To Save Life

Don Schuman

Sanctity of Human Life • Sermon • Submitted 7 years ago

Luke 6:6–11

Life

Abortion

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Every day is a good and lawful day to save life.

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Transcript

To Save Life

"I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child, a direct killing of the innocent child, murder by the mother herself. And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another?... By abortion, the mother does not learn to love, but kills even her own child to solve her problems.... Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want. This is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion." —Mother Teresa of Calcutta Presidential Prayer Breakfast, Washington, DC, February 12, 1994 June Hunt, Biblical Counseling Keys – Biblical Counseling Keys: Abortion: Not a Choice, but a Child, (Dallas, TX: Hope For The Heart, 2008), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "Abortion".

Our passage today is .

In this passage, the jealous religious leaders watched Jesus on the Sabbath to see if they could find some accusation against Him. You know their type. They never have anything good to say about the object of their contempt and jealousy. They only look for reasons to find fault.

A man with a withered hand comes to Jesus as He is teaching. The man obviously wants to be healed, and Jesus is willing to heal him. So what’s the problem?

The issue is that this day is the Sabbath. The Law forbids labor on the Sabbath. The problem is that the religious leaders consider performing a miracle of God on the Sabbath as work and a violation of the Law. Jesus confronts their hypocrisy with questions that probe their hearts and souls:

Luke 6:6–11 AV

And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him. But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it? And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.

Luke 6:9 AV

Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?

A man with a withered hand comes to Jesus as He is teaching. The man obviously wants to be healed, and Jesus is willing to heal him. So what’s the problem?

Luke 6:9

The issue is that this day was the Sabbath. The Law forbids labor on the Sabbath. The problem is that the religious leaders consider performing a miracle of God on the Sabbath as work and a violation of the Law. Jesus confronts their hypocrisy with

Is it right to do good and save life on the Sabbath? Looking back on the situation with Jesus and the Pharisees, we can easily say yes. We readily agree that every day is the right day to do good and save life.

Our services today emphasize the truth of God that it is good and lawful to save life on the Sabbath and every other day of the week for that matter. It is pleasing to God to save life, especially the most innocent of our society, unborn babies.

A man with a withered hand comes to Jesus as He is teaching. The man obviously wants to be healed, and Jesus is willing to heal him. So what’s the problem?

I am optimistic that if followers of the Lord Jesus Christ will continue to stand up for the unborn and engage the culture, concentration camps for the unborn, such as Planned Parenthood, will be defeated. They have been discredited in every way and are only propped up by the leftist media and leftist celebrities.

with 7 in 10 supporting such limits in general or through specific

Our engagement with the culture makes a difference. I read an article in the Washington Times that asserted that our younger generation, the millennial, does not understand the issue of abortion as destroying life, but when they do understand, their support for life increases substantially.

policies like parental notification, later-term limits and opposition to

The columnist, Kristan Hawkins, writes:

government funding.

Millennials were also asked about chemical abortion regulation

Millennials expressed an interest in commonsense limits on abortion,with 7 in 10 supporting such limits in general or through specific policies like parental notification, later-term limits and opposition to government funding.

and distribution, a trending concern as about a third of abortions are

now caused by chemical abortion drugs and as the state of California

is trying to require college and university campuses to distribute such

drugs in college and university health centers and as abortion vendors

are selling such drugs on line.

But the drugs are dangerous. Women have died when taking the

chemicals later in pregnancy or when experiencing an ectopic pregnancy.

Both conditions can be determined by a physical exam that the

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has required but that abortion

vendors oppose and online distributors ignore.

Focused on putting women’s needs first, 56 percent of millennials oppose

selling the drugs online or dropping the requirement for a physical

exam because of the risks to women.

Turning to the nation’s number one abortion vendor, we found there

is more work to do in educating people on Planned Parenthood’s business

model, as initially 41 percent of millennials had a favorable view of

them compared to 36 percent with an unfavorable view (still a far lower

number than the more than 60 percent usually attributed to them.)

But when we contrasted Planned Parenthood (with 650 facilities,

offering limited services and abortion) with Federally Qualified Health

Centers (with more than 11,000 medical centers, offering complete

medical care and all the services that Planned Parenthood sells except

abortion), millennials wanted their tax dollars to go toward the

full-service medical centers. By about a 3-to-1 margin (48 percent

to 17 percent), millennials said they preferred that their tax monies

went to Federally Qualified Health Centers rather than Planned

Parenthood.

