God"s Family

Well my goal when I preaches not to give my own ideas or opinions but is to proclaim and declare God's word.

I believe that this Bible, God's word is the truth. I think you may agree with me that sadly not Western civilization. There's a great attack on truth. That's true in Europe sadly true my native Scotland and sadly this Morimoto pond here in the United States. People talk about my truth. Your truth has truth or truth is thinking about of that last night and reflecting on the Gospel according to John that when John is introducing our Savior. He says in John 114 the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory to glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and and then he goes on to say in verse 17 that the law was given by Moses, we thought about that in other cities in Romans but grace and truth came through our Lord Jesus Christ, our Lord said in John chapter 8 of were singing about that earlier and you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free. And in that same chapter John chapter 8 and he describes out enemy who is a murderer from the beginning. Think of that in their own country with the murder of an told millions of unborn children is a murderer from the beginning. And Jesus said he is the father of lies. The father of lies and then says that is no truth in him we have an NMA who is opposed to the truth, who hates the truth and in him there is no truth of Lord Jesus describes himself in John 14 verse six he says I am the way and the truth and the life.

In John 17 verse 17 is a spring to his father. He says regarding his followers, his disciples like us, sanctify them, that is, make them holy in thy truth, and then he says your words is truth and before pilots who asked the Lord Jesus. What is truth. Jesus says whoever whoever it is who listens to my voice is telling the truth. Whoever is of the truth listens to my voice is not significant, but if you want to know the truth, you don't look within. You don't look to me. You don't look to the president.

You don't look to Congress you don't look to the media don't look to the educator. You look to this book because we believe that the grass withers and the flower fades with the word of our God will stand forever and have decided is and is not in the case that Western civilization is reaping the consequences of discarding this book, the Bible. Not only do we throw died of her skills we largely throw died of her churches and so we are becoming more and more biblically illiterate and so when we come together as a people of God to worship as I say you come I hope not to hear my ideas are my opinions. I want you to see the beauty of Scripture.

I want you to understand the relevance of the truth of God for your life so that your life will be changed. I want you to hear the voice of God because we believe that when the Bible speaks God speaks one to know what God says in the subject. Listen to his word. This is truth pulsates to Timothy that the mind of God is to be able to handle accurately the words of what the word of truth. He says in two Timothy 42 Timothy the young preacher preach the word, that is the word of truth, and he says then in that chapter that there's going to come a time when people will turn from the truth and follow events rather than hearing the voice of God. They will substitute storytelling myths the morph the most far-fetched ideas which come from our enemy himself, in whom there is no truth so I want you to hear the voice of God. I want you to understand the greatness of God and the grace of God I want you to behold the loveliness of the Savior I want you to see Christ in all of his beauty and I want you to know the power of the Holy Spirit. The spirit of truth as he sometimes called changes of life's like today we continue our series in the book of Romans and that are looking at Romans eight which deals with the subject which is relevant to all of us and that is our fear but fear is that you have fear of losing your health. Fear of being alone.

Fear of failure, fear of losing some friendship.

Fear of failure, fear of some dark secret to being find direct feed of the future. Fear of death. In a passage Romans eight versus 14 to 17. We will discover that we who are followers of Jesus are not to be characterized by fear. We are not to fall back.

Paul says into fear, but we are rather as we been singing to have a Blessed assurance, a Blessed assurance in our hearts and our lives which comes from the Holy Spirit. The spirit of truth visiting for the first time, let me remind you of where we are in our study of Romans. Romans is an exposition of the gospel, the good news of God concerning his son, our Lord Jesus Christ and in the first four chapters, Paul deals with the very heart of the gospel.

He deals with the meaning of justification on the universal need of justification. The means of justification. And then in chapters 5, six, seven, eight.

