Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro

Common knowledge:

Common knowledge:

Sometimes life is hard for everyone at times

Envy for people with money (looks easier on the outside)

Envy for people with more free time

Envy for people with less troubles

As a kid, I had friends who preferred to be at my house not their own because life at their house was so much more difficult than at mine — for any number of reasons.

It’s nice for them to get some escape, but at some point they have to go home.

We were designed to live in God’s house, but by nature we don’t.

We look on God’s house and all the blessings promised in the scriptures, but we don’t get to live there because we are not born as God’s children.

But, we can become God’s children...2nd spiritual blessing: Adoption

2nd spiritual blessing: Adoption

We are not children of God by nature because humanity has been…

PODCAST:

We are not children of God by nature because humanity has been…

PODCAST

The original sons of God

Adam

Estranged from God

the divine beings (cf.

Deu 32, ) that lived in the garden

God’s family was supposed to live in harmony in the garden and humanity was supposed to multiply

Estranged from God

(the fall)

God’s first human son (Adam and his wife Eve)

They lived in God’s house on earth (the Garden)

They walked and talked with God in the garden

When they sinned they were banished from the Garden, kicked out (estranged) of God’s house.

Ever since then, humankind has been separated from God our Father.

What about me?

I didn’t eat the fruit?

Why should I have to suffer because of Adam’s sin?

Simple genealogy — Adam was no longer God’s son so Adam’s children are not God’s children

Adam was made in God’s image and the image of God was taken from him at the fall.

To be born in the likeness of Adam, according to the image of Adam, meant to be born a sinner estranged from God.

We like to say everyone is a child of God…

Paul on estrangement

We lived among the rulers of the power of the air, the spirit working in the disobedient — Satan, the Devil, the ancient serpent of the Garden, etc.

Because of this we carried out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts—our sinful desires.

Therefore we were children under God’s wrath.

ILL: Fire—probably not literal, but a demonstration of the horror of God’s wrath, being separated from God for eternity.

Ephesians

The Apostle John says,

We think we are born neutral, but we aren’t.

Because of Adam’s sin, all are children of the devil.

But, praise be to God that although we have been estranged from God, we can be…

Adopted through Christ

definitions

…

“the action or fact of legally taking another's child and bringing it up as one's own, or the fact of being adopted.”

God’s adoption of us

"she gave up her children for adoption"

Utilitarian: “the action or fact of choosing to take up, follow, or use something.”

ex.

“We adopted a new teaching curriculum in our school.”

God’s adoption of us

God wants a family and He is adopting His own estranged children.

It’s not as though God failed in some other plan, however, and that’s why he decided to adopt us back:

It’s not as though God failed in some other plan, however:

He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ ()

He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ ()

He predestined…this was always God’s design and purpose, to rescue sinners from wrath and adopt us as sons.

Let’s talk about the, ‘through Jesus’ part.

ILL: Adoption is expensive and it always has been.

How did Jesus purchase our adoption?

(CSB)

On the cross (children of wrath requires wrath to be dealt with) he reset the sins of Adam so that we could Come Home.

Our Father Adam was estranged from the family of God, but God is calling us home through Christ’s work on the cross.

See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children—and we are! ()

We are adopted as God’s children not just because of His mercy, but more so because of God’s love for the children He created.

Implications:

ILL: CT Article—the adopted boys didn’t call him Mr. Neft anymore, but Daddy.

And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” ()

Abba = Daddy

The intimacy of Abba speaks to real and authentic sonship.

Abba requires intimacy — True fatherly intimacy with the Father comes by the sending of God’s Spirit into our hearts and thus intimacy with the Father is evidence of authentic faith.

— You can’t say, ‘I don’t worship that way, I don’t see God that way, etc.’

God is not just King and Lord, but Abba, Father.

Goes back to familial, utilitarian discussion

Some Christians are more comfortable seeing God as Lord or King

God is not just King and Lord, but Father.

What do I do and what do I get?

following the rules

receiving kingdom benefits—now and eternally

Other Christians are more comfortable with seeing God as Abba, Father

How do I relate to God

feeling the presence of God

having a sense of belonging

having a sense of purpose

God is both Abba, Father and King and Lord.

It’s been said that God is a Father to the fatherless.

But, no one is fatherless; we are children of wrath, whose father is the devil.

That’s not a good thing.

And everyone knows it.

God is calling you to leave the broken, destitute, and abusive house of your earthly father, the devil, and to COME HOME to Him; to no longer be estranged, but to be adopted as real and authentic sons in God our Father’s house.

We have been adopted as sons through Christ, and we have been…

—spiritual rebirth

Abba

Adopted for Christ

Jesus did the work to purchase our adoption.