The Gift Of Sonship

Believers in Jesus have been adopted as sons and daughters of God. This mind expanding fact is made clear in Ephesians chapter 1 today.

Another gift God gives to all those who put their faith in Christ from Chicago. We welcome you to The Moody Church.

Our weekly service of worship and teaching under the ministry of Dr. Erwin lutes are today we bring you another in an eight part series on the inheritance of the redeemed later. Erwin lutes will speak of the gift of son ship. Dr. Lidster comes now to open our time of worship in the busyness of life. Can we give ourselves now to God in an undivided way and focus as we stand in the moment to worship him. Father, we ask that you will direct our minds toward you and give to us. Father parts that are filled with praise and if there's blockage between us and you. We pray that we might confess that that our worship would be made acceptable through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Just as we sing this morning to our heavenly father invite you along with Mableton relationship before first John chapter 3 please read aloud with me on the bold print. This is God's holy word when the fullness of time and come gotten forth his son, one of the woman one on the law, to redeem those who were under the law so that we might receive adoption as sons. Because you are sons got sent his Spirit of his son into our hearts, crying, Abba father to you and won't no longer slaves but a son, and if a son, and thereafter God see what kind of love the father has given size that we should be called children of God until Leon.

The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved regards children now and what we will be has not yet appeared but we know that when he appears, we shall be like him. This result see him as he is in everyone thus hopes in him purifies himself, as he is here that God is our father. That of course is the emphasis today and I hope that you see this theme running throughout all of our music and all of our worship. And of course it will be the theme of the message. Father, thank you that you brought us together here.

Thank you for the great opportunity of knowing you and loving you and even as we talk about son ship today we pray that those who do not know you as Savior will will be so desirous that they'd be able to participate in this blessing that they come to saving faith in Jesus Christ, we ask in Jesus name. This is the fourth in a series of messages in the title of the inheritance of the redeemed blessings that are given and belong to all those who put their faith in Jesus Christ. If you missed the first three messages. I encourage you to listen to them. Predestination the righteousness of God. Ministry of the Holy Spirit and today we come to a topic that is so mind-boggling that near the end of this message, you may be saying I can scarcely believe this a couple of words by way of introduction, first of all, the topic is son ship.

But even though I'm going to be using that word in the Bible uses it. I want all of the women to know that they are included in this with all the rights, privileges, and opportunities that are available to you in Jesus Christ.

The Bible uses that kind of terminology. That of course women are included. Children are included as the inheritance of all those who put their faith in Christ. Second, if you're the kind of Christian uses when you know I'm not a very good Christian. I hope I can just kind of sneak into heaven all sit in the back row and for some of you that's the way in which you do it here at the church so you will be used to it. If I sit in the back row and and just a catch. I want to be anonymous way, are you ever in for a surprise front centers sitting with Jesus on the throne and you're going to be anonymous. You have no idea what God has prepared for you. None of us really does. Apart from the ministry the Holy Spirit.

Now here's what were going to do because the word adoption as sons occurs in a number of different passages were going to turn to. Three of them. Each passage were going to learn something.

The first two were going to try to do very quickly so that they wheatgrass the main point and then were going to move to the third.

That's where your mind is going to be so stretch that when we're finished, you're going to say. Can this really be true about me and the answer is yes if you are among the redeemed first passage is Ephesians chapter 1. It's in Ephesians chapter 1 that we learn very quickly that adoption as sons is actually a part of God's eternal program and that was his intention to save you were going to jump right in and in verse four, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless. He didn't choose us because we were holy and blameless, but that we would become holy and blameless before him.

And now notice this in love, and it must of been done in love.

Because once you understand this you know your heart is going to be so stretched in love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace with which he has blessed us in the beloved. While so that's why God saved and we think to ourselves with the real reason that God say this is just to take away our sins so that we could be in heaven and not hell his intention in eternity past the reason that he chose you is because his intention is that you would be adopted into the family of God. Now let me say that obviously God took the initiative and in adoption procedures parents always take the initiative.

The child never gets to choose his parents. We know someone who was in an orphanage and this was a very mean way to do it, but the kids lined up because parents were looking for a child in this one was always neglected and somebody else was chosen well none of these children said when you know I don't like these parents I want to wait until there some better ones coming along. God made the choice and as a result of that.

Why did he do all this.

