“How Precious to You is Life”
Exodus 1
Intro: You know, there is one thing that is common in all of mankind. Whether rich or poor, young or old, in America or Africa or Australia. Life is precious!
Sometimes the lives of others don’t seem precious to us, but when it comes down to our own lives, we suddenly find ourselves realizing that our life is very precious to us.
This is the “Sanctity of Human Life” Sunday. A day we set aside to consider how precious life is.
Let’s see from our reading this week some individuals who considered life to be precious. Turn with me to Exodus 1 to see the lesson of Shiphrah and Puah. Read Ex. chapter 1 - whole chap.
I. Lessons from Egypt - let’s look at what truths we see taught in God’s word here today.
A. Satan Attacks - lest we ever forget it, Satan is an enemy. No matter how good he looks, or how good he makes sin look, let’s remember that he is the enemy, he wants to hurt us, he is o the attack. How does he attack in Egypt?
1. Fear - vs.9 - Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. "Look," he said to his people, "the Israelites have become much too numerous for us.
*Satan gets Pharaoh to develop wrong feelings. He feels fear. He is afraid of the Hebrews. Was there any reason to be afraid? None at all. Yet, Satan plays on the fears of the Egyptians.
How many times has Satan come against you to attack you in the area of your fears? What is it that you are afraid of today? Your boss? The dark? What other people think?
Ps. 27:1 - The LORD is my light and my salvation--whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.
Let’s look at the next attack in verse 10. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country."
2. Foolishness - Satan attacks again, this time by trying to bring wrong thinking. If Satan can get you to feel bad, he can get you to start thinking wrong thoughts. All it takes is a little wrong thinking, and you will find you start believing things that you really know are not true.
*I once worked at a warehouse for Hershey Foods - after graduating with my Seminary degree, I had moved back to PA. Wanting to work a little before getting into ministry, I wanted to get into the Hershey Chocolate Factory. To do this, the doorway in was through their warehouse. All kinds of underachievers worked there. Many times, they hung in groups, gaining strength from mutual encouragement. When they made fun of someone, you felt bad, even though you knew they didn’t have a clue to what the best choices in life were. We all want to be liked. When we’re not, we start having wrong thinking. We think that maybe we are wrong. Maybe we should do something different. Satan loves to use wrong thinking to attack us.
Look in verse 11 with me to see the third attack of Satan
3. Forcefulness - Satan tries to make Pharaoh think self-reliance is the answer.
So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly. They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labour the Egyptians used them ruthlessly.
Satan comes with the third attack - wrong action. After feelings and thinking have changed, action will come. Satan attacks Pharaoh by getting him to act - to think he can take care of the problem himself.
But, the second lesson we learn from Egypt, is that whenever Satan attacks,
B. God Empowers -
1. Overcoming Obstacles - look in verse 12 - But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly. They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labour the Egyptians used them ruthlessly.
*Whenever Satan attacks, God is present to give a way over the obstacles.
1 Cor. 10:13 - No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
*God gives a way over the obstacles that Satan throws in our path
2. Strong Supporters - whenever we are defeated, God raises up those to be strong inour behalf. Look at verse 15. -The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, "When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth and observe them on the delivery stool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live." The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.
*Here were two women in positions of authority in the land who were not willing to obey Pharaoh, but decided they would do what was right. And what was the result? They were blessed for it. God gave them families of their own. Look in verse 20 - So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.
*Obedience to God brings blessing. We don’t obey God just to get a blessing, but when we do obey, our lives are blessed.
But let’s also be aware of what what happens when God empowers.
C. Satan Increases His Attacks - vs. 22 - Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: "Every boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live."
*Pharaoh now commands all the Egyptians to be part of carrying out his infanticide. Satan throws harder attacks against us when God empowers us to get through the easier attacks.
But the fourth wonderful truth we see here is that
D. God increases His power until he wins the victory - We all know the story that begins in chapter 2 with the birth of Moses. It culminates with the Israelites coming out of Egypt with a “high hand” and the Egyptian army drowning in the Red Sea. If you haven’t seen the movie that’s out right now, “The Prince of Egypt”, I recommend you go see it. It may not be completely right in every detail, but it will get you thinking once again about how God brings about the ultimate victory.
So, these are the lessons from Egypt. Now, Let’s go on to look at the Lessons for America.
II. Lessons for America - what does this mean for us in our society today?
I’ve already touched on some personal application of resisting Satan, standing against his attacks to our feelings, and thoughts, and actions. But on a larger level. What does this mean in our society today?
A. All Life is Precious!
We live in an age and society where more and more we lose the value of life. We see ourselves humanistically and think we are just chemical organisms with no real value. Yet, I remind you this morning that we are unique, special, created in the image of God.
Gen. 9 - And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.
Each human carries the image of God. This is not an ethnic trait, but universally true of all human life. Yet, the abortionists would tell us it is not true. They would say that a fetus is not human. The new abortion procedure, partial birth abortion, takes a baby, even in the ninth month, and the mother delivers all but the head, and because the head is still inside the body, the abortionists say this is not human life and they kill the child.
Satan attacks with his lies. He urges women to have an abortion. After all no child should be unwanted or unloved or unhealthy. But the truth is that God loves and wants all children, even in unhealthy children God shows his ability to overcome.
On the other end of the spectrum, our society is facing the arocious evil or euthanasia - you know Satan has a way of making murder and killing sound nice - euthanasia - it’s so pleasing, “Yes, I’ll have some euthanasia please!”
-To say that we will end someone’s life because they are no longer healthy or happy is evil. It is sin!
Yet, let’s remember how Satan attacks. Feelings, then thoughts, then actions.
Satan first attacks us in our feelings. He wants us to be filled with sympathy for these poor, unfortunate souls. We see a pregnant teen who lives on the street with no family, she’s mentally retarded, she’s HIV positive, who will care for her child if it is born. We feel sorry for her.
Next, Satan attacks us in our thoughts, he wants us to be open to new thinking - well maybe she does have a right to her own body - who am I to say what should happen - she should have a choice.
Then, Satan takes action and we see abortion on demand and probably soon mercy-killing on demand.
Whenever we resist Satan though, we need to stand firm. If we will have right actions, obeying God, we will keep right thinking. If we think rightly, it won’t matter how we feel. Feeling is never a basis for faith or action. God’s word is true, whether we feel like it or not. I am married whether I feel like it or not. Standing in the road will get me killed, whether I feel like getting killed or not.
So, our first lesson for America is that ALL LIFE IS PRECIOUS!
B. When Satan attacks, God provides empowerment.
He helps us overcome obstacles - there is always a way out of abortion. Planned Parenthood makes it appear that women have no choice. Yet, there is always an alternative that spares life.
He brings supporters to the conflict - God will raise up those to stand with you in the fight for life.
C. God uses the Faithfulness of His people to win the battle.
If we really believe in the sanctity of Human life, what will we do?
1. We must speak out - wherever we are - at work, at family gatherings, when talking to those who are “politically correct” - even though we may be made fun of.
*don’t feel bad about standing for truth
*Don’t think it wrong to go against public opinion
*don’t act wrongly - don’t give in to public pressure
2. We must vote our conscience - don’t vote against life!
3. We must let our voice be heard. As you have opportunity, take a stand for life.
Realize Satan comes back with new attacks. It may not be long until we are like China and having forced sterilizations of women. Abortions may soon be mandatory. Death may be mandatory at a certain age. All this happens if Satan has his way. That is why the people of God must rise up, stand for life, and stand for truth. Will you take that stand today?!
