.

There are those even today who find it hard to obey the truth of God’s word, but rather prefer to live by the lies that the people of the world pour out on them, and have thereby become slaves.

What differentiates a slave from a son?

The characteristics of a slave

1. A slave values possessions over relationships

Jesus told this parable in Luke 15:11-12, And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. (ESV)

Here was the younger son who valued his father’s property over his relationship with his father.

A slave is one who is so obsessed with material possession and worldly things that he treats with contempt all other relationships. God has entrusted finances and resources to all of us, but the question is are our eyes are fixed on these worldly things or are they set on God who is the giver of all these good things? While a slave is consumed with the riches of this world, a son is captivated with his love for his father. We are children of God only when our love for Him far exceeds our love for the things of this world.

Job is a fine example of a son, who loved God more than all that he possessed. Therefore when he lost all of his worldly belongings, and all of his children, he could still say with confidence in Job 1:21, The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” (ESV)

Our prayers are good indicators if we are sons or slaves. If all of our prayers are directed towards ourselves, our personal needs, and our families, we are still living like slaves. On the other hand is we are sons and daughters of God, our prayers and longing should be that we be more like our Father in heaven, with longing to fulfill His purposes for our lives.