You'll notice to the praise of the owner of his grace, so that drought heaven we would be exhibit a of God's matchless unbelievable grace toward sinners. Unbelievable God is going to say I'm going to take the people who are of the lowest in the deepest sand, then I am going to exalt them in ways that perhaps have never entered into the human mind throughout all of eternity.

We are going to be exhibits of God's grace and to his praise less. The first passage. It was all rooted in God's eternal plan and was the end result of our redemption next Galatians and in my Bible. You only have to turn it one page back now you know that some of you don't bring Bibles and some of you have telephone the young welcome and you know look at them.

Galatians chapter 4, I have to summarize this also what Paul is going to argue here in Galatians chapter 4, I mean that the air as long as he is a child is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything you could be born into a family where there were hundreds of millions of dollars but you as a child can't really benefit from it.

You can't write any checks you can buy a car, you can't go in there have the lunch and a wonderful restaurant because because you can't enter into it.

You're a child, and Paul will say that these kinds of children they are under tutors and they are under instruct jurors and their under rules and of course they are our children have rules when they were very, very young. You know you don't play with the with the outlets. The electrical things you don't have a knife in your hand. You don't… Still after they get old you need those rules and what Paul is going to say here is that the rules represent Israel under the law under the law. They were like children. They were given the law. They were supposed to order their life according to the law, but now that Jesus Christ has come all that has changed and they are being adopted as sons.

So here we get to a definition of adoption. Adoption really and this of course was true also in Roman adoption.

Adoption means that God puts you into his family as an adult son or daughter, and therefore you have all the rights and all the privileges and all of your inheritance comes along with that adoption and you can begin to enjoy it right away on earth, but of course, it's eventual enjoyment will be heaven. What I mean to say is this, let's suppose that you have been saved for 40 years. You've walked with God. All these years and some of you have but among us, there may be those who are brand-new Christians. Maybe you received Christ as Savior last Sunday because you prayed that prayer, insincerity, and you are born again and of course your estate is quite different from someone sitting next to you is been saved so many years. Your state is different, but your status as a son or daughter is exactly the same. Yes it's one thing for you to have a condition, your condition might be a baby but your position is an adopted son or daughter of God and all that it entails and it's all because of the coming of Jesus making this available now all that to set us up for the real passage. The real passage that I want you to turn to is the eighth chapter of Romans.

Everyone looking at Romans chapter 8 please you know if the Bible were a ring. I think that the diamond would be the book of Romans, and then the very tip of the diamond would be the eighth. What a marvelous chapter let let's read it and then were going to see this. Not only was adoption in eternity past in God's mind.

Not only is it because of grace. That's what the apostle Paul is saying, not under law. It's under grace.

Because you see grace doesn't take into account any of the ideas of merit. It is totally independent. That's why it is that great sinners can be saved in lesser ones can be saved because grace doesn't pay attention to merit unrelated to it.

Now with that background, let's look at Romans chapter 8, which is what I thought I had before me, but it's happening here. Now let's look in verse 12. So, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live for all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God was stopped there before we get to this entire Trinity that you're going to be involved with. You know I sometimes we think, well, you know, were led of the Spirit because we make this decision and that decision and it'll keep me from bad decisions, not necessarily what he's talking about here is being led of the Spirit in being free from the impulses and the tyranny of the flesh and being able to walk in the spirit that's really what the Spirit helps us do. He says, for you have not received a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Now if you don't know Christ as Savior. I suggest that you ought to live in fear. Gotta live in fear when you go down the streets of Chicago and with all of the crime that is happening. Gotta live in fear because of what is happening on our expressways and you should lay down.

Then put your head down and know that you could die during the night you want to live in. That's not true of the inheritance of the redeemed, because we have not received the spirit of bondage to fear.

There is fear and there is bondage to sin.

That's not the spirit that we've received and now what I want you to do is to open your mind and your heart to understand what Paul is actually saying what he is going to say here is that when it comes to the matter of adoption and becoming the sons of God. The entire Trinity is involved in this. Let's look at the text for you have received not the spirit of fear or slavery, but you received the Spirit of adoption as sons by whom we cry, Abba, father just that much. The first thing we received when we believe on Jesus and are adopted into his family. We receive a welcome from our father Abba, father Abba, as you know is a term of endearment some people want to translated daddies something like that. It's maybe not quite that informal because adult children sometimes used it and Jesus used it in the garden of Gethsemane someone has suggested maybe the best way to translated is dearest now you see obviously the reason why this happens is because were adopted sons. Let us suppose that you are up for adoption and to choose a name randomly. Let's suppose that you were adopted by the Smith family came. You wouldn't after your adoption site. Now Mr. Smith. Mrs. Smith, the court is not dad and mom you received the Spirit of adoption now you have this family relationship and what that means is, is that you have access to your father at any time in the dead of night during the day when you're in trouble when things are going well. You have access to the father because he is never too busy to be able to handle.

