Life is Sacred

Introduction

Good morning. If you will open in your Old Testament with me to the 100th Psalm. The 100th Psalm. As you’re turning there, much has been made, and rightfully so on several different counts of different ideas and laws passed in recent days and recent parts of this country around the idea of life. And while this morning I’d like us to study and spend some time in examining what the scriptures teach about life, I would like us to say that while abortion will come up, it is not the only application. And I think as we examine what the scripture says about God and creating life, God and his view of the unborn child, we’ll see that there’s so much in the scriptures that not only apply to caring for the unborn, but the concern, empathy, and love we have to have for those who are not only born, but even fully grown.

And dare I say, even with whom we disagree. In Psalm 100, to recognize a psalm of praise, make a joyful noise to the Lord all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come into his presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God. It is He who made us, and we are His. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise, give thanks to Him. Bless His name. For the Lord is good, and His steadfast love endures forever. As we examine this morning the idea of life being sacred, it’s critical to understand the Bible does, in fact, have a lot to say about that. If you notice in verse 3 of this 100th Psalm, what key factor is illustrated and used in praise?

1. God Created Everyone

Know that the Lord He is God. It is He who made us. And because it is He who made us, we are His. What a unique blessing as Christians to be able to say that we are a child of God. But certainly in a physical realm as well, God created life. He created life to beget more life. And so as we examine this morning the idea of what should we do with this fact, what do we do with the idea that life is sacred, that it should be protected, and God does care. Then we need to see first and foremost that God created everyone. And can I point out not only did he create the unborn, not only did he create you and I, he created even those politicians with whom we disagree.

God created my coworkers who I disagree with. Wait for it. He created the boss I have a problem with, the family member that I don’t see eye to eye with. He created my greatest enemy as well as my closest kin and my best friend. The fact that Psalm 100 or any other passage in Scripture proves that life is sacred in God given means not only do I have to care for my life and use it to God’s glory and benefit, not only do I take what God has done and admire him and praise him for his wonderful, powerful creation, but I have to recognize that life is sacred even in my greatest enemy. That’s going to change the way we live. It’s going to change the way we operate because when we think about life, we realize then God does absolutely care for the unborn and the born.

Note one example of how God cares even for the unborn back in the law of Moses. If you’ll turn back in your Old Testament with me to Exodus chapter 21, I’d love for you to see this Bible passage with me in Exodus chapter 21, beginning in verse 22. Note that in the theocracy that was Israel, that there was God who gave law to the Israelites. Specific laws were there for even the unborn. And Exodus 21, beginning in verse 22, when men strive together and hit a pregnant woman so that her children come out, but there is no harm. The one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, and stripe for strife.

It’s interesting in verse 22 that there is a specific section of law as to what were to happen if a woman were to be struck. Perhaps most tragically, both Exodus 21 and Psalm the 139th rendition, give us an example of scriptures that are manipulated and twisted by the world. If you look closely at Exodus chapter 21, any right thinking person realizes what does God care about in that scenario? Justice.

God cares for the damage that could have been done to this innocent children. If you look with me at the 139th Psalm, I say you turn there with me. In Psalm 139, beginning, of course, in verse 13. In this poetic expression, you see, for you formed my inward parts. The psalmist says in verse 13, continuing, You knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works, my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and your book were written, every one of them the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

God sees even the unborn. In fact, in verse 13, the psalmist says, You, God, formed my inward parts. It was you, God, who knitted me together in my mother’s womb. The unborn child is given the praise and glory to God for being completed and finished, and coming out as what our country would recognize as a real person for the first time, sadly enough. When we see passages like this, don’t allow them to be hijacked into saying anything other than what is expressed, which is that God deserves all credit and glory. When you look at verse one, it is, O Lord, you have searched me. It is you who have known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up, you discern my thoughts from afar, you search out my path in my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.

Verse 5, you hem me in behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high, I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your spirit, or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there. If my make my bed and shield, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there, your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night, even the darkness is not dark to you, the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.

Psalm 139 is not saying that God is happy with everyone in whatever circumstance they’re in. But it is teaching that God knows. That he understands his creation. And that we exist, children exist by the nature of his love, his mercy, and his miraculous power. And that’s why it’s discerning that in 2012, in the United States of America, as reported by Operation Rescue.org, there were 699,202 abortions in this country alone. The World Health Organization suggests that there’s between 40 and 50 million aborted children every year. If you go under their website and you look at the counter, it ticks minute by minute, second by second. As of this year, estimates are it’s already at three million aborted children. Perhaps more strikingly, Operation Rescue.org in 2012 has statistics on who is aborting their children.

