Protecting Life and Offering Hope
Psalm 139:13-16
October 15, 2006
Introduction
I’m going to repeat something I said last week, because some of you weren’t here, and because I want to reinforce it for those who were.
I would just as soon avoid these topics. But as much as I try to run away from them, I simply cannot.
Every time I talk about these things, I run the risk of offending someone here, and maybe they’ll leave.
But I also find myself facing the fact that I will face God one day to give an account for my time here.
And I can’t imagine standing before him and saying that I was more concerned with keeping people in the seats than about talking about moral issues that happen to be played out in the political arena.
And I’m willing to risk people being mad at me if it causes anyone to think about the implications of these issues we’re facing today.
If you weren’t here last week, I would suggest you get a copy of the tape, or if you would prefer, I will give you a transcript of the message.
Normally I take a passage of Scripture and we go through it, looking at the different applications we can make of it, since we want to be people who actually live for Christ instead of just giving Him lip-service.
But today I just want to lay a Scripture passage in front of you to give you the basis of the conviction I have regarding this terrible issue of abortion.
My points will be addressing the issues brought up on the side of those favoring abortion, and my hope is that you will leave here not only informed, but also equipped to discuss this with other people.
My comments today will be rather brief, because I’ve got a special guest I’ll introduce in a few moments.
Psalm 139:13-16 –
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Three facts I want to cover today:
1. God values life from its beginning.
Whether the pregnancy was planned or not, the fact is that God is on record as being involved in human life in the womb.
The Psalmist here says that God was the one who wove him together in his mother’s womb, and who made him.
And God makes us in a wonderful manner. The writer of this Psalm says that he is in awe and wonder when he contemplates his creation.
Even if a child is conceived in less than ideal circumstances, the child is still precious to God.
I love something Rick Warren says: “There are no such things as illegitimate children – only illegitimate parents.”
Life that is valued by God should be valued by those who claim to love Him.
But Brian, what about a child who will probably end up in a horrible home situation that might include abuse and neglect?
The fact of the matter is that while there are certainly possibilities for that sort of thing, and it’s horrible to think about, we still need to remember that we cannot base decisions of life and death for children based on what MIGHT happen.
It might be that the life snuffed out in the womb would have contribute greatly to the world if allowed to live.
We simply don’t know.
But one thing we do know is that God cares – right from the start.
2. God is not ignorant about the issues of rape and incest.
One of the greatest things about the Bible is its refusal to shy away from the ugly stuff of life.
We read about all sorts of things that happened to God’s people, and even BY God’s people at times.
Even King David wasn’t immune: one of his own children raped his half-sister, and that boy was later murdered by the girl’s brother – the rapist’s half-brother.
Referred Law 6 bill addresses the issue of rape and incest.
Someone who has been the victim of rape or incest can get emergency contraception, like the “morning after pill” to terminate any possible pregnancy, if done before a pregnancy can be determined, which is about 14 days after conception.
So if a woman goes for medical treatment after a rape or other sexual assault, she can legally obtain emergency contraception and remain within the scope of this law.
But really, does it matter how the life was conceived? The child is innocent regardless of how he or she was conceived.
God is not unaware of a situation where someone is raped. He hates it, and He will judge those who do it. And in my personal opinion, rapists should have other penalties that I won’t describe here because there are children present!
But we shouldn’t judge and condemn the baby for the despicable actions of the father.
And here’s a fact you may want to know: of the over 800 abortions that were performed in South Dakota for the most recent reporting period, only 1.8% were performed for reasons of rape or incest. That’s about 15 abortions.
But you know, it’s real easy for me to say that. It’s real easy for me to pontificate about how a woman who’s been raped should respond if she finds out she’s pregnant.
It’s easy for me, because obviously I’ve never been in that situation, and none of my family have been.
So I want you to hear from someone who has gone through that ordeal. Here and in person, you’re about to hear from someone who can tell you first-hand everything she went through and the emotional struggle involved with keeping a child conceived in rape.
Some of you may have met or heard Megan Barnett in the past. If there is anyone qualified to address the issue of conception by rape, she is. Her bravery in handling the entire situation is exemplary, and I have feeling that over the next few minutes, you will share my admiration for her spirit and courage.
I’ve asked Megan Barnett to share her story with us. And I’m going to ask that you give her your undivided attention. Put down your pens and Bibles or whatever, and listen.
Megan, will you please come up and share your story?
(Testimony from Megan - sorry it’s not printed. If you would like, I can put you in touch with people who can send you video testimony - it’s incredible!)
One of the arguments we keep hearing is that being “forced” to bear the child will bring constant reminders of the horror of the rape.
And while I can’t argue with that, and won’t pretend to understand what someone goes through when raped, I still have to back to the fact that the baby was not a party to that rape.
Here’s the last fact I want to address today:
3. Abortion is not the unforgivable sin.
So much effort is exerted in the prevention of abortion, and rightfully so. We need to do all we can to save innocent babies.
But what about those who have had an abortion? Or what about those who pressured or talked the woman into have the abortion? And what about the abortion providers? Can they be forgiven? Absolutely!
I think that the church overall needs to do a better job in reaching out to bring healing to these people.
A couple weeks ago I got a call from a lady asking if I would speak to pastors and ministry leaders about how the church can reach out to those women who had abortions and their families.
Normally I jump at opportunities to speak because I love sharing Scripture and how to apply it. But I almost said no, and even when I did accept, it was with fear and trepidation.
The reason I was so reluctant was because I had never had a conversation with a post-abortive woman, and had absolutely no clue what I could say that would not only encourage pastors and other church leaders to embrace women like this, but also accurately reflect what these ladies were wanting from us.
But the more I thought and prayed, the more the story of the woman caught in adultery came to my mind.
I’m not going to read it – I think we all know it, but if you want to read it, it’s in the gospel of John, chapter 8. A woman was caught in the act of adultery, and the religious leaders and Pharisees brought her to Jesus to see what He would do.
There are two things about Jesus that need to be pointed out here very quickly:
> Jesus didn’t condone her sin. He didn’t deny it and He didn’t excuse it. He knew it was sin, and He said so when He said, “Go and sin no more.”
> He offered forgiveness and restoration.
The Pharisees were looking for judgment. Jesus offered something else.
So what can we learn? That while abortion is a sin, Jesus offers forgiveness and restoration to those who have committed it.
We don’t have to condone or excuse it. But we need to offer hope and healing to those who have had their hearts scarred by abortion.
And if we call ourselves followers of Jesus, then we should be ready to live the example of Jesus when confronted with someone who has made the choice to have an abortion.
Talk about a tough assignment. We’re so used to getting tough about prevention. We’re not so used to offering love, forgiveness and hope to someone who’s already made the mistake.
So here’s my prayer for you: that if you ever find yourself in a situation where you find out someone you know has had an abortion that you will reflect the love of Jesus, in stark contrast to the “love” of the world that pushed her into it.
Don’t reflect the Pharisees – reflect Jesus.
Conclusion
> Prayer for Megan.
> Prayer for passage of the abortion bill.
> Prayer for those considering abortion.
> Prayer for those who have had abortions.
