Ephesians 1:1
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 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.

Adoption = To formally and legally declare that someone who is not one's own child is henceforth to be treated and cared for as one's own child,

And Paul chose that term to imply God's passionate resolve to make you his child!

Now, watch this, if I indeed belong to God my father...and you indeed belong to God your father...what does that say about my relationship to you?

• We are brothers and sisters for all eternity!

• We are the adopted ones.

• We belong to one another as much as we belong to God.

• The church exists to bring the adopteds together.

• The church is the biggest blended family in human history.

• The church says - this is where you belong!

You belong in a family of humility, gentleness, and patience, where we make allowance for each other's faults. You belong in a united family of peace and hope. You belong in a family where you won't be lonely anymore.