Adoption, Sons, and Fathers

(Comments on Ephesians 1:5-6 from sermon notes) - 
Of course, first of all, we have to be recipients of this grace and peace.  And we are, but not simply judicially (“you are declared righteous”) or financially (“your debts are forgiven, your account has been imputed with righteousness”) but primarily interpersonally.  The plan was to adopt us as sons to our heavenly Father.  First, note that both men and women are adopted as “sons,” meaning with the same inheritance rights (v11, 14, Gal 3:26-29).  Second, human adoptions are only a shadow of this real adoption where we are actually given the Spirit of the Father.  Third and similarly, in a world of fatherlessness, we may be tempted to overlook the immeasurable blessing of having a heavenly Father.  Human fathers and human adoptions are like the moon to the sun.  If you only could see during the night and the moon was your defining experience of illumination, imagine your surprise when one day you saw a noon-day sun.