He deals with the hope of the gospel in chapter 5 E. out with peace and reconciliation in chapter 6 he deals with this wonderful subject of our sanctification, that is becoming progressively holy as we follow our Savior in Romans seven we saw that he deals with his deliverance on this freedom from the pilot of the law and never in Romans eight, he deals with life in the spirit, and particularly as will see this morning the assurance that the Holy Spirit gives to those who are following Jesus.

So my dear brother and your sister you are is no need to fear afraid of what's happening in our country.

Don't be afraid of what's happening in your life. I realize that our discouragements but her problems surf that our natural fears, but we were following Christ given the Holy Spirit and St. Paul. Therefore, do not fall back into fear by because what in the family of God, and let stand and read a passage which is fine at Romans eight versus 14 through 17 short passage. A very important passage that were going to read together for all who are led by the spirit of God are sons of God. 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, Abba, father the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children than heirs. Heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him to please be seated.

Verse 14 Paul is saying those led by the Holy Spirit are no longer slaves but are sons of God. Verse 14 for all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Romans eight verse 14.

Every offending follower of Jesus is a son of God, someone's eyes, unwell children of God. What is true we are all created by God. God is our Creator gives us our life, but by nature. As Baldwin said in Ephesians 2 we are by nature children of wrath, and to become a son of God, then we must be born into the family of God. Galatians 3 verse 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. How do I become a son of God join the church that baptized no it is through faith in Jesus Christ. This is the supernatural rebirth. We are born by nature children of wrath self-centered the flashes result of last week, but now there is a supernatural rebirth being born again so Paul can write that as he does here in verse 14 for all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God we saw last week that as we follow Jesus Christ. We are not of the flesh, but of the spirit.

Once we were slaves of sin, but God has done a remarkable working in our lives. Now every true believer is characterized by the in dwelling spirit where part of the family of God. That's an incredible and incredible privilege, isn't it, to be declared by God as his son as his daughter render the story Jesus told him to chapter 15 of the young man who went to his father. He must've been quite wealthy and said that I'm tired of working in the farm and I've heard there's an exciting life and in another country and I know you're going to die sometime in and give me get an inheritance then, but quite honestly, I don't really wait want to wait till you die. Give me the money. No. And so the father and I'm sure with great sorrow in his heart, gives the young man is inheritance of the young man leaves home and he goes to the far country. Whatever it was I did a great time. Remember, he parted it plenty of friends when you got money you've always got friends of nature. I'm sure they had every bar in that place and that everything they wanted, but only for the time on his money ran Arlington to become a fireman and he's reduced to looking after pigs. Not the best job for a Jewish boy is he so hungry he could even eat the. The food that was being fed to the pigs. But then in that condition. The remarkable thing happened almost a miraculous thing happened to began to think Satan doesn't want you to think busy young man begin to think you thought Nokia and I am back home. Everything I realize I've sinned against heaven that was good.

Yes it sinned against his father, but more importantly, it sinned against God, and I'm going to go back home and I realize I've blown it.

I realize I don't deserve. I'm not worthy to be a son but if I could just work on the farm as if I could just be a servant that would be wonderful, as indeed it would. So he made a straight cool.

Jesus, who tells us to go well.

Don't you said is an amazing thing happened. The father was looking for his son and as he sees the sun in the distance. The father doesn't wait for him. He runs to him and he embraces him and that the son starts talking about being a servant of being a slave of the father and the father 100 and says no you are my son. Once you were lost but now your fund. One sure once you were dead, but now you are alive. It is true.

The sun was not worthy to be called the son, but here is a picture of God's grace are you worthy to be called the son of God, have sent me hearts son of God's in the family of God.

That's grace.

This is what Paul is telling us number last week in verses five through eight.

He deals with the struggle between our fleshly desires on the spirit of these telling us here in the context please understand that that the Holy Spirit does not lead us into sin but into holy living was the context holy living. Our sanctification that struggle between the flash and the spirit. I do now resides.

Not only are you and well by the spirit you are glad by the spirit.

