Background to passage: The year was probably between 1100 BC and 1080 BC. The period of the Judges had been long and tumultuous. Samuel was to be the last of the judges and a huge transition into the kingdom years. The book of 1 Samuel begins with the birth of Samuel.
51 years ago, the Supreme Court invented a right, legislated from the bench, and ruled in Roe vs. Wade that women had a constitutional right to abortion based on privacy. As you have heard, that ruling has ushered over 63,000,000 lives into the immediate presence of Jesus without taking a breath. The reversal of this ruling a year and a half ago in the Dobbs decision has saved countless lives, but has not fixed the problem, in some cases made the situation worse. Politically, legislatively, regionally, medically, the battle has morphed, and their are still many women and children at risk.
When facing our cultural issues, we must look to the scriptures. We must attempt to glean from it the teaching and principles related to a Christian worldview through which to filter our understanding. Abortion is no different. So I am going to use this text today, which is representative of scripture’s teaching on life, specifically regarding God as the ONLY giver and taker of life. Scripture teaches it is in his image that we are made, and that brings the sanctity to human life. We must submit ourselves to the bible regardless of our personal feelings.
I am also going to try to give a few helpful and practical ways to engage and discuss this issue with others, because as the good doctor said, the church cannot be silent on this issue, and not just from the pulpits.
1 Samuel 1:1–20 ESV
There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite.
He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord.
On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.
But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb.
And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb.
So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat.
And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord.
She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly.
And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”
As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth.
Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman.
And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.”
But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord.
Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.”
Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.”
And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her.
And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.”
Opening illustration:
Main thought: Today is Sanctity of Life Sunday, and we pause to remind ourselves of some important truths.
1) The Lord Closes and Opens Wombs (v. 5, 19-20)
1 Samuel 1:5 ESV
But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb.
1 Samuel 1:19–20 ESV
They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her.
And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.”
1) The Lord Closes and Opens Wombs (v. 5, 19-20)
Explanation: The language of this text of countless others teaches that the Lord is the one who gives or withholds or takes life. Why is human life so different? God made it clear in Genesis that man is the only created being that is made in the image of God. His intrinsically high value is based upon his representation of his maker—he is like him.
On a different note, notice the heartbreak of childlessness. Notice the prayer and fasting that went on for years and moved the heart of God.
Argumentation: the examples are too numerous to name
Illustration: Ryan and Rachel, if I can get through it
Application: 1) We must continually teach and understand that God is the author and taker of life. Elective abortion is wrong. This is not a privacy issue, but a patient’s rights issue; and the baby is a patient that must be treated as such. 2) We must be willing to care for women who find themselves in an unplanned pregnancy. Church is normally the last place they look to for counsel. To further combat the unfortunate, and often deserved, perception of the church and God toward women who have experienced (and men who have encouraged or been complicit), we must explain and proclaim the healing power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Christ came to forgive, redeem, set free, and lift up your head. We must exercise great compassion. 3) We must be there for families in crisis in our own church. Whether it is infertility, or medical ethics questions, or unplanned pregnancies, walk with people. 4) We must support pregnancy centers and Christian adoption agencies.
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2) This is Also an Individual Issue (Pro 31:8)
Proverbs 31:8 ESV
Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute.
2) This is Also an Individual Issue (Pro 31:8)
Explanation: I want to get very practical for us as believers with the above understanding as a church. Two areas: political action concerns and apologetic conversations.
Argumentation:
Illustration:
Application: 1) The overturning of Roe vs. Wade was helpful, but made some things more difficult. What it did legally was push the restrictions for/rights to abortion back to the states. The SCOTUS said that it should be determined by each individual state. Some states want to be sanctuaries, some want to restrict as much as possible. In those states lawsuits will continually come. So, in GA the battle to preserve life is not over. The heartbeat bill in GA and other states has caused groups and businesses and sometimes government agencies to fund trips to states with looser restrictions. FL for example.
Elections have consequences, long-lasting ones. Candidates make lots of promises, and have lots of positions, and those will go into policy, and sometimes appointments that are detrimental to the cause of women and children in this arena of life. VOTE. You need to know the positions of the candidates you vote for in elections. Local and state elections are extremely important too. Certain parties are using this issue to create fear that all abortions will be made criminal, and successfully stopped laws in some states.
2) We must know how to talk about it with others. Science is on our side. Medical ethics is on our side. However, many are not convinced. Personhood is the crux of the argument. What constitutes a person, because people have rights, people must be protected. At the point of conception, a life that is separate and distinct from both mother and father is created. It has its own set of DNA. Every piece of information to development into a mature human being in one cell. University professors, embryologists, doctors will tell you this is where life begins. At that point, we can no more kill a baby in the womb than one outside the womb.
Here is an easy way to help others understand that most abortion arguments fall easily by some intellectually honest thought. Not even theology, which you can also do. Or legally, which you can also do. SLED - use baby in utero, toddler, teenager, adult
S - size - personhood is not determined by size, if so...
L - level of development - personhood is not determined by how developed a person is.
E - environment - personhood is not determined by position
D - degree of dependency - personhood is also not determined by how dependent upon others
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Closing illustration: Imagine Life video
