This morning we are back in Romans - 8:14.  We’ve been looking at our response to God’s grace.  How we choose to respond to the Gospel - to what God has done for us through Jesus’ work on the cross.  How we can respond to God’s grace in the real time of where we live our lives,

Today being the first Sunday of Advent and since there are only 27 more shopping days until Christmas it seems appropriate for us think about what kind of gifts we’d like to receive.  Not give.  But get.  We’re looking at what God desires to give us through Jesus.  God’s grace.  So, getting sounds kind of... spiritual.

If you had a choice of which gift you’d like to receive - would you rather receive... these fruity Skittles or these tasty anchovies? 

Choice number two - as a gift would you like to receive...  $1 million in tax free cash or this valuable collection of Monopoly money?

Choice number three - would you like to receive…   an all expense paid - including airfare - a five day family vacation to Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida or a romantic getaway weekend for 2 to Bodie, California?  Anyone thinking that maybe the peace and quiet of Bodie might be the better option?

Choice number four...    a 2016 Ferrari 488 GTB or this VW project of a lifetime?  How many of you have owned a VB Bug?  Almost obligatory.  Fun cars.  Costs a whole lot less than the Ferrari.  Any guesses on the cost of the Ferrari?  Upwards of $250,000.

Last choice - number 5 - which would you rather receive as a Christmas gift...   this mansion on a hilltop or this tornado magnet in Iowa?

As we’ve been Roaming Through Romans we’ve been thinking through our every day choices that we make as we go through life.  Every day we’re hit with decisions where we can intentionally choose to draw closer to God or to intentionally or unintentionally be drawn farther away from God.  Paul has been showing us how the choices we’re making are really a bottom line choice of how we’re responding to God’s grace and the consequences of that choice to our lives.

Romans 6:23 says what?  For the wages of sin is... death, but the free gift of God is... eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The word for “gift” here in Romans 6:23 - the Greek word for “gift” is “charis” which is the Greek word for… “grace” - God’s undeserved favor. 

Mercy is not getting what do deserve.   Grace is getting what we do not deserve.

God - who is grace - for God only knows reasons - God does for us the total 180 degree opposite of what we deserve - does for us what we could never earn or measure up to or do for ourselves - no matter how many righteous and holy things we could try doing.  Instead of our being toasted and roasted forever - which is what we deserve because of our sin - instead God offers to us life forever with Him.

Right?  We know this.  Yes?  The hugeness of God’s grace.

We seen in Romans - Paul’s written that what we know and experience about God’s grace should move us at the heart level to choose to turn towards God.  And yet - in the day to day - we struggle to do that.  Way too often we choose what draws us away from God.  True?

In what we’ve been looking at in Romans - Paul has shared his own personal struggles with sin and the making of that choice towards God and God’s grace.  Paul - knowing and experiencing first hand - as we all do - that sin is living in bondage to what kills us - what destroys us - self-destructive behavior - that even though we know and will what we would like to do - sin - like gravity - pulls us down every day of our lives.

As Paul clarifies it - either we’re either living by the Spirit or we’re living by the flesh.  Either we’re living empowered and directed by the Holy Spirit dwelling within us or we’re living by the power and direction of our own sinful humanity - our flesh.

There’s no compromise middle ground between those two.  The Spirit and the flesh are constantly at war with each other.  And yet we struggle - painfully at times - because we’re trying somehow live in the flash point war zone between the two.  We’re trying to live choosing to draw closer to God while we’re trying to hang on to what means to live in the flesh.

The bottom line of that is that if we’re living any other way than by the spirit we’re not living God’s way.  But God - because He is gracious - gifts us.  Rather than condemnation - God gifts us with freedom in Jesus Christ.  Offers to us release not bondage and death.

Remember how chapter 8 started?  “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”  (Romans 8:1)

Which is huge.  Isn’t it?  Freeing?  As we stumble around in our own weaknesses - often fearful and in doubt - tempted to hang on to guilt - with the choices we make that we pay dearly for.

