Sonship in Christian preaching emphasizes the believer's adoption into God's family, highlighting a loving relationship and the privileges of being His child. It often contrasts the roles of servants and heirs, illustrating patient faithfulness and the assured inheritance promised to God's children (Romans 8:15-17).
Adoption means loving someone and inviting them to live with you, like God does.
A small girl recently gave her definition of the word "adoption." "It is when you love someone and you ask them to come and live with you." Simplicity is still the best way to say a thing, is it not? God loves us too, and He wants to adopt us as sons and daughters-how about it? Would you come and live with Him?
True children of God patiently await their inheritance, unlike hirelings seeking immediate reward.
"A servant must have something in hand, he must have his pay from quarter to quarter, or from week to week. He is not expecting to receive his master's possessions, and, therefore, seeks a present wage; but an heir waiteth till the estate falls in to him, and looks not for present gains." Thus may we discern between the mere hireling and the true-born child: the one deserts the Lord's service when it does not pay down on the nail; the other never expects reward till glory shall crown his labours. It is a sad thing for any sort of people when Jesus can say of them, "Verily, I say unto you, they have their reward." They cannot expect to be paid twice, and as their account is discharged in full, what have they to look for? Blessed shall we be if we are enabled to imitate the example of the Lord Jesus, who served the Father in the spirit of Sonship. Love made him rise above all idea of present recompense:
he waited the Father's time, and he still waits for his complete reward till the hour of his Second Advent shall arrive. "A servant," according to Job, "earnestly desireth the shadow" of evening, when his task will be ended; "and the hireling looketh for the reward of his work": this is nothing more than natural, for they have no interest in the work beyond their pay. But the heir loveth his father, and worketh and waiteth patiently, for the father saith to him, "All that I have is thine." In serving the cause of God we are really serving ourselves, for we are partakers in this great cause, even as the interest of sons is one with that of their father. Can we not, therefore, "both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord"? HOUSES AND SHIPS PREPARED FOR US
Divine adoption surpasses natural adoption, granting believers sonship and privileges from God.
Betwixt civil and sacred adoption, there is a two-fold agreement and disagreement. They agree in this, that both flow from the pleasure and good will of the adoptant; and in this, that both confer a right to privileges which we have not by nature; but in this they differ: one is an act imitating nature, the other transcends nature: the one was found out for the comfort of them that had no children, the other for the comfort of them that had no Father. Divine adoption is in Scripture either taken properly for that act or sentence of God by which we are made sons, or for the privileges with which the adopted are invested. We lost our inheritance by the fall of Adam: we receive it by the death of Christ, which restores it again to us by a new and better title. J. Flavel.
True sons of God are continually drawn by the Spirit to return to the Father's house.
The eternity of. If one has really been in the Father's house as a son, he, like the prodigal, is still a son and will be constantly constrained by the Spirit to "arise and go home," if he wanders away
A man entered a barbershop with a small boy and explained that since he had an appointment in the neighborhood he would like his hair cut first. This done, he handed the boy up into a barber chair, urged patience upon him, and departed. The barber cut the boy's hair and sat him in a waiting chair, but after half an hour the man had not returned. “Don't worry,” said the barber, “I'm sure your father will be back soon.” The boy looked startled. “He isn't my father,” he said. “He just came up to me in the street and said, 'Come along, let's both get a haircut.'“
Without endeavoring to make this comparison match in every detail, this application: The honest confession of many concerning their relationship with God would be: “He is not my Father.” And, many who have served and groomed a religious “chairman” or leader who is not a true son of God will find themselves “clipped” at the Judgment of their hoped-for, eternal reward.