Verse 14 and the spirit as I say never lead you into sin or we can quench the spirit we can grieve the spirit. When we fall into sin when we ignore or resist the Spirit's leading but members of God's family have the same characteristics you saw me with my with my five brothers, two of them are in heaven, but if we were young manager put us all in a row. Here, you would know that these are Munro's. I happen to be the best looking, but that was a good that was the grace of God. You see that others were pretty bad possibly, but I worked I was the best looking so my wife says I being members of the same family have certain characteristics was one of the characteristic of those put in the family of God, that they are led by the spirit into holy living. What does David say Psalm 23 when he talks about God as a shepherd leaving him. He says he leads us in the past kind of class the paths of righteousness notice. Challenger is a child of God. We can apply for you live living. Using the spirit is a Holy Spirit and this ring led by the spirit here in Romans eight verse 14 is not some mystical leading our guidance know it's a daily control and conviction of the Holy Spirit as we deal with sin in our lives every day of our lives that we who are saved by the grace of God and not to be under the control of our flash, but under the control of the spirit we thought of that last week as we thought, what does it mean to be filled with the spirit, according to visions five verse 18 and following our lives once dominated by the flash ball is told is that in the previous chapters of Romans that we were following our sinful passions.

He says in chapter 7, but no other than the remarkable thing is only does he forgive our sins, he gives us the Holy Spirit and know we have different desires. We have holy desires. We want to please God. We want to turn from sin. We want to pursue righteousness. We want to be servants of the living God and to serve him and to please them in this one third of the gospel is that is that not only does God through his Holy Spirit give us the desire to please God. He gives us the power to please God, through the power of the Holy Spirit to those who are verse 14 who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Verse 14 that is confirmed.

I believe in the following two verses where Paul is going to tell us that the Holy Spirit assures us that we are children of God, and heirs of God. Verse 1540 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, Abba, father the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God and have children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ joint heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him through the followers of Jesus are adopted into God's family.

The Holy Spirit is not one of slavery is not one of fear.

Rather, the Holy Spirit brings freedom and dispels her fears no longer slaves but no sons in the set of living in fear instead of living in bondage we now live in glorious freedom, says Paul in second Corinthians 3 where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. We have peace with God because of the very moment of conversion, verse 15, we received the spirit of adoption as sons adoption, now here I believe Paul is drawing on Roman law, which is a very sophisticated and well advanced process of adoption in Roman law.

The adoptee was taken out of the his or her previous personal status and place in a new relationship of son to his new father. It was illegal ending of one relationship and the commencement of a new relationship.

It was the privilege of starting a new life under the legal power under the legal authority of another person. The child then took his father's name the child and was entitled to the inheritance of his father on the death of his father is Paul is going to explain verse 17. I don't know what you think about adoption you think is an inferior status. I don't good and I adopted a little boy when he was two days old Dallas Texas Christopher John Monroe can mentor family two days old and over the years I've spoken to many people about the family and adoption and occasionally is usually a man or woman services or don't know if I could adopt some what do you do you really love your son is adopted at I don't know if I could if I could do that. It almost seems that they look on a man or a woman who was adopted as having some kind of been failure status. Whatever you may think about that that was not true in Roman law, Roman law was a tremendous privilege to be adopted and I believe it is another one society we told our son, you would know accident you would know surprise you young couple sit with this sons a bit of a surprise when you get it lecture by the birds and the bees. He's an accident. It was no accident that our son came into our family. We chose some of course was part of the sovereign purposes of God as we pray for him when I was going through Dallas seminary as a student when we were told all you are not American citizens.

You got a very uncertain future.

We don't know if you could adopt someone well God and his grace brings this little boy into a family and from the moment he can mentor family. He became a Monroe. He took my name. We called him Christopher John Monroe chosen and this is what God is saying is, Paul uses this imagery in Ephesians 1 in love he God predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that snow inferior status that is of the highest privilege. Paul is saying in opening verses of Ephesians 1 before the very foundation of the world.

God shows you and you predestined you to be adopted through Jesus Christ and this is all according to God's purposes and all to the glory of his grace.

