Skip to content Highest Privilege of the Gospel | Ephesians Part 3 | Rev Paul Jeyachandran Aug 9 · 46 min ...more
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Rev. Paul Jeyachandran leads the Intentional Disciple Making Church (IDMC) Movement, which is all about calling churches back to its disciplemaking roots. Visit us at idmcmovement.com
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0:00 Shall we give the Lord a clap offering church? Hallelujah. What a joy and a privilege for us to worship the Lord, the king of kings, the Lord of lords together, and for us to meditate0:12 on God's word. Today, I'm going to continue my sermon series on the book of Ephesians, and today is part 3. I'm titling today's sermon, the0:24 highest privilege of the gospel. And in this context of Ephesians 1, we will find that the highest privilege of the gospel is us being0:35 adopted into the family of God by our heavenly father. Hallelujah. God, the judge, he ruled and he said, you're my beloved son0:47 and you're my beloved daughter. And today, don't relate to him as just the creator, the law giver, and the judge, but we relate to him as our heavenly father.0:59 Hallelujah. What a joy and a privilege. Let's look to the Lord in prayer. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, father.1:09 Father God, I wonder how I managed to exist without the knowledge of your1:20 parenthood and your loving care. Now I am your son, I am adopted1:32 in your family, and I will never be alone. Because Father God, you're there beside1:43 me, I will. Sing your praises, I will. Sing your praises, I will.1:55 Sing your praises forevermore. I will sing your praises.2:07 I will sing your praises. I will sing your praises forevermore.2:20 How many of you can say this morning that God is my father? The Bible says that we have been given the spirit of adoption, the spirit of his2:32 son who has come into our hearts, helping us to cry, Abba, Father. Hallelujah. Oh, that we would understand what it2:44 means to be adopted into the family of God. Lord, open our eyes and give us listening ears and a heart that is willing to apply your word. We thank you that the Holy Spirit is our teacher. In2:55 Jesus' precious name and the people of God said, amen and amen. Hallelujah. This morning, I'm gonna take you to Ephesians chapter 1, and we're gonna continue3:07 in this sermon series on Ephesians. And I'm titling today's topic, the highest privilege of the gospel. The highest privilege of the gospel. Ephesians chapter3:19 1 verses 4 to verse 6. In my previous message, I established that Ephesians chapter 1 verses 3 to 14 is 1 long sentence in the3:31 Greek. It's more than 200 words. Paul in the midst of writing about the doctrine, the the theology of who God is and who we are in God, he breaks3:43 out into praise. And we have this introductory principle in verse 3 and in verse 3 we have this principle, we bless God who has3:54 richly blessed us. In other words, we bless him because God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in4:05 Christ. In fact, in Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 18, Paul says, what are the riches of the inheritance in the saints? In other words, these are the glorious inheritance that God has4:17 given his people and we need eyes to be opened in order to not only know it but to enjoy it. Hallelujah. So in Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 3 to verse 6, Paul4:29 actually goes into this praise and he lists the blessings that God has blessed us. So let's read it. In Ephesians chapter 1 verse 3, he says, blessed be the God, the father of our4:41 Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be4:53 holy and blameless before him. In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will, to the praise5:04 of his glorious grace which with which he has blessed us in the beloved. When you think about verse 3 and Paul says, we need to bless God because He5:16 has richly blessed us. The first blessing that Paul talks about is the blessing of adoption. You know, he uses this word in verse 5, the Greek word5:28 in this word it actually means to be adopted, to place a son. You know there are only 3 books where5:40 Paul speaks about adoption. It is the book of Romans, Ephesians, and Galatians. And 1 of the things that you need to observe about these 3 books, Romans were under the Roman rule. Both5:52 Galatia and Ephesus were under the Roman rule. In other words all these people understood what it means to live under Roman rule and in the Roman culture adoption was6:04 a common practice. I want you to listen to me carefully, but there are 5 places where Paul uses this word in these 3 books, the Hyothesia. I want us to look at this word6:15 Hyothesia in detail. You know, 1 of the ways you study the Bible is you look for the root word and you look for that word wherever in in other passages where it's being used. And Paul6:27 uses this unique word. You know, there are other words for adoption, but he uses this 1 word as a theological word. Why this 1 word is a theological word is because this word he only uses it6:39 for God adopting us into his family. So there are 5 uses of it in the book of Romans, Ephesians, and Galatians. And when we look at this, we can actually look6:51 at the context and understand the richness of this word. Look at it 1 by 1. Number 1, he says already not yet facet of your salvation. In other words, in Romans7:03 chapter 8 and verse 15, he talks about, for you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption as sons by whom