We don’t have to live life under the condemnation of sin.  While sin may win battles.  We know - we have a certain hope - that sin will not win the war.  What’s coming for us - who are in Christ - is an unimaginable eternal future with God.  Amen?

What we’re coming to here in verses 14 to 17 is Paul describing the greatness of that gift - what God has so graciously given to us.  Let’s read verses 14 to 17 together and then we’ll come back and unpack.

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, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.

One core truth Paul is dealing with here in the verses - that we want to focus on this morning - is what it means to be a son of God.  Not THE Son of God - who is… Jesus.  But “a” son of God - or a child of God.  Paul writes that “we are children of God.”

A generic sense all of us by God’s will and intent every one of us that is born into humanity is created in His image.  Some would put it this way, “We’re all children of God.”  Which is true of all human beings everywhere.  If we’ve been born and not hatched we’re all God’s children.

However, just because we live in a garage doesn’t make us a... car.  Right?

Paul is using the term here in a very specific way with some awesome realities for us.  What Paul is describing is what’s true of those who have come to salvation in Jesus Christ.  When we - by faith accept what God has done for us in Jesus Christ - God gifts us by His grace - makes us to be His sons - His children.  Meaning that if you are a child of God - trusting in Jesus as your Savior - what Paul describes here is about you.

Paul begins - verse 14:  For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 

Those who are sons of God are “led by the Spirit of God.”

God - at the moment of our salvation - God the Holy Spirit enters in to us - takes up residence within us.  Meaning that God gives to us the opportunity to be led by the Holy Spirit not our flesh.

When we’re in Christ - we’re not obligated to live in the flesh.  We’re not obligated to live life in sin and the crud of this world.  We’re not obligated to live life looking hopelessly at death.  To live as failures - worthless people - condemned by ourselves and others.

We’re children of God - sons and daughters our Heavenly Father - set free from condemnation by God through Jesus Christ - who desires to lavish His grace, compassion, and love on us.  To restore us.  To lead us through a life that is radically different - infinitely better - way fuller and richer than what’s going on around us.  To lead us in that life now and forever.

Let’s be careful.  God the Holy Spirit leading us forward in life doesn’t mean that we don’t slip up and choose to grab control back from the Holy Spirit.  We still sin.  But we’re still sons of God.

To walk through life being led by the Spirit of God means that rather than us being in control of our lives - living by our own sinful desires - gratifying the flesh - we’re constantly - intentionally - making choices to turn our lives and circumstances over to God.  To go to Him for the wisdom, working, and whatever is needed to move forward following Him.

Paul - down in verse 26 - writes:  “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us…” 

Man apart from the Holy Spirit within has no clue that we can live led by the Spirit.  But to live by the Spirit isn’t about what we know.  God doesn’t take up residence within us and then leave us alone to figure life out.

Being led is about yielding our lives to the Spirit’s control.  The bottom line of that could be a simple prayer for help.  It could be a daily prayer asking the Holy Spirit to seize control of your life.

But grab this.  The Holy Spirit dwells within the child of God - you.  God gets us.  When we ask He leads. 

Let’s go on.  Verse 15:  For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear…

The sons of God are not slaves.

Tony Campolo - remember him?  Tony Campolo shares this:

A friend of mine has an adorable four-year-old daughter.  She is bright and she is talkative.  If tryouts were being held for a modern-day Shirley Temple, I think she would win hands down.

One night there was a violent thunderstorm.  The lightning flashed and the thunder rumbled.  It was one of those terrifying storms that forces everyone to stop and tremble a bit.  My friend ran upstairs to his daughter’s room to assure her that everything would be all right.

He got to her room and found her standing on the window sill spread-eagled against the glass.  He shouted. “What are you doing?”  She turned away from the flashing lightning and happily reported, “I think God is trying to take my picture!” (1)

Slaves live in fear.  For the slave the only consistency is uncertainty - an unknown future - the constant threat of abuse - even of death.

