Orphan Sunday 15'
November 5, 2015 | by: Dave Maniquis | 0 Comments
Posted in: Sermon Questions
PARTICIPANT'S GUIDE FOR COMMUNITY GROUP GATHERINGS
Sermon: Orphan Sunday [Week Two] Orphan Sunday 15' - November 1st, 2015
Series: True Religion
Speaker: Pastor David Wooten
Main Passage: James 1:22-27
Passages concerning the fatherless or parentless: James 1:27; Psalm 68:5-6, 82:3, 146:9; Isaiah 1:17; Deut. 10:8; Proverbs 23:10-11; Exodus 22.22-24.
Launching Question: If you know someone who has adopted a child, how has it worked out for the parents and for the child?
Sermon Questions:
1. A critical element in our attitude and approach towards adoption should be, at its core, a biblical reality for all Christians. Although we may have biological parents, before we were adopted into the family of God, we were spiritually orphans. Paul emphasizes this wonderful truth when speaking about God’s grace and mercy shown toward spiritual orphans, as we once were, in Romans 8:15-16: “…you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons [and daughters] by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,”
- How has the fact that you have been “rescued so that you are also one who rescues” touched your heart when you see children without a family? Without the safety of a home?
2. Someone read James 1:27 aloud for the group: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
What James is saying is that genuine religion is located in the affections of the heart, which motivate the will to take action. It’s what Jonathan Edwards described as “the spring of action.”
- After hearing David Wooten’s message about how things on the Father’s heart should be on your heart as well, what actions can you take to further God’s affection for orphans in your life?
3. The presentation cited several Bible verses. Notably Deuteronomy 10:18; Psalm 82:3; Isaiah 1:17 and Proverbs 23:10-11. Take a look at these verses. What is a word used that is common to all four passages?
- If this word is so important to God that he instructs his people to do it, what may be keeping you from owning, in some manner, RCPO’s Priority of Adoption?
4. According to the presentation a heart for orphans, the marginalized, will not become a priority until we “personally can champion RCPO’s Priority of Adoption.” Such as:
- Be more than a fan.
- See the need.
- Come to God with a blank check.
- Know the truth about adoption
- Start with ONE adoption
How will you pray and what steps might you personally take to make your life align with RCPO’s adoption priority?
5. Some of the myths about adoption that were emphasized were the following:
- You need to have a lot of money to adopt.
- You will never be able to love an adopted child as much as your biological child.
- Adoption is for those who are not able to have children biologically.
- It takes years and years to complete an adoption.
- If I am over 40, I am too old to adopt.
- Adoption will complete you.
- A biological parent can take back their adopted child.
How much has this Sunday’s presentation by David Wooten dispelled such myths and affected your heart about what your role can play to contribute to RCPO’s priority for domestic and global adoption?
PRAY – SHARE – GIVE -- GO
