Adopted by God – Romans 8

[0:00] Good morning. Welcome to the service this morning.

[0:17] I trust we have been blessed already as we've enjoyed Sunday school. It is, again, a privilege for us to have the freedom to gather on the first day of the week.

[0:38] And let us praise Him, share openly with each other this privilege that we have. The Word of God is so rich.

[0:52] It is pure. It's invaluable to us. And if we think of that and God allowing us to take part openly like this, to allow it to saturate our lives, it is a privilege.

[1:16] And we thank God. A few thoughts before I go into the message. I am encouraged by some of the ladies' Bible study groups that we're seeing in the communities.

[1:34] That is awesome. It is good for our ladies to get together, to get out of the house, to be in the Word together.

[1:50] And so thank you for all of you who are part of that and who are even part of leading and so on. God is stretching. God is stretching. But maybe that leaves us men a little bit behind.

[2:07] And just what we're kind of envisioning for this winter, a few thoughts. We want to on Saturdays, and we haven't kind of don't have all the details yet, but we want to start again on a leadership study for men on Saturdays, whether it's going to be every other Saturday.

[2:32] We haven't announced the details yet. We'll do that before the end of the month. But likely starting in November, we're going to have a leadership study here at church, likely on Saturdays.

[2:46] So we'll bring forth those details. And that is, everyone is welcome, whether you are married or unmarried, young or older.

[3:00] If you have an interest in providing leadership, whether it's at home, at work, or in church, in life, it's good, it's healthy, and you will benefit from it.

[3:16] We also have discussed promoting that some more Bible study groups pop up in some of these communities, more of evening studies for families.

[3:34] And we'll be sharing more of that as well. And we'll be looking for leaders to step forward, to say, you know, here am I. I'm willing to gather a group in my area.

[3:47] And be it on Tuesday night or on Thursday night or on Saturday night, whatever night you choose. But to have a time of fellowship, a time of growth, it's also an opportunity for your wife and your children to see you leading.

[4:11] And so we will be talking more about that, too, in the upcoming couple weeks. And ideally, we'd like to dissolve the group here at church and have more where it's more intimate, more close together.

[4:26] So that's kind of some of our visioning, that we would like to, the direction we'd like to see things go. And so think about it.

[4:36] And is that something where I would like to fit in or where God would want me to fit in? And it fits well in with today's topic.

[4:49] We have more teaching on the Spirit of God in us, out of Romans. And thank you, Ben, for reading that passage for us. Romans 8, 12 to 25.

[5:06] And I'm going to start off with a question. How many of us are adopted? I have about six, seven, eight.

[5:22] There's more hands going up. All right. I think we're catching on. That was a trick question, right? The Scripture teaches us that we are adopted into the family of God as sons of God.

[5:39] And that's the topic this morning as we go through Romans 8. I've entitled the message, The Spirit of Adoption.

[5:50] The Spirit of Adoption. And Pastor Henry had started this chapter, walking in the Spirit. There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who walk not according to the flesh, but by the Spirit.

[6:11] And today is a continuation of that. And in verse 12, he says, Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

[6:25] 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.

[6:38] And so we are debtors, not to the flesh, but rather to... What's the answer? To the Spirit? To the Spirit?

[6:51] We are debtors to Christ. To God for saving us. Now what is a debt? Just making sure we understand that.

[7:06] Or a debtor. It's someone that owes. If you took a loan at the bank, you're a debtor. You owe to pay. And so spiritually speaking, the Apostle Paul is writing to us that we are debtors, but not to the flesh, but rather to the Spirit.

[7:32] To God. And so we owe our lives to Him. A life of service to our God. If we think of the flesh, what do we owe the flesh?

[7:51] What has the flesh done for us? Nothing good, right? Nothing good, right? The flesh is dragging us to the darkest part of hell.

[8:06] That's where the flesh would take us. It's there. And so to think that we owe the flesh anything?

[8:20] Absolutely not. That's appalling to Paul and to us. And he says, We are debtors, but not to the flesh to give in to its ways, but rather to the Spirit.

[8:36] And the flip side of being debtors is that by the Spirit, we will put to death the deeds of the flesh.

[8:50] By the Spirit, we will put to death that darkness. No other way is but by the Spirit.

[9:06] Who is behind the flesh? Satan. Satan. He was the guy that tempted Adam and Eve.

[9:21] He was there that enticed them to sin. To go against God. And since then, all of us have been born into the flesh with a sin nature.

[9:39] And that seeks to lead us away from God, the Spirit draws us back. And an interesting verse in Isaiah 14.

[9:53] 13. 13. When we think of the flesh and my relationship with it or with Satan. Isaiah 14 and verse 15 and 16.

[10:12] Where God pronounces judgment on Satan. You shall be brought down to Sheol, or to hell, to the lowest depths of the pit.