For those living as slaves of sin - living in bondage to the crud of this world - which is how Paul applies this word “slavery” here in Romans - humankind living apart from God and His grace - their lives are filled with uncertainty.

Live by our own whit, wisdom, and working - wile and guile - and our lives hang in fear on the fickle fluctuations of the stock market or drought or deluge - what effects the job market even here in Merced.  Our lives hang in fear based on the shifting winds of world events.  Atrocities in the Middle East.  Terror in France.  Senseless violence even here in Merced at the UC.

The world is one dangerous place.  The only way to go through life with any certainty is to take care of number one.  Grab what you can because this is all there is.  If you don’t grab it someone else will.

There are no answers.  There is no hope.  No purpose.  No meaning to life.  Only doubt - guilt - mistrust - shame - brokenness - wounding - scaring - isolation - depression.  

Death is a great unknown.  Something feared.  The ultimate reality for those bound by sin is God’s condemnation - eternal death - eternal punishment.  There’s no experience of forgiveness or healing or restoration.

Humankind as a creation of God is an awesome thing.  But for those living apart from God and His grace - life is lived in fear - and it should be.

Slaves live in fear.  God’s children do not.  Those in Christ are no longer slaves to sin and the crud of this world.  They stand freely in window sills wondering at the love of God - the awesomeness of His grace.   

Paul writes goes on in verse 15:  For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but - in complete contrast - you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons…

The sons of God are adopted.

If we’re a follower of Jesus Christ - if we’re trusting in Jesus as our Savior - surrendered our life to God - received salvation from Him - we are an adopted son of God.  God has adopted you.  That’s an amazing truth that we need to let sink into our heart. 

Say this to yourself, “God has adopted me.”  Find someone next to you and encourage them with that.  “God has adopted you.” 

It is crucial that we understand and marinate in what Paul means by “adoption.”

A few Sunday’s back we looked a clip from Ben Hur.  Judah Ben Hur gets sent off on some trumped up charge to serve as a slave in the galleys - endlessly rowing on a Roman war galley.  We saw this a few Sunday’s ago.  “We keep you alive to serve this ship.  So row well... and live.”  It’s a death sentence.

We know how this goes.  Right?  The ship gets rammed.  Ben Hur saves the life of Quintus Arius - the fleet commander.  The scene with them hanging on to the piece of ship - floating in the Mediterranean.  They’re rescued.  Apparently it was a great victory for the Roman fleet.  Eventually Quintus Arius takes Ben Hur to Rome where Ben Hur is given to Arius as a slave and Arius sets Ben Hur free.  We’re together?

As you watch this scene - think about adoption - especially in the Roman world Paul is writing to.

(Ben Hur - 1:36:20 to 1:38:30)

Do you like how they hung?  The strong gripping of the arms - holding each other a comfortable distance apart - eyeing each other for any sign of too much emotion - no nuzzling - no draggage.  It’s very manly.

The Greek word - here in verse 15 - for adoption is “uiothesis.”  Which has the idea of placing someone into the position of a son.  Which if it sounds like the completion of a legal process… it was.  Someone is legally placed into a home.

But the Greek and the Roman understanding of “adoption” - as Paul is using this word - the Greek and Roman understanding of adoption was much more that just a legality.  To the people Paul is writing to “adoption” means that you are “made to be” a son - without any distinction from those who are natural born sons.

Jesus told Nicodemus - to enter the kingdom of God you have to be... born again.  Which confused Nicodemus.  Confuses a lot of people.

Nicodemus asked Jesus, “How can someone who’s already been born reenter his mother’s womb and be born again?” 

Jesus’ answer?  “That which is born of the flesh is... flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is... spirit.”  (John 3:1-6)

Born of the flesh is a work of man.  Born of the Spirit is a work of God.  We need to process the difference.

Physically it’s impossible to be born into a human family as an adopted child.  It just doesn’t work that way.  To be physically reborn by a different mother.  Can’t be done.

Legally we’re adopted.  Hopefully loved.  Accepted.  A very real part of the family.  But physically we’re still different.  Levi’s genes are not Ruben’s.

