Freedom Through Adoption [Part 1]

Pastoral author and Bible teacher I will write you freedom to assure yourself to be in Christ, Alan. Welcome to another message of good news that will help you see your life in a whole new life. I'm excited for you to hear the teaching today. In the series called unbleached is presented at renewal the church in North Carolina. If you're not able to stay with us throughout the entire program today to make sure you know how to get our special resource right now. You can find out more about it and even receive a copy of your very own for your donations this month to Alan Wright ministry. So as you listen to today's message go deeper as we send you today's special offer@pastorallen.org find out more about it and make your request or call 877-544-4860 that's 877-544-4860. Again, our website master Alan.org. More on this later in the program but now let's get started with today's teaching here is Alan Wright below it.

Are you ready for this prize is not just freedom from slavery in the sense that your sins are forgiven.

It really is in the biblical picture of the New Testament. I move from being like an orphan to being an heir. And today, as we continue this series on what the biblical picture of freedom as we look at maybe the most multi-textured and rich image of all in the New Testament that explains freedom not as the absence of any restraint not is having no responsibility but instead the image of freedom in the New Testament is one of sweet submission and the gate may look narrow. On the other side of this gate is spaciousness of life and what were going to see today as we've seen in past weeks is that the idea of being unleashed is maybe best pictured in this simple picture we have every day only a well-trained submitted doll can go unleashed and I want to show you today what may be the most beautiful image of all to explain what real freedom as and it is going to be found in Romans chapter 8 possibility the passage in John chapter 8 is the image of being adopted as a child of God and this is Paul's picture of what real freedom actually looks like. So what I look first at Romans chapter 8 and then in John chapter 8 and Romans eight is really a crescendo of all that has been building and the opening chapters of Romans, which is beautiful, coherent, logical process of argument and exaltation of Christ. The site appears when the law didn't work and here's why.

Grace works.

Here's what the law is it's holy it's good right it's a gift from God, but it only served to highlight how much we need God because we are unable to keep the law out of her own effort and he explains all of this and how it is that the fact that we are not under the law is not an invitation to go on sinning, but the fact that were not on the law but under grace is the power by which we gain victory over Saint-Denis bills through all of this income to chapter 8 is a real crescendo.

It is for anybody who's ever been longing for a life of grace and the power of the love of God at work in your life. It's the thing you been waiting for your whole life for him to start on and say there is therefore now no condemnation. Christ and what he is doing is drawing a contrast here between the flesh and the spirit and by this. He doesn't just mean the works of the flesh are those evil and corrupt deeds that we do out of our sin nature that so bent on selfishness. What he means is more deep than that. And it does it is paralleled and what he has to say in Galatians, where we will take time to look today, but the works of the flashier, not just of those sins in your life but what Paul says the works of the flesh, image trying to live by the power of your own human will out of your own goodness or your own effort that that to Paul is a work of the flesh. This is automatic license when he talks about Abraham and Sarah when they bring Hagar and to bear a child because the promise of their own child is not yet come. That's that's the flesh is now with this contrast between flesh and spirit, and is a contrast between law and grace and what we see in this passage in this is what I want. Our theme today to be his is a contrast between orphan and air and when you get this get freedom is Romans chapter 8 verse 12 so then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh you live according to the flesh, you will die, but 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 sons of God is positive at this moment I'm reading for the English standard version and I think that ordinarily it's important that we be sensitive in the language we use and not exclusive in years, and it was a word sons because daughters is not mentioned here, and the reason ESP has lately has left this and as you'll see in this entire message today and I hope that you understand from the beginning that it is nothing about that meant to be exclusive is all but hopefully you'll see this is a technical image about first century practices of adoption that was largely of childless couple adopting a lead in this is image a male heir. And that's why it's left in that language is to make that point because what is good to see this author of the message is an image from first century Rome first 15 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 we cry. Father Jesus himself, how he addressed God father is just a very easy first thing for child to say all in our culture where we don't use as much was dead is easy to say I have a little nephew Wesley and is even learning to talk easy.

He's a quickly was able to call out my daughter Abby because that's all I Abby and associated cheating from the very earliest times with them be enough. And like your translate uncle Alan is the hardest thing for a child to say and so I just feel left out of this whole days: everybody except for me and I so finally I just said I was in told me how ages say that for now it is as mesmerizing now and I'll take it because it's easy to say that is smallest child calling out to the father for 16 the Spirit himself. The Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God and his children. The names heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him. We are so identified with the very death of Jesus, that we may also be glorified with him.

