Sanctity of Life Sunday
Job 33:4
January 26, 2025
Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The text that I have chosen for this morning’s sermon is Job 33:4: “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”
Let’s see if you can guess what the following numbers have in common: one million, 1500, 97, and 47. Any thoughts? These are numbers which indicate that life has lost its sacredness. One million abortions each year. Over 1500 physician assisted suicides each year. Ninety-seven percent of unborn children diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome are aborted. Forty-seven percent of US Senators voted against a bill that would require lifesaving treatment for babies born alive after failed abortions, which happens more than you realize. These numbers are sobering, more than that, they’re depressing.
Also statistically speaking, somewhere between twenty-five to fifty percent of you disagree with me. Hence my hesitancy to preach on life issues; I don’t want to drive you away from the Church. But because life has lost much of its holiness, it’s a topic that must be addressed. And please believe me when I tell you that if you’re pro-choice I’m not condemning you or saying you’re not a Christian, and since I don’t know your opinions, I’m not singling you out. What I want you to do, what you must do, is to listen to what God says. God wants you to believe that all life is sacred because He is the one who gives life.
Abortion is nothing new. The earliest record that abortion was a common practice among the Egyptians is dated at 1600 BC. The Greeks and Romans also had methods and reasons for inducing abortions. These ancient nations also advocated the death of children who were born sickly, weak, or unwanted. Life wasn’t a gift; it certainly wasn’t a gift from God. Life was disposable because life only had value if it was wanted.
Isn’t that what’s happened in the United States? An unborn child can be disposed of if she’s unplanned and unwanted. If the unborn child provides no value to the parent or if it costs the parent somethign, then he can be aborted. A child conceived by rape or incest is a reminder that must be discarded to avoid pain. An inconvenient unborn child is easily cast aside. A baby who survives an abortion can be just left to die since it wasn’t wanted anyway. I know there are very rare cases when an abortion might be necessary, but those are extraordinary exceptions. Abortion is far too accepted and endorsed as a good “choice”, when it’s the wrong choice. Why? “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”
When our possessions get old and worn out, we tend to replace them. A saggy couch is moved to the basement. An out of date TV is cast aside for a new one. A threadbare shirt is replaced. America has also adopted a disposable attitude when it comes to the sick and the elderly. Ten states and Washington D.C. allow physicians to prescribe drugs that a person can take when they’re ready to die. And some of these states accept out-of-state visitors. In some European nations you don’t even have to be dying – you can just be depressed. Five percent of all Canadian deaths are assisted suicide? Yes, the numbers in America per year are low, but how long do you think it will take for the culture of death of Canada or Europe to make their way here? The elderly are especially at risk because they’re seen as a drain on their family, they’re easier to manipulate, the family doesn’t want them to suffer, or they’re not valuable enough to sustain. The practice of hastening the death of the dying or the elderly is called Euthanasia which is Greek for “easy death”. Which raises the question: Who is it easy for? And even if it is easy, that doesn’t make it right. No! Why? “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”
To Christ’s shame, there are some church bodies which openly support abortion and assisted suicide. They’ve rejected God’s teachings which come to us in the Bible. When it comes to this topic, God’s Word alone is to be our guide. Since our thoughts, feelings, and logic are corrupted by Sin we turn to the one who isn’t corrupted or mistaken. And He has been very clear on the sacredness of life.
God made Adam and Eve with His bare hands and then He breathed life into them. But He didn’t just create them, He created all people! Even those the world sees as inconvenient or worthless. Job is told by a friend: “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” King David declared: “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” God is the giver of all life. Whether it’s planned or unplanned, wanted or unwanted, healthy or unhealthy, it all comes from Him. He is the one who gathers our bones, fills our lungs, and starts our hearts. All life is valuable and sacred to Him. He says that hands which shed innocent blood are repugnant to Him – and aren’t the unborn the most innocent of all? Even children conceived by rape are valuable to God. Does He not have plans for us all?
The underlying sin which drives abortion, assisted suicide, and euthanasia is the desire to control times, situations, and life itself. If the time is wrong, the life is wrong. If the situation is difficult, the life can end. Is this what God teaches us? No, not one bit. Job says, “Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass” (Job 14:5). King David says, “In your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” So, if God has decreed our days and years, who are we to tell Him He’s wrong?
Who are we to tell Him that He’s not loving enough or powerful enough to carry His people though whatever the situation might be?
Do we hasten death because of the fear of death? “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”
Do you speed up death to avoid pain? The Lord says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”.
Do you end life to avoid hassles or difficulties? “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”
Can it be hard to have an unplanned baby or watch your parents slowly die? Of course, life isn’t easy, but what does God say? “Before I formed you in your mother’s body I chose you. Before you were born, I set you apart to serve me.” If God does the knitting, the forming, the setting apart, then life bears His imprint, is sacred, and must be protected.
There’s another valuable, sacred group I haven’t spoken to yet…those who have had an abortion or hastened a death in a sinful way. Your life is sacred to God. Jesus says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” The good news is that you are forgiven! You who are oppressed by your guilt and shame are set free. The Lord hears the prayers of the brokenhearted and speaks peace to the sinner. Forgiveness is for anyone who calls on His name in repentance and faith. And why? Because you’re so valuable that He sent His priceless Son to die for you. He suffered an unholy death all so that you would be proclaimed sacred! This is forgiveness!
Brothers and sisters in Christ, you are all valuable and all your sins richly forgiven. Confess your sins of silence and complicity and moved by the forgiveness of your sins support the pregnant, help the uncertain, embrace the hurting, listen to those who want to talk, serve our neighbors, and work and pray that abortion ceases to be a choice, and let the holiness of all life take its place.
As I mentioned earlier, I know some of you disagree with me, but really, you disagree with God, not me. If you’re struggling with this topic, come talk to me. If you disagree with what God says, let’s talk it over. If you’re uncertain which way to go, call me. God loves all you. He formed you, knitted you, and knows the number of your days. Say with Job’s friend: “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life” and never forget that life is sacred because the Sacred God is the one who gives life.
Amen
Now the peace which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen