Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Let’s continue the Master Plan appreciation by examining the planned adoption through Jesus.

Today’s scripture, Matthew 1:18-25 (NLT) shares…
[18] This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. [19] Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. [20] As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. [21] And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” [22] All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: [23] “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” [24] When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. [25] But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

Consider…
I am an AMC A-List member, which reveals how much I enjoy watching movies. One of the things I look forward to seeing before watching the main attraction is the previews. That’s because the previews get me excited for what’s coming to theaters next.

Typically today’s scripture is traditionally read as just part of the Christmas story. But if we step back and look again, we’ll see how God gave us the preview of His adoption plan.

Ephesians 1:5-6 (NLT) says…
[5] God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. [6] So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.

Although Jesus is the main attraction in both these verses and today’s scripture, we also see that God always had an adoption plan that revolved around Jesus.

That’s pretty straightforward. But here’s where the Holy Spirit once again expanded my thinking.

• Joseph accepted God’s Son
• Joseph obediently named the baby Jesus
• Joseph was told that Jesus would save us from our sin

Here’s the first connection, Immanuel’s life with us here on earth began with Joseph’s agreement to adopt Jesus the Lord and Savior. And based on Romans 10:9 , our life with God begins with us adopting Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

Joseph’s adoption responsibilities didn’t end with accepting God’s Son and naming Him Jesus. Based on Luke 4:22 (NLT) we know that he raised Jesus…
[22] Everyone spoke well of him and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips. “How can this be?” they asked. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

That means, after Joseph accepted Jesus, he fully embraced everything about Him. In the same way, once we accept Jesus as Lord of our lives, God expects us to fully embrace everything about Him. That includes adopting Jesus’ ways. For example, John 13:12-15 (NLT) shows…
[12] After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? [13] You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. [14] And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. [15] I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.

…Followers of Jesus must adopt His humble serving of others.

The Holy Spirit further deepened my understanding of leaning into our adoption of Jesus as Lord and Savior, by showing me His core characteristic, which is loving obedience. In John 15:9-12 (NLT) Jesus said…
[9] “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. [10] When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. [11] I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! [12] This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.

Notice Jesus said that remaining in God’s love requires obedience to His commandments. But Jesus wasn’t talking about a checklist of do’s and don’t’s, instead He was talking about adopting His sacrificial and unconditional mindset.

I like the way the Apostle Paul explains it in Philippians 2:5-8 (NLT)…
[5] You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. [6] Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. [7] Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, [8] he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

No doubt about it, God wants us to lean in completely to our adoption by adopting Jesus’ loving obedient mindset.

Yet as much as God wants us to adopt…

• Jesus as Lord
• Jesus’ humble servant ways
• and Jesus’ loving obedience mindset

…He most of all wants us to fully embrace His adoption of us through Christ. Galatians 4:5-6 (NLT) explains…
[5] God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. [6] And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”

That’s because any parent who chooses to adopt a child desires a deep loving and abiding relationship that continues to grow closer through time.

The parent also wants the adopted child to always believe best intentions. Kind of like God explains in Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)…
[11] For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Indeed, the adoptive parent wants their child to fully trust in them. That makes me think our Heavenly Father smiles when He hears us sing with Elevation Worship…

I trust in God, my Savior
The one who will never fail
He will never fail

The more I read through the new testament, the more I realize God wants a loving Father and child relationship with us more than anything else. I believe He wants to hear us sing with Chris Tomlin…

You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am

Have you ever wondered why Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, taught us in Matthew 6:9 (NLT) to…
[9] Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

I believe it’s because Jesus wanted us to fully recognize and embrace our divine adoption, which begins by affectionately calling God ‘Daddy’.

Before I close, the Holy Spirit showed me another beautiful thing about Joseph’s adoption of Jesus.

The Holy Spirit used this verse to illustrate that people associated Jesus with Joseph. Well, in the same way, God sees us through Jesus. As Romans 3:22-24 (NLT) explains…
[22] We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. [23] For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. [24] Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.

So this Christmas as you celebrate the virgin birth of Jesus, make sure you also pay attention to Joseph’s adoption of Him, which was a preview of our Heavenly Father’s adoption of us through Christ.

Today’s Song is…
Adoption Song

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)