Millennials were also asked about chemical abortion regulation and distribution, a trending concern as about a third of abortions are now caused by chemical abortion drugs and as the state of California is trying to require college and university campuses to distribute such drugs in college and university health centers and as abortion vendors are selling such drugs on line.

But the drugs are dangerous. Women have died when taking the chemicals later in pregnancy or when experiencing an ectopic pregnancy. Both conditions can be determined by a physical exam that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has required but that abortion vendors oppose and online distributors ignore.

Focused on putting women’s needs first, 56 percent of millennials oppose selling the drugs online or dropping the requirement for a physical exam because of the risks to women. Turning to the nation’s number one abortion vendor, we found there is more work to do in educating people on Planned Parenthood’s business model, as initially 41 percent of millennials had a favorable view of them compared to 36 percent with an unfavorable view (still a far lower number than the more than 60 percent usually attributed to them.)

But when we contrasted Planned Parenthood (with 650 facilities, offering limited services and abortion) with Federally Qualified Health Centers (with more than 11,000 medical centers, offering complete medical care and all the services that Planned Parenthood sells except abortion), millennials wanted their tax dollars to go toward the full-service medical centers. By about a 3-to-1 margin (48 percent to 17 percent), millennials said they preferred that their tax monies went to Federally Qualified Health Centers rather than Planned Parenthood.

Kristan Hawkins. “When mocking millennials misses the mark.” The Washington Times Jan 14, 2019, p. B3.

Our engagement with the culture on this issue has already made a major difference. Another quote I share is from Friday’s edition: “It is notable that, after four decades of being told that the Roe decision is ‘settled law,’ some three-quarters of the American people are not content with the status quo,” says Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson, who has attended nearly every March for Life since 1977.

I am optimistic that Roe will be overturned either in the next term of Trump or first term of Pence. I am also optimistic that Federal funding of Planned Parenthood concentration camps will be eliminated. I have to be optimistic because the alternative is moral self-destruction of our society.

I am also encouraged because the U. S. Senate added four pro-life senators to increase the protection of the unborn. I am encouraged by the continued support of the pro-life march which includes people of all ethnicities and some of both political parties. In addition, President Trump contributed these remarks to the march:

"When we look into the eyes of a newborn child, we see the beauty in the human soul and the majesty of God's creation. We know that every life has meaning and that every life is worth protecting. As president, I will always defend the first right in our Declaration of Independence, the right to life – a right that he said extends to "unborn children."

"Today I have signed a letter to Congress to make clear that if they send any legislation to my desk that weakens the protection of human life, I will issue a veto – and we have the support to uphold those vetoes. Every child is a sacred gift from God.”

https://onenewsnow.com/pro-life/2019/01/18/marchers-cheer-trumps-vow-to-protect-life?utm_source=OneNewsNow&utm_medium=email&utm_ term=16792785&utm_content=603047204808&utm_campaign=37675. Accessed Jan 18, 2019.

term=16792785&utm_content=603047204808&utm_campaign=37675

And our Vice-President Pence was also on hand to encourage God’s pro-life view of the unborn.

To save life may require us to speak up. You may have to be the counselor when she doesn’t want to talk to a pastor or other counselor. We dare not ignore such a situation of life and death nor plead ignorance about what to say.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 24

11 Rescue those being taken off to death,

and save those stumbling toward slaughter.

12 If you say, “But we didn’t know about this,”

won’t he who weighs hearts consider it?

Won’t he who protects your life know?

Won’t he repay a person according to his work?

Engage the Culture

June Hunt has a counseling booklet for those considering an abortion. Here is a segment to better equip you in your counseling others or engaging the culture:

When faced with the decision of whether to have an abortion, check what God says first. If you are seeking to help people gain God's perspective on abortion, the most beneficial thing to do is to take them to the Bible. Many have never heard or read God's Word to find out God's heart for the unborn. It may be that those who favor abortion are believing a lie because they have not been exposed to the truth.

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." ()

A. Key Verse to Memorize

Realize that the unborn are known by God in a personal way.