-- Duane V. Maxey
Sermon in Galatians series. Galatians 4:1-7 (19)
DADDY GOD
=========
I. They gotta have guardians.
II. Spiritual slavery.
A. Children as slaves.
B. Meaning of "basic principles of the world."
III. Not much has changed.
A. Religious confusion of modern era.
B. God can use error to bring us home.
IV. Fullness of time.
A. Unique qualities of first century.
B. God's plan revealed.
C. What it means to have the Spirit in our hearts.
V. Are you a child of God?
A. We have a great inheritance.
B. Living in the freedom of the children of God.
”Make known His deeds among the people.” Ps. 105:1
0ne thing which often impresses me in the Old Testament, especially in the psalms, is that godly hearts in old-time Israel had a much tenderer concept of God, and a much more affectionate fellowship with Him, than many present-day critics of Old Testament religion are disposed to acknowledge. Besides religious awe, there was a sense of filial relationship toward God, and a truly loving exultation in His graciousness. It is revealing and uplifting to travel through the psalms picking out the warm-hearted responses toward a Jehovah who is as compassionate as He is ineffable in holiness. Here are a few: “Oh, how I love Thy law!” “Thy loving kindness is better than life”; “Jehovah God is a sun and a shield”; “I love Jehovah”; “He crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies”; “How precious are Thy thoughts unto me, 0 God!” “Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none on earth I desire beside Thee.”
See how the psalm begins from which we take our text: “0 give thanks unto Jehovah! Call upon His name. Make known His deeds among the people. Sing unto Him. Talk ye of all His wondrous works.” Is not that a delightful, eager enthusiasm, and does it not challenge us Christian believers who have become eternally saved at the infinite cost of Calvary? Should we not continually “give thanks”, and “call upon His Name” and “make known His deeds among the people?”
How, then, are we to “make known His deeds among the people”? The psalmist gives us seven ways.
First, he says, “Sing unto Him” (verse 2). Yes, even if you have a weak throat or a cracked voice, sing your grateful testimony and let others hear. A religion which saves should be a religion which sings!
Second, “Talk of all His wondrous works” (2). Tell especially His wondrous works in redemption. Tell how He converted and saved your soul. That which is vital should be vocal!
Third, the psalmist says, “Glory in His holy Name” (3). Instead of keeping your Christian enthusiasm severely under lock and key, let it be evident that you glory in the God who has saved you far — more thanthe rich man glories in his riches or the worldling glories in his godless absorptions.
Fourth, the psalmist adds, “Let the heart of them rejoice that seek Jehovah” (3). Grumblers and grousers never attract anybody to their philosophy, nor do grumpy religionists attract souls to Christ. New Testament Christianity is a rejoicing religion — that was the secret of its original contagiousness.
Fifth, the psalmist counsels us, “Seek Jehovah and His strength” (4). From Him will come the joy and strength for our witnessing and singing and speaking and glorying and rejoicing.
Sixth, “Seek His face evermore” (4) — that is, linger often in the secret place of communion with Him.
Seventh, “Remember His marvellous works that He hath done” (5). Few things are more stimulating than to keep remembering what He has already done in behalf of His faithful people. Every backward glance of memory reminds us that “God hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad!”
Is it not an obligation of sanctified gratitude, to “make known His deeds among the people”? Dumb statues, however beautiful, can never substitute for speaking witnesses.
”Make known His deeds among the people.” Ps. 105:1
0ne thing which often impresses me in the Old Testament, especially in the psalms, is that godly hearts in old-time Israel had a much tenderer concept of God, and a much more affectionate fellowship with Him, than many present-day critics of Old Testament religion are disposed to acknowledge. Besides religious awe, there was a sense of filial relationship toward God, and a truly loving exultation in His graciousness. It is revealing and uplifting to travel through the psalms picking out the warm-hearted responses toward a Jehovah who is as compassionate as He is ineffable in holiness. Here are a few: “Oh, how I love Thy law!” “Thy loving kindness is better than life”; “Jehovah God is a sun and a shield”; “I love Jehovah”; “He crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies”; “How precious are Thy thoughts unto me, 0 God!” “Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none on earth I desire beside Thee.”
See how the psalm begins from which we take our text: “0 give thanks unto Jehovah! Call upon His name. Make known His deeds among the people. Sing unto Him. Talk ye of all His wondrous works.” Is not that a delightful, eager enthusiasm, and does it not challenge us Christian believers who have become eternally saved at the infinite cost of Calvary? Should we not continually “give thanks”, and “call upon His Name” and “make known His deeds among the people?”
How, then, are we to “make known His deeds among the people”? The psalmist gives us seven ways.
