Jesus Was Born: God's Promise and Adoption Plan

Devotional

Day 1: Extravagant Worship: Bowing Low Before the King

You didn’t just come to be in a house; you came to be in His presence. When the why behind Christmas sinks in—God became a man to buy our freedom—worship stops being a song and becomes a surrender. Extravagant worship means refusing to hold anything back from Jesus: our time, our plans, our resources, and our pride. Like the Magi, the heart bends before the One who bent low to reach us. Let humility mark your posture this week, and let adoration lead your actions wherever you go [54:57].

Matthew 2:11 — Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary; overwhelmed, they dropped to the floor in honor and opened their treasure chests, bringing Him gold, fragrant incense, and costly myrrh.

Reflection: What is one specific area this week where you sense Jesus inviting you to bow low—perhaps a decision, a purchase, or a conversation—and how will you honor Him there?

Day 2: Jesus Was Born: God Keeps His Promises

The world waited for centuries, and at the right time, the Word put on flesh. “Jesus was born” is more than a headline; it is proof that God is not just a promise maker but a promise keeper. In the waiting rooms of life, He is faithful, merciful, and near. Hope has a name, and in every delay His grace sustains those who trust Him. Hold tight to hope today; the One who arrived in Bethlehem will meet you right where you are [36:24].

John 1:1,14 — In the beginning, the Word already existed; He was with God and truly God. Then the Word became human and moved into our neighborhood so we could see His glory and draw near.

Reflection: Where are you waiting for God to show up, and what daily rhythm (a verse to rehearse, a prayer at noon, a short walk of gratitude) will help you wait with faith this week?

Day 3: From the Garden: Promise of Rescue

The first Christmas promise was whispered in a broken garden. Sin fractured fellowship, but God did not abandon His children; He pledged that a Deliverer would crush evil even as He Himself was wounded. The cross was already in view long before the manger. This is why grace feels like oxygen—it restores what we could never repair. Let the God who promised rescue in Eden renew your trust where you’ve been reaching for control [40:46].

Genesis 3:15 — God said to the serpent, I’m placing deep hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; one of her descendants will smash your head, though you will bruise His heel.

Reflection: Where do you notice the tug to grasp control like Adam and Eve, and what is one small act of trust you can practice instead today?

Day 4: Adopted Through Christ: Freedom Bought, Family Given

God desires a family, and He made a way for you to belong. At the perfect moment, Jesus came under the law to redeem those trapped by it, buying freedom we could never afford. Adoption is not earned; it is received through Jesus Christ, according to the Father’s joyful will. Your identity is not “what you’ve done” but “whose you are.” Live today as a loved son or daughter, securely held by the One who paid your price [51:12].

Galatians 4:4–5 — When the moment God set had fully arrived, He sent His Son, born from a woman and placed under the law, to buy out those under the law so we could receive full rights as His sons and daughters.

Reflection: What old label still clings to you, and how can you intentionally replace it with “beloved son/daughter” through a simple practice like praying Ephesians 1:5 over your name each morning?

Day 5: Receive and Respond: Living as God’s Children

The gift has been purchased, the adoption papers prepared; your part is to receive and walk in it. By faith, you can open your heart, be forgiven, and begin a real relationship—not religion—with Jesus. From that first yes, worship becomes a lifestyle: gratitude, obedience, and intercession for others to know what you know. Let today be marked by a fresh yes to His love and a tangible step that reflects your new family name [55:52].

John 1:12 — To all who welcome Him and place their trust in His name, He gives the privilege and authority to become God’s own children.

Reflection: If you’ve said yes to Jesus, what is one concrete way you will live like God’s child this week (a confession, a reconciliation, a generosity decision)? If you haven’t, what honest question would you like to bring to Him in prayer today?

Sermon Summary

We opened our Bibles and our hearts to go deeper into why Christmas matters. I love the traditions, the music, the lights, and the memories—but the more I understand the why behind the what, the more I want to become an extravagant worshiper of Jesus. Those three simple words, “Jesus was born,” are not just an introduction to a baby; they are the explosion of a 4,000-year-old promise kept. The eternal Son, the Word who was with God and is God, put on flesh at a moment in history because the Father is not only a promise-maker; He is a promise-keeper. From the garden in Genesis 3—where we broke fellowship and God made the first promise of Christmas—to Bethlehem and the cross, God moved toward us, not away from us.

Scripture shows us God’s heart. He is relational, merciful, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and faithful. He desires a family and designed an adoption plan—not through religion or good works, but through Jesus Christ. At just the right time, God sent His Son, born under the law, to redeem those under the law so we might receive adoption as sons and daughters. Jesus didn’t simply offer freedom; He purchased it. He satisfied every righteous requirement so the Father could legally and lovingly place His name on our lives.

