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Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000720S
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00:01 (Breath of Life Theme Music)
00:07 Sermon #B720 - God's Children 00:20 Dr. Byrd: We're going to turn to the book of Romans 8. We're going to go to verses 14, 15, 16, 00:30 and 17 ─ Roman 8:14-17. Oftentimes, we go to Romans, we always go to Romans 8:28 00:42 and we know that all things work together for good to those who love the Lord 00:46 and now, they are called according to His purpose. We're not going to preach that today, 00:49 but we're going to preach verses 14 through 17. The word of God is clear. It says to us today, 00:55 "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 01:02 For we have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, 01:06 but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, 'Abba, Father.' 01:14 The Spirit Itself, beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. 01:22 " Verse number 17, "...and if children, then heirs ─ heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, 01:34 if so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together." 01:40 Again, "...children, then heirs ─ heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, 01:44 if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." 01:50 Today, I don't have a fancy title. I'm just going to preach on the subject God's children. 01:55 Let's pray. Lord, we thank You right now. 01:57 We praise You for what You've done already in this worship experience, 02:01 but now we need to hear a word from You. Speak Lord. Your servant's here and hid me behind your cross. 02:07 Beat back the enemy right now, and may Your word flow full and free, 02:11 that all who hear will receive it and make it applicable to our lives. 02:17 Thank You for this. Forgive me of my sins and Lord, when we get to the appeal, 02:22 do what You do. Move by Your power and sprinkle out Your grace. 02:28 In Jesus' name, begging for forgiveness of sin. Amen." 02:35 Let me begin this way today. I love my family. I love my wife Danielle 02:45 and I love our three daughters, Christyn, Caileigh, and Carissa. You know what? 02:54 They love me, too, hallelujah. They love me back, 02:58 and I can't think of anything more important than my family other than being God's child. 03:08 For me, it's God first, then family, and then everything else. God first, then family, 03:21 and then everything else. The good news friends is that when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord 03:29 and Savior, His father becomes our father and we become a part of the family of God. 03:37 Now, there are three ways that you can become a part of a family, three ways. 03:44 Number one, you can become a part of a family by marriage. When you are married, 03:51 you become a part of a family. Number two, you can become a part of a family by birth. 03:58 When you are born, you become a part of a family. And then, number three, 04:05 you become a part of a family by adoption. 04:09 You can become a part of a family in three ways ─ either by marriage, by birth, or by adoption. 04:18 What I love about the Lord is God uses a spiritual version of all three ─ marriage, birth, 04:27 and adoption ─ to make us a part of His family. Are you hearing what I'm saying? 04:32 Let's deal with number one. With marriage, we can become a part of the family by marriage. 04:39 The Bible teaches, and we know that Jesus is the bridegroom and God's church is the bride of Christ. 04:46 This is illustrated in the parable of the virgins in Matthew 25. Now, when we are baptized, 04:53 we're spiritually uniting with Christ. Baptism, then, is like a wedding ceremony, 05:01 because in a wedding ceremony a man is uniting with a woman and a woman is uniting with a man. 05:08 In baptism, you're spiritually uniting with Christ. Both a wedding ceremony 05:15 and baptism are based on deep-seated love. 05:19 Baptism is as essential to the Christian as a wedding is to the marriage. 05:25 We can become a part of God's family by marriage, which is through baptism. 05:32 We can also become a part of God's family, number two, by birth. 05:36 Jesus talked about this spiritual birth. This new spiritual birth in John 3 when he was talking to 05:44 Nicodemus, you will remember 05:46 it was Jesus who told Nicodemus, "You must be born again." When we believe in Jesus, 05:53 when we trust in Jesus, when we receive Jesus, we are spiritually born again. 