It may come as a surprise to our three “natural” children” to learn that they have “adopted” brothers and sisters. Yep, that’s right… Janet and I have several children who refer to us as their adopted parents. Not only will it come as a shock to Kristin, Jill and Andrew, but it also came as a shock to Janet and me that we have made enough of an impact on others that they would think of us as adopted parents.
The first time it happened, some time ago, I really didn’t know what to make of it. The thought that people we considered “friends” thought of us as “parents” didn’t mesh with our worldview of who we were. And let’s face it – some people don’t necessarily have a great view of what it means to be a parent. They associate “parents” with discipline, being authoritarian, in control and, more times that not, unable to understand the needs of their children. And at least from our vantage point, Janet and I didn’t, and don’t, think that we are anything like the negative image of parents.
But, to grant equal time here, I’m not so sure that Kristin, Jill and Andrew would agree with us. There were plenty of times that we exerted our parental prerogatives to enforce the rules of the house when they were growing up. And Kristin has told us, more than once, now that she is older and has children of her own, she has a better understanding of why we did what we did when we did it… And she has thanked us for the way she was raised. I would hope that the others would have a similar appreciation of our attempts at good parenting.
And now that we are getting older, we are all on new territory. After all, I am eight years older than my father was when he died – and all of our children are more than 10 years older that I was when I lost Dad. So we are all on uncharted waters now. Hopefully, we can continue to model good parental behavior to all our kids – natural and adopted…
But back to our adopted children. Not only have they chosen to follow us as role models and examples of what they would like to emulate in their own lives – we have chosen them as well. Our “kids” are fine examples of people who strive to do their best and believe that they will become even better by surrounding themselves with people who care about them and set a good example. Janet and I are humbled and honored at the label “adopted” parents.
From another vantage point, Kristin, Jill and Andrew didn’t have a choice. They were born into our family and that’s all there is to it. But it is a very special thing to choose to be in a family or to be chosen to be in a certain family. The main difference is the “choice” we are able to make in choosing our adopted families. And several times in the last two or three weeks, we have added “kids” to the family… What an honor to think that Janet and I have been chosen as role models – perhaps for the strength of our marriage, or our love of God, or the way we treat each other, or the values we hold dear to us and try to demonstrate to the world… or the way we love all our children… the way that Christ loves us…
Our heavenly Father offers us the same freedom to choose, on a much grander scale than Janet and I, or any humans, could ever imagine. Technically speaking, from a theological perspective, God the Father sent His Son, Jesus (fully divine and fully human) to live among us for a season of time. And Jesus is the only “natural” Son of God. In other words, God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit are all of the same “DNA”. They are three in one – all God, but with different attributes and a presumed hierarchy within the Godhead. Remember, Jesus came to do the will of the Father and when Jesus ascended to the Father, He sent another, the Holy Spirit, to take the place of Jesus and actually indwell believers.
Think ice, water and steam… All are H2O, but each has different traits. But, they all share the same “structure” – the same DNA…
So humans who believe in God have become “adopted” sons and daughters. They are not “natural” as Jesus and the Holy Spirit are, but we are, nonetheless, in the family of God. And He has chosen us as well as each of us having make the decision to want to become a member of the family of God. Paul actually tells us that we are co-heirs of the inheritance – and that means that Jesus is in the same family that we are in. Let that sink in a moment – as believers, we are beneficiaries of all the rights and privileges that are afforded family members of God. That is absolutely awesome…
Our verse for this evening is from the apostle Paul, highlighting his letter to the church at Ephesus, the most mature church that Paul had planted and loved with all his heart. He tells the congregation in Ephesians 1:3-7, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace…”
That’s quite a statement, but remember that Ephesus was the most theologically advanced church in the area. So Paul’s people were ready to digest that incredible message. We are in the family of God… as adopted sons and daughters.
My encouragement this evening is that God wants us to bring more people into the family. Remember how good it feels to have brothers and sisters! My prayer is that you will appreciate being chosen – and glad that you also made the choice to join the Christian family. And while you are on this earth, it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to reach out and find “adopted” parents as well – people who can channel the kind of life you wish to have and who have the same ideals and standards that you desire for you and your children. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…