Sanctity Of Human Life Sunday

SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE SUNDAY

EXODUS 1:1-22

#sanctityofhumanlife

INTRODUCTION

On January 22, 1984, President Ronald Reagan issued a presidential proclamation designating the third Sunday of January (or close to that) as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. Bush #41 and Bush #43 continued the tradition during their presidencies. Since that time, churches and pro-life organizations across the United States use this day to bring awareness to the attacks that are daily waged against human life through the abortion industry.

I happen to think that such an effort should highlight the sacredness of all human life even though the official day is meant to highlight abortion and those related issues. Our culture is in many ways enamored with death and dismissive of life easily. Every human life is important. Whether born or unborn, young or old, healthy or sick, every person is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27, 9:6).

THE WORD: SACRED

This morning we are going to focus on the idea that human life is “sacred.” What does the word “sacred” even mean?

In the Old Testament, the word that is translated “sacred” means “holy, apartness, and separate.” This word is used of God, places, and things. It is the idea that something that is sacred is not humdrum normal, but has some kind of special status no matter what it is that is designated as sacred. The opposite word for “sacred” is “profane.”

In the New Testament, the word that is translated “sacred” means “to hallow, to separate and dedicate to God, separate from the profane, to purify or renew.” The word is used of items that are set apart for use by God or that are considered holy. Some other words that are opposite of “sacred” is “secular,” “unremarkable,” or “temporal.”

I realize that in explaining the meaning of “sacred” I am mostly using synonyms and antonyms of the word without really explaining what the word means. To fully explain what “sacred” means, let’s look at Exodus 1 where I believe we see “sacred” tied to the value of human life in action. This will help us understand.

TRANSITION

The end of the Book of Genesis in chapter 50 finds Joseph, the great-grandson of Abraham, about to die and his family along with all of Abraham’s descendants residing in Egypt. The last verse of Genesis says:

READ GENESIS 50:26 (ESV)

“So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.”

Insert 430 years and many generations and we have the beginning of the Book of Exodus. Let’s read Exodus 1.

READ EXODUS 1:1-22 (ESV)

“These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 All the descendants of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. 6 Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. 7 But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them. 8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. 10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. 13 So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves 14 and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves. 15 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” 17 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. 18 So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” 20 So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. 21 And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families. 22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”