Series: Do You Not Know?
Sermon: The Sanctity of Life
Text: 1 Corinthians 3:16-17.
Introduction:
Life is precious. From the tiny fetus in the womb to the elderly in their final moments and everywhere in between, life is precious. From the healthy and strong to the weak and infirmed and everywhere in between, life is precious. From those who haven’t learned to talk, to those who can no longer remember their names, and everywhere in between, life is precious.
Lesson:
The Sanctity of Life Was One of the First Lessons of the Bible.
In Genesis 4:3-10 we read the story of Cain and Abel. It is a tragic story of jealousy, envy, pride and murder. Abel offered his best to God and was accepted. Cain was less concerned with offering his best. God accepted Abel’s offering but rejected Cain’s. In a fit of jealous rage, Cain slit Abel’s throat, sacrificing his own brother. God spared Cain. For a time, God allowed the wickedness of man to continue on the earth.
After the flood, God instituted capital punishment (Genesis 9:5-6). God required a reckoning from man. Any man or beast who took the life of a man was to be put to death.
Human life is precious because we are made in the image of God. What does it mean to be made in the image of God? God is spirit? What kind of image does he have? It doesn’t mean that we look like God, because God is spirit, he can’t be seen with the eyes. What it does mean that humans are different than animals. We can kill a cow, cook the meat and eat it. But we can’t do that with a human being. To be made in the image of God means that human life, all human life is precious.
Our Body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit.
How are we treating God’s temple? Are we poisoning our bodies with alcohol, tobacco, or mind altering drugs? Are we pickling our bodies with alcohol? You know they call it intoxication? Alcohol is toxic to the body. When you consume alcohol, you are poisoning your body. This is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Should we really be treating it this way? Are we poisoning ourselves by breathing in the toxic fumes of tobacco smoke? We are destroying our lungs and weakening our heart muscles when we smoke. And chewing and dipping are no safer. Are we destroying our minds with illegal drugs? Once you destroy a brain cell, that’s it; you don’t grow new brain cells. Listen, no one starts down that road thinking, “I think I’ll become a junkie.” If you think you can control yourself, that you won’t get hooked, you’re fooling yourself. Drugs will enslave you.
We have a responsibility to ourselves, to care for these bodies of ours. In some ways, our bodies are very resilient; they can take a lot of abuse. But they are also quite fragile at times. Life is too precious to waste it and destroy it with alcohol, tobacco, or drugs.
Life is precious; let’s take proper care of the bodies God has given us. Let’s eat right. Let’s exercise regularly. Let’s stay away from the things that are harmful. Let’s encourage one another along these lines.
Let’s Consider the Context.
Let’s go back to the beginning of the chapter and look at 1 Corinthians 3:1-4. Paul says, “You’re still acting like babies.” “You’re not acting like Christians at all.” They were full of jealousy and strife. They were putting down their fellow Christian, based upon who had discipled them. “I follow Paul;” “I follow Apollos.” How foolish; how childish; how dangerous. Grown-ups acting like children can be very dangerous indeed. What’s the danger? They were destroying the unity of the body of Christ. Christ has one body, not many. Brothers and sisters, this is the seed of denominationalism. If you think denominationalism is no big thing, think again. It’s not about Luther or Calvin, or Wesley or even Campbell. It’s about Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Let’s go on to the next few verses, 1 Corinthians 3:5-9. Apollos, Paul, Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Campbell. Who are they? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. Are any of them perfect? No. They are just fallible human beings doing the best they can. Paul concludes, “They are nothing.” The only thing that really matters is God, who gives the growth. Just like the farmers, one may plant; another may water. Each will be compensated by the growth according to their contribution to the process.
Let’s continue with 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. Paul likens the process of spiritual growth to the construction of a building. Paul preferred to take the gospel where no one had yet been. He was the foundation man. He dug out the loose soil down to the bedrock. He placed the foundation stones in their place. He laid a solid foundation. But he generally left the building of the house to others. As you read through the Book of Acts, you see many times how Paul went on to another city, but left Timothy of Silas, or Apollos behind to build on the foundation he had left. Jesus Christ is the foundation that was laid. Others build on that foundation. Some build better than others. Some use better materials than others. Some build with gold, silver, precious stone. Others use less costly materials; wood, hay, straw. Paul says that “the Day” will disclose what type of builder we have been. “The Day” Paul is referring to is the day of Christ’s return. He will judge each one, according to what he has done.
Let’s look deeper into this illustration. Justin and Julie just got done building a house. I don’t mean that they bought a house or they paid a builder to build them a house. They did most of the work themselves. Now, I hope this doesn’t happen, but what if the house burnt down. Do you think Justin and Julie are going to say, “No big deal; we weren’t in the house?” No big deal? That’s their blood, sweat, and tears. They may be grateful that they weren’t in the house, but let’s not trivialize their effort. As far as this church goes, the foundation’s already been laid. But what are we building on that foundation now? Will the work we are doing today have value on the Day of God’s judgment. I pray that it will.
Now We Get to the Text We Began With: “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him.”
You see, he’s not talking about abortion or euthanasia. He’s not talking about alcohol, tobacco or drugs. He’s talking about the petty things we do that can just as easily destroy someone’s spirit. Do you see how fragile life really is? Do you see how dangerous even one thoughtless word can be?
“Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me.” That’s one of the biggest lies Satan has ever invented. We may say it, but it’s a lie. If it were true, we’d never have to say it.
Jesus said, 21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. (Matthew 5:21-26)
The truth is that words do hurt. We may not use a gun, or a knife; but words can kill just as surely. We cannot allow anger, jealousy, differences of opinions to divide us. This is serious business.
There is no place for quarreling among God’s people. He’s told us how to deal with it. Drop what we’re doing and make things right. Swallow your pride and just do it. Is your opinion worth more than your brother’s soul? Is having your way more important that your brother’s life.
You see, it’s not just words and opinions, there are souls at stake. If you crush your brother’s spirit by your careless words, God will destroy you. If you destroy your brother’s dignity for the sake of having your way, God will destroy you.
We think we can go right to the line, and as long as we don’t cross that line, we’re in the clear. You’re only fooling yourself. That line is not where you think it is. You may already have crossed it.
Conclusion:
Life is precious. Handle with Care.
Invitation:
This is normally the place where we offer the invitation. But I have a bigger concern. My concern is that someone will come forward and vaguely confess to some wrong he has done to another. My concern is that someone might think that this is enough; that he can avoid going to the one he has wounded by coming forward tonight or some other night. That is not an option. That will not fix it. As we sing this next song, go to your brother and make things right. If that means putting on your coat and walking out of the building right now, do it. If that means walking across the aisle rather than walking down the aisle then do it. But do it now.