You got a lot going on is time many of us are young enough to remember that there was a picture circulated.

I guess in the 60s. Obviously, when Pres. Kennedy was president of the United States and he sitting behind his desk in the Oval Office and little John John as he was called at that time the little two-year-old boy was playing under the desk of the president lovely picture how the world and the kids get there.

I mean supposedly there's Secret Service agents guarding the Oval Office. There are members of the military that are also at the ready was little boy snuck through the mall walk past all of them why he's the son when you become a believer in Christ as a son or daughter you always have access to the father and you get right into the throne room. I can show that scripturally if I had the time right into this set a goal of word God is we come because were sons and he says I always have time for you.

Not only do we find that term. We have access. We have security in Roman times, the adoption was irreversible on Sierra was your child your child your a son, your daughter and it's your inheritance, Trevor Burke, who wrote a book on adoption said if adoption is about anything. It is about belonging at the longing for God as father occupies stage centers, stage in the midst of his family. This is God's family.

He centerstage and he adopted you with all the rights and privileges of citizenship how many of you remember that story in 1992 Derek Redmond. He was running in the Olympics in Barcelona. The 400 m – now he had one that previously it was basically a world champion, but as he was running he broke a hamstring in his legs and he had searing pain but instead of falling down.

He decided to continue to hobble to the finish line in course everyone else went past them.

And suddenly, under the stands comes a man dressed in a white T-shirt and is going past security needs shouting.

That's my son that's my son, and they allow them to go onto the field and it's interesting the con station. They had the father said you don't have to do this that I know I don't have to but I have to make it to the finish line in the father said if you have to make it to the finish line we have to make it to the finish line together and he put his arm around his son and help lift him and together they went all the way to the finish line. My friend, you may feel today that you are in pain that everybody else is running past you to the finish line you been sidelined for 100 different reasons.

You have a father in heaven who is willing to come alongside of you help pick you up and take you all the way to the finish line.

I love the last words of Jesus before he died.

The last words were father into thine. I commit my spirit.

I don't know what my death will be like. I hope it's still a long way off, but if I'm conscious enough, those would be my last words on my lips into thine hand, I commit my spirit. So the father is involved. He is welcoming you he is a loving you and caring for you. The spirit is involved, the assurance of the spirit, the welcome of the father.

The assurance of the spirit, your Bibles are open we have the spirit of adoption as sons by whom we cry, Abba father. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. Now in Roman adoption.

Not only were there a number of judges that were present but also there were witnesses there were witnesses there at the adoption. That said, we are here to be sure to witness to this and if anybody ever doubt that this child was adopted where here to prove that he was. That's the role of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit of God gives the assurance to the human heart and that is the only religion in all of the world that offers personal assurance and the personal assurance comes because of the spirit of God witnessing within our spirit that we are the children of God and granting us that assurance. No other religion has a OUC, but other religions believe that their right to you that I take the liberty of telling you that on Friday I caught a cab to the Union league club because our woody luncheon was there and along the way I engaged the driver I could see that he was very religious and I didn't know exactly what to say. I was thrown out a couple of questions.

I said, you have the right religion only, no question about the fact that we have the right religion. I said to him that you have the assurance that when you die, you're going to be in heaven now, that's what our religion teaches okay so I went along a little more and I asked him a couple of other questions and he said of course I don't have any assurance they said a lot can do whatever he likes.

No, nobody can have assurance you see this is a very important principle is not just true about Islam. It's true about the other religions of the world. They say we have the right religion and their convinced that they have what they do not have his personal assurance because only the Holy Spirit of God ministers to our spirit and through the peace that he gives and the assurance that he bursts in our hearts we know that we belong to God, I love to use the example of my mother. My mother died at hundred and three if you think that's a long life. My father died hundred many of you have heard this, but many of you have and I always say that my parents live so long that I'm sure until my father died. All of their friends and Evan thought that they just didn't make it, but they made it one day when she was probably 9596. I don't know. I used to call her every Saturday night and she always asked me what I was preaching on and assuring me that she was praying for me. What a godly woman but one day I just said her mother are you sure that when you die, you're going to go to heaven and she said I am as sure as if I were already there reported that assurance come from. Is it because she studied books on apologetics. She she read now she never read those books.