Christmas is the great exchange: Jesus descended so we could ascend; He became poor so we might become rich in grace; He was born so we could be born again; He was bound so we could be set free; He was made sin so we could become the righteousness of God in Him. When the Magi entered the house and saw the Child, they bowed and worshiped. That is the only fitting response when the truth of Christmas lands in the heart. Not mere sentiment, but surrender. Not just a song, but our whole selves.

So today we held onto hope in the waiting, trusting that God will keep every promise in His timing. We heard the invitation of adoption by grace through faith in Jesus, and many said “yes.” And as we go, we carry the joy that the veil has been torn, access has been given, and our worship can be wholehearted because Jesus came on purpose for a purpose.

Key Takeaways

1. Three words that change everything “Jesus was born” announces more than an arrival; it confirms that God keeps the promises He makes. For centuries, heaven repeated a pledge to redeem, and in Bethlehem, God put skin on His word. Let those words anchor your faith when timing feels slow—God’s clocks are never late, and His character is never unsure. He is faithful in the long story and in your story. [36:24]
2. Adoption is God’s joyful plan God isn’t filling a deficit; He’s fulfilling a desire—to bring sons and daughters home through Jesus. Adoption means you’re wanted, named, and secured not by your merit but by Christ’s work. It reframes identity, prayer, and obedience: we no longer strive to belong; we live because we do. Access replaces anxiety when the Father’s joy is the ground beneath your feet. [46:55]
3. Redemption: freedom fully purchased Jesus didn’t negotiate a discount on sin; He paid in full. Redemption is legal and loving—He satisfied justice so mercy could be lavish, and grace could be righteous. That means your standing isn’t fragile; it’s blood-bought. Live like the price was real—free from self-condemnation, free for holiness. [49:05]
4. Worship is the only fitting response When the Magi encountered the King, they bowed. Real understanding produces real humility; worship is how the heart tells the truth about God’s worth. It’s more than lyrics—it’s the laying down of the self, the reordering of loves, the offering of our best. Extravagant worship refuses to hold anything back because Jesus held nothing back. [54:57]
5. Waiting shapes trust in God Faith often lives between promise and fulfillment. In that space, God trains the soul to lean on His character, not our timelines. He meets us with grace in the waiting and proves that hope anchored in Jesus is sturdier than circumstances. Patience becomes worship when we remember who promised. [43:24]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[29:31] - Snowy Sunday and Christmas Joy
[33:52] - Becoming Extravagant Worshipers
[36:24] - “Jesus Was Born”: Promise Kept
[39:02] - Back to the Garden: The Fall
[40:46] - First Gospel: Genesis 3:15
[44:53] - Who God Is: Exodus 34
[46:55] - Adopted Through Jesus, Not Religion
[49:05] - The Why of Christmas: Galatians 4
[53:48] - The Great Exchange of Christmas
[54:24] - In His Presence: Like the Magi
[54:57] - Bow Down and Worship
[56:47] - Responding by Faith Alone
[58:21] - Whoever Calls Will Be Saved
[62:42] - Keep Faith; Celebrate God’s Faithfulness

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
- Galatians 4:4–5

Observation questions (read the passage first)

What specific actions does the passage say God took “when the right time came,” and what immediate result does the text name for those who were under the law? [49:05]
The three words “Jesus was born” point back into the long story of Scripture. Where does the passage (and the larger Christmas story) connect the incarnation to earlier promises that were given after the fall? [36:24]
Galatians 4:4–5 speaks of redeeming those “under the law” so that they might be adopted. What phrases or images in the passage describe both the problem (our condition) and the solution (what God does)? [49:05]
When the visitors saw the child they bowed and worshiped. What did they actually do in Matthew 2:11, and how does that action describe an appropriate response to seeing what God has done? [54:57]

Interpretation questions (think through what the text means)

How does the incarnation function as a “promise kept” in the storyline from the fall to Christ’s coming, and why does that matter for how one understands God’s character? [36:24]
In what ways does the language “redeem those under the law” carry both legal and relational significance for people who receive it? How do those two dimensions fit together? [49:05]
What does the term “adopt us as sons” imply about identity, belonging, and authority in the believer’s life? How might that shape the way a person thinks about prayer, obedience, and assurance? [46:55]
The sermon describes a “great exchange” (He became poor so we become rich; He was made sin so we might become righteousness). How should that exchange shape both the believer’s humility and pursuit of holiness? [53:48]

Application questions (personal and concrete)