And I’d encourage you to go look at the statistics. They break it down by income level, by race, every sort of demographic you can think of. But one was particularly startling to me. 30% of abortions are by those of a quote unquote Protestant faith. 24% of those abortions are done of separate abortions, are done by those of a Catholic faith. That means that, quote unquote, Christians in this country are responsible for 54% of abortions. People who believe the word of God. That look at God’s law for the Israelites and see how he cared for the unborn. People who look at the 139th Psalm and see that God created those children. That can never be. Yes, that leaves 46%, but that means that over half of the murders of innocent children are by people who proclaim a faith in God.

Brethren, that can’t be.

2. Life Being Sacred Means God Gave Us a Soul

And following after the Christ who said, Bring your little children to me. Or God who says, be there for the fatherless and the afflicted. Who says, be there for those who are poor and struggling. A God who looks out for the lowly, his followers would stand up for the innocent and the blameless. But you see, it’s important to see that life isn’t just sacred for the unborn. Much could be said, entire hours could be devoted to studying the scriptures and seeing how powerful and wonderful God is in creating and forming and knitting together a little child, even in the mother’s womb. But we have to remember that life being sacred means more than just the unborn. It means that God gave us a soul. That this creation is special.

I want you to see in 2 Samuel chapter 12 something that David recognized. At the bottom, at the pit of David’s life, in 2 Samuel chapter 12, after he has committed adultery at Bathsheba and murdered Uriah. It’s in 2 Samuel chapter 12 that Nathan comes before him and says, You are the man guilty of that sin. And as part of the punishment in the aftermath in 2 Samuel chapter 12, coming down into verse 13, David says to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And the good news is that Nathan says to David, The Lord has also put away your sin. You shall not die. But nevertheless, verse 14, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die.

Then Nathan went to his house.

And the elders of his house stood beside him to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him. He did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself harm. But when David saw the servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, Is the child dead? They said, He is dead. Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped.

Then he went into his own house, and when he asked, they set food before him and he ate. Then his servant said to him, What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive. But when the child died, you arose and ate food. He said, While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, Who knows? Whether the Lord will be gracious to me that the child may live. But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him. But he shall not return to me. David understood something critically important, which was that even this child who died as a consequence of his sin, his adultery, his murder of Uriah.

The child who died would not come back. In verse 23, David stopped fasting, stopped weeping because it was over, it was done. But notice the last line of verse 23. What was it that he said? He’s not going to return to me. But before that, I shall go to him. What a powerful understanding. When we look at the Ecclesiastes chapter 12, and you look at Solomon’s journey and to finding what is the purpose of life. And as you come down to verse 7, we recognize that when somebody dies, the spirit that was theirs returns to the Lord who gave it. Jesus cared so much for our souls. 1 John 2, too says that he died for the sins of the whole world. Not just some elect, not just some Christians.

He died for everybody. He died for the unborn, he died for the born, those who would never be, and those who always would. Jesus died for the whole world. But interestingly about these children, and perhaps most distressingly is did they have sin? Did they need the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus in a sense of needing forgiveness of sins? Not in that particular avenue. But what we take from this is that they are innocent, but also that Jesus cares about the souls of those who have stained their garments. If you are not innocent, if there was a time in which you have sinned and rejected God’s path, recognize Jesus died for you. In Matthew 10 and verse 26 and 27, Jesus said, do not fear those who can take life, but fear those who can kill both the body and the soul.

3. My Citizenship Is in Heaven

Because God has made it clear the soul is what is of value. It’s crushing, it’s heartbreaking, it’s horrifying that we’re in a nation that offers up children the way we do. But more importantly, we’re in a nation of people who need the resurrected Jesus. We’re in a nation of people who have souls that aren’t protected, that aren’t returning to the Lord. And life is sacred because God gave it to. He gave it to the politicians you disagree with, he gave it to the leaders of this country you don’t like. God gave life. And most importantly, he’s given us each a soul. And so when we recognize that our citizenship is in heaven, that we will serve the King of kings. In Philippians chapter 3, Paul says, My citizenship is where?

My citizenship is in heaven. Paul recognized he was a Roman citizen. He was a Jew of tremendous birth, of tremendous importance and lineage. But that’s not what he lived for. In fact, it was earlier in Philippians chapter 3 that he was willing to count all things as loss for the sake of Christ and knowing Christ Jesus, our resurrected Lord. If you look in John chapter 18, though, Jesus makes it most clear. What did he live for? What was he dying for? And John chapter 18, see the words with me of Jesus as he’s before Pilate. In John chapter 18 and verse 33, so Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus to him. He said, Then are you the king of the Jews? Jesus answered, Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?

Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done? Note the words of our Lord and King in verse 36. Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from this world. Jesus affirms in Pilate’s follow-up question So you are a king, yes. You say that I am a king, and for this purpose I was born. And for this purpose I have come into the world to bear witness to the truth. Jesus is the king of kings, but notice what Jesus tells Pilate. He says, I want you to know something right up front.

Am I a king? Yes. But if my kingdom were of this world, what would I have done? I would have gathered my servants and we would have fought. We would have won. Jesus wouldn’t have been stopped by Pilate. He wouldn’t have been stopped by the Jews. He certainly would have been stopped by the Romans. Jesus could have prevailed. But that wasn’t God’s plan because life is sacred, and more importantly, eternal life is what God wants us to be fixated on and focused on with every breath in this form. Jesus died. Because of your sins. Jesus died because of my selfishness. Jesus died in our place. And what that means is when I am concerned about the lives of the unborn as I rightfully should be, and I’m concerned for the souls of myself and my family members as I rightfully should be.

4. I Have to Care for Those Who Are in Need

That I recognize, secondly, I have to care for those who are in need. If God has given life to little children and to those children who have grown into much bigger adults, I need to recognize if God cares for them so much so that he knits them together that their life is sacred and their soul is of the utmost importance, I will be there for them at every turn. You look at James chapter 1 and verse 26 and 27 with me. I want us to think about something as we turn to James chapter 1 though. I want you to think about how grabbing and horrifying it is that nearly 700,000 babies are aborted in this country alone each year. That 40 to 50 million lifetimes are never had each year because people put those innocent children to death.

Do we have the same enthusiasm for those who are in need? In James 126 and 27, if anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father is this to visit orphans and widows in their affliction to keep oneself unstained from the world. I want to be clear abortion is murder abortion is wrong abortion is sinful. It is all of those things. The Bible makes that clear but James 1.27 also says there’s something we can do right now, and it doesn’t require a Facebook post or a political agenda. James 1 27 says to help the fatherless and widows in their affliction. That can be done today by me now.

If I have passion and enthusiasm for the unborn, I understand why that is. Babies are a lot cuter than I am. That was, I guess it really is true. Even Kashka didn’t say no. In James 1.27, though, we recognize God has given us a responsibility. Many sermons have been preached, rightfully so, that verse 27 is speaking of an individual. Verse 26, what is worthless religion? Of those who won’t practice self-control and bridle their tongue? What is pure and undefiled religion? To take care of those in need, to make the sacrifices necessary, to take care of those who can’t get help. We get that with infants. But do we practice that with people like orphans and widows? I can’t answer that for sure, but I do know this.

If I had half the enthusiasm that I feel towards the abortion issue and channeled it towards James 127, I’d be making a world of more impact. If all the Facebook posts and Twitter accounts and every other social media form that focus on abortion this week, and again, I understand why. We’re fixated on finding direct causes for people we know or could access this day. How much greater would this city and country be? This is a God given obligation. And remember, who gave these individuals their bodies, their life, their souls? God did. And they’re valuable too. Galatians chapter 6 and verse 10 says, we are to do good to everyone, especially to those of the household of faith. And so again, my question do I have half the passion, the enthusiasm, the zeal that I do for the unborn child, for members of this congregation who have a need?

Because if I don’t, that doesn’t add up. Paul says this is crucial. James makes it clear this is pure and undefiled religion. If I’m not doing that, if I’m not stepping up, if I’m not sacrificing for my brothers and sisters in Christ and those in need throughout the world, James makes it clear I’m not practicing pure and undefiled religion. And Galatians 1, verse 6 through 10 teaches there is just one gospel message. And that’s accessing our Lord and Savior who died for our sins. Because my citizenship is in heaven, we will in fact stand for and protect the lives of the unborn. If you look at 1 Corinthians chapter 2, we will stand up. Just because there’s other applications doesn’t mean that this gets lost by the wayside.

5. Jesus Christ and Him Crucified: Care for Those Who Disagree

In 1 Corinthians chapter 2, if you notice in verse 1, when I came to you, brothers, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Part of knowing the gospel of Christ is to care for others the way we care for Jesus. And what was the view of Jesus towards little ones? To bring them to Him. What did David recognize about God and his treatment of the little ones? The child who died for David’s sin couldn’t come back to him. But one day David would go up to be with him. It is powerful. It is important, it is impactful to recognize that the lives of the unborn call out to God.