We are so connected with him to say this text won't be speaking directly to John chapter 8 ending so intriguing and want to just reinforce this with this text from John eight verse 31 Jesus said to the Jews, who believe them. If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth and here's the famous line, and the truth will set you free. I want to see where this famous line.

The truth will set you free Claire this the context of this famous statement a statement that is everywhere you go and secular society as the truth will set you free at some engraved on unit of the University of hallways and acrostic look witness context of it. Verse 33 they answered and we are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved. Anyone taking a bite or offended by Jesus saying you'll be free because he is implying they were for. How is it that you say will become free their mind if I got had been enslaved in Egypt and had been reminded to never forget their slavery, but verse 34 Jesus answered him, truly, truly, I say to you everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin is that I'm reinterpreting idea.

Slavery here is spiritual bondage slave does not remain in the house forever. The sun remains forever. The distinction between Islamists slave and a son is about the sun abiding with the father. So to say.

So if you decide to set you free. You befriend a freedom is through this image of becoming a child of God and heir of God is what he saying I know you are offspring of Abraham literally seed of Abraham. You seek to kill me because my words find a place in your I speak of what I see when my father and you do what you heard from your father very dry court. Jesus is saying that you you you are living your life out a mystical fatherhood that is actually from the power of darkness that influence your life is very strong statement in the context of that so freedom is understood, perhaps best and most richly for sure understand yourself to be in Christ, son or daughter of God. That's my thing today. That's valid will have more teaching moment from today's important series I will restore the fortunes of Jacob's times compassion on his dwellings built on her parents will stand in its proper place. Timeless where it's been general authority for the heart of God to restore time cities would often be read out on top of the ruins of the former city would stand higher with social walls and a greater perspective pastor right out of the ruins document. Build your life gloriously, yesterday's disappointments Alan Wright Ministries to the senior pastor outlines messages attractive. See through digital download as our way of saying thanks for your partnership, six 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website pastor work. Today's teaching now continues here once again is his many years ago my son Ben and I were playing in the yard and we pause to have some lemonade on the front steps is one of the wonderful these parental moments that priceless conversations emerge and you never forget them and I remember where were sitting. I remember a member very well because six years old and out of the blue he just said was a slave and I was troubled by the question because I thought we were sheltering this boy don't want to about slavery. Now this is such an ugly concept. I years old and our prayers.

Even her such a thing in the also for and so I thought about us as well as another dude but just address this and I said well Bennett said us is someone who is owned by another person, and it's a very bad thing. I said that master owns the slave and the slave has to do everything that the Masters sensitives. It's a very sad thing, but even the people God for a period of time were enslaved and I'm very sad to tell you that there was a time even in our own country that we we had slavery and his client.

He said I belong to you and I have to do what you say, no, no, no sign my assignment slave is all the difference in the world. You must sign you understand that if a slave doesn't do what the master says in the master might be slave never spanked him very much. I had everything very much. Six and there have been some gentle times and he said that sometimes I'm not done what you said you know, know that it is different. Explain what for like 10 minutes Baltimore signs move on spending 15 years and all trying to figure out that answer, you have it for you today of freedom that Paul is using here is essentially of moving from being like an orphan to being the being a beloved son, daughter, air, and so it's helpful to think both in the natural terms. What happens if studies have shown orphans but also this spiritual picture for us and famously told of an orphanage and post war Europe where they were trying to get the children to go to sleep better, but they been without for so long, and other displays.

There are millions of little ones are display shuffleboard and general orphanage. They were trying to sleep better because the children were so insecure, so when they decided to do is just feed them a huge meal at night so they could go to bed full and they found that I sent a little bit better but still restless and it was still not sleeping well. Somebody finally had the idea meal and then also give them a small loaf of bread to just go to sleep with and they found it with Brad and the bed with them. The children slept well because there's something inside of you just rest and let you know there's some sideline some way that you can be provided for the possibility is that good comfort or food you have. Today someone provided they are tomorrow. It's hard to pillow your head at night that you can't refrain from grasping or even stealing unless you're somehow assured that your given provision essentially to be a beloved child is to know deeply that someone who knows more and has more can get things done for you because you in mind and that is you go to bed. Someone has you in mind and therefore your life is not utterly independent but you belong and that is a great measure of care for you because of the love it's been set upon you.