[10:22] But those who see you will gaze at you and consider you, saying, Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms?

[10:34] You know, there's a day coming when Satan will be cast into the lake of fire. And his followers will look upon him and say, Is this the worm that led us?

[10:55] And Satan will be utterly defeated and cast into the lake of fire. I do not want to paint a picture that Satan is to be belittled in his work today, as it is not wise.

[11:19] In fact, we are to be very close tactics. But to realize, to look through him and past him, that he has defeat before him.

[11:32] And in Revelations 20, we read that he will be captured and cast into the lake of fire, where the beast and the false prophet are. And he will be, those three will be the first people in hell.

[11:49] In the permanent state of hell. This is the works of the flesh. We owe nothing. Nothing.

[12:01] And very, very clear here. Verse 14.

[12:15] He says, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. And the words here, as many as are led by the Spirit of God.

[12:33] Do you know that I am led by the Spirit of God? Do you know that I am led by the Spirit of God? Yes. We should, and to take this in context, it is a verse that is stating, if you have the Spirit of God in you, you are led by the Spirit.

[13:00] It's not a reference to what degree we are obeying the Spirit, but rather it's an identifier that if you are led, you are sons of God.

[13:16] If you have the Spirit, it is evidence you are sons of God. You know, we could talk about a lot of supernatural instances where the Spirit has led us, has nudged us to pray for someone, to call someone, to minister to someone.

[13:43] I recall a story, Tychrope told, and I didn't ask him for permission, but I think it will be okay, where he's walking down the street, and the Spirit of God led him to go to so-and-so house and give the lady all the money in his pocket.

[14:01] Is that somewhat accurate? Okay, good. And you know, those are specific instances of being led where the Spirit comes upon us to lead us.

[14:17] But this, in Romans 8 here, it's a general sense that it identifies us as His children. And I trust many of us, if not all of us, have had times when we look back in our life where God worked even individually and led us day to day.

[14:43] Because He does that as well, all the time. So, verse 15, For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the spirit of adoption by out Abba Father.

[15:02] The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him that we may be glorified together.

[15:26] Adoption as sons of God. When we think of adoption here on earth and taking a child home to live with us or to adopt it into our family, even to do legal name changes and they become one of our children, yet we are never the birth parents to that child.

[15:59] Is that correct? We cannot change our birth parents. When God adopts us, it is not that.

[16:14] We are not adopted because we had different parents. When we are born into the family of God, it is just that we are born into it.

[16:28] A spiritual birth. There is no abandoning other parents and moving into God's home.

[16:41] We are born into it in a spiritual sense. And as sons of God adopted, we instantly gain full rights as a son of God.

[17:00] As a child of God. We have a few examples in Scripture. Let's turn to Galatians chapter 4.

[17:26] Starting in verse 4. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

[17:48] And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of the Son into your hearts, crying out, Abba, Father. Therefore, you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

[18:09] And so the moment we believe, the moment we experience the spiritual rebirth, we become sons of God and have full access to God and to everything that is God's.

[18:28] Is that a picture that we can grasp? You know, the earthly picture of parents and children somewhat would give us an understanding, but perhaps not the depth of what God has done for us.

[18:51] And he does talk here a little bit further about the inheritance we will receive as sons of God. That everything that is the Father's belongs to us as well.

[19:06] Inheriting the estate. So adoption means that we have been brought into the family of God as sons of God.

[19:18] Full rights. Full ownership in God's family. And he says, we have received the spirit, we have not received the spirit of bondage to fear, but rather the spirit of adoption.

[19:38] And so the former life was a life of fear. the new life is the opposite.

[19:52] It's a spirit and if we think how were we made children of God, how did that happen?

[20:05] It happened as we put our trust in Jesus Christ, as we received him, God made us born again.

[20:17] He gave us his spirit to indwell us. And here the wording is you have received the spirit of adoption.

[20:29] The Holy Spirit. That's the vehicle maybe the medium that God used to adopt us. to identify us as his own.

[20:42] So we think of the work of the spirit continually. The primary lesson here this morning is that the spirit of God identifies us.

[20:55] That we know, that we realize, I am a part of his family. And that there is no doubting. That we can be sure of where I stand.

[21:11] He says further in verse 16, a very familiar verse, the spirit, the Holy Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

[21:27] How does the Holy Spirit do that? How do you know that you are now a child of God? Scripture says so.

[21:41] Let's get some more feedback. How do we know? Peace? Any other thoughts?

[21:57] We now want to please God. Yet we are debtors to? To the spirit. We now want to sacrifice ourselves to God in that we want to give of ourselves.

[22:16] A living sacrifice, Romans 12 calls it. Any other thoughts? How do we know? Comfort and assurance.

[22:32] Yeah. And it's not peace and joy but it's not just it's our spirit is at peace with the spirit of God.

