Complementary Old Testament Passage:
Ruth 1:6-18
Sermon Outline:
- The Word brings treasure into the house of the Lord
- Be sure that the Treasure won by the Word is treated as treasure
- The adorned Word brings in even more treasure
Family Discussion Questions:
- What was it that God used to save people?
- How did the church take care of people who became Christians?
- Is the church supposed to be from one family or many families?
- What are the men in the church called who teach and lead the whole church?
- What are the men in the church called who make sure that the church takes care of Christians with needs?
- Are deacons and elders the only ones who share the Gospel and take care of people? Explain how God ensure that widows would be honoured without changing the mission of the church.
- What is interesting about the names of the men chosen as deacons?
- Christian “charity” is not the same as the extremes we see in the world. What are its hallmarks?
- What was the stunning result of this additional office? How had Jesus predicted this?
- Looking back at the first six chapters of Acts, which peoples now comprise the church?
- What makes verse 8 unique? What is its purpose?
- What does this passage teach us about how we ought to think about the church?
- How is this passage a motivation to get a handle on our possessions and finances?
- What polar extremes about the mission of the church has the church been tempted toward in history and how is this passage a corrective to those?