we7:15 cry, Abba Father. In other words, we have already received adoption. Secondly, he goes on to say in verse 23 of chapter 8, not only the7:27 creation but we ourselves who have the first fruits of the spirit groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. Look at this. In verse 15, he7:38 says, we have already been adopted. But then verse 23, he says, we are eagerly waiting for our adoption. This is the already not yet facet7:50 of our salvation. We are saved. We are being saved. We will be saved. We are saved. How? We're justified by faith. We are being saved by the8:02 power of the spirit, by the power of the word. We're being sanctified every single day. We are being saved. Thirdly, we will be saved. In other words, 1 day we will be glorified and we will be forever8:15 redeemed. Hallelujah. I want you to listen to me carefully. You are already adopted, but you're also waiting for the full measure of that adoption. You're waiting for that consummation where you8:27 enter into eternity and spend time with him. Hallelujah. That's the first thing this rich word actually helps us understand. Secondly, God calls Israel his firstborn son. In8:39 other words, in in Romans chapter 9 and verse 4, this is the third time where the word is used. They are Israelites to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the8:50 promises. Paul actually says Israel was adopted as the firstborn son. See, in the Old Testament, God says, I actually have a firstborn son. In other words, he9:02 calls Israel the firstborn son. Exodus chapter 4 and verse 22, then you shall say to Pharaoh, thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son. But now, in the New Testament, we9:13 now discover how Israel became the firstborn son. They became not because of their attractive merits, they became son because of their amazing mercy of God.9:25 In other words, God adopted Israel as his son. Hallelujah. The third thing I want you to notice is that Trinity is involved in the adoption. Go with me to the fourth9:37 time when this word is mentioned. Galatians chapter 4 and verse 4 to 5. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son born of woman born under the law to9:49 redeem those who were under the law so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the spirit10:01 of his son into our hearts crying Abba Father. In other words, in verse 4 to verse 6, you read this that God sent forth his son and10:12 Jesus redeemed us so that we can receive the adoption as sons. And in verse 6, God sent the spirit of his son into our hearts to cry Abba Father. What10:24 a beautiful gospel. Right there is in a nutshell the gospel that we believe in. Some Bible scholars say that this verse could have been a creed in the early church. But I want you to listen to me. There are 3 things I10:35 glean from just this particular verse and this particular passage of scripture I'm gonna do another sermon in the following week. But I want you to listen to me. There are 3 things how we can see the Trinity involved10:47 in our adoption. 1, God administered your adoption. You can see the double sending here. God sent his son and then God sent the spirit of his son into our hearts. In other words, God gave10:59 us Jesus and God gave us the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah. That's how the father administered the adoption. The son accomplished your adoption. How? The Bible says in verse 5, to redeem11:11 those who are under the law so that we might receive the adoption as sons. In other words, you will never be adopted into the family unless you are redeemed. In other words, without the shedding of blood, there is no11:22 forgiveness of sin. Without the forgiveness of sin, there is no purchasing. There's no redemption. Hallelujah. And Jesus came to redeem us. The father administered the adoption, the11:34 son accomplished the adoption on the cross through the sacrifice of himself. Thirdly, the spirit applies the adoption into our lives. In other words, the Holy Spirit enters11:46 our heart as we receive Christ, as we are born again. The spirit of God comes and recites into our soul. And now the Bible says, we are given this privilege to cry Abba Father. Hallelujah.11:58 The fifth time this rich word is being used, is used is in Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 5. Now this is where we understand that adoption is the greatest12:10 blessing the father has given us. I want you to listen to me carefully. In verse 5, it says, in love, God predestined us for adoption to12:21 himself as sons through Jesus Christ. Hallelujah. I want you to listen to me carefully. That's the richness of this word that Paul uses 5 times in the book of12:33 Romans, Ephesians, and Galatians. And by studying them in detail, you gather the picture of how we are already adopted and we are still waiting for a full adoption and how12:45 Trinity has been involved in this adoption. How we have a picture of adoption in the old testament. How God redeemed Israel and he adopted them as firstborn and they we also have this picture that12:57 we have been predestined for adoption into the family of God from the foundation of the world. Hallelujah. No wonder bible scholars think that adoption is the highest13:08 privilege of the gospel. This is what J. I. Packer wrote in his book knowing God. Adoption is the highest privilege that the gospel offers higher than even justification. To13:20 be right with God the judge is a great thing but to be loved and cared for by God the father is much greater. Wouldn't you agree? God