Think of this when we are saved, not only out all of our sins forgiven not only to receive eternal life. That's grace that's overwhelming grace. God does something more than that. He adopts us into his family. That's love is Sunday from you and I know many of you and I love you and you say welcome to come into your home. Yes, some of you have been into my home.

We have people who even said a few days even a week or two in our home and that's fine but I don't know if there's many of your that want to adopt and to my family. I don't know there's many of you that I'm going to say to you, you can come and stay in our house and be a Monroe for as long as you like and after that we could to help her much like the people of your relatives is nice when the leave is think of the love of God. Not only does he save not only does give you eternal life. We could say God didn't have to do this. He does something incredible, he makes us in his family, but I John Monroe, son of God that you think about it is overwhelming.

I am no longer under my own master of sin and death.

I have a new family. I have a father and having a gracious perfect father as we were singing a good good father and I also am privileged to have brothers and sisters hundreds of the millions of them drive the world and many of them already with the Lord we belong to God's brothers and sisters, and as we belong to God.

All of the privileges and benefits of being in the family of God bestowed upon us. That's some status. I don't know how you describe yourself but not by your profession, perhaps by your nationality, perhaps by your family but this is some description who are here. I am a son of God. God is my father.

Not now you that you're in the family of God. There's no need for fear little children sometimes say two other little children. My daddy is stronger than your daddy you when you little boy you think your daddy is the strongest man in the world's decided I thought my dad could be of any other dad in the world's grew up and realized quite a case but the little boy growing up in a home, the father who loves them under a father who appeared to be quite strong man gave me as a little boy.

Great security. My daddy is stronger than your daddy. Another was my daddy can deal with anything when you're small you believe that you never worry about food on the table. You never worry if you're going have a roof over your head.

No dad is taking care of it.

He's a good dad and my dad is stronger than your dad was dad with her but God is our father. That means there is no stronger person that is no stronger force in the universe, in heaven or hell, past, present or future that is stronger than our father.

He is the Almighty God. Why are you afraid your trust is in God is your loving father knows all about you. He's going to take care of you while you worrying proposes don't step back interfered. Don't go back to that. I remember that Gordon is grace has adopted you into his family and there's no force in the whole universe which can not show to be signed is not what Jesus says in John 10, I given to my shape, eternal life, and they shall never parish, neither shall any man snatch the might of my hand. My father, who gave them is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of my father's hand. I and my father are one wonderful I'm in the hands of my Savior. I'm in the hand of my father and there is no fourth grade children than that yes my dad is stronger than any other dad loved with an everlasting love. And on this what Paul says here in verse 54.

You did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back interfered but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons by whom we cry. Father the Holy Spirit who indwells us, enables us to address God's father does not have Jesus taught his disciples to pray over father but stand and say the Lord's prayer is explained in Matthew chapter 6. We don't often do this but notice how it begins. This is not a clich� alive his truth to grip your let's read the Lord's prayer together. Our father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Please be seated. Father's remember the joy you experienced when your son and your daughter for said that is amazing, isn't it the father when you have I give you great joy.

This is my son probably doesn't understand what being a father is what he can at least say the word or at least some variation of it policy in God is your father. He has adopted you, and were suddenly to love God and were certainly to be in all of him and were suddenly to respect him, but we are not to be afraid of God. I greatly respected my father. I was taught on the your father and your mother, but I was never afraid of my dad. Why, because I know I knew I was his boy. I knew he loved me and brothers and sisters. Now that were in the family of God. I know this is difficult to believe that we have the right to address God as father and this is it. What is an emotional cry of a child to his father noticed the cry is not the Jesus God son but to the father in the New Testament prayer with a few exceptions is addressed to God the father.