[22:45] There's now a connection between God's spirit and my spirit. The enmity is gone. It's wiped away. God's God's faith and my faith is how many of us would have at some point in our past had a view or a teaching that you cannot know where you stand with God.

[23:15] It's quite a few of us. Quite a few of us. That is perhaps culture or tradition and yet the truth of the Bible needs to override what we've been taught.

[23:36] When it doesn't match the truth of the Bible has to be there. And so this is what he is teaching. This is what God is telling us that his spirit bears witness with our spirit.

[23:52] And because of that we can call or cry out Abba Father. And Abba is a word that we don't use. It's not in our language.

[24:04] But it has intimacy or endearment like Daddy or Papa or whatever term you use.

[24:15] But it's personal. It's like a little child coming up to Daddy and greeting him that way. It's a sense of belonging. This is my Daddy and I'm proud of him.

[24:33] And so in the same way we are confident this is my Dad. This is my Father up in Heaven. And it's by the Spirit.

[24:45] So what a blessing of hope that he has given us to go through the rest of our life here on earth with that confidence.

[25:00] He doesn't leave us there. It's not only our identity to be sure of where we stand but he says also that if we are children then sure as can be we will be heirs of God.

[25:21] Heirs with Christ. And an heir is simply someone who will inherit passed down from parents or family or relatives or whoever.

[25:38] But its inheritance is something passed down to us as a gift. And in German we inherit what our parents have worked together for us.

[25:59] And here a promise the Holy Spirit is evidence that we are heirs of God.

[26:10] We will inherit what God has provided. What he has made for us in heaven. And not only that we will be joint heirs or co-heirs alongside of who?

[26:29] Of Christ. Just think of that. That Jesus our Savior the one who died for us to inherit with him all things that the Father has for us.

[26:46] Everything that is God's. See I believe our Father in heaven lives or waits maybe a better word for the day where he can openly share with his children.

[27:07] And we know that as eternity as our eternal state yet to come. How do we know? Because of the Spirit.

[27:24] The Spirit is witness. Let's turn to Ephesians chapter 1. I've shared this verse in the past I know but it's good to go again. Ephesians 1 verse 13 and 14.

[27:37] These have to be some of my favorite verses in Scripture.

[27:51] Ephesians 1 verse 13 In him you also trusted after you heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation in whom having believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.

[28:14] So sealed marked out identified as God's as belonging to God. So after having heard and putting your trust in him you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit which God gives us.

[28:35] and not only that that same Holy Spirit is the guarantee of what? Verse 14 Our inheritance.

[28:52] It's like a down payment of what God has for us that we will inherit. The Spirit is a guarantee for it. So if we have the Holy Spirit we will be in inheritance in heaven.

[29:08] And that's the Spirit works in us to seal us or to mark us to keep us until the day of redemption the day that God will redeem me out of this earth off of this earth to take me home.

[29:29] The Spirit will act in that role until that day. We should be hearing some hallelujahs.

[29:44] That is huge. Such a tremendous promise of Scripture that we have waiting for us. The book of Romans is so full of hope and promise for us as he explains the nature of redemption of salvation of our walk with Christ here and now.

[30:11] So then we will be heirs with Christ and use your imagination to what all you will inherit. because the Bible doesn't give us a lot but we do know that it will be utterly glorious.

[30:35] It will not be boring. We will inherit everything that God has created for us. Verse 17 let me reread it.

[30:48] if indeed and if children then heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ if indeed we suffer with him that we may also be glorified together.

[31:06] So is there a catch clause now that we need to suffer otherwise our inheritance is off boundary? what is he saying here?

[31:20] You know I have heard some take the teaching out of this that life needs to be we have to suffer.

[31:32] that can not shine going here. That's the only way we can inherit heaven. And Paul does say here if indeed we suffer with him that we also may be glorified.

[31:50] It does not mean that we are to make life hard for ourselves at all or deny ourselves of things God has given us to enjoy but rather it is a statement that as a follower of Christ and as having the Holy Spirit you are in hostility with the world or the world is hostile towards us.

[32:25] You are now going against the flow. And if you are true to Christ if you are a son there will be opposition.

[32:42] And so as the statement here if we suffer with him Christ was opposed all the way even by his own people.

[32:54] He suffered hostility and he says likewise as his followers we will experience similar.

[33:05] I believe every one of you could share some stories where you have suffered or you've experienced this firsthand.

[33:17] We may not suffer death on behalf of Christ. We don't know. many in our past have but regardless to acknowledge the world is against me.

[33:33] They're not on the same wavelength. They do not have the spirit of God. 2 Timothy 3 verse 12.

[33:44] I'll do a quick read there. 2 Timothy 3 verse 12. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

[33:59] And brothers and sisters, we don't need to go and look for it. In fact, don't. Don't go looking for it.

[34:12] It'll come. It'll come. Usually when we go looking for it, it's with the wrong motive. And it's not good.