06:00 I don't know about you, but I have two birthdays. What are you talking about, 06:04 Pastor Byrd, you have two birthdays?" I have the birthday April the 11th, 1972 when I was born, 06:11 but I also have a birthday on August the 8th 1980 when I gave my life to Jesus Christ 06:18 and I was baptized in God's church. I have two birthdays. 06:22 The day I was physically born and the day I was spiritually born again in Christ. 06:28 Somebody knows the Apostle Paul says at best, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. 06:34 Old things are passed away. Old things become new." 06:39 You see, you have two birthdays. The first time you were born, 06:43 you were born into the family of your surname, but the second time you were born, 06:48 you were born into the family of God. The first time you were born, 06:53 you became a citizen of this nation, but the second time you were born, 06:58 you became a citizen of God's kingdom. The first time you were born, 07:03 you began eligible for social security, but the second time you were born, 07:08 you became a recipient of eternal security. The first time you were born, 07:13 your name was written in the United States census, but the second time you were born, 07:18 angels wrote your name in the lamb's book of life. The first time you were born, 07:23 you were born a human being, but the second time you were born, you became a living soul. 07:29 The first time you were born, you became an heir of your family's inheritance, 07:34 but the second time you were born, you became an heir of salvation. 07:38 Purchase of God, born of God Spirit. You are washed in his blood. 07:44 Jesus said, "You must be born again." 07:48 We also can become a part of God's family, number three, by adoption. 07:53 That's what we're talking about in this text today. We become God's children through adoption. 08:00 Our text says it. We read it. Let's read it again, verse 14, 08:04 "For as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God." 08:11 Now, before we go any further, and I'm not going to be too long today, 08:14 but before we go any further, and so we're clear that no one is taking male dominance 08:19 or misogyny against females. Please understand that sons of God in this context are not just males 08:28 in the family. The bible uses sons and the reason it does that is because in that culture, 08:35 it was only the males, back in the day, who enjoyed that honored position. 08:41 That was back in the day. This is today. Paul makes it clear when you read Galatians 3, 08:50 that in God's family, there is no male or female. In God's family, there is no big I and little you. 08:59 In God's family, there is no slave master and no slave. It says in Galatians 3:26, 09:08 "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus." 09:12 This means all believers enjoy the rights and privileges of that honored position. 09:20 Quit thinking you're better than somebody else. You're not. All of us are saved by grace. 09:24 Do I have a witness watching right now? Verse 14 again, "For as many as are led by the spirit of God, 09:30 they are the sons of God." Verse 15, "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, 09:38 but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, 'Abba, Father.'" 09:45 All right. Let's unpack that. What Paul is really saying is all who are led by the spirit of 09:52 God are sons and daughters of God. We shouldn't be like cringing, scared, fearful slaves, 10:04 but we should behave like God's very own children, adopted in his family, 10:11 and we have the rights and the privilege to call him Father. Are you hearing what I'm saying? 10:16 Now, to adopt means to legally take another's child and bring that child up as his or her own. 10:24 Adoption by God is a legal act of God on our behalf in the same way as justification, 10:33 God's imputed righteousness. 10:35 What am I talking about? We stand before the judgment seat of God, all of us. 10:41 On 2 Corinthians 5:10, "All of us must stand before the judgment seat of God." 10:44 We stand before the judgment seat of God as hopeless sinners, 10:49 condemned to death with nothing to offer for our own redemption. 10:54 Jesus, who's seated at the right hand of the Father, comes and stands before the Father 11:01 and our judgment seat. Jesus offers his perfect righteousness for our sins. 11:07 He offers His perfect keeping of God's law as our substitute, 11:12 and then the father declares us not guilty. Not because we paid the penalty, 11:18 not because we have righteousness or our own, 11:22 because our righteous in the sight of God is brought as filthy rags, 11:25 but because of the perfect and complete work, Hallelujah, of Jesus Christ on our behalf. 