| Introduction: The Global Orphan Crisis There are 143 million orphaned and vulnerable children in the world. That is more than the population of California, Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio added together. More than 800,000 children pass through the American foster care system each year. There are over 500,000 children in the foster care system right now. 129,000 of those children are waiting to be adopted right now. The combined population of Olympia, Tumwater, and Lacey is about 112,000. There are 10,068 children in foster care in Washington. That is almost the population of Tumwater. With this many orphans in the United States and in the world, the church has a monumental task before it if it is to practice true religion. Jam. 1:27 – Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. I. Christianity's Vertical to Horizontal Movement Have you ever thought about Christianity's unique vertical to horizontal movement? Since Christianity's vertical to horizontal movement is ultimately what will mobilize the church to address the global orphan crisis, let's take a few moments to consider it. The uniqueness of Christianity's vertical movement is that it is never first man responding to God, it is always first God coming down to man in grace. Nor does Christianity's horizontal movement from man to man (i.e., love your neighbor as yourself) precede its vertical movement from God to man. In other words, we move horizontally as Christians because God first moved vertically to us in grace. Let me give you a few of examples. Example one: Love – love moved vertically before it ever moved horizontally. Love moved from God to man before it ever moved from man to man. But it's not enough merely to say that love moves vertically from God to man before it moves horizontally from man to man. Scriptures teach that we love horizontally because God first loved us vertically. In the words of John, "We love because he (God) first loved us" (1 John 4:19). So, Christianity has an essential vertical to horizontal movement. And without it, without this vertical movement of God's love for us, there is no Christianity. Example two: Forgiveness – forgiveness is first vertical before it's horizontal. Paul commanded the Ephesian church to forgive one another even as God in Christ had forgiven them. Vertical forgiveness — God's forgiving of us in Christ — precedes and enables horizontal forgiveness: Christians forgiving Christians. So to borrow John's words from 1 John 4:19, "We forgive because God first forgave us." Example three: Kindness – in Romans 15, the Christians in Rome are commanded to welcome one another even as Christ already welcomed them (v. 7). So once again we see there is a clear horizontal and vertical movement. We welcome one another horizontally as believers, Paul says, because we have first been welcomed vertically. Christ has first welcomed us, and as a result, we are enabled to welcome one another within the household of faith. II. Vertical to Horizontal Adoption? Does this also apply to adoption? Listen to what Paul says in Ephesians 1:3-5. Eph. 1:3-5 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 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…. Scriptures leave no doubt here: before the dawning of human history, before the earth was created, before the universe came into existence by the spoken word of God, God marked us out for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ. Get this: adoption existed in the mind of God an eternity before it ever occurred to man to adopt. Vertical adoption precedes all of human history. Adoption existed vertically before it ever existed horizontally. Man did not invent adoption. God did. Therefore, the way we think about adoption horizontally should be shaped by Scripture's teaching on vertical adoption. How we think about bringing orphans into our families should be influenced and determined by how we understand what God has done vertically in adoption. Our adoption of orphaned children should be informed by what God has done to bring us into his household. III. The Question Unfortunately, I don't think that vertical adoption really shapes the way we think about earthly adoption, at least not the way it should. Let me give you an example that I read about this week. Dan Cruver is an advocate for adoption and he tells this story: "My wife and I are Caucasian—always have been, always will be. Shortly after we adopted our second black child, a couple from our church came over to us after corporate worship to congratulate us. I was holding the youngest of our two boys while the other one was holding on to my leg. After talking about the boys for a minute or two, the wife pauses, looks me in the eyes and says, "Have you and your wife determined whether or not you are going to tell your boys that they were adopted?" It was one of those moments when everything felt like it was moving in slowmotion, except for my mind. Questions like 'How do I handle this? Is she joking? Is she not joking? Is she serious? Is she not serious?' rushed through my mind in a split second. I stood there waiting for a