What does Paul say here we received the Spirit of adoption as sons by whom is by the spirit we cry father is the word in the original Greek is an anime board. In fact, and it only occurs three times in the New Testament. One is here in Romans eight verse 15 also occurs in Mark chapter 14 verse 36 when the Lord is in the garden of Gethsemane. What does he pray father, all things are possible for you remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will but what you will. In this time of great suffering as our Savior addresses his father. He says father God the son speaking to God the father, father, and then done with me to Galatians 4 verse six which is really the Pablo passage to Romans eight here.

Galatians just open your Bible a little bit.

Galatians 4 verse six. No. No Israelite would ever call God father.

They wouldn't even pronounce the words Yahweh that such reverence. Such respect for God, but not this intimate relationship.

Galatians 4 verse six and because your sons. As God has set sent the Spirit of his son into our hearts, crying, father so you no longer a slave, father, son, and if a son, then an heir through God's this is what was a very familiar term ones, which emphasizes the unique relationship we have a cop with God. This is not a mechanical relationship is not cold formalism. This is not some rigid ritualism that would going through. This is not just religion know this is a picture beautiful picture a warm picture of a child coming to his, her father wore loving, intimate. This is the very heartbeat of the spiritual life that we are not only adopted into the family but through the spirit was given to us. We are able to address God with this intimate term that our Savior himself used Abba father. Yes, God is to be approached with reverence and respect that is true, but we as children, we come we say Abba father, an enemy doesn't want us to do that.

But enemy creates doubts and fears and anxieties generalize that Satan is all he can to destroy our enjoyment and freedom of being in the family of God. Satan hates all families is against marriage because it was God's idea, if you're my regular family and you wanted to be ongoing to the Lord, you know that I was against you will try and get between your relationship between husband and wife, between children and parents between the children themselves will do all he can to record marriage. He also hates the family of God. The spiritual family. God hates the church and the church is God's idea. I says I will build my church will not surprise her with that Satan comes to churches like how the church and tries to create division disunity deceits false doctrine is a mass of lies, isn't it comes to you as an individual brother sister the last thing he wants you to do is to develop his growing intimates wonderful relationship with your heavenly father going through suffering going through some disappointment was one of the first things that enabled us the devil tries to get you to the two deserts. God's love for you. If God really loved your he would like this to happen. Believe God is all-powerful couldn't get rid of that what you doing trying to get between us in this wonderful relationship of a father of love was to get you to question the love of God wants to question my really a child of God. Does God really care for me. Oh he'll throw your family because you really messed up. You don't deserve to be in the family of God. God is companies back on you. This is where the Holy Spirit comes in sentences that were never never never your sons and daughters of the living costs by pulses don't fall back into fear. Paul has told us in this magnificent chapter Romans eight, he begins by saying there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus saying once the condemn you.

Satan wants you to go back into that slavery into that field into that dilute and confusion. So the chapter begins with no condemnation and is going to end in verse 39 with no separation.

For there is no separation from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our way you live no condemnation, no separation from the love of God, even in the most difficult circumstances of life. Can we say particularly in the circumstances. Light was a difficult Satan, the Holy Spirit comes and assures us that we are children of God. He assures those who are in God's family. Verse 16 the Spirit himself.

This is one of the works of the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Here is an awareness and assurance which comes from the witness of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are in the family of God. I am adopted into the family of God and in the many circumstances of life you've experienced this, I trust this. Give the supernatural assurance that you belong to God and is just what we need is in the some of the most excruciating circumstances of life. Here is a wonderful work of the Holy Spirit comes supernaturally ensures a sensation John you are a son of God. You loved by God.

Wonderful experience wonderful assurance which this fails feared and promotes our prayer to our heavenly father Abba, father never experiencing the reality of this assurance from the spirit of the missing is a daily reality but certainly in times of suffering in times of confusion. The Holy Spirit often graciously gives us this loving assurance that I'm in the family of God illustrated this way your father and other sports field champ what your son, your daughter play soccer that about 50 yards away from your and as you look at them for this experience.