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." ()

B. Key Passage to Read and Reread

Psalm 139:13–16 AV

For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

God Is Sovereign Over—

Length of Life "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." v. 16

Inmost Being "For you created my inmost being." v. 13

Frame "My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place." v. 15

Embryo "You knit me together in my mother's womb." v. 13

Pre-abortion Counsel

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." ()

Arguments and Answers

Argument: "Abortion is not morally wrong."

Answer: Since human life begins at conception, then abortion by choice becomes premeditated murder. "You shall not murder." ()

"You shall not murder." ()

Argument: "A fetus should not be regarded as a baby."

Answer: According to God, a fetus is not a mass of tissue. God's Word does not distinguish between a "potential baby" and a "newborn baby." In the Bible, the same Greek word brephos, which means "babe," is used to describe... —a fetus "When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb." () —babies "People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them." ()

Argument: "Every woman should have the right of control over her own body."

Answer: A woman should have the right to control her body, but in pregnancy there are... —two different bodies —two different heartbeats —two different brain wave patterns —two different genetic codes (DNA) —often two different blood types —often two different sexes A woman should not have control over the death of another. Argument: "Abortion is permissible when a fetus is not 'viable.' A fetus that is incapable of sustaining life outside the womb is not a viable person and is not due protection from society (the viability factor)."

Answer: To define viability as a person's ability to survive without assistance is dangerous because a person's viability can be lost as a result of age, illness, or serious injury. A three-month-old girl cannot sustain life on her own. A sixty-year-old man who is dependent on a respirator cannot sustain life on his own. But do their situations negate the personhood of these people? No! Should these persons be candidates for destruction? No! Those who insist on a viability standard remove protection from those who need it the most. Argument: "The fetus must reach a certain level of consciousness for it to be considered a person."

Answer: If consciousness is used as a criteria for personhood, then a man who is knocked unconscious or one who is in a coma must not be considered a person. Argument: "Abortion should be allowed for a deformed fetus."

Answer: Allowing abortion for fetal deformity is prioritizing "quality of life" over the "sanctity of life." It is making a judgment that some lives are not worth living. Many people born with defects have lived happy, productive lives. They are often powerful influences for hope and encouragement to others. Argument: "A victim of rape or incest should not have to consider giving birth to the child."

Answer: When a woman is tragically victimized by rape or incest, certainly the father of the child is guilty, but the mother and child are innocent. The right response to this wrong is legally punishing the guilty, not killing the innocent. Compassion for the victim should never obscure the principle of right or wrong. Two wrongs never make a right. Regardless of the father's identity, the woman is still the mother. Aborting the baby causes the woman to be victimized twice and destroys the opportunity to see God's sovereign plan for both the innocent mother and child. Argument: "Every baby should be a wanted baby. Legal abortion of the unwanted will reduce child abuse."

Answer: When there is child abuse, the problem is the parent, never the baby. Once an unborn child is in the womb, the sanctity of life should not be determined by the emotional "wants" of another. Should we also do away with all those who are "unwanted"—the criminals, the homeless, and the undesirables? Argument: "Women will still get abortions. If we don't make it legal, they will be forced to get back alley abortions, which are unsafe."

Answer: The only time a woman is forced to get an abortion is when the abortion is performed against her will. There are no laws forcing a woman to abort her baby. Logically, if people willfully break the law and hurt themselves in the process, their injury is caused by their irresponsible, illegal behavior, not by the law. Argument: "To be consistent, a pro-life position that considers abortion to be the killing of a human being would also have to be against the death penalty." Answer: Pro-life is not inconsistent with capital punishment (a crime punishable by death). The penalty of death is administered when a criminal is found guilty of a capital crime only after due process of law. In abortion, the unborn is innocent of committing any crime, and death is not justified.

"Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man."

Genesis 9:6 CSB

Whoever sheds human blood, by humans his blood will be shed, for God made humans in his image.

Since God is the Giver of Life, choose to value the sanctity of life! And since one of God's Ten Commandments says, "You shall not murder" (), we should all value the sanctity of life. The unjustified killing of human beings—the killing of the innocent—is always seen as wrong in the Bible.

Deuteronomy 30:19 AV

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

)

Argument: "A woman actually has no realistic choice if she is faced with an unwanted pregnancy."