smirk to appear on her face—the kind of smirk that says, 'Ha! I gottcha, didn't I?' No such smirk came. But God was gracious to me (and to her!) in that moment. I simply said, 'Yes, we plan on telling our boys that they entered our family through adoption.'" Now, here's why I tell that story. If we are thinking first vertically about adoption, we won't ask a question like that—even of a family that adopts within their same ethnicity. Why not? Because God does not hide our adoption from us! As a matter of fact, Paul tells us that before human history even began, before there was an earth, before there was a universe, God marked us out for adoption. Paul thinks it is important enough to tell us that before the beginning of time God decided to bring us into his family, into his household through adoption. Now if that reality is primary in our thinking when we hear the word "adoption," we will first think vertically before we think horizontally about adoption. IV. Adoption's Happy Ending. The word "adoption" only occurs five times in all of Scripture, and it's only found in the writings of Paul. But here's what is interesting about the five occurrences of the word "adoption" in Paul's epistles. If you look at them together, you can see that they are easily arranged chronologically. Paul's references to adoption actually serve as markers along the entire timeline of story of redemption. So that, as we saw in Ephesians 1, not only does adoption actually precede human history, it also actually brings the story of redemption to its consummation. Adoption plays a central role at the climax of redemption's story. Scripture presents adoption as our happy ending. Take a look at Romans 8:23. Not only is adoption something that happened to us in the past when we first believed in Christ, but it is also something that will happen to us in the future. There is an "already, not yet" thing going on here. So what's the "not yet" aspect of our adoption that Paul's is referring to in Romans 8:23? I've found it helps to think of it as the finalization of our adoption. Yes, we have already been adopted, but we are still awaiting the finalization of our adoption. V. Three Questions That Flow from Our Adoption (1. What will the finalization of our adoption look like? 2. What's Jesus got to do with it? 3. What's the finalization of our adoption have to do with the global orphan crisis?) A. What will the finalization of our adoption look like? Rom. 8:18-19. Do you see what Paul does here? He personifies creation, all of it, and says that it is eagerly awaiting something: the revealing of the sons of God. But what exactly is "the revealing of the sons of God for which creation eagerly awaits"? It is, according to verse 23, the finalization of adoption as sons. It's the day our bodies are redeemed or glorified. And as we shall see, that future day has everything to do with mobilizing the church for orphan care and adoption ministry now. 1. Hints from the Old Testament Have you ever noticed that there is a past Old Testament event that illumines what Paul is talking about in Romans 8:23? It's actually an event that sets this future aspect of our adoption firmly within the larger context of redemption's story. The word "redemption" is hint number one of this past event that illumines what is taking place in Romans 8:23. Back in the first century, anyone familiar with the Bible's story would have immediately thought "Exodus" upon hearing the word "redemption." Their minds would have recalled what God did to redeem Israel out of Egyptian bondage. This Exodus was the redemptive event within Old Testament times. In Romans 8:23, Paul's telling us that there is a future Exodus, and it has everything to do with the finalization of our adoption. It has everything to do with the transformation of our bodies. That's the first hint. The second hint is found Romans 8:14-15. Paul's point in these two verses is that God leads his sons out of bondage. He leads his children out of slavery. Think of how Israel's Exodus unfolded: God commands Moses to say to Pharaoh, "Israel is my firstborn son. Let my son go that he may serve me, that he may worship me" (Exodus 5:1). And then after ten plagues, God delivers Israel, His firstborn son, out of Egypt. What does God do next? He leads his sons out of slavery by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. God is the God who delivered Israel in order to lead them out of slavery into the freedom of worship. He is also the God who still leads his sons out of bondage into freedom by the Spirit. Both of these hints tell us that THE Old Testament event that is behind what Paul is talking about in Romans 8:23 is the Exodus. The biblical story that stands behind this text is what God did to deliver Israel out of Egypt. There is a strong connection between what God did back then, and what God's going to do in the future when he finalizes our adoption. This connection tells us that what God did for Israel back then foreshadowed what God did in Jesus through his death and resurrection, and what he will do yet through Jesus in the future. God is the God who leads out of