She never even read all the books that her son wrote no joys read her Bible is a better deal.

By the way, it's because walking with God for 75 or 80 years, she had the deep down settled assurance that is really given to a new baby in Christ. I belong to God why the spirit of God bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

Do you have that witness. If you don't have that witness, you probably have never been born again.

Oh, you say I prayed the prayer I walk the aisle you know when I was a baby.

I was baptized.

Doesn't matter have you.

The witness of the spirit that you belong to God.

So first of all, the father welcomes us. What does the spirit duly gives us assurance third and now the only I don't know if I can go on. This is so amazing. Thank you brother I heard. Please do for you I will and the others can listen in later this. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided that we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. What does the sun do this son shares with us his inheritance. Do you realize my friend that there is nothing that belongs to Jesus that he does not share with all of us because we are joint heirs with him. What happened is he rode us into the will and then what he did is he died on the cross and shed his blood to ratify the agreement and to seal the deal. And today he tells us this cup is the cup of the new covenant, the new covenant in my blood and we become a part of that new covenant, and after he instituted that he went to heaven to probate the will. Probation means that what he's doing is he's making sure that all of the legal requirements which have been already, one on earth will be eventually applied to all of us, so that when the last will and testament is read our names are there and we are joint heirs with him in whatever it is that he does and whatever it is that he had are you not yet amazed now, let's think of it a little bit first Thessalonians chapter 4 when Jesus Christ comes first church. The Bible says that the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and Jesus is going to come and go to Sebring with essences it says with him are all of the saints who have died. Those who have slept in Jesus. So to be very direct and practical.

Let's suppose now that Jesus were to rapturous today in coming in the air to receive us would be my parents would be your parents if they were believers, friends and relatives and all those who have gone on and their spirits and their spirit. By the way would be able to have all of the many attributes of the body. That's why they communicate in heaven today would then connect with their bodies because their bodies are going to be then raised and the dead in Christ are going to be raised and those who are alive are going to be instantly trance. The Bible says and so shall we ever be with the Lord Jesus doesn't go anywhere unless he brings his people along with them and then you have the 19th chapter of Revelation, which seems to clearly indicate a different event at the glorious returning because many of us believe that the return of Christ comes in two stages. You can read those passages and they are radically different. Jesus is coming from heaven on a white horse to execute judgment and to set up his kingdom and who in the world is he bring with him. Says he comes with his holy ones.

Those whom he has made holy. That's you and that's me. By the way, to the Mount of olives and you have never been to Jerusalem because you can't afford it and it doesn't fit your schedule.

Don't be too worried about it, you're going to get tour of your life when you just send on the Mount of olives with genes, but then you say yeah but what about ruling with Jesus. What about that listen. He who overcomes, to him I shall grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I overcame and sat with my father on his throne say Pastor Lutzer your make and that no I'm not just to read your Bible a little better. I see if there Revelation chapter 3 verse 21 he who overcomes I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, even as I overcame and sat with my father on his throne sitting on the throne of God. You are turned to the believer next to you sitting next to you and saying someday you're going to sit on the throne of Jesus doing that right now what you you say it to this incredible is ill.

How big is the throne will I don't big it is, but apparently it is room for all the saints, Jesus says you are a joint heir with you so you get to rule with me forever and ever and you participate in my suffering when you receive me as Savior. It doesn't say that we have to suffer for him.

We suffer with him in his suffering. In receiving Christ and in living for him, but the fact is that whatever Jesus inherits you get to understand Navajo. No wonder were going to be trophies of God's grace for and he's going to put it up there and say look at center. The guy who was in the depths of sin and I elevated him. He was in them mod now. I put them up here with me on the marble ruling with Christ. We're going to say wow throughout all of eternity and more formal things also. In short, now we need to nail this down. We need to understand its relationship to life here on earth while were waiting for the final inheritance.

First of all let me say that 10 some Christians are sons and daughters, but they live like slaves.

Some Christians are sons and daughters, but they live like slaves. What's the difference. Let me analyze this very quickly. The differences this that a son belongs to the family. A slave doesn't.

