Sermon Text: Galatians 4:4-7
Title: “Adopted!”
I. Adoption, in our earthly thinking, has sadness.
II. Adoption, in perfect thinking, has nothing but happiness.
JESUS
CAME INTO THE WORLD TO BRING US INTO ADOPTION BY THE FATHER - TO BE REDEEMED.
In the name of the Father and the Son + and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father, and from our
LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
The sermon text for this, the first Sunday after
CHRISTmas, is taken from the Epistle lesson just read. I would read again these verses…
But
when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born
under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might
receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit
of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a
slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. [Galatians 4:4-7]
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I.
Adoption in our society is both wonderful and hurtful all
at the same time. I should know, I have
two adopted cousins and my best friend is also adopted. My cousins are quite a bit younger than I am
so I haven’t talked with them about adoption all that much, but I have with my
best friend. And without going into
details I can tell you there is great uplifting of the heart regarding adoption
and there is great heartbreak as well.
Heartbreak because there is the sense of being abandoned by the
biological parents. But also great
uplifting at being wanted by the adoptive parents.
Today in our text St. Paul speaks of adoption. But there is no heartbreak at the leaving of
one parent for another here. For who is
the parent of us all before being brought to faith in our LORD? Some may not want to hear this – but we all
start out children of the devil – for we are not automatically children of God
the Father - thus our text today speaking of being adopted by the LORD. Even in the old liturgy
there was an exorcism of the baby where the pastor blew on the child
representing the breath of Life chasing away Satan and preparing the baby for
the ushering in of the Holy Spirit. Remember
in our text today Saint Paul writes…
But
when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born
under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive
adoption as sons.
There in the text is that tiny word might. Does that mean God’s
adoption is uncertain? Does that mean
His love for His children is wavering?
Of course not. What it does mean
is that we can reject this heavenly, eternal adoption. We can decide to go the way of our bellies, the
way of our sinful eyes and itching ears, the way of our sinful mouths and minds and
hearts. We can chose to live the life of
one who has no to answer to himself or herself.
We can chose to love ourselves more than our neighbors and more than GOD
in heaven. We can chose to reject Jesus
and all that He stands for and all that He is.
Make no mistake about it the might
is there because of our wavering – not of GOD’S.
Does that mean we give in to the temptation that has
plagued the Church for millennia and say that we choose God then? Of course not. The LORD does the choosing and He has chosen
us. He has sent His Holy Spirit into our
hearts. He has given us our faith. This should sound very familiar to us
Lutherans right? Because we are all good
little Lutherans – meaning we are reading our Catechisms every day right? No?
Well then some review is in order. This
is Third Article stuff folks – meaning the Third Article of the Creed. Let me refresh your memories – Luther writes…
I believe I cannot by my own reason or
strength believe in Jesus Christ, my LORD or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit
has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept
me in the one true faith;… [SC.A3]
This adoption is GOD the Father’s work through His Holy
Spirit. We don’t chose Him, He chooses
us. For St. Paul writes…
“For
by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it
is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
[Ephesians 2:8-9]
And again St. Paul writes…
[God]
“Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but
because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before
the ages began…” [2 Timothy 1:9]
And in our text today St. Paul writes…
And
because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying, “Abba! Father!”
So you see, we do not chose God, but He chooses us. He chooses us through the Word rightly preached and taught and then leads us to the waters of Holy Baptism and then eventually to the Body and Blood of Christ, all for the forgiveness of sins. But make no mistake God chooses us.
Has there ever been a newborn who was able to choose its
adoptive parents? No – and here with God
our heavenly Father it is no different.
II.
So what’s the big deal about being adopted by God? Well – it makes us a part of the family –
legally. You can’t just walk up to a
child and say you are mine now. You have
to go through a process – a legal process.
Also true is the fact that a person can’t come out of the woodwork – and
without legal documentation claim to be a son or daughter. It takes legal adoption. Why? Quite simply inheritance.
Back in 2007 my grandma – who I called Meema – passed
away in August of that year. Most
Januaries I would make a trek from Minnesota back to Ft. Wayne, Indiana to go
to an annual pastors’ conference. Being
from Indiana – when I would go back there – I would drop down to Indianapolis
and visit my family. In 2008 I packed up
a part of my family’s history from my grandparents – an old, upright radio from
days gone by that was Meema and Peepa’s.
Why did I receive this? Because I
am a son and it is a part of my inheritance.
Without that birthright I would have had no claim on that radio.
With our heavenly Father it is the same. Now that we have been adopted into the family
we will receive an inheritance - Heaven Itself.
This is what it means to be a son of the Most High. And on that last Day of Judgment it will be
like being at the reading of a will.
Here on that last day Jesus will read out the names of those in the Book
of Life and will tell them to step forward, step into the Kingdom of your
heavenly Father. All is ready for you
and is waiting for you and it will last forever and ever.
This is why we rejoice at the birth of the Savior. It means adoption for us through Jesus’ blood
shed on the cross. Here we have been
made blood brothers and now can call GOD Father. What a wonderful gift we were given on that
first CHRISTmas morning! And now we have
the opportunity to share that gift with others! It is good to be sons and
daughters of our Heavenly Father. Amen.
The peace of the LORD – which surpasses all understanding
– will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
+ Soli Deo Gloria +
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