Look inside this book.Where the Bush is Burning: A Daily Devotional by [Thomas Tice]

Tag: Galatians 4
Preparing for Worship

Preparing for Worship

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Sunday Worship

9:30 am

650 Kennedy Drive

Northglenn, CO

Scripture:  Galatians 4:1-7

Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. So we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.  But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Sermon:  Adoption – Tomm Tice

  1.  Our adoption is the result of the plan and purpose of God.
  2. Our adoption is the result of the Person and work of Christ.
  3. Our adoption is a present fact with future consequences.

Catechism: Westminster Shorter Catechism

Question #82

Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?

No mere man, since the fall, is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but doth daily break them in thought, word, and deed.

1 Genesis 8:21. And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. Romans 3:9 ff., 23. What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes…. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

Worship

Glorious Day

You Are God Alone

Amazing Grace (Traditional)

 
‘The Adoption of Sons’

‘The Adoption of Sons’

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‘The Adoption of Sons’

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Galatians 4:4,5

‘Adoption is an act of God’s free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God.’ It is to this glorious end that God the Father waited until ‘the fullness of time.’ It is to this end that He ‘sent forth His Son.’ It is to this end that Christ came, ‘made of a woman, made under the law.’ It is to this end that He accomplished His Mission, ‘to redeem them that were under the law.’ God finishes what He starts. We may have entered this world, ‘by nature the children of wrath,’ but because of the redemptive work of God, through Christ, ‘Beloved, now are we the sons of God.’ Here is a God Who makes ‘king’s and priests’ out of wretched, vile and helpless sons and daughters of Adam’s fallen race. Here is a Christ Who condescends ‘to men of low estate,’ not that they might remain there, but that He might raise them up, ‘that we might receive the adoption of sons.’ As we realize this, in practical ways, we will find that it transforms our approach to everything and everyone around us. We need not have the recognition of man, as long as we are accepted of God. We need not live to please, ourselves or others, so long as God claims us as His Own. We need not fear the shunning of society, so long as Our Father embraces us and our Elder Brother upholds us.

Our most Gracious and Loving Father,
we rejoice that from all eternity You have chosen us,
to be members of Your Royal Family.
We shall be forever grateful, that You have included us, in such a Grand Company.

Tomm Tice
Where The Bush is Burning
‘To Redeem Them That Were Under the Law’

‘To Redeem Them That Were Under the Law’

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‘To Redeem Them That Were Under the Law’

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Galatians 4:4,5

As we continue to contemplate the subject of adoption, we come today to consider, who will God adopt into His Family?  Our text has laid the groundwork for this discussion.  Looking back over our previous thoughts upon this text, we see that they are a people included in the Providential Plan of the Sovereign God.  They are a people for whose sake God the Father sent the very willing, obedient Son.  They are a people for whom Christ endured great humiliation, both in life and in death.  They are a people whom Christ came ‘to redeem,’ according to the phrase we are considering today.  They are a people ‘under the law.’  These are all indicators as to whom God intends to adopt.  Ephesians tells us that these are people whom God ‘predestinated…unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the pleasure of his will.’  To this point, David, speaking in the 110th Psalm declares, ‘Your people shall be willing in the day of your power.’  There, David is quoting God the Father, Who is addressing Christ.  Christ declared in John 6, ‘All that the Father gives me shall come to me.’  From these evidences, taken together, we conclude that Christ came ‘to redeem’ these people who were, ‘chosen…in him before the foundation of the world.’  We have no reason to equivocate about our inclusion in this company since what it elicits from us by way of response is, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.’  Many of us have heard the call of a loving Savior.  We invite you to hear His call as well.

Our Great and Saving God, we rejoice in Your Redemption,
accomplished and applied,
unto all for whom You have intended it.
We look to You, the only Redeemer of God’s Elect.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

 
Our Adoption and Christ’s Humiliation

Our Adoption and Christ’s Humiliation

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Our Adoption and Christ’s Humiliation

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Galatians 4:4,5

We have been considering, of late, our adoption into the Family of God. As we continue today, let us dwell for a while, please, upon the words, ‘made of a woman, made under the law,’ as they relate to Christ, and ultimately to us. We refer to the incarnation of Christ, along with His ministry and death, as His Humiliation. We find a summary of it in Philippians 2:6-8, ‘who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.’ Remember, please, that the end purpose in view, so far as our text declares was, ‘that we might receive the adoption of sons.’ In order for God to adopt us into His Family some man, some truly human person, must satisfy all the demands of the Law. There must be an active obedience to satisfy the Law in precept. There must be a passive obedience to satisfy the Law in penalty. The only Person capable of accomplishing this would be Christ, Who being God, took ‘to Himself a true body and a reasonable soul, being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and born of her, yet without sin.’  The Humiliation of Christ was necessary for our adoption to become a reality. There were no other options. This engenders in us both love and gratitude. For Christ, Who enjoyed the unbroken fellowship with the Father and Holy Spirit, as well as the adoration of angels, to humble Himself to guarantee our adoption, is far more than we can comprehend. We can but love in return.

Our most Gracious and Loving Savior,
we praise You that You, the Great King,
were willing to humble Yourself in order to raise us up and make us
‘kings and priests unto our God.’

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
Adoption: The Result of the Plan

Adoption: The Result of the Plan

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Adoption: The Result of the Plan

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born a of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. …

Galatians 4:4-5

We come today to consider the implications of spiritual adoption. If we read the two verses which comprise our text for the next few days, we see that the last phrase sets forth for us the glorious end result of the plan and purpose of the Sovereign God. It reads, ‘that we might receive ‘the adoption of sons.’ As we begin our contemplations, let us consider, please, the words, ‘But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son….’ This indicates to us that the end result under discussion, that is, adoption, is the result of God’s Providential Plan. Verse two corroborates this idea when it speaks of ‘the time appointed by the Father.’ The Scripture teaches us everywhere that God has a Providential Plan. He has ‘foreordained, whatsoever comes to pass.’ He carries out His Sovereign Decrees ‘in His Works of Creation and Providence.’  Therefore, when we come to the matter of our adoption into the family of God, it must be the result of this Providential Plan of which we have been speaking. Beyond controversy, ‘The Lord knows those who are His.’ Our adoption into the Family of God is, in every way included in the Plan of God which He is carrying out over the course of human history. He does all things ‘in the fullness of time.’ He has included our adoption in that plan.

Our Great and Gracious God,
We rejoice that You do ‘all things after the counsel of Your Own Will.’
We praise You that You have included us
within the fullness of Your Providential Plan.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

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