Abortion

1. Raise your hand if you know someone who has had an abortion.

2. Janice is only 15 years old. She found out two weeks ago that she is pregnant. Her first thought was to terminate her pregnancy – an abortion. She is only a teenager! She definitely feels unprepared to be a mother. No way does she want to get married to the father. And adoption – how could she live with herself? It is all so confusing.

What would you say to Janice?

To be honest, all the options for an unwed mother-to-be are complicated. All the options will cause a great deal of hurt and pain. Abortion resolves the problem for the moment. Many people, however, seem to have trouble living with themselves after an abortion. Guilt, hurt, emptiness, and regrets haunt many women and men who choose abortion. They say that there is always that burning question, What would my child have been, or done?

3. Read the three scriptures on the handout and see what they say about abortion and God’s view of human life?

Ask students what they think the verses are saying.

--God is actively involved in the development of the baby in the mother’s womb. Psalm 139:14 says that an unborn baby is a wonderful work of God.

--God is the giver and taker of life. Can we be entrusted with the responsibility of deciding who lives and who dies?

--Life is a gift from God. Human life is holy because each person is created in God’s image. Abortion violates the sanctity of life by killing the unborn. God not only loves unborn children, but all people, born or unborn. These verses show how much God values every human life. We need to show concern, compassion, and kindness to all human life-born and unborn-and exemplify the compassion of Jesus to all humans.

Genesis 1:27 “And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

Job 9:10-12 “You guided my conception and formed me in the womb. You clothed me with skin and flesh, and you knit my bones and sinews together. You gave me life and showed me your unfailing love. My life was preserved by Your care.”

Psalm 139:13-16 “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.”

Genesis 1:27 “And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

Job 9:10-12 “You guided my conception and formed me in the womb. You clothed me with skin and flesh, and you knit my bones and sinews together. You gave me life and showed me your unfailing love. My life was preserved by Your care.”

Psalm 139:13-16 “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.”

Genesis 1:27 “And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

Job 9:10-12 “You guided my conception and formed me in the womb. You clothed me with skin and flesh, and you knit my bones and sinews together. You gave me life and showed me your unfailing love. My life was preserved by Your care.”

Psalm 139:13-16 “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.”