"Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.
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Discipleship Training Course Come… Follow Me!
Lesson 8: Family matters
Review
We have seen...
1. That the call to discipleship that the Lord has given us costs us our total commitment, but because sin no longer has dominion over us, through repentance we are able to live lives of victory and fruitfulness;
2. That our acceptance with the Father depends upon the blood of Jesus which redeems us, cleanses, separates, justifies and sanctifies us, washing our consciences;
3. That all this is done through faith and our receiving of the facts of the Word about our lives;
4. That God's desire is that we fellowship closely with Him.
In this lesson, we shall see...
1. That the Father's desire for fellowship is fulfilled in the restoration of His family;
2. That restoration takes place through the adoption of believing children;
3. The principles governing our adoption and the nature of those He adopts. (See 2 Peter 1:3, 4)
Our objective is...
to choose to live in the good of being a son of God; to choose to follow Jesus, the only begotten Son, and do as He did; to sense the privilege of being loved by God so much that He chose us to be His family forever; to promise to listen moment by moment for the promptings of the Holy Spirit, understanding that they are the voice of my Father, who has called me into the inheritance of His Son.
A. Adoption as children of God.
Romans 8:15-18 "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "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 joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
Knowing you are a son of God comes through the Holy Spirit's witness within you. See also Isaiah 56:5. Spirit of Adoption = the Spirit producing sonship. We must share even His suffering if we are to share His glory.
Romans 8:23-25 "Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. "
The rites of sonship will be completed upon the return of Jesus.
Ephesians 1:4-5 "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will",
God's aim in adopting us is revealed here. God planned in love for us to be revealed as His own children. See also Romans 8:29. Because He foreknew how you would react to Him, He predestined (decided beforehand) that you would be adopted as His son.
B. The Lord's choice.
John 15:16 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you."
We are Jesus' choice. We are His appointment. See also John 6:70, 13:18, 15:19
John 3:5-6 "Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit "
John 1:12-13 "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
The choice becomes effective at New Birth. See also Ezekiel 36:25-27
2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
As far as God is concerned, the change is complete. (AMP) "Therefore if any person is (in-grafted) in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previously moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!"
C. Fit for the family.
Romans 5:1 "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,"
Justified = acquitted, declared righteous and given a right standing with God. The spiritual characteristic of the family of God is PEACE.
1 John 3:1 "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him."
The law of love unites us with God and is the foundation principle of discipleship. Manner of love = incredible quality of love.
D. God's planning
Psalm 139:13-16 "For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvellous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skilfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them."
No chance was involved in our creation. We were planned and thought out before hand.
Ephesians 2:10 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
E. The reason for our adoption.
Ephesians 1:4 "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
Romans 8:29 "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren."
We are in a God ordained lineage.
1 Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light;"
F. The adoption charter.
Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. "
Adopted to glorify God through good works.
Matthew 5:44-46 "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. "
Adopted to return good for evil.
Matthew 6:7-9 "And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. "
Adopted to be intimate through prayer with the Father.
Matthew 6:25-26 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? "
Adopted to be without worry for material things.
Malcolm Vine, Cornerstone Ministries. September 2004.
To contact the Bible School email: bibleschool@cornerstoneministries.org.uk
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