[34:25] But this is a statement of fact. We will suffer with him. And then the rest of the passage for this morning as we wrap up is in light of that suffering.

[34:40] for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

[34:51] He's saying it's uncomparable. Anything you may face today, tomorrow, is that small compared to eternity with God.

[35:06] sometimes when we're in the midst of it's hard to see the bigness of what's ahead.

[35:18] But the promise is here. And as we cling to it, it'll help us through that. So the sufferings of this present time are not even worthy to be compared with the glory that's coming.

[35:34] For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. And now Paul is bringing in all of creation into this suffering.

[35:51] And he says even creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. Now when is that going to happen?

[36:03] the revealing of the sons of God at the return of Christ as the church is revealed with Christ to reign with him.

[36:20] Here we are told creation all of creation eagerly waits for that day. Do we believe in global warming?

[36:37] Yeah? I'm going to get all your opinions here. But is the world or the earth is creation suffering?

[36:51] Absolutely. Absolutely. And our scriptures telling us that even creation is waiting for release of the curse.

[37:04] It takes us right back to Genesis chapter 3 when we sinned in Adam and Eve. The earth was affected and had a curse come upon it.

[37:22] And hence we have volcanoes and earthquakes and tsunamis and forest fires and on and on and on. The list goes.

[37:35] It's all of creation. Let me read on because it speaks about groaning. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

[37:49] For the creation was subjected to futility not willingly but because of him who subjected it in hope. Because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

[38:08] For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. what had the rest of creation to do with our sin?

[38:27] Do we realize that all of creation suffers because humanity sinned against God? The curse came upon all of creation.

[38:43] even falling stars. Every aspect is affected by the curse.

[38:55] And our passage is telling us creation was subjected to this futility or emptiness not willingly but because of God who subjected it in hope.

[39:11] There is a time coming where God will restore back to his original creation to his plan. And verse 21 tells us very clearly creation itself also will be delivered from into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

[39:32] So that time is coming where a new earth will be here will preside and it will be free of corruption.

[39:45] And then it talks about labors and groans and labors birth pangs even until now. Even in Paul's day he is writing about these groanings from creation.

[40:03] And today we have it even more so. and if you follow world events there is an earthquake almost daily now that's recorded.

[40:16] There's rarely a day where there's not an earthquake somewhere. And it's just seeming to gain momentum as the earth groans and waits for release from the curse.

[40:32] Verse 23 Not only that but we also who have the first fruits of the spirit even we ourselves groan within ourselves eagerly waiting for the adoption the redemption of our body.

[40:51] Anybody here that's groaning? Amen. We wait. We wait. we feel the weight of sin.

[41:05] Not necessarily in my life but around everywhere the curse and we know the promises of God will take us out of here.

[41:17] And we groan within ourselves waiting for that release. And he uses the word adoption again. Now this is not initiating into the family of God as sons but it's a reference to adoption out of this world into God's presence.

[41:40] It's a the scriptures actually clarifies it. It says the redemption of our body will be redeemed from the earth to be caught up into heaven.

[41:52] And so that is the nature. He says the Holy Spirit is the first fruits in this verse. And by that we eagerly wait for what is to come.

[42:08] Verse 24 and 25 For we were saved in this hope but hope that is seen for why does one still hope for what he sees but if we hope for what we do not see we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

[42:24] And this is the climax for us today as we realize the truth of God's word it brings hope eternal hope it brings release it helps us to endure to persevere for our journey today and helps us because we look beyond it we're looking to eternity and this is the hope that Paul is writing to us this is what all of us need to cling to as children of God we all have this hope are you living with that certainty this is

[43:34] God's will for you with a certainty that we are God's sons that he is my father that I will inherit and be in his presence for all eternity what a blessed hope it is let us wait like scripture says eagerly eagerly there is nothing permanent here for us it is all on the eternal side I found a poem that was very fitting I will read that in conclusion it is called A Child of the King it has three verses my father is rich in houses and lands he holdeth the wealth of the world in his hands of rubies and diamonds of silver and gold his coffers are full he has riches untold my father's own son the savior of men once wandered on earth as the poorest of them but now he is reigning forever on high and will give me a home in heaven by and by

[45:08] I once was an outcast a stranger on earth a sinner by choice and an alien by birth their life but I have been adopted my name is written down with Jesus my savior I am a child of the king amen Yeah, very fitting as we belong to our Savior.

[45:48] Let's close in prayer. Father, what wonderful, beautiful truths you have for us.

[46:04] We are a privileged people. As we grasp at what you've done for us. Father, may we be indebted to you.

[46:24] To be your servants for our journey here on earth. May you continually, God, burden us with the lost.

[46:39] With who have not found their way. Father, that we would share your heart. May you work through each one of us individually as your children.

[46:59] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.