Spiritually - God makes it possible for us to be reborn - by the Spirit - into God’s family.  Adopted, yes.  But not just in the legal sense.  Adopted in the spiritual - as Paul is describing us - sense.  To be made into a child of God.  Which is as if we were natural born children of God.

God - at the moment of our salvation - God the Holy Spirit enters in to us - takes up residence within us - does a total transformation of us at the spiritual core of who we are.  Total regeneration.  Complete rebirthing. 

Which is what it means to be “born again.”  By God’s work within us - at the moment of our salvation - we are reborn - not as spiritually dead children of the flesh - but reborn as spiritually alive children of God - sons of God.

That is astounding to process.  We’re born once - physically.  Born into flesh and sin and slavery - into fear.  When we come to salvation in Jesus - the same Holy Spirit present at the conception of Jesus - enters into us - giving us a new birth - a spiritual birth - as a son of God - no longer slaves who need to live in fear.

Look where Paul goes with this.  Paul writes, “but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by Whom we cry, “Abba!  Father!” 

“Abba” is an Aramaic word that means father.  It’s actually a little child’s word for father - like “Dada.”  Something easy for a child to pronounce:  “abba.”   Try that.  “abba.”   It carries with it the idea of the intimacy and trust that a small child has in his father.

Jesus - in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus praying - struggling - knowing what’s coming - Jesus prays, “Abba!  Father!  Not what I will but what You will.”  (Mark 14:36)  There’s a huge display of intimacy and trust and relationship in that.

Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount - teaching this huge crowd of people - teaching His disciples to pray - tells them to begin how?  “Our Father.”  The Son of God - God in the flesh - talking to Abba - Father.  Same Jesus - teaching us - sons of God - to address our Father - as Jesus addresses our Father.  (Matthew 6:9-13)

Are we grabbing the relationship there?

Imagine the crowd that Jesus is teaching - on the Sermon on the Mount.  Spiritually impoverished - the mourners - the meek - those struggling to find peace - to live in righteousness.  Not that any of us could relate to any of that.

God is the God who appears hovering in a cloud over Mount Sinai - a God of smoke and fire.  The God who wiped out the world with a flood.  Got who sends plagues and parts seas.

If we touch His stuff... we die.  If we look at His face... we die.  Even to approach Him in His temple requires the bloody sacrifice of bulls and goats.  Do it the right way or... we die.

God is holy - exalted - almighty - sovereign.  Unapproachable.  Someone to be feared.

Imagine.  Jesus calls Him, Father - “Our Father”!  Its an amazing relationship.  Jesus teaches His disciples to address the Father with the same intimacy that Jesus address His Father.

God - the infinite - holy - almighty creating God - so loves us - you - adopts us - you - so that we are His born of the Spirit children - able to approach Him - to know Him - with the intimacy of the natural born Son - the intimacy and trust of a small child - calling out “Abba!  Father!”

You are an adopted son of God.  Let that sink in.

Now let’s be honest here.  For some - who’ve been wounded by our earthly fathers - thinking  about God as our father may be a difficult thing.  Especially to think about that relationship positively.  Trust and intimacy aren’t even on the radar.  In reality - none of us have had parents who’ve raised us without some mistakes being made along the way.

I get that.  I’m a parent.  My kids get that.

We need a radically new - more God focused - God inspired - understanding of what God means by “Father.”

Just one example.  Familiar.  In Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son - there’s image of what “father” is.  The father lowers himself - shames himself - by running to embrace the returning the son - the one who’s been lost in self-indulgence.  The father speaks with tenderness and instruction to the other son who’s lost himself in self-righteousness.  That image of father is a long way from what way too many people understand as father.  (Luke 15:11-32)

If you knew what it would be like to have your children before you had your children would you have had your children?  Yes.  If you knew what it would be like to have your children before you had your children would you have adopted them?  Different question.  Isn’t it?  By the way my answer to that question is… yes. 

