Adoption Christmas I

 Galatians 3:23-4:7  1st Sunday After Christmas Day

 Adoption is?  .....

" For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship , might become a son of God."  Irenaeus, 2nd century.

Adoption means lit in greek to place a son.

Galatians 4:3-7  KJV,"  Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."

Here is a story I thought said it well.  God has room for us by adoption, but do we have room for him ? ---often we are too busy to focus on the better things that need our help , or we are thinking we are not worth it, but God does ? :    "

Wally was big for his age--seven years old. Everyone wondered what role the teacher would give him in the annual Christmas play. Especially considering the fact that he was also a slow learner. Perhaps he could pull the curtain.

To everyone's surprise the teacher gave Wally the role of the innkeeper. The boy of course was delighted. After all, all he had to learn was one line:

"There is no room in the inn." He had that down in no time.

Then came the night for the program. The parents took their places. Every seat in the auditorium was filled. The children entered singing "Oh come all ye faithful." The lights dimmed. A hush moved over the audience. The curtain opened on Scene One. Mary and Joseph entered the stage and walked up to the inn. "Please sir, my wife is not well. Could we have a room for the night?"

Wally was ready for his line. He had rehearsed it all night. He began, "there is", and he hesitated. He started over again. There is. . .and again his mind went completely blank. Everyone was embarrassed for him but poor Wally just didn't know what to do. Joseph thought he would improvise and started walking away toward the stable on stage left. Seeing him walking away Wally in desperation called out: "Look, there's plenty of room at my house, just come on home with me."

That seems a rather delightful twist on a familiar story. Over the years the characters in the Christmas story have become clearly defined for us. The issues all seem so clear cut. Herod was a villain and the wise men were heroes. The shepherds were heroes and the Innkeeper--well, the poor innkeeper has gone down as one of the heavies in the story. In our minds eye, we envision him as a crotchety old man with a night cap on his head sticking his head out a second story window and tersely shouting: Take the stable and leave me alone.

But perhaps the innkeeper has received bad press. Preachers over the centuries have had a field day with the poor fellow. But was it his fault that the inn was built with twelve rooms instead of thirteen? Was it his fault that Caesar Augustus had issued a decree that the entire world should be taxed? Was it his fault that Mary and Joseph were so late in arriving?

But you know something; this simple little statement about there being no room in the Inn becomes a symbol for Luke. As he writes his gospel it almost becomes a theme. Luke takes this one line, "There is no room in the inn," and shows us how this phrase was recurrent throughout Jesus' ministry. The question that Luke leaves for us is--will there ever be any room for him? " sermons.com

We are definitely heirs through adoption.  An heir is " lēronómos (a masculine noun derived from  /klḗros, "lot" and nemō, "to distribute, allot") – an heir; someone who inherits."  biblehub.com greek word summary

---Perhaps there is no better real illustration than adopting an animal.  They are no longer strays, or living in a big kennel.  They are living in the house, and have all the benefits of a dog DR.  ....a veterinarian.  

Nouwen said it this way and we all need to hear it, " 

The great temptation is to use our obvious failures and disappointments in our lives to convince ourselves that we are really not worth being loved. Because what do we have to show for ourselves?

But for a person of faith the opposite is true. The many failures may open that place in us where we have nothing to brag about but everything to be loved for. It is becoming a child again, a child who is loved simply for being, simply for smiling, simply for reaching out.

This is the way to spiritual maturity: to receive love as a pure, free gift."

Should I say Bingo?  The point is so helpful .  We are already in the Kingdom through faith and adoption.  Grace is greater than our sin the old song says.  Grace, grace, grace, ......not earned or deserved.  While we were still in bondage, we were called and given the Sonship of the kingdom.  

That is what Christmas is.  It is not the buying and selling of toys and dolls, as much as like gifts.  It is a better gift.  It is the gift, not earned or deserved of eternal life.

God accepts us in Christ Jesus.  So who do we need to accept?  Ourselves, others, that person that frustrates us the most?  Inasmuch as you have done it to the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

We conclude with Ireaneus " For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship , might become a son of God."  Irenaeus, 2nd century.


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