as judge, you are13:32 right with him. In other words, you are justified because of the sacrifice of Jesus. But God as your father, he loves you, he cares for you, he has shown himself on your13:44 behalf, he is for you and never will be against you. What a joy, what a privilege, what a love that he has lavished upon us. Hallelujah. In this sermon, I wanna lay some13:55 groundwork, some foundations. Paul uses this word to help us understand the significance of our adoption. So I'm gonna do a 2 part series.14:07 Today's the first part and I'm gonna do a part 2 in the following week. But I want you to capture this foundation. This metaphor that Paul uses, the metaphor of being14:19 adopted into the family of God. I want to give you some keys so that you will remember this and you will appreciate this. That there are 3 keys to understand our14:31 adoption. The first key is the cultural background that we need to understand. The second 1 is the spiritual significance of our adoption, and the third 1 is the14:42 practical implication of our adoption. Let's look at it 1 by 1. The cultural background of adoption. I said to you earlier there are 3 books where Paul14:54 specifically speaks about adoption. Romans, Ephesians, and Galatians. The common thread for all these 3 churches that received letters from Paul where Paul15:05 liberally uses this word is this, they were all under the Roman rule. In other words, this Roman audience were familiar with adoption.15:18 And there are 2 things in particular that this Roman audience will be familiar. 1, they will be familiar with the adoption of an orphan. In other words, a family maybe15:30 even their king if he doesn't have a proper heir to the throne, and the family doesn't ever heir for their inheritance, they will adopt an orphan or they will15:42 adopt a slave that has grown in their household. And when they adopt, this is a grown man whom they adopt into the family. And now when they adopt, there are 2 things I want you to notice15:53 about this adoption. There will be a private arrangement, but there will always be a public declaration. So the private arrangement is they try and groom this child to be adopted into the family.16:05 They want to they want to train him. They want to grow him and then they would take the slave and they will make him their son and there will be a public declaration. Now this is what the Roman culture16:17 actually teaches. The Roman culture says that if the child, if it's an orphan that is adopted into the family, the moment that legal transfer takes place, the16:28 slave or the orphan has now become a legitimate son of the family. They can never be disowned. They can never be canceled or sent back as slave or orphan anymore. Listen16:40 carefully. Why this is final? It is final because what once you have bestowed upon them the privilege, the position, the status, the inheritance, the wealth, the riches,16:53 you cannot take it back. See, this is why this this is finality. In the Roman culture sometimes even the kings, the Caesars don't have an heir to the throne. So what do they do? They adopt17:04 an orphan or they adopt someone that they can bestow this honor. Julius Caesar adopted Octavius. Octavius was later known as Caesar17:16 Augustus. Caesar Augustus is the 1 who gave the declaration that the whole world will be censored. In other words, censors will be taken and everyone name will be recorded. Isn't that right? I want you17:28 to listen to me. In in other words, Julius Caesar adopted Octavius. Now, Caesar Augustus also adopted Tiberius. Now Tiberius was the was the17:39 emperor or was the Caesar when Jesus was crucified. Now that's what Bible scholars say to us. So I want you to listen to me carefully. This is a normal practice even when a king doesn't have a he17:51 adopts somebody into the family. And once they have adopted, that adoption is final. Secondly, an adoption of a son as heir. You know, in the18:02 Roman culture, they also adopt their own children. Now why is this significant? A father will determine when his son can become an heir. In other words, the Bible18:14 says, the Bible gives us the picture even in the book of Galatians that a child as long as he's a child, in other words, he's immature, he hasn't matured, he hasn't taken full responsibility, he will remain18:26 as 1 he will be treated as 1 of the servants. In other words, that's the privilege he has. But 1 day, the father will have a ceremony. In in a historian say that it's usually on the March18:38 the seventeenth. They have this function called the rib liberalla. And this liberalla, they adopt and the family will adopt. The father will adopt his own son and name him as the18:50 heir to his inheritance. And that, when that happens, now that family has said, we now have an an heir to the throne. Listen carefully. Why is this19:02 so important? As long as the son is immature, he hasn't grown up, he hasn't taken responsibility, you know what the father will do? He will appoint tutors for him and trustees over him19:14 so that they can govern his affairs. In other words, the tutors are there to train him to be a warrior, to become a gentleman. Now, is important. The Bible says for us that we were placed under a guardianship of the law19:25 and the law 1 day matured us and pointed us to Christ. Because the more you follow the law, the law points you to Christ because the law points you your your sinful life and your need for a19:37 savior. Listen. That's why 1 day God sent his son to adopt us into his family and today we are named