11:31 Through Jesus, we have been offered the gift of salvation. When we accept that gift, thank You, 11:39 Jesus, we become followers of God and were given a new spirit and we're forgiven of our sins 11:46 and we are made right before God. 11:50 What I love about God is this. God doesn't start anything He can't finish. 11:54 I wish I had a witness in this place. Not only does he forgive us, 11:58 but the text lets us know that he adopts us. We become His children. 12:04 You all ought to hear what I'm saying. We become His sons and daughters with all rights 12:09 and privileges. Help me, Holy Ghost. You see, we are not the hired help. 12:14 We are not friends or guests. We are not colleagues or coworkers. 12:19 We are not associates or acquaintances. We are not subservient to other family members, 12:25 but we're full family members, adopted by God. What I love is we can call Our Father, anytime, 12:34 twenty-four hours a day. In the morning, call His name. In the noonday, call His name. 12:40 In the midnight hour, call His name. We can ask for help for Our Father anytime we need it. 12:48 Let me remind somebody today that your security as one of God's children is not dependent 12:53 upon anything, but God's unconditional, everlasting, 12:57 arms wide open love that He has for you as His child. God will be there for you. 13:03 I said God will be there for you. You're not imposing because God wants to help you. 13:09 You can never intrude on God. God is your father. I wish I had a witness in this place. 13:14 I like the way the renowned author Max Lucado, you read his books, I like the way he puts it. 13:19 I like the way he describes adoption. He says, if anybody understands God's love for His children, 13:25 it's someone who has rescued an orphan from despair because that's what God has done for us. 13:32 God adopted us. God sought us. God found us. God signed the papers and God took us home. 13:43 You all ought to hear what I'm saying. We're God's children with full rights and privileges. 13:49 The love of a parent for an adopted child is a special kind of love. Let me say that again. 13:57 The love of a parent for an adopted child is a special kind of love. 14:04 You see, birth children are loved by their parents, but adopted children should also know that 14:11 their adopted parents love them. Why? They chose them? You all ought to hear what I'm saying. 14:17 "We're adopted children of God," the text says, which means God chose us. 14:24 God chose you. God chose me. We've been adopted by God the Father, and God has chosen us. 14:33 He's Our Father and we are His children with full rights and privileges. If we are children of God, 14:40 let me say this right here. If we are children of the most high God and we enjoy his full rights 14:45 and privileges, then there ought to be some distinct characteristics that identify us as his children. 14:51 Excuse the double negative. 14:53 We ought not walk around like we're nobody. I am somebody. I am somebody because my daddy is my King, 15:01 and because I'm a King's kid, there are certain privileges 15:05 that I have in this spirit that some other folks don't have. You see? 15:09 I'm the head and not the tail. I'm above and not beneath. I'm on the top, not the bottom. 15:15 I'm blessed in the city. I'm blessed in the field. I'm blessed in my going out. 15:21 I'm blessed in my coming in. I thank God my wife is blessed. I thank God my children are blessed. 15:28 I thank God my church is blessed. I thank God my friends are blessed. My car is blessed. 15:34 My house is blessed. My Ministry is blessed. My church is blessed. He's my daddy, and I'm blessed. 15:41 I thank God I'm his child. Quit walking around like a pitiful Christian. Don't you know who you are? 15:48 You're royalty. You are blessed. You're a child of the most high God. 15:53 Do I have a witness watching right now? But while we have privileges as children of God, 15:58 let me remind you that being a child of God requires discipline. 16:05 It requires discipline to God's word. 16:09 It requires obedience to God's word. I can't say that I'm a child of God and I do whatever I want. 16:20 You can't say you're a child of God and you drink anything. Preach, Pastor Byrd. You eat anything. 