Answer: There are three directions she can take. —Abortion... following human rationalization —Adoption... following the will of the Lord —Give birth and keep the child... following the ways of the Lord

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.

)

Argument: "A mother would feel very guilty if she gave her child up for adoption."

Answer: When a woman allows her child to be adopted, she may be making a responsible choice based on what is best for the life of the child. Certainly adoption is not an easy choice to make. It is natural for you to grieve that your child is not with you. But you can rejoice that you are offering your child a chance at life. Even Moses, the great spiritual leader of Israel, was adopted. The choice to allow your child to be adopted for the child's own good is not a sin against God. Any guilt you may feel is false guilt. But when a woman chooses to kill her unborn child, she will feel true guilt, for she has chosen to sin against God and her child.

"She [Moses' mother] took him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses." (

Exodus 2:10 AV

And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.

)

Argument: "A mother who is single and financially insecure or one who is a victim of circumstance should never consider raising her child herself."

Answer: If a mother feels strongly led by the Lord to keep her child and provide unselfish love and nurturing, God is faithful to meet her needs.

"You, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless." (

Psalm 10:14 AV

Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.

)

June Hunt, Biblical Counseling Keys – Biblical Counseling Keys: Abortion: Not a Choice, but a Child, (Dallas, TX: Hope For The Heart, 2008), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 11-15.

Causes Leading to a Woman's Choice of Abortion

A. Why Do Some Women Choose Abortion? Those who choose abortion are convinced that it is the easiest and most practical way out of a difficult dilemma. "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."

B. What Are Some of the Situations That Cause a Woman to Believe Abortion Is a Reasonable Choice?

The ten primary influences for choosing abortion are...

fear of parental response

fear of rejection and ridicule

fear of financial responsibility

fear of the inability to care for the child

fear of a pregnancy that resulted from rape or incest

feeling rushed to make a decision by parents, the baby's father, or an abortion counselor

feeling it is wrong to bring an unwanted child into the world

feeling it is just another means of birth control

feeling that a fetus is only a mass of tissue

feeling no moral conviction because of a lack of knowledge of God's Word

Root Cause

Every woman should have the freedom of choice over her own life, but not the freedom to destroy the life of the developing human being within her. For it is the Lord who said, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart." () —June Hunt Wrong Belief: "Abortion is a simple procedure designed to remove a mass of tissue from a woman's body, and a woman should have the right to determine what happens to her own body."

Right Belief: The unborn life within a pregnant woman is a separate, unique human being, created by God at conception. A woman does have rights over her own life, but she does not have the right to destroy an innocent life.

Isaiah 44:2 CSB

This is the word of the Lord your Maker, the one who formed you from the womb: He will help you. Do not fear, Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen.

)

Present the Gospel of Life

D. Do You Want Hope?

Do You Want Hope?

The Hope Diamond is the largest deep blue diamond in the world (measuring 45.52 carats) and considered priceless by many. Can you imagine what would happen to its value if someone were to cut this diamond into pieces? The parts would still have worth, but nowhere near its original worth because the unique size and design of the diamond would be destroyed. Within your body you have something like the Hope Diamond—you have a unique, priceless, unborn baby designed by God for a specific purpose. Not only does God have a plan for your baby's life, but also a plan for your life filled with hope. Everyone wants hope. Everyone needs hope—hope that is found in a secure relationship with God. Your hope can be secure when you are in the family of God.

Present the Gospel of Life

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Ephesians 2:1–10 CSB

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously lived according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

June Hunt, Biblical Counseling Keys – Biblical Counseling Keys: Abortion: Not a Choice, but a Child, (Dallas, TX: Hope For The Heart, 2008), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 8-11.

By trusting that Christ died as your substitute and by yielding your will to His will, you are forgiven for all your sins. And when God forgives you for all your sins, you are saved from being separated from God! The heavenly Father adopts you as His very own child and gives you eternal life with Him in heaven. "To all who received him [Jesus]... he [the Father] gave the right to become children of God." () June Hunt, Biblical Counseling Keys – Biblical Counseling Keys: Abortion: Not a Choice, but a Child, (Dallas, TX: Hope For The Heart, 2008), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 8-11.

A man with a withered hand comes to Jesus as He is teaching. The man obviously wants to be healed, and Jesus is willing to heal him. So what’s the problem?

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