A Mind-Boggling Question
The Sanctity of Human Life • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Psalm 8:3-4
3 When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place—
4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?
Psalm 139:13-18
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!
18 I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!
INTRODUCTION:
In Psalm 8:3-4, the writer looks at the magnificence of the universe with awe and amazement. He sees the celestial bodies, the moon and the stars in the night sky and recognizes their testimony to the immeasurable power and wisdom of God. In light of the majesty of all creation, he asks the obvious question that comes to mind. “What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?”
So often I have found myself gazing in awe and amazement at the amazing things around me, realizing that God created all of this and keeps it functioning with such precision and order. Yet, at the same time, knowing that human beings are special to Him.
How do I know that Human beings are special to God? Why is human life to be considered something precious?
In our text, the psalmist points out some basic truths that help us answer the universe’s most mind-boggling question.
What is so special about human beings that God would care about them? More specifically, What is so special about you and I that God would care about us?
I- GOD MADE US THROUGH SPECIFIC ACTS OF CREATION. (Psalm 139:13-15)
I- GOD MADE US THROUGH SPECIFIC ACTS OF CREATION. (Psalm 139:13-15)
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
A- Mankind was created through acts of creation that were separate from and different to the rest of creation.
A- Mankind was created through acts of creation that were separate from and different to the rest of creation.
1- God created the Earth and the heavenly bodies by speaking them into existence. (Genesis 1:1-18)
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
4 And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness.
5 God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.
6 Then God said, “Let there be a space between the waters, to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth.”
7 And that is what happened. God made this space to separate the waters of the earth from the waters of the heavens.
8 God called the space “sky.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the second day.
9 Then God said, “Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear.” And that is what happened.
10 God called the dry ground “land” and the waters “seas.” And God saw that it was good.
11 Then God said, “Let the land sprout with vegetation—every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.” And that is what happened.
12 The land produced vegetation—all sorts of seed-bearing plants, and trees with seed-bearing fruit. Their seeds produced plants and trees of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.
13 And evening passed and morning came, marking the third day.
14 Then God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, days, and years.
15 Let these lights in the sky shine down on the earth.” And that is what happened.
16 God made two great lights—the larger one to govern the day, and the smaller one to govern the night. He also made the stars.
17 God set these lights in the sky to light the earth,
18 to govern the day and night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
2- God created the animal life and all of the other living creatures by speaking them into existence. (Genesis 1:19-25)
19 And evening passed and morning came, marking the fourth day.
20 Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.”
21 So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that scurries and swarms in the water, and every sort of bird—each producing offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.
22 Then God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply. Let the fish fill the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.”
23 And evening passed and morning came, marking the fifth day.
24 Then God said, “Let the earth produce every sort of animal, each producing offspring of the same kind—livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and wild animals.” And that is what happened.
25 God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.
3- God created the man and the woman through specific acts of creation that made the like God himself. (Genesis 1:26-27)
26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”
27 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
B- God created you and I through specific purposeful acts of creation. (Psalm 139:13-15)
B- God created you and I through specific purposeful acts of creation. (Psalm 139:13-15)
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
1- The clear proclamation is that God not only made Adam, but that he made the psalmist.
a. The term “knit me together” (vs. 13) parallels the “I was woven together.” (vs. 15)
b. The idea here in the original speaks of your body being seamlessly woven together with all parts working together as unified whole. Engineered with precision and perfection.
2- The psalmist points out how awesomely and wonderfully complex the psalmist’s body was. (vs. 14) “ Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.”
a. God engineered the body (even the inner, hidden parts) to work together with an amazingly complex design. (vs. 13)
Every organ is designed to benefit the whole body
Irreducible complexity built in and speaks of the creator.
On the cellular level, each cell is made up of structures and organelles.
if any one of these structures or organelles is missing, the cell cannot live![1]
The DNA contained within every living cell is made up of proteins assembled from amino acids that must be put together with precision in certain orders to perform specific functions. If the amino acids do not combine in the right order to form the specific proteins needed, DNA cannot be formed.
b. God engineered each of us with such complexity that we are uniquely different individuals.
Each person’s DNA is specific to that individual.
Law enforcement can find a criminal by matching DNA evidence found on the crime scene to the DNA of a suspect.
Each person’s finger prints are unique.
Each person’s retinas (in their eyes) are unique.
There is no one like you.
c. No wonder the psalmist said he was “so wonderfully complex.” (vs. 14)
d. God made you … he makes no junk. You are no accident!
II- GOD MADE US FOR SPECIAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH HIMSELF. (PSALM 139:16-18)
II- GOD MADE US FOR SPECIAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH HIMSELF. (PSALM 139:16-18)
16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!
18 I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!
A- Every person is important in the eyes of God.
A- Every person is important in the eyes of God.
1- The psalmist points out that God knew him before he was born and had a plan for his life. (PSALM 139:16)
16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
a. The fact that God had such thoughts and purposes (plans) for him leaves the psalmist in awe. (PSALM 139:17)
17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!
Note that God’s thoughts about him were precious.
b. He finds that the Lord does not forsake him, even when he sleeps! (Psalm 139:18)
18 I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!
2- God love everyone and desires their salvation.
(2 Pet 3:9)
9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
(John 3:16–17)
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
B- God has a precious plan for your life.
B- God has a precious plan for your life.
1- The clear testimony of scripture is that God has a plan for your life and wants to help you live it out.
a. The example of Jeremiah the Prophet (Jeremiah 1:4-10)
4 The Lord gave me this message:
5 “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
6 “O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”
7 The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you.
8 And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
9 Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said, “Look, I have put my words in your mouth!
10 Today I appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms. Some you must uproot and tear down, destroy and overthrow. Others you must build up and plant.”
b. The Example of the Apostle Paul. (Galatians 1:15-16)
15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him
16 to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being.
2- God is calling for you to trust in Him and follow Him.
a. (Matt 11:28–30)
28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
b. (Matt 16:24)
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.
c. (Matt 4:19)
19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”
CONCLUSION:
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