SANCTITY OF LIFE
The Supreme Value of Human Life
Psalm 139:13-16
Illustration for Introduction
Several years ago a fragile young woman expecting her first child was under the care of Dr. Joe Wheeler. About a month before the baby was due it was discovered that the baby was in a breech position which caused the doctor great concern as he knew of difficulty of such a delivery and the high death rate involved.
On the day of delivery Dr. Wheeler was ready to move quickly as time was of the essence. When the time had come for the delivery he retrieved the first tiny leg from the birth canal and then reached for the other. To his horror there was no other as it was evident that the babies other entire thigh from the hip to the knee was missing. In that brief moment he knew the tramatic effects this would be on this young family. Surely they would spend a life’s savings taking the child to every famous orthopedist in the world. And he envisioned the little girl sitting sadly by herself as the other healthy girls danced and ran and played. He was tempted to slow the delivery for just a few moments. No one in the world would ever know and after the first shock of grief, the young mother would be spared from the pains of having a handicapped child.
Dr. Wheeler resisted that wave of temptation as the life of the mother and the baby had been entrusted to him. The little girl was delivered with her one pitiful little leg and the mother suffered in the hospital several months causing the doctor to wonder if he had done the right thing in not yielding to his temptation.
Seventeen years later Dr. Wheeler attended the annual Christmas banquet for the hospital staff. This year there were three lovely musicians playing in unison with the organ. Of the three he was fascinated by the young harpist. Her fingers plucked effortless across the strings with her face upturned as if the world that moment were a wonderful and holy place.
When the program was over, a woman ran down the aisle toward Dr. Wheeler he did not know. "Oh, you saw her," she cried. "You must have recognized your baby. That was my daughter who played the harp--the little girl who was born with only one good leg 17 years ago. We tried everything at first, but now she has a whole artificial leg on that side. Best of all through all those years, she learned to use her hands so wonderfully. She is going to be one the world’s greatest harpists. She is my whole life and now she is so happy... And here she is!" as the young girl approached.
Impulsively, Dr Wheeler took the girl in his arms and thought back to those temptations 17 years ago.
This story is repeated time and time and time again each day. Some babies are not handicapped, but simply not wanted. The same is increasingly true for elderly whom some surmise have lived passed the ability to have quality of life. Today, I want to speak to you about the Sanctity of Life. Sadly, we live in a culture that has devalued life to the point that no longer calls an unborn child a baby, but a choice. Since 1973 over 45 million babies have been aborted (1.5 million/year: 1/4 to 1/3 of all babies). To add to the horror that assisted suicide is a hot debate and we were appalled last year over the political and legal maneuvering that lead to Terri Schaivo’s death. Folks, something has gone wrong. Let’s exam what the Word of God says about life.
I. LIFE IS SACRED IN THE EYES OF GOD (Ps 139:13-15)
NKJ For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
A. Human life is not a freak/accident of Nature
The greatest travesty ever brought upon mankind was not war, nor disease, nor pestilence, but the philosophy of evolution. Evolution stripped God of His power and providence in the eyes of its adherents, and has stripped man of the value of the gift of life. Evolution teaches that human life is nothing more than a freak of nature and piece of the flawed natural selection puzzle. This is a lie from hell which cannot be supported by honest scientific evidence nor biblical interpretation.
The greatest murderers of all time, Stalin, Hitler, (Margaret Sanger: founder of Planned Parenthood) and all embraced the theory of evolution and used its flawed philosophy of natural selection to justify their purging society of the weaker misfits.
I want you to look around even now. Do you see any accidents of nature, any mistakes of God? Think about the miracle of childbirth...
B. Human Life is the Crown of God’s Creation
From God’s holy plans, His holy wisdom, and by His holy hands God Himself is the creator of every human being that enters this world. Therefore, every human life that is conceived into this world is a holy creation of God.
C. Human Life was Created by God
(Ps 100:3) Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
- Only Man is Created in the Image of God
(Gen 1:27) So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
- Only Man is Created for Glory of God
(Isa 43:7) Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for
my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
- Man and man alone has a spirit which enables him to have personal relationship with God
Man and man alone has a will to worship and praise God
D. God Does Not Make Mistakes
(Ex 4:11) And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
II. LIFE IS ORDERED IN THE PLAN OF GOD
(Ps 139:16) 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.
NKJVYour eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they were all written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.
NIV your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
A. God Alone Determines the Days of Man
(1 Sam 2:6) The Lord brings death and makes alive; He bring down to the grave and raises up.
(Eccl 3:1-2) To everything there is a season; a time for every purpose under heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die...
B. God Alone Establishes the Purposes of Man
(Jer 29:11) For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
C. Anyone Cutting Short a Human Life is Intruding on the Plan of God
6th Commandment : “Thou shalt not kill (murder)
When someone intentionally takes the life of a human being for whatever reason, it is sin
I was given an interesting article that illustrates this point. It asks the question.
Would you consider an abortion in any of these circumstances?
1) A preacher and his wife living in extreme poverty. They have 14 children and she is pregnant again.
2) A mother has TB and a the father has the sniffles. The family has four children already. One has TB, two are deaf and one is blind. Would you consider abortion?
3) A thirteen year old black girl is raped by a white man.
4) A teenage girl becomes pregnant but not by her fiancee. He is very upset.
Would you consider abortion.
If you aborted in the first case you have killed John Wesley.
If you aborted in the second case you killed Beethoven.
If you aborted in the third case you killed Ethel Waters the black gospel singer.
If in the third case you aborted you killed Jesus of Nazareth.
III. LIFE IS PRECIOUS IN THE HEART OF GOD
God is the Provider and Sustainer of Life
(Matt 5:45) ... for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
A. God is the Protector of Life
(Gen 9:6) "Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God he made man.
B. God is the Redeemer of Life
(Isa 44:24) Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb. I am the Lord who makes all things...
Redeems from the Penalty of Sin
Guilt of Sin
Pain of Sin
Illustration of Kathy Davis:
19 year old who found herself pregnant and not married. Had an abortion. Later saved and then committed her life to helping unwanted children and women.