Father's mother some. As you look at them. Your heart is filled with tremendous love for your son for your daughter you really love that boy you love that we correlate their are you looking at her and she is totally oblivious to the feelings in your heart and is really impossible for you to communicate the heart of deep, deep love that you have for that little girl that you have for the little boy why the jurors there in your and your family business. What doctors through his gives us that supernatural assurance that reminder that we have loved by God and if as you watch that little girl that little boy if that little girl found and hurt yourself and was crying. What does she do she cries Arlington but absolutely you in Christ. I daddy, daddy, what do you do immediately.

You go to her to give it a lecture I hope is a time for lectures is not when your child is acting no you don't, is a loving father. You don't like to get tough with you to take your hunger. You say I love you. You see is going to be all right were going to get through this business with the Scriptures saying times of suffering in times of loneliness in times when we wonder what's going to happen with our very lives itself and we cry out Abba father. In the midst of these difficulties in the midst of the darkness. The Spirit himself says Paul here bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God doesn't doesn't already said in Romans five verse five. As he talked about suffering the beginning of the Romans five that he says in the wonderful verse chapter 5 verse five because God's love has been poured into your heart through the Holy Spirit is given to us. Yes, and you asked me just now do you believe God loves you, I would say yes was a different thing is that experiencing the depth of that love the problems and difficulties in the trials of life. This is the great hope of the gospel. But there's more, much more will just take a minute and look at verse 17 and if children, then there's heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ because we are in the family of God and their we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. What does the father say to the elder son in Luke 15 all that I have is yours on this is what God says to us all that is mine is yours. So we adopt this little two-year-old with to go through some legal formalities and after six months we go to court and all of the adoption. The legal formalities are completed then though.

He is legally adopted into the family of God is not legally a Monroe build relationships have gone and now he is a new start. Is he is a Monroe report. Just think of this from his good knee and I had died in the common accident as we were walking out of court.

All of my resources granted doing too much, but all of my resources. All of these resources become.

You say did he deserve that he would put absolutely not heated 04. It's we chose him didn't choose us but because he's her child. Not only did we give them the name of Monroe.

He is my air if I had other children he would be a joint heir with them.

So Paul says in Ephesians that we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus, and the heavenly's all that the father has is yours. All that the son has our Lord Jesus Christ is yours. Think of the amazing a binding grace upon grace upon grace, saving us forgiving our sins taking us into his family and now we are heirs and joint heirs. And as we sent you this morning.

We can highly take that in and we don't know the wonder wonder of the kindness and the grace of God which awaits us as a chart as the children of God, as we shall be forever and ever. With our loving heavenly father is the great being a Christian Travis. They took the bait Christianity some kind of pie-in-the-sky when you died with a terrible life know what was pulsing the Holy Spirit dispels her fears and assurances that we are sons of God went now in the family of God. First John three verse one see what kind of love the father has given to us. What is the manner of this love kind of love does God have for these people. John says I'll tell you what it is.

See what kind of love the father has for us that we should be called children of God, and such we are. That's love is is a John. I don't know if I'm in the family of God in the family of God.

John tells us the beginning of his book. John 112 as many as received him as Christ to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born other blood not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. You become part of the family of God by dissolving it know you like the prodigal, you're like me, you're totally unworthy of it is all of grace your to receive God's son is a gift you guys for sentence is buried. Who rises again. I know says it should fall upon the name of the Lord shall be saved if you receive me when you do that some of you here this morning, but I asked him in the cup with other men to get ready to sing a wonderful song as we conclude, which summarizes I think what I'm trying to say. In part this morning but if you are here is a follower of Christ and this is been a terrible terrible week for you as these men sing as we reflect on this with you. Open your heart, caught the spirit witnesses with your spirit that your child of God you're here is a follower of Christ what your stranger like that prodigal wonder of God will forgive you of course to forgive you. He runs forgives all of your sin and says this my son is dead and his life was lost in this find her father and the God we thank you for your grace.

It's overwhelming.

Thank you that you are God's word about who runs to meet us, who is plenteous in mercy, helpless father during the a to a study through your spirit. We ask in Christ