slavery. One day God will free his children, all of us, from our bondage to decay, Rom. 8:21. The created world will be renewed. Have you ever thought about how the truth of Romans 8 should inform our understanding of "visiting orphans and widows in their trouble" (Jam. 1:27)? The story of the Bible is the story of God visiting us in our trouble — like he visited Israel in its trouble (Exodus 4:31) — in order to deliver us from it. If any group of people should be passionate about visiting orphans in their trouble in order to deliver them from it, it should be the children of God. There is no other group of people that should be more easily mobilized to care for orphans. Period. Visiting orphans in their distress mirrors what God has done for us in ours. This is one reason why the church needs to rehearse and rejoice in the story of redemption over and over again. Not only is redemption the Grand Story of the universe, it is also our story and it is what will move us out in mission to visit orphans in their affliction. 2. Cosmic freedom As we have just seen, the finalization of our adoption is an Exodus—an incredibly massive, cosmic Exodus. But our Exodus is not just about us. It's much bigger than that. Yes, it begins with us, and we trigger what happens after it, but it's not just about us. Look back at Romans 8:19-21. Our adoption — the finalization of our adoption — has cosmic significance! Creation is beautiful and God intended that mankind steward it for his glory, but because of sin creation is also profoundly dangerous. Tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes. But do you know what Paul is saying here? Every time the plates in the earth shift and the ground opens up, every time buildings collapse and people are crushed by falling debris, do you know what creation is doing in those horrific moments? It is groaning! All of creation is eagerly awaiting for the finalization of our adoption, because when that happens, creation itself, which has been subjected to futility just as Israel had been in Egypt, will be set free to be what God has always intended it to be. And it's all triggered by the finalization of our adoption. So let me ask you this question, how significant is vertical adoption? How important is vertical adoption? It has cosmic significance. Its importance is incalculable. 3. The point of it all What was the ultimate point of the Exodus in the Old Testament? Let's quickly rehearse the events of the first Exodus: God delivers Israel from Egypt, they cross the Red Sea, God conquers and slays the Egyptian army. Then we have in Exodus 15, the Song of Moses, which the people of Israel sang together in celebration of what God had done. The main point of the Song of Moses is found in v. 17. Ex. 15:17 – You will bring them in and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, in the place, O Lord, whichYou have made for Your own dwelling, the sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established. God delivered his people out of Egypt in order that he might bring them into the land where his presence will be made known and enjoyed. That was the point of the Exodus. In this land that was flowing with milk and honey—where the cursed seemed to be reversed—God would give Israel his special presence. So, when God brought Israel into the Promised Land in order that he might dwell with them, it was to be an emblem of the future day when God's presence would fill the entire creation. B. What's Jesus got to do with it? What exactly did Jesus do to give us the hope of such an unfathomable future? We were created to commune with God, to know and be known by God. That's why we were placed on this earth. But what happened? The fall. Man rebelled against the fatherly love and care of God and suddenly everything changed. We became, as Paul writes in Ephesians 2:1-3, "sons of disobedience," "children of wrath." In his genealogy of Jesus, Luke says that Adam was a "son of God" (Luke 3:38). Adam was a little "s" son in that he was created in the image of God to enjoy God's fatherly love and care on this earth. But Adam rebelled. And as a result, his sonship was lost. The image of God in man was defaced. And now man is a son of disobedience, a child of wrath. How is the hope of our glorious future as God's sons through adoption even possible? How is it possible that God can take "children of wrath" and give them an unbelievable future on a renewed earth? What has God done to give us this hope that is laid out for us in Romans 8:23? Paul's amazing answer is given to us in another adoption text. Gal. 4:4-5 – 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. Who is this Son that he sent forth? God sent the Son with whom he enjoyed eternal love and communion for all of eternity past. For all eternity the Father poured out his infinite love upon his Son and his Son joyfully received that love; and the Son eternally poured out his love upon the Father. Forever and ever in eternity past, the Father and the Son enjoyed perfect unending fellowship and communion and love. It's this God who sent his Son on a mission into this fallen world. And