But when you think about this message, verse 2 is of most importance. I decided to know nothing among you. Except Jesus Christ and accept him crucified. That means that I will care for those who disagree. When 1 John 2 2 says Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, the great news is that includes me and all of my sinful baggage that Jesus could wash away when I take advantage of his death, burial, and resurrection and share in it with my Lord. But it also means that as much as I care for the lives of the unborn and even the fatherless and the widows and their afflictions and in their needs, that Jesus died for those who even chose to abort those children. Do I have compassion, mercy, and love for those who don’t show that in their lives.

Because God offers that type of forgiveness and love. It was David in 1 Samuel chapter 12 who precipitated that instance. When Nathan said, You are the man, what did David say? He said, I have sinned. And what was Nathan’s message for him? Yes, there would be consequences, but first and foremost, the Lord has forgiven you. David was an adulterous murderer. And because he was willing to confess his sin, and we can tell humbly repent, he was forgiven.

I will never win a war with somebody else by saying, My sins are less than their sins, or my sins are more than your sins, because Paul makes it clear the wages of sin is death. And we all need the free gift of God, as he says in the second part of verse 23, which is the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. In Romans 1, verse 16 and 17, we recognize that Paul was not ashamed of the gospel, for is the power of God into salvation to everyone who believes. To the Jew first, yes. But also to the Greek. Recognize that Romans 1 goes on to make the point that the Gentiles should have known who God was, and they flagrantly sinned against him.

It is in Romans chapter 1 and verse 24 that says, God gave them over. In verse 26, God gave them up. And in verse 28, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, he gave them over to a debased mind to do that which ought not to be done. Even three times in verse 24, 26, and 28, the Gentiles repeatedly and without excuse, flagrantly sinned against God so badly it said that God gave them over to these passions. He gave them over then to these degrading passions, and finally he gave them over to a complete and fulfilled debased mind. And yet it’s Jesus who died for them. In Romans chapter 2, it was the Jews who were hypocritical. They had the will of God. They said they were beacons to the Gentiles.

They were the ones with light. They knew what was right. They were able to teach what was right. But Paul says, You’re not living it. You’re hypocritical. You say that you’re a light to those who are blind, and yet you are the blind guides. You say don’t steal, and yet you take that which doesn’t belong to you. You say you’re holy and righteous and yet you’re stained with sin. It is at the culmination of that that in the third chapter of the book of Romans, Paul says, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. That’s the good news. Is that yes, we have all fallen, but that Jesus is there and he is the answer. In Romans chapter 5, it says, But God demonstrated his own love towards us, and that while we, myself included, you included as well, we’re still sinners.

Conclusion

Christ died for us. Because life is sacred and God given, because our citizenship is in heaven, because our God cares for life, and more importantly, our souls, I will care not only for the unborn, but for the born who need the blood of Jesus more than anyone. Until I remember that I too need that blood of Jesus, and I better take care of myself and my faith in standing before God today. And to do that, I show compassion and love towards those who need it. I look out for those who are fatherless and spouseless, those who need extra help, who need special attention, who God has always shown that special attention to and for, I will follow in the footsteps of my Father and walk in the ways of my Christ.

Recognize if you’re not a Christian this morning, it can’t be said your citizenship is truly in heaven. It is only the sacrifice of Jesus that makes this life have a purpose. Because we can have our sins forgiven. Or as Solomon realized in his ecclesiastical quest, the whole duty of man is to fear God and to keep his commandments. Recognize that the plight of the unborn is serious and requires voices of those who are born and intelligent to speak out and to proclaim this as the wickedness that it is before God. But we also have to call out sin and error in others and recognize that they need forgiveness, mercy, and love the same way we do every single day. Life is sacred. We should stand up for it.

But our souls are of what is most important, and we should always have our soul cleansed before God and help others to encourage to see that same need. If you’re not a Christian, you can become one this morning having your sins washed away. If you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, confess him as the Lord and risen Savior. If you repent of your sins, recognizing you are guilty and need to turn completely away from them. And you’re baptized in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. You can have your sins forgiven this morning. Your citizenship in heaven. Maybe you’re a Christian and you’ve recognized there are plenty of abuses out there. And maybe we’ve shared in some on the other side of the same coin.

We’ll pray with you. We’ll pray for you. We have a God who’s willing to forgive your sins if you’re willing to confess them now. If we can help you anyway, come forward as we stand and sing the invitation.