the heirs. Hallelujah. A cultural19:48 significance that I want you to capture. You know the people who receive these letters Romans, Ephesians, and Galatians, they know how prestigious it is to become a Roman20:00 citizen. You know you can become Roman citizen either by birth, that means you're born into a Roman family, or you can actually become a Roman citizen by adoption. That's the only 2 ways20:12 you can become. In fact, you have a example in the Bible in Acts chapter 22 in verse 25 when Paul was about to be flogged. Paul actually says, is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen?20:24 And at the moment they realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and a Roman citizen can never be flogged, the moment they heard it, they backed off. But 1 of the guys who was about to flog20:36 him comes to him and says, tell me, are you a Roman citizen? And he said, yes. Then the then the person answered him and said, I bought this citizenship for a large sum. Paul said, but I'm a citizen20:48 by birth. I want you to listen to me. That man bought the citizenship for a large price. Why? Because it was prestigious to be known as a Roman. Whereas Paul said,21:00 no, I was actually born by birth. I am a Roman citizen. So in other words, for you and me, we need to understand this, the cultural significance. People placed21:12 importance, emphasis. There was a prestige. There was a privilege that was bestowed being a Roman citizen. How much more you and I are now adopted into the family of God? How much more that now God has21:24 become our father? You know, it's 1 thing for the Caesar to adopt you and to tell you that Rome is yours. Another thing for us to be adopted by the sovereign king, the king of all kings and the lord of all21:35 lords and he says, all that I have, the glorious inheritance is yours. Hallelujah. In other words, this is the richer meaning of that word hethesia. There is a21:47 background, there's a cultural background that Paul wants us to catch. No wonder when Paul is sitting in the prison and penning his letter, the book of Ephesians, he suddenly breaks out21:59 into praise and he says, blessed be God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places and he says in love he predestined us for22:11 adoption as sons through Jesus Christ. Hallelujah. I want you to listen to me, no wonder He broke out in praise. The second key to understand our adoption is the22:23 spiritual significance of adoption. When you think about the spiritual significance you've got to think about the believers position in Christ. In other words, we have now become22:35 heirs of the Father. We are now joint heirs, co heirs with Christ the Bible says. So I want to give you 3 things about our spiritual significance. 1, I want to talk about the22:46 motivation of our adoption. Secondly, the means of our adoption and thirdly, the moment of our adoption. Let's look at the motivation of our adoption. In Ephesians22:58 chapter 1 and verse 5, it talks about he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ. But in verse 4 towards the last23:10 part, it actually says the motivation, what caused God to adopt us. The Bible says in love. See, I want you to capture this. The23:21 numbering of our verses are human made. In other words, they are the ones who the Bible translators put the put the verses and the numbers. But23:33 in it's it's 1 long letter and it's 1 1 long sentence in the Greek. In love he predestined us for adoption. That's what you and I23:45 need to capture. In other words that God was motivated by himself, his character, his nature of loving us. In other words he didn't see anything in23:57 us for him to be moved to adopt us. He looked within and within him he found love and in that love he predestined us for adoption. Why this24:09 is so important? Because if you understand that God wasn't forced to adopt you. In other words, 1 day when you get to heaven and you stand before the king of kings and the Lord of Lords, the24:20 father in heaven, and the father says, I, I actually didn't like you, but I was forced to accept you. Imagine how that would be. It's not like God's sheer24:32 determination that he embraced you as a family. No. It was God's supreme delight. I want you to listen to me. God was God loved you from the beginning24:44 of the world. Even before the foundation of the world was set in place, he chose you to love you and to include you into his family. Isn't that what we read in the in the Old testament? I have loved you with an24:55 everlasting love says the Lord in Jeremiah chapter 31 and verse 3. Steadfast love of God endures forever in Psalm hundred and 36. In other words, he loves you not because25:07 you have some attractive merits, he loves you because of his amazing mercy. Hallelujah. The second 1 is the means of our adoption. In verse25:19 5 and verse 6 Paul writes in love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ. Circle that through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his25:31 will to the praise of his glorious grace with which he has blessed us in the beloved. Now circle those 3 words in the beloved. The reason why this is so important that you25:43 and I are accepted in the beloved. Jesus Christ is the beloved. In other words, who does God love? God love his son Jesus. This is the25:54 pre existing Jesus. Pree existing son who who enjoyed fellowship with the father in eternity. But God loved him. He's the beloved and the Bible says through Jesus.26:06 By God sending his son through him in the beloved he has