Sermon Cloud

Intro: “Our understanding of Christianity cannot be better than our grasp of adoption.”  Packer

Big Idea:  God adopts us as His children to reveal the greatness of His grace.

Context: Paul begins Ephesians with a long, complex sentence detailing the numerous spiritual blessings Christians have received thru Jesus.  What a great Savior and salvation we have!

I. Adoption is the greatest grace of the gospel.

-         Love: adoption began before creation.  Love defies explanation (Deut. 7:7).  Ill. Yang

-         Adoption was not Plan B.  God planned to display His grace before creation.  Ill. engaged

-         Love led to predestination- deciding beforehand.  Love acts on behalf of the beloved.

-         Predestination is to adoption as sons- this goes beyond justification & sanctification.

-         We are saved into God’s family, not just from the wrath of God.  What a great love!

-         We are adopted “in Christ”.  Apart from Him, no one can claim to be adopted by God.

-         The Father exalts His eternal unique Son, Jesus, as the means by which we are adopted.

-         Adoption is costly.  Ill. Cost of adopting, time & energy, travel, health concerns.

-         In Paul’s day, the adopting parent would pay off the adopted child’s debts.

-         The Father put Jesus forward as our Substitute to pay for our sins. Jesus paid the price.

-         He did it freely, in accordance with His good pleasure.  No one forced Him to.  Ill. Yang

Transition: We received every spiritual blessing in Christ- the greatest was adoption.

II. Enjoy the privileges of adoption.  Membership has its privileges- especially in God’s family.

-         The 1^st privilege: we are heirs with Christ (1:14; Rom. 8:16;Gal. 4:7).  Ill. Romans

-         God had an heir:  reveals His great generosity by increasing the number of heirs.

-         The Spirit is given to us as the down-payment, guarantee, of the our inheritance.

-         Adopted sons were permanent; could not be disinherited.  It’s a great assurance.

-         The second privilege is access to the Father through prayer (2:18; Rom. 8:15).

-         He listens to our needs, concerns and requests.  Ill. I don’t listen well

-         The Spirit brings us into His presence in times of need.  Ill. Jadon doesn’t ask

-         This is a great blessing.  Paul prays for them 2x, tells them to pray & pray for him.

-         Prayer is a privilege, not merely a duty.  Draw near to the Father to talk.  Ill. John

Transition: Adoption brings the great privileges of prayer and an inheritance for us to enjoy.

III. Embrace the responsibilities of adoption.  Family membership has responsibilities too.

-         Our first responsibility is to love the rest of God’s family- our siblings (2:19; 4:2ff).

-         It is in the family that we learn to love, to share, & to forgive those who hurt us.

-         The Ephesian church had problems with this- factions & fighting prevailed.

-         We are not to run away from difficult family members, but learn how to love them.

-         Our second responsibility is to imitate our Father, walking as His kids (5:1-8).

-         Children normally imitate their parents.  Ill.  Jadon- “Slow down, fast car!”

-         We have “changed families” and need to fit into this new family.  Ill. Yang/orphange

-         God is glorified, revealed to be great, when we act like Him.  Jesus died to do this.

-         Obedience delights Him.  Disobedience grieves Him.  Ill. Jadon knowing I’m mad

-         Our third responsibility is to be grateful children (5:4, 20).  Ill. I’m ungrateful

-          “If the love of a father will not make a child delight in him, what will?”  John Owen

-         The power to fulfill these responsibilities comes from the Spirit.

-         The Father provides all the resources we need to delight Him & in Him- more grace!