Today as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, we can rest assured that the adoption process is complete. As a product of what sociologist and psychologist deem a dysfunctional family; where my father walked out on my mother and she had to raise her two children on the power of God alone, I can attest to the fact, that there have been moments, when I longed for my father. But God has a way, of making up the shortage(s) in our lives. In 1982, my mother Alice Brent met this skinny, yet handsome man by the name of Gregory Brent, who would in the eventuality of things become my step-father. Now while I would like to paint a perfect picture of this union, I must be honest and admit today, that at times my relationship with my step-father has been at best contentious. My mother who is the common denominator between my step-father and I, have watched both he and I compete for her affections. Yet I will never forget the conversation she and I had, before they got married; she said Derrick, just because I love Gregory, my love for you has not diminished. Of course at that age, I didnt understand the difference between Eros (the physical passionate love, with sensual desire and longing) and Storge (the natural affection, like that felt by parents for offspring). In other words, she made me to understand that she could love both of us, without compromising either one of us. And even though we have had our up and our downs, my step-father and I have grown to mutually love, respect and admire each other. But as close as we have become, there is still something within me that longs to connect with my biological father, because at the end of the day, no matter how close my step-father and I become, there is that line of demarcation that can never be crossed; we dont share the same DNA! Im sure your wondering by now, what in heaven and hell does this have to do with the resurrection and the adoption process? Im glad you ask! That Easter Sunday Morning, when the women (there were no men present at the resurrection!)Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices that they might come and anoint Jesus body, there was an Angel there dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side and they were alarmed. But the Angel said: Dont be alarmed you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified; He has risen! He is not here; see the place where they laid him. In other words, what started on Friday(we call it Good Friday), had its completion on this Resurrection Sunday Morning! What started out as a dysfunctional family; Mary was pregnant before she married Joseph and Joseph was not the father of her child! Joseph was Jesus step-father! Yet, it is this same dysfunctional family, that you and I have been talking about for 2100 years! Now the Bible does not say, what kind of relationship Jesus shared with Joseph his step-father. But when we put human eyes to scripture, we can see Jesus running around the house saying: I dont have to do what you say Joseph, because you aint my daddy! And I am quite sure, that Mary the mother of Jesus, the common denominator between Jesus and Joseph, had to quail a many a conflict between Jesus and Joseph. But even though they had conflict, we can tell that Jesus respected Joseph, because Jesus followed in Josephs footsteps and became a carpenter. And when Joseph disappears from scripture when Jesus was 12 years old, we can see the residuals of Joseph in Jesus life, because after an 18 year split(the next time we see Jesus, He is 30 years old), the Bible says that Jesus was still a carpenter, except He no longer was building and constructing table and chairs, but that He was building and constructing men, women, boys and girls lives. And thats what Calvary was all about! Calvary was the giving of the Son of Gods life, that we might be able to build and construct a relationship(not a religion) with not only Jesus the Son, but also that we might once again have fellowship with God the Father, with whom Jesus had the same DNA, because Jesus was God incarnate reconciling the world to Himself. So when they crucified Jesus on Friday and we had to endure the silence of that Saturday. When Resurrection Sunday came, my adoption process was complete, because Paul the Apostle put it this way: because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons and daughters of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of ADOPTION. And by him we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are Gods children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. In other words, we started out step-children of God, because of our sin, but once we except Christ as our Savior, we move from being step-children to the adopted children of God. And anyone who knows anything about the adoption process knows, that once we are adopted, we then have all of the rights, responsibilities and privileges of anyone of that family, even though we dont share the same DNA!
Posted on: Sun, 20 Apr 2014 16:42:39 +0000
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