God doesn’t have to be our father.  God doesn’t have to lavish His love on us.  But He does.  That’s a different understanding of father.  Isn’t it?

If you’re having trouble with the reality of God being your Father - look through Scripture and see how God talks about - and demonstrates - what it means to be “Abba.”  Let God reveal Himself to you and bring healing to you.

Let’s go on.  Verse 16:  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God...   

The son of God is never alone.

Jack London’s, “The Call of The Wild” is a story about a dog named Buck.  Buck was half Saint Bernard, half Shepherd - 150 pounds of pure muscle.  Because he was such an impressive animal, he was stolen, kidnapped from his home in the Santa Clara Valley and taken to Alaska where there was a tremendous need for powerful dogs to pull sleds through the wilderness snow.

Buck was treated so cruelly by his kidnappers and then by his first owners that he was nearly broken in spirit by the time he fell into the kind hands of John Thornton.  Thornton was so humane in his treatment of Buck that Buck developed an undying loyalty to Thornton.

One evening during a conversation in the Eldorado Saloon, Thornton was lured into making a $1,000 wager that Buck could break a sled loaded with 1,000 pounds on it - from a frozen standstill and move the sled 100 yards.  Some dogs had been known to break 500 pound loads - maybe 600 pounds - but 1,000 pounds seemed impossible.  It was a foolish wager, but Thornton believed that if any dog could do it, Buck could.

Several hundred men spilled out into the streets of Dawson to see if Buck could perform the impossible.  The odds were 2 to 1 - then 3 to 1 against Buck.  A sled holding twenty 50 pound bags of flour was standing frozen in the snow.  The ten dog team that had been pulling it was released and Buck was harnessed in their place.

John Thornton put his face against the face of his great dog.  He knelt down by Buck’s side and whispered in his ear these unforgettable words, “As you love me, Buck.  As you love me.”  

With that encouragement - presence - words of love coming from John Thornton - Buck pulled the sled free.  (2)

That’s what’s contained in this statement:  “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our Spirit.”  The Holy Spirit - indwelling us at the core of who we are - speaking to us.  Urging us forward in our faith.  Guiding our walk with God.  Empowering us for life.  Growing us spiritually.  Keeping us and preparing us for eternity with God.  Reminding us that we’re God’s children - of who we are in Christ. 

“Testifies with” is the Greek verb “sunmartureo.”  Which is two words stuck together to make one.  The first word is “sun” which has the idea of closeness - being with us.  And “martus”  which is where we get our English word - what?  martyr.  Showing the extremity of commitment.

David writes, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.”  (Psalm 23:4)

God never leaves His children to stumble around alone in the darkness and corruption of this world.  Or, to bear up on our own - pulling impossible loads.  Good luck.

God never leaves His children alone.  The testimony of that reality is as close as our hearts.  When we turn to Him He stirs our hearts with it - testifies with our spirit - reminds us at the core of who we are - that He - God - is with us.

We may feel alone.  But we are never alone.  We belong to God.

Last verse - 17:  and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. 

Verse 17 is actually a transition to what comes in the rest of chapter 8 - what we will come to in the next two Sundays.  But, briefly, we need to see it here as a reality of what it means to be God’s child.  The son of God is an heir of God.

There is a theme that runs from Genesis to Revelation - that even though we suffer in the present age - life having its hardships - even persecution - though we suffer - running from Genesis to Revelation is this theme that something incredible is coming.

This is an amazing - hard to wrap our minds around - reality.  God takes people - like us - who’ve been living on the trajectory of sin and fear and death - and God graciously gifts us - through Jesus - makes us to be His children - so that we are heirs of God - inheritors of an unimaginable future that begins even today.

There is a God - by grace given gift - a choice before each one of us today.  No matter what the circumstances we may be in - God gives us the choice to lift our heads up - not to live fearfully as slaves but to live as sons of God.

_______________

1. Tony Campolo, quoted by Steve Zeisler in his sermon “Living By The Spirit,” Romans 8:1-17

2. Jack London, The Call of the Wild

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®  (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.