Waiting for God’s promises is part of faith. What specific habits (scriptures to memorize, short prayers, people to call) help you keep hope anchored in God’s timing rather than your timeline? [43:24]
If adoption into God’s family changes identity (access replaces anxiety), what one change in daily speech or action would help you live more like a child of God this week (examples: replace anxious statements with “Father, I trust you,” call God “Father” in prayer, accept an invitation to be known)? [46:55]
Redemption was purchased—your standing is blood-bought. What is one recurring shame or accusation you need to stop accepting, and what is a practical step to remind yourself of the payment that frees you (write it on a card, read a specific passage each morning, tell a friend)? [49:05]
Extravagant worship is described as bowing and surrender. What is one specific thing you can stop holding back this week (time, money, an attitude, a relationship) and offer to Jesus as an act of worship? [54:57]
The incarnation is a reminder that God keeps promises. Name one promise of God you are currently trusting Him for. What is one tiny, concrete act of faith you can take this week to show you believe that promise? [36:24]
The invitation to be God’s child is open to “whosoever.” Who in your circle needs to hear the adoption story again? What is one compassionate, non‑pressuring way you could share this week’s good news with them (coffee, text a verse and a short note, invite them to church)? [57:49]

Sermon Clips

These three words are the reminder that we serve a God who is not simply a promise maker. He's a promise keeper. And you're like, I still don't get it. Stay with me. These three words, Jesus was born. You got to understand for 4,000 years up to this moment, a, there was a promise that was repeated again and again and again and again and again, and for thousands of years, the OT was looking forward to a coming and promised Messiah. [00:37:47] (38 seconds) #PromiseKeeperJesusBorn

And you say you would direct my paths. And I just want to say this, God will keep his promise. Maybe not in our time, our timing, but his timing. And in the waiting, God will give you his grace. Hold tight to hope because hope has a name and his name is? And Jesus was born. Come on, somebody. Amen. [00:43:53] (28 seconds) #HopeHasAName

The Lord part of that is the relational part. And you got to understand when he says here, I am the Lord, the Lord. He says, yes, I am supreme. I am number one. I am the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, but I am here with you and for you. And here's what he says to Moses. I'm a God of mercy. I'm a God of grace. I am slow to anger. I'm abounding and steadfast love. And what's that last one? And I'm faithful. [00:45:20] (30 seconds) #LordOfMercyAndFaithful

``Christmas means this, that Jesus would descend so we could ascend. Jesus would become poor so that we could become rich. Jesus would be born so that we could be born again. Amen. Jesus would become a servant so we become sons and daughters. Jesus would go hungry so we could be fed. Jesus would be stripped so that we might be clothed in his righteousness. Jesus would be forsaken so that we could be forgiven. Jesus would be bound so that we could be set free. Jesus would be made sin so we might become the righteousness of God in Christ. [00:53:18] (37 seconds) #HeCameSoWeRise

It's right here on this slide. The Bible says the reason why Jesus Christ came is because we're lost. We needed to be rescued. That whole buy back thing, we're being held hostage by sin and Satan. So Jesus Christ came to pay the ransom. We were lost. We needed to be found. We couldn't make our way out. We couldn't make our way back. So Jesus Christ became a man. He came here not to live. He came to die. And he would be buried and three days later he would rise again from the dead. [00:56:07] (39 seconds) #RansomedAndResurrected

But the Bible goes on to say, somebody say the Bible. Not me, the Bible. The Bible goes on to say that I have a responsibility by faith to respond to what Jesus did. You can know about the story. That doesn't mean that you know God. The Bible says that I have to, by faith, ask Jesus Christ. Remember that purchase that he came to buy freedom to provide the adoption plan? He holds the papers out. But by faith, I've got to accept him. [00:56:47] (34 seconds) #RespondByFaith

The Bible says that I have to, by faith, ask Jesus Christ. Remember that purchase that he came to buy freedom to provide the adoption plan? He holds the papers out. But by faith, I've got to accept him. I've got to ask him to forgive me of my sins. I've got to say, Lord, I would like you. I'm in. Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner. You're the Savior. And I want to open up my heart and invite you in today. [00:57:07] (27 seconds) #AcceptTheAdoption

If you're ready to cross this line of faith and invite him in. Ask him. Stop playing games with it. This isn't religion. This is a relationship. If you're ready to begin that relationship. Pray something like this. Dear Jesus, pray that in your heart. Dear Jesus, today I say yes. Today, Jesus, I'm asking you to forgive me of my sins. Today, Jesus, I want to cross this line of faith. I'm surrendering my life to you. Jesus, I'm opening up my heart. Jesus, today I'm turning the direction of my life over to you. I'm taking my first step in this relationship. [00:59:17] (46 seconds) #ChooseRelationshipNotReligion

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