16:30 You dress any way. You sleep with anything. We got a lot of people out there now saying, 16:37 "Well, God loves me. God loves me. God understands me." If you're going to be a child of God, 16:42 if you are going to carry God's name, and being a part of God's family requires discipline 16:49 and obedience. We can't be unruly children. We can't be disobedient children. 16:57 We can't be wild children, because wherever we go, people will associate us with Our Father. 17:03 Wherever you go, whether it's on your job, whether it is at school or at home, 17:08 people will identify us with Our Father. The reason why, God's children don't act like the world. 17:17 It's because we have an authentic relationship with Our Father. 17:20 You see, my relationship with God is deeper than my profession. 17:25 Your relationship with God has to be deeper than church membership. 17:30 It's got to be deeper than church position. It's got to be deeper than ritual or tradition. 17:37 The way you can tell the difference between a child of God 17:41 and somebody else is to put us in a negative situation 17:45 and we will show you that you can't break us because he's Our Father and we are his children. 17:53 I feel my help coming. You see, if you backstab us, we'll pray for you. If you betray us, 18:00 we'll still love you. If you put us in a storm, we'll go to sleep. If you lie on us, 18:07 we'll still give God the glory. If you fire us from a job, 18:11 we'll interpret it as a setup for a greater job up the road. If you walk out on us, 18:17 we'll say God bless you because we know God has something better for us. If we're sick, 18:23 we'll say by his stripes, we are healed. If we're broke, we'll say the Lord will make a way somehow. 18:30 If you put us in prison, we'll have a praise service at midnight 18:35 because weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning time. 18:40 I'm so glad He's my father. I'm so glad that He's my daddy. I'm so glad that I'm one of his children. 18:50 I don't know about you, but I want to walk like Him. I want to talk like Him. I want look like him. 18:57 I want to live like Him. I want to be like Him. Behold, brother, and behold. 19:01 We are the children of God and it does not yet appear what we shall be, 19:06 but when He does appear in a moment in a twinkling of an eye, we shall see Him as He is 19:12 and we shall be just like Him. 19:17 The text isn't done. Verse 16, "The Spirit Itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are 19:28 the children of God." All right, so because we're God's children, we're in God's care. 19:37 Let me say that again. I said because we are God's children, we're in God's care. 19:46 Now, I told you not too long ago that I love my family. I love my wife. I love our three children. 19:51 As a father, especially to our girls, I will do ─ and let me be clear. Listen to me good. 19:59 If you are going to quote me, quote me right. I love my wife and I love our children. 20:06 I will do whatever is necessary to protect and take care of my children. 20:14 Are you hearing what I'm saying? You want to know what makes a daddy mad? 20:18 Mess with his children. That's why Satan don't realize he's getting God mad 20:22 because same keep messing with God's children. You all ought to hear what I'm saying. 20:25 That's the way the Heavenly Father, our Heavenly Father, feels about us. 20:29 He will do whatever is necessary to protect His children and to take care of His children, 20:36 which is why He sent His only son Jesus to die for us. 20:41 For God so loved the world that he gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, 20:46 should not perish but have everlasting life. Let me remind somebody right now in the name of Jesus, 20:51 that there is no greater miracle that God has worked than the redemption of His children. 20:57 Without Christ, all of us had been sentenced to hell, like an inmate. 21:03 locked behind bars that couldn't be acquitted, but with Christ, we've been rescued. 21:11 With Christ, we've been delivered. With Christ, we've been set free. With Christ, 21:19 we've been emancipated. With Christ, we've been liberated. With Christ, we've been saved. 21:27 He says, "You belong to me. Anybody that belongs to me can't be taken away from me." 21:36 That's good news, somebody. Somebody, you ought to be shouting in your house right now. 21:40 That's good news. That means I don't care what you've done. I don't care how bad you've messed up. 21:46 I don't care how far you run from God. You're still God's child. 21:50 I'm just an old man in a young body and years ago in church, we used to sing a hymn. 21:55 I've wondered far away from God, but now I'm coming home. God is still your father. 