now adopted us. That's what Galatians chapter 4 and verse 4 to 5 says isn't it? God sent26:18 forth his son the Bible says. Why did he do that? Verse 5, to redeem those who were under the law so that we might receive adoption as sons. There is 226:30 purpose clauses here. To redeem. Why did God send his son? To redeem and so that we might receive adoption as sons. Without the redemption there is no26:42 adoption but what did Jesus have to do to redeem us? The Bible says he gave himself for us and not only Jesus gave himself, the father delivered Jesus26:54 for us. Romans chapter 8 and verse 32, he who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all, how will he not along with him graciously give us all things? Hallelujah.27:06 Never doubt this, the father loves you so much. Jesus loves you so much. Father administered the adoption and27:18 Jesus accomplished the adoption. That is why we break out in praise. We say, Father I thank you. Jesus I thank you. Why? Because he lived the life I could never27:29 live and he died the death that I deserved. My sin was placed upon him and his righteousness is now given to me. My curse was placed upon him and27:41 his blessing has come upon me. He took my place of shame and condemnation so that I can take his place of honor and justification. I'm made right with God, not only made27:53 right with God, I have now been adopted into the family of God. Hallelujah. I want you to listen to me. The motivation of your adoption is love. The28:05 means of your adoption is the beloved son. And now the Bible says, the moment of our adoption. You know, when Paul writes and he uses this word,28:17 he says in verse 4 specifically something. He says, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world. In other words, God actually determined in28:29 his heart to adopt you even before he created the world. I want you to listen to me carefully. Adoption was not plan b, adoption was always plan a.28:41 In other words, God wanted you to be part of his family. He loved you, he chose you. But that moment of adoption, I want you to look at this in 4 specific28:52 movements, in a 4 specific moments when your adoption becomes a reality. The first point is in eternity when the father passed a29:04 decree. In other words, when the father declared, I'm gonna adopt you. In other words, I'm choosing you. In love, he predestined us for adoption as sons. Hallelujah. The second 1 is in29:15 time when the son sacrificed himself. Galatians chapter 4 and verse 4 says, when the fullness of time came, God sent forth his son to do what? In verse 5, to redeem so that29:27 we might receive adoption as sons. In other words, in eternity, the father determined and he decreed that you will be adopted. In time, Christ29:39 came at the fullness of time and Christ died on the cross and the moment he died and paid in full your penalty for your sin, the Bible says you are now adopted into the family of God.29:51 But there is a third moment. The third moment is in time when you received Christ. John chapter 1 and verse 12 the Bible says, to all who did receive him,30:03 to all who believed in the name of Jesus, he gave, the father gave the right to become the children of God. I want you to listen to me carefully. You cannot become a child of God. You30:15 cannot make yourself being adopted in the family by visiting a pilgrimage site, by doing some penance, or doing certain things. There is nothing that you can do that can make you possibly be30:27 accepted before God. The only way is for you to receive Jesus as your Lord and your savior and to believe in the name of Jesus. And the Bible says whoever calls upon the name of30:39 Jesus, they will be saved. Hallelujah. And the Bible says God gives you the power to become child of God. In other words, the moment you believe, that moment is your birth30:50 certificate being signed. You are now a child of God. Hallelujah. Number 4, in eternity. In other words, it began in eternity when31:02 the father declared and in time Christ died for you. In time you received and you believed Jesus. But the fourth 1 is in eternity when you enter into glory.31:14 The moment you leave this earth, you leave this material physical world and you enter into the eternal realm, timelessness, that time of consummation when31:26 Jesus returns, he establishes eternal kingdom, you forever will reign together with him. That is where you will fully understand what it meant to be adopted. Not only to be31:38 adopted but to become a son of God, a daughter of the most high God, to become an heir of God. Hallelujah. In other words, that's the moment we will fully appreciate the spiritual significance31:50 of our adoption. Let me give you the last 1, the practical implication of adoption. You know in the Westminster Catechism, they give a question and32:02 answer and the question and answer for the 30 fourth question is this, what is adoption? And the answer, adoption is an act of God's free grace32:13 whereby we are received into the number and we have right to all the privileges of the sons of God. In other words, it is an act of32:25 God's free grace and now you have received the right. You have now received the right to become the children of God and along with it comes the32:37 privileges of being sons of God. Now when we talk about sons, I want you to know it also includes the daughters. Sons, the reason why Paul32:49 uses the word sons is because sons received inheritance in the Roman culture. So he uses that language, but it includes you and me. And Paul himself