6/23/2024

What it means to be Children of God
John 1:10-12 ESV
“He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God…”

I find it amazing that in the first century, the buzz in Israel, in the devout community, was the coming of the Messiah. When would He come? When He did come, they did not recognize Him. He wasn’t who they thought He would be, He didn’t do what they thought He would do.

They had preconceived ideas. They were dull in their thinking, without spiritual insight, they had preconceived notions and when Jesus didn’t fit their pattern, they dismissed Him as a fraud.

Now for those that believed and received Him as Savior, it was a brand-new beginning. The world may not have looked any different, but something inside of their lives was different. John says, “But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God…”

For you and me, that is hope. To us that is possibilities, a fresh start, a new beginning. If we need it, it is a new beginning every morning we wake up. Yesterday is gone, despair is gone, uncertainty is gone, hopelessness is gone, we are not just alive, we have real life through Jesus.

This morning, we are children of God, born of God afresh and anew. Whatever went wrong yesterday or last week or last month is over, it cannot change, but today is wide open because we are His.

Prayer:
Thank You Lord Jesus, our light and life. You have brought us from hopelessness to a new life in You. We are eternally grateful to be called children of the Most High God. In Your name Lord Jesus, Amen!