22:03 You're still God's child. Look what I love about our faith is. Our faith is not based on coming due, 22:12 but our faith is based on already done. Satan is done. Satan is already defeated. Satan is finished. 22:26 Nobody can undo what Jesus did at Calvary. You can't undo what God has already done. God had a plan. 22:37 His plan was to redeem man before the foundation of the world. It's done. 22:44 That's why I love to live for God. It's done. That's why I love to praise. 22:50 God. It's done. That's why I love to worship God. It's done. That's why I love to lift God. 22:58 It's done because he who has begun a good work in you will even keep it completed until the day of 23:05 redemption. It's done. 23:08 God is still taking care of us right now. God will take care of us forever. 23:14 Paul reminds us of this in verse 17, I'm almost done, where he says if we are God's children, 23:21 then we are heirs of God, joint-heirs with Christ, so that if we suffer with Him, 23:32 we may also feel like preaching now. Be glorified together as children of the most high God. 23:41 As children of the king, we have an awesome inheritance. 23:46 It isn't an inheritance in the sense of the term we use it, 23:51 because that inheritance use to require somebody to die and God can't die. 23:59 God is uncreated. God is immortal. God can't die. It is an inheritance that's ours 24:10 because of our privileged position in God's family. 24:15 What am I talking about? You do remember the story of the young rich ruler who came up to Jesus 24:20 and said, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Now, remember heirship is not a matter of works. 24:29 It's not something we do. We are already God's sons and daughters. It's not something we do. 24:39 It's something that's a matter of relationship. Now, the rich young ruler was moral, respectful 24:48 and law-abiding, but he had no eternal inheritance to look forward to 24:56 because he wasn't in the family. He needed to be born again by faith in Jesus Christ. 25:07 Then, he could be assured of an eternal inheritance. 25:11 Verse 17, again, says, "Heirs of God, joint-heirs with Christ." 25:20 Now, we all know what joint-heirs are. If you inherit your parents' estate, you are an heir. 25:29 But if you have siblings, if you have brothers 25:33 and sisters who share in that estate with you ─ you all don't heat what I'm saying ─ 25:38 then you are joint heirs. The Bible says we are joint-heirs with Christ, 25:47 which means all that belongs to Him, by His virtue of His eternal relationship with Our Father, 25:55 we will share. Somebody else shout right there. 25:59 All the glory that He has enjoyed in the Father's presence from eternity past is what we're going 26:07 to participate in when we get to heaven, because we are joint heirs with Christ. 26:13 You all don't hear what I'm saying. 26:14 I'm so glad to be a part of the family of God, but according to the text, 26:20 that also means that if I'm a joint heir with Christ, 26:25 I've got to be willing to suffer for the sake of Christ when the occasion requires it. 26:32 The good news is that when you suffer with Christ and you suffer for Christ, 26:40 it doesn't cast a doubt on your heirship. In fact, it's just further assurance of your future glory, 26:49 because if we suffer with him ─ Thank You, Jesus. ─ one day, 26:54 we will also be glorified together with him. If we suffer now, we'll smile later. 27:02 If we grind now, we will grin later. I'm so glad that because we're God's children, 27:12 we have an everlasting inheritance from His riches and glory, which means we're eternally rich. 27:21 Jeff Bezos isn't the only one that's rich. Carlton Bird is rich. 27:28 I'm rich beyond my wildest imagination. I'm not rich in money, but I'm rich in the Father. 27:36 I'm rich in the Son. I'm rich in the Holy Ghost. I'm rich because I'm a part of God's family. 27:44 We're rich because God is Our Father, and he has promised us an eternal inheritance. 27:51 We had no claim on this inheritance, but because of Our Father's love 27:57 and because of the Cross of Christ, it's all ours. 28:02 Thank you very much for tuning in to this week's Breath of Life broadcast. 28:06 We hope and pray that you've been blessed by Dr. Byrd's inspirational message. 28:10 If you would like to hear this sermon in its entirety, 28:13 please feel free to visit us at www.breathoflife.tv. 28:19 Or, call us at (256) 929-6460. 28:24 [END] |
Revised 2021-05-27