said, there is neither Jew33:00 nor Greek, neither male nor female in Christ for we are all 1 in Christ. So I want you to listen to me carefully. What a beautiful picture of the gospel we have here. In other words, this is the33:12 gospel. We were slaves. God sent his son to redeem us, to live the life we could never live but die the death that we deserved and the moment he did that he33:24 redeemed, not only redeemed us but he adopted us into the family of God. So we were slaves but we are sons. Now we live differently. Why? Because we have now become33:35 heirs, heirs of the promise. I want you to listen to me carefully. So how do we live in light of this adoption? Every single day you need to appreciate33:47 this isn't it? First John chapter 3, first John chapter 3 and verse 1. See what kind of love the father has given to us that we should be called children of God33:59 and so we are. I want you to listen to me. What kind of love, what manner of love is this that the father has lavished upon us? That kind of love that we should be called the34:11 children of God. So if you truly appreciate your adoption there are 5 things I pray that you will learn to do in your life. So let me give you the 5 applications.34:22 1, salvation. Receive the adoption. In other words, if you are not part of the family of God, if you cannot say boldly with assurance34:34 that God is my father. Listen to me carefully. Every single person that is born in this world 1 day has to acknowledge that there is a God and this God is the creator God, he is the34:46 law giver, and he will judge each 1 based on his law. But only those who are born again into his family. In other words, they have received the free forgiveness of sin.34:58 They have received Jesus as their substitution, the penalty for their sin and because Jesus died they now live before God. Because Jesus was rejected by God they are totally35:10 accepted before God. Because Jesus was cursed, they are now blessed. I want you to listen to me carefully. You've got to receive and today is the day of salvation. That's what first, that's what John chapter 1 and verse35:22 12 says, to all who received him he gave them the right to become the children of God. The second application is adoration. In other words rejoice in your adoption.35:34 How often do you think about adoption? You know, if if you truly understood that the orphan has now found a family, but it's more than an orphan has found a family, a slave has35:46 become a son. More than that, a commoner has now become royalty. When you think of this, that God has lavished on us his love and the riches,35:58 the glorious inheritance that we have as saints in Jesus Christ, It should produce within us that joy, that adoration, that praise. No wonder Paul sitting in the36:09 Roman prison as he pens the letter of Ephesians, he bursts into a praise. He says, blessed be God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places36:21 in Christ. Listen to me carefully adoration. Can I ask you 1 important question? How often do you sit in God's presence and just enjoy36:33 being in his presence? It tells a lot about a person's spiritual climate. If you cannot linger in God's presence, in other words, you don't enjoy the worship,36:45 You don't enjoy praises to him. You don't sing. You don't open your mouth and sing praises to him. You don't sit in his presence and soak in his presence. In other words, you just don't allow his presence to just wash36:56 over you for you to just enter into that presence with thanksgiving, with praise, with supplication. Listen carefully, if you don't enjoy doing that, you need to be reminded of your adoption.37:08 It needs to produce that kind of sense of wow, this God loves pursuing me continuously, he loves me. I want you to listen to me and that love is a personal love37:20 therefore you respond personally to him. Thirdly, supplication. Refresh your prayer life. In other words, we have this privilege to go before God and to cry37:32 Abba Father. Look at this in Romans 8 and verse 15 it says, we have received the spirit of adoption as sons. We have received the spirit of God and the spirit of adoption as sons by whom we cry, Abba37:43 father. Jesus when he was walking on earth, he would have called Joseph Abba because Abba is a term of endearment. It's calling daddy and37:55 today you have the privilege of being able to call God the father daddy. How often do you go to him and say daddy, daddy, daddy I38:07 need you, daddy I need you. You know how when Paul writes this twice in Galatians and in Romans, Paul uses that word we38:18 cry. In other words it's a earnest cry before God. You know it's a cry of help. It's a cry where it says Father I need you. Where someone goes before God in38:30 desperation. But this also is a reminder for us that when we are going through the seasons of pain in our life, when we are going through those necessary journeys of life, that never forget that the38:42 Father who loves you, who cares for you, He is always with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you, but He has given you the privilege to come before Him and to supplicate, to cry Abba38:54 Father. And the fourth 1 is identification. Recognize 1 another as brother and sister. In other words, today we have entered into the family of God.39:05 Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 5 says, he predestined us for adoption. It's not a singular, it's plural. In other words, Paul was saying to the whole church,Show more
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