what was that mission? Paul says, "God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, (so that the eternal Son became the incarnate Son) born under the law." The law under which the Son became incarnate meant condemnation for us. As Paul says earlier, this law held us in bondage! It could not give us life. Rather, it puts us to death because of our sin. But God sent his Son, his eternal Son, who became the incarnate Son without ceasing to be the eternal Son, and he lived his life under the law in order to fulfill it. To paraphrase what Paul says in Galatians 3, "The curse of the law was placed upon his shoulders." At the cross this One who in the Garden of Gethsemane cried out, "Abba, Father, remove this cup from me," willingly submitted to the will of the Father on our behalf and went to the cross. At the cross this Son cried out, not Abba, Father, but "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" He experienced at the cross what we sons of disobedience, children of wrath deserve. Why did Jesus do that? Why did God send forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem us? He did it that we might receive adoption as sons. Jesus bore the curse of the law that we might be brought into the household of God to share in the love that has existed between the Father and the Son for all of eternity. We who by nature are sons of disobedience, we who by nature are objects of God's wrath, are brought in to share in this amazing love which will one day fill the earth as the waters cover the sea. Do you remember what happened on the day of resurrection? Mary Magdalene runs to the tomb looking for the body of Jesus. When she sees the tomb is empty, she weeps. Jesus then approaches her, but she doesn't know that it's him. When she finally realizes that it's Jesus, she grabs him. Do you remember what Jesus says to her? Jn. 20:17 – "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.'" Do you know the significance of Jesus's words? He accomplished redemption! He took the curse of the law upon his own shoulders and was forsaken by his Father so that we might receive adoption as sons! And on the day of his resurrection Jesus says to Mary, "Go to my brothers and tell them I'm ascending to my Father and your Father." Your Father! Mission accomplished! C. What's the finalization of our adoption have to do with the global orphan crisis? Now remember, Christianity has this amazing vertical to horizontal movement. As a result, Christians should see a vertical to horizontal movement with adoption. Let me be clear, though: I am not saying that God calls every Christian couple to adopt. But what I am saying is that God has called his people, he has called the church to visit orphans in their affliction and distress. So, how should our vertical adoption influence how we view orphan care? How should it influence how we practice or think about horizontal adoption (i.e., couples bringing children into their family)? Here is what I know: I was once a stranger outside the covenants of promise, Eph. 2:12. I was once without God and without hope in this world. But God brought me near by the blood of Jesus and placed me in his household, Eph. 2:13. That's not all: not only has God placed us in his household as his dear children, he is also going to give us a restored creation as our home! That means that our eternal home will be a renewed earth where God's presence is known and enjoyed and where there is no more suffering, no more distress, no more affliction! If there is a people on the face of the earth who should be passionate about caring for orphans in their affliction, it is those whom God has visited in their own misery. He has given us a remarkable gift by sending his own Son into the world to redeem us that we might receive adoption as sons (and everything else that comes with it). If there is anyone who should care for orphans in their affliction, it will be God's children, God's sons through adoption. Don't forget this either! Our efforts to visit orphans in their affliction are an emblem of the future day when God will finally and completely deliver us from the suffering of this present age and make all things new! Conclusion At the beginning of this sermon, I said that Christianity has a unique vertical to horizontal movement. What God calls us to do, therefore, is to know what it means to be brought into his family through adoption, to understand afresh that our Father is a Father of the fatherless, and then to move out in mission to visit orphans in their distress. Certainly, if any group of people would joyfully give themselves to care for orphans, it would be those whom God has adopted. Some of us are called to adopt children ourselves, others to come alongside adoptive families in different ways, and still others to care for orphans by supplying their physical needs in hope that there will be families who will bring them in. Why are we to do things like this? Because Christianity has an essential vertical to horizontal movement. http://olympiabp.blogspot.com/2016/11/cosmic-adoption-romans-8.html |
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