Christmas is a great time to reflect on more than just the central characters of the biblical story of Jesus's birth, it is a time to contemplate the parallels held in the act of adoption. In today's episode, I explore five ways that Christmas uncovers the nature of God through adoption.
- ADOPTION IS CORE TO HOW GOD RELATES TO HIS CREATION
- ADOPTION WAS NOT A “PLAN B”
- ADOPTION STEPS INTO BROKEN PLACES
- HUMAN FRAILTY AND SINFULNESS CREATES THE NEED FOR ADOPTION
- ADOPTION IS A PORTRAIT OF THE GOSPEL
The fact that the Word of God would become flesh should tells us a bit about how much God loves us! As you celebrate Christmas this year, don't forget to
- praise God the Father for his deep and abiding love for you
- thank Jesus that He stepped into human skin to become our Great High Priest
- rely on the Holy Spirit to empower your new life
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Here are the scriptures used in today's lesson:
Proverbs 20:5 (TPT) - “A man of deep understanding will give good advice, drawing it out from the well within.”
Galatians 4:4-5 (CSB) - “When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”
Galatians 4:4-5 (TPT) - “But when the time of fulfillment had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law. Yet all of this was so that he would redeem and set free those held hostage to the law so that we would receive our freedom and full legal adoption as his children.”
Psalm 68:5 (TPT) - “To the fatherless he is a father. To the widow he is a champion friend. The lonely he makes part of a family!”
Psalm 107:41 (TPT) - “But he raises up the poor and lowly with his favor, giving them a safe place to live where no one can touch them. God will grant them a large family and bless them.”
Genesis 3:15 (CSB) - “ I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Phillipians 2:5-11 (CSB) - “Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. 7 Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death — even to death on a cross. 9 For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow — in heaven and on earth and under the earth — 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Hebrews 4:14-15 (CSB) - “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens — Jesus the Son of God — let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 (CSB) - “He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
If you have any questions or comments about today's episode or just want to chat, send me an email, [email protected]
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