That means that you can know something about your future, which is to say that there is an inherited even if your inheritance is just more bread tomorrow is reassuring. So what happens is that in the natural and I'm talking about a spiritual picture here, but we were looking at the natural bridge over the orphan heart is very hard for orphan to look authority is anything other than a threat or a means of opportunity orphan heart to look authority as a threat to be afraid of because it might take something from your you or the look upon the authority is something to be leveraged for means of gain so you impress the authority manipulate the authority seen with a air thinks is completely different than that child.

The look upon his father in a loving relationship look upon a parent as if you're just someone to be manipulated for my game so I could get something out of, or something just to be fear for the orphan relationship hard it is hard if you've not known deepest love unconditional acceptance.

It's hard to trust. The trust is can count on other people and so orphans in the natural our time developing intimacy in attachment sometimes and so the air son. The daughter who has been allowed by mom, my dad in a position of having some different way of thinking in the living in this world and how does anyone know if this is just different like this relationship and and and and and and and there in in this relationship is not perfect.

We know sometimes I get disciplined something but it's all an expression of a relationship in which there is trust and therefore trust as possible orphan maybe trying always prove something or the orphan heart might just try to give a message says I don't care all this insecurity at work. So the orphan heart as beset by Tim Tatian first substitutes for real, real radical love and acceptance is not infused into your life then you come to believe that life isn't a gift and love isn't available and acceptance is conditional. In short, you learn to live by wall rather than that sums it up. If you live with the assumption that acceptance is conditional love can never be perfect and you might be rejected, then you're either gonna list of under constant pursuit of trying to measure up so that you would be accepted or giving up and rebelling because you can't be some of the orphan heart therefore is insecurity.

The orphan heart is afraid and that fear fuels almost all aberrant behavior for the orphan heart is not free because the law never set you free law of God was good and noble and holy and right and pure and a gift of revelation of God, but it cannot does not call this at all throughout Romans ever set you free.

It just points out how much bondage you really are in. In other words, the power for living a different life and what real freedom is, is not this avoidance of any authority, but it is coming to know authority that is full of love and acceptance so that you become infused with a radical unconditional love is come from God himself. And without this we are left insecure and often without hope in this world and living in that way is terrible. Some years ago is running down the road or tons of blue lights behind me and and I saw this something something on usual chemist load. I have the right and the next thing I saw a car, behind me must've been going to lose 100 miles an hour on interstate zigging and zagging in and out and I was like a person is not be part of this you can slow down get out of this and this just just I could've been a dozen police cars chasing. I was witnessing a live high-speed chase scene from a movie and and and and the next dance on the paper with it. We will economy is a bank robber but as he went by me and I saw the young man driving the car. Saw the look on me right conclusion of the story in our next broadcast freedom through adoption is the teaching in the series titled unleashed Alice back with us in the studio shearing the parting good news thought for the day.

Just a moment.

I will restore the fortunes of Jacob's times and have compassion on his dwellings. The city will be rebuilt on her powers.

In its proper place. Timeless words from general authority for the heart of God to restore way time cities would often be read out on top of the ruins of the former city withstand higher with social walls and a greater perspective pastor right out of the rulings help document build your life gloriously, yesterday's disappointments to get to Alan Wright Ministries to listen to Pastor Alan's messages, and attractive.

See through digital download as our way of saying thanks for your partnership, six 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website pastor work blessing your life. Grace filled vision for your rights, free grace and encouragement for the blessing it's free. Just a click away. Pastor I got away with Alan Wright in our parting good news thought for the day replace the bookmark here freedom through adoption. It's a beautiful image Daniel that in the Roman empire though.

A father could disown a biological son.

Father could not disown an adopted son son was adopted primarily with the aim of becoming an air and seated in the choice of a father through the Roman adoption process and meant that once adopted, you're always his. To be really free.

One way to see it is to be adopted as a child of God. Once you become part of that family you might have some your choices narrowed image are not part of other families is not, so there's something on their looks narrow about it. But as we been saying over and over real freedom comes.

Paradoxically, by the narrowing of our choices and then we become truly free, the orphaned heart that is always worried about itself that always absorbed with self is not free is the one who's really truly adopted and that's our gift Jesus Christ, today's good news message is a listener supported production Alan Wright Ministries