Adoption: Our Responsibility

Intro.: [AGS]: Have you ever heard the following phrases? (1) “Come on, get your hands a little dirty.” (2) “Don’t be afraid to get your feet a little wet.” Both of these phrases employ a type of slang referring to work, specifically that of learning a new role or job. According to Adoption Network, only “2-4% of Americans have adopted… more than 1/3 have considered it.” [1] This statistic reveals that many more people have thought about adoption than those who have followed through with adoption. Certainly, the reasons are many. Believers should be more active than any other group in adoption. However, statistics support that fewer Christians are involved in adoption today. Almost half (45%) of church attendees confess that the conversation about foster care or adoption is not even had among their church leaders and members. [2] Additionally, women who have unplanned pregnancies confess that the church is not a safe place to talk about their pregnancy. This has led to the following statistics: “Among women who have had an abortion: 76% say the church had no influence on their decision to terminate a pregnancy; 64% believe church members are more likely to gossip about a woman considering abortion than to help her understand options; 54% would not recommend a friend or family member discuss an unplanned pregnancy at church; 52% of churchgoers who have had an abortion say no one at church knows it; 43% were churchgoers when they ended a pregnancy; 41% think churches are prepared to help women with decisions about unplanned pregnancies; 30% believe churches give accurate information about pregnancy options; 7% discussed abortion decision with someone at church.” [3] The message and discussion today is not directly related to abortion; nor is it directly related to unplanned pregnancies. Today’s message is about adoption and our responsibility in it. Yet, related to this conversation is our influence and involvement in ministry to those with unplanned pregnancies and those who have aborted. [TS]: The Bible is clear throughout that adoption is an important part of the overall message in the Bible. Again and again, God providentially provides for those who are helpless and oppressed, and He commands us to do the same. Think of Moses and Pharoh’s daughter; think of Esther and Mordecai; there are others, but what is important to understand is that throughout the Bible, God provides for the helpless through His people. Specific to today’s text, James declared that God accepts the type of religion that includes caring for those who are helpless and oppressed. [RS]: Perhaps you have been burdened for a while about adoption or how you could play an important part in someone else’s story that is helpless and oppressed. Maybe you have recognized a need, but you have not gotten your hands dirty in meeting the need for one reason or the other. Today, can we, together, just for a moment, examine what James declares about our responsibility in caring for the helpless? As we do, can I ask you to consider what has hindered you from following through with getting your hands dirty and caring for those who are helpless and oppressed?

TS: Let us examine the declarations made by James now:

Religion acceptable by God looks after the helpless and oppressed. [v. 27a]

“Orphans and Widows throughout the Bible function as representatives of the helpless in the world.” [4]

To look after “literally means ‘to seek out someone’ or to ‘visit’ them...” [5]

APPLICATION: We are obedient to God and reflect His Word and character when we actively seek out and care for those who are helpless and oppressed.

Religion acceptable by God reflects the character of God. [v. 27b]

James typically uses the word “world” to describe a lifestyle contrary to the character of God, namely His holiness. [6]

This calls the Christian to make his/her active aim to be one of pleasing God, being actively transformed by Christ, rather than one of pleasing self and conforming to the patterns of society/the world. [Rm. 12:1-2]

APPLICATION: We are obedient to God and reflect His Word when we actively live a lifestyle contrary to the lifestyle applauded by the world or society in order to live a lifestyle pleasing to God.

Reflective Questions:

[1] What hinders you from stepping out of the 1/3 people who have considered caring for those helpless and oppressed and in faith becoming a part of the 2-4% of Americans who are actively caring in a tangible way for those who need us the most?

[2] Have you considered that this aspect has little to do with you and everything to do with walking in obedience to God and displaying His love for others?

Consulted Sources:

[1] https://adoptionnetwork.com/adoption-myths-facts/domestic-us-statistics/

[2] Smietana, Bob. “Adoption, Foster Care Commonplace in Churches” in Lifeway Research. Pub. Jan. 24, 2018. Accessed Nov. 25, 2023. https://research.lifeway.com/2018/01/24/adoption-foster-care-commonplace-in-churches/

[3] Green, Lisa Cannon. “Women Distrust Church on Abortion” in Lifeway Research. Pub. Nov. 23, 2015. Accessed Nov. 25, 2023. https://research.lifeway.com/2015/11/23/women-distrust-church-on-abortion/

[4] Douglas J. Moo, James: An Introduction and Commentary, ed. Eckhard J. Schnabel, Second edition., vol. 16, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2015), 117.

[5] David Platt, Exalting Jesus in James (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2014), 28.

[6] David Platt, Exalting Jesus in James (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2014), 29.

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