Not only that, but that the son has the nature of the father, the slave doesn't it says that when we trust Christ, we are partakers of the divine nature. There's the nature of God.

There is family resemblance sons father's not only that the slave service because of fear and I'm going to get in trouble with my master we serve because of love.

Dr. wears me, who preceded me in this pulpit.

Many, many years ago said that two boys may be this is the way I remember it they want to do some mischief in the neighborhood one voices. Now if I don't I'm going to be hurt by my father, the Christian boy says no I won't because I don't want to hurt my father whom I love. You see, we are sons and daughters and that's the way we serve.

But there's some Christians who are in the far country like the prodigal. The prodigal who was in the far country, and eating there with pigs and then he comes back to his father when he gains his senses, and I am always amazed at all that God has to do to bring prodigal spec I mean he has to drag them through all kinds of grief. Some of them but he comes back and what does he say he says I am unworthy to be called thy son make me as I hired servant and the father says oh yeah, you think you're going to be hired servant. You're not a son in order to be hired servant who knew no way bring Heather the robe and put it on and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet and bring it in the fatted calf and kill him for this my son was dead and is alive and is lost in his found when you come back to God after your wandering and after your time in the pigsty. He welcomes you as a son and a daughter of the most high Jesus didn't die so that we become hired hands so come back your living in the world you're living in sin you're neglecting everything in your believer come to the father will come to you and honor you as a son or daughter.

Next is very important for us to realize that one of the marks of son ship is discipline.

One of the marks of son ship is discipline. It says in Hebrews chapter 12 what son is there whom the father doesn't discipline.

He says if you are disciplined you might not be a son if you can live in sin freely and manage your conscience in such a way that you're at peace, you're probably not redeemed sons of God can do that they can do terrible things they can insult their father in heaven they can give them a bad name. They can live in the world and for the pleasures of the world without restraint. But when they do they are so Ms. because they're being disciplined by God. People need to understand the discipline as part of the Christian life and discipline as part of your life and mine to God shows us a lot of things and sometimes we suffer and we have no cause effect relationship. It may not be because of specific sins but God is purifying us.

He saying I want that son to look like Jesus and Jesus suffered, he is going to suffer to or she finally what we must understand is them the blessings of course are limited to those who trust Christ. Now let me be clear, the way you become adopted. You're not adopted directly. As such, though, the minute you receive Christ as Savior. You are but to put it clearly we enter this blessing through what is called in the Bible, regeneration, scald and other places.

The new birth. What happens is this true parents get together and they regenerate you without the two parents. You can't be regenerated. Not one parent not single parent to two parents bring about regeneration.

The word of God combines with the spirit of God to create within you the life that's the way conversion happens the word of God, combining with the spirit of God creating in you the life of God.

If you don't know Christ as Savior. But you say I sure would like to receive and listen to that voice and respond to it and receive him as your Savior and if you have no assurance that you belong to God. Probably you are not converted at all and is ill. I'm not sure it will then nail it down make sure don't live the rest of your life on the precipice of doubt receive Christ claim his promises. And I believe that the spirit of God births with in us the knowledge you are the son of God, the daughter of God. And when you pray, the first words out of your mouth. Father and the second word out of your mouth, burst in our hearts by God is. I love you. I only wished I loved you more father. Who are we to try to convey this truth so that it is believed and acted on.

We thank you father for your indescribable grace. We thank you that Jesus died not that we might, but that we might be sons and daughters of the most high. Help us to worship better to contribute better to sacrifice better by your example and your love Jesus name on today's Moody Church.

Our Dr. Erwin looks certain brought another in a series of eight messages on the inheritance of the redeemed, not all the blessings God has in store for believers have to wait eternity in the here and now he's provided the church where we can serve other believers for mutual encouragement and help. Next time why the local church is so vital for every Christian lockdowns economic chaos thousands dying over 19 has changed all of us forever. Agendas are flying as the press and politicians maneuver for advantage. The ultimate question what is God saying to us through a deadly pandemic. Erwin lutes has authored a new book on pandemics plagues and natural disasters and we'd like you to have a copy as our thank you for your gift of any amount to The Moody Church.

Our call 1-800-215-5001. Let us know you'd like to support documents his ministry will send out this new book right away.

Just call us at 1-800-215-5001 or write to us at The Moody Church 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614 online go to moodyoffer.com that's moodyoffer.com join us next week for another Moody Church. Our with Dr. Erwin lutes are in the congregation of historic Moody Church in Chicago