First, he says, “Sing unto Him” (verse 2). Yes, even if you have a weak throat or a cracked voice, sing your grateful testimony and let others hear. A religion which saves should be a religion which sings!
Second, “Talk of all His wondrous works” (2). Tell especially His wondrous works in redemption. Tell how He converted and saved your soul. That which is vital should be vocal!
Third, the psalmist says, “Glory in His holy Name” (3). Instead of keeping your Christian enthusiasm severely under lock and key, let it be evident that you glory in the God who has saved you far — more thanthe rich man glories in his riches or the worldling glories in his godless absorptions.
Fourth, the psalmist adds, “Let the heart of them rejoice that seek Jehovah” (3). Grumblers and grousers never attract anybody to their philosophy, nor do grumpy religionists attract souls to Christ. New Testament Christianity is a rejoicing religion — that was the secret of its original contagiousness.
Fifth, the psalmist counsels us, “Seek Jehovah and His strength” (4). From Him will come the joy and strength for our witnessing and singing and speaking and glorying and rejoicing.
Sixth, “Seek His face evermore” (4) — that is, linger often in the secret place of communion with Him.
Seventh, “Remember His marvellous works that He hath done” (5). Few things are more stimulating than to keep remembering what He has already done in behalf of His faithful people. Every backward glance of memory reminds us that “God hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad!”
Is it not an obligation of sanctified gratitude, to “make known His deeds among the people”? Dumb statues, however beautiful, can never substitute for speaking witnesses.
The supreme antidote against strife and confusion, the supreme principle of unity and service in the Church, was also the greatest gift of the Spirit and the perfect and abiding proof of its presence, namely, love. This introduces a third criterion of the Spirit, and on the wider stage of the moral life. It is LOYALTY TO THE MORAL IDEAL OF CHRIST. "If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk" (Gal. 5:25).
Where the Spirit dwells, it produces a new, a higher, a unique type of moral life. For Paul, the Christian life was not the normal and natural product of human activity, but a gracious divine gift, received by the descent of the Spirit into the human heart, for "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, temperance" (Gal. 5:22-23). And there is yet one higher manifestation of the Spirit, the participation in the divine sonship of Jesus Christ. "And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father" (Gal. 4:6).
Where sonship is, there the Spirit is. On the other hand, "as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God" (Rom. 8:l4). Where the Spirit leads, there sonship is...
The possession of the Spirit and participation in Christ's sonship are but two aspects of the same experience. Here, the phenomenon, if it may be so called, bears its own credentials. Sonship is a self-evident work of the Spirit. But the evidence is available only for its owners in order that the Spirit of adoption may attest itself to others, it must issue in the life according to the Spirit, by walking in the spirit and bearing the fruit of the Spirit.
________________________
Thomas Rees, The Holy Spirit in Thought and Experience
*
The supreme antidote against strife and confusion, the supreme principle of unity and service in the Church, was also the greatest gift of the Spirit and the perfect and abiding proof of its presence, namely, love. This introduces a third criterion of the Spirit, and on the wider stage of the moral life. It is LOYALTY TO THE MORAL IDEAL OF CHRIST. "If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk" (Gal. 5:25).
Where the Spirit dwells, it produces a new, a higher, a unique type of moral life. For Paul, the Christian life was not the normal and natural product of human activity, but a gracious divine gift, received by the descent of the Spirit into the human heart, for "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, temperance" (Gal. 5:22-23). And there is yet one higher manifestation of the Spirit, the participation in the divine sonship of Jesus Christ. "And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father" (Gal. 4:6).
Where sonship is, there the Spirit is. On the other hand, "as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God" (Rom. 8:l4). Where the Spirit leads, there sonship is...
The possession of the Spirit and participation in Christ's sonship are but two aspects of the same experience. Here, the phenomenon, if it may be so called, bears its own credentials. Sonship is a self-evident work of the Spirit. But the evidence is available only for its owners in order that the Spirit of adoption may attest itself to others, it must issue in the life according to the Spirit, by walking in the spirit and bearing the fruit of the Spirit.
________________________
Thomas Rees, The Holy Spirit in Thought and Experience
*
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