God’s Heart for Life

God is an amazing God who designed the process to superintend the process so that the physical body is connected now inseparably from the soul of a human being whom God is creating that miracle is something we ought never take for granted. This is family life to her hosts are David and Wilson. I'm Bob Lapine you can find us online@familylifeto.com today will talk about how each one of us is fearfully and wonderfully made state and welcome to family life to day. Thanks for joining us. I know what has been on my heart this week's been on your hearts as well, as we have just inaugurated a new president as this Sunday's sanctity of human life for Sunday.

There's just been a heaviness of sobriety about the issue of the sanctity of human life in our culture and our country, how we think about these things, so we thought were to take a little time with that subject this week and just reflect on what is the Bible have to say about life and how were to think about life for you to listen to the sermon by pastor Rev. Martin at the rate this is a message that I shared with our church. The last year on sanctity of human life.

Sunday talking about what the Bible says about these things and I mean just the ongoing count the ongoing toll of what's going on with with life in this country is something that sober. All of us was discouraged some time about that because the numbers are not only sobering their staggering and we need to think little Glenn, what is God's perspective. So I commend you Bob for preaching in this there's a lot of pastors out to small touches. It's controversial in some ways and yet, if we claim to be Christ followers. We need to know what's God's heart in this like Edward sent to hell, and that's what I hope our listeners will will here today a look at how does the Scriptures define this issue for us and how are we to think biblically about how God views life and how he wants us to view life so let's listen together. I have to tell you, I've not always been pro-life. I was a junior in high school on January 22, 1973 when the news came out that the Supreme Court handed down its landmark ruling in the Roe versus Wade decision the constitutional right for a woman to be able to pursue an abortion and it's interesting that that same day the news was that former Pres. Lyndon Johnson had died and so the headlines on the papers look. But here's here's the New York Times from that they Lyndon Johnson 36 prison is dead was architect great Society program and then underneath that High Court rules abortion legal in the first three months they were competing news stories on that date.

Although in Los Angeles they put on late afternoon edition and so the day before wood before they have the news that Johnson had died already. The news about abortion, so they put this out abortion ruling. Mother knows best. I was a junior in high school I really didn't think much about the issue when it happened. I heard on the news, the Supreme Court ruled abortion is legal. Here's what I knew. I knew the Roman Catholics were opposed to abortion about it.

I haven't really thought much about it. I think I had a general thought. Like a lot of people thought I'm sure that's a hard thing. I would hope nobody I knew ever had to go through it, but it may be necessary for some folks that's probably the last I thought about it until we got to college, and when Mary and I were in college. We have a mutual friend who called Marianne one day this was a woman who was involved in student ministries at the time and she told Marianne that you become pregnant and that the father was a married man and that she asked Marianne if Marianne would drive her to and drop her off at the abortion clinic and so Marianne did that and we talked about later and we thought this was a sad thing for our friend.

We we both thought getting an abortion was probably the right thing for her because she was unmarried. She was a student she was in college the baby's father was married.

We just didn't think she had a lot of options, so dropping her off at the clinic we knew that she this would've been a hardship for her but we thought it's probably the right thing to do, then not long after we were married, so I think this was in early 1980 got married 1979 in early 1980 there was a church in Tulsa which is where we were living that announced that they would have a film series. The racial five-part film series that featured an author and a Christian philosopher guy named Francis Schaeffer and Francis Schaeffer had written a book together with a doctor of physician MC Everett Koop, Dr. Koop went on to be the Surgeon General of the United States during the Reagan administration.

But Francis Schaeffer and and Dr. Cooper written a book called what ever happened to the human race, and that book had been turned into a film series of five-part film series and so church in our neighborhood said that they were going to show the film series and we decided to go to see episode one door sit in the audience for this film series. It was interesting it was.

It was with not just a talking head video. There was that they they had really put some production value under this, but 26 minutes into the film series as were sitting there watching this. There was a scene that came up that I've never forgotten it was a scene where Dr. Koop was standing on the shore near the Dead Sea in an area that would have been close to where Sodom was, and around him on the shoreline of of that there were baby dolls and I'm officially the 45 seconds that I remember from 1980 that that was stunning for both Marion and Lisa watches legalized abortion in the United States in 1973 and since then at least million unborn babies have been aboard give you some idea of how many that is you are looking at $1000. Multiply that by 6000 and add a million a year and you see the slaughter of the innocent. I saw that I looked at Mary and I sent all my 6 million in 1979 at 60 million today that that's when Mary and I became pro-life in that moment the central issue in at the heart of the whole issue of abortion became really clear DOS crystal clear abortion is not the termination of an unwanted pregnancy. Abortion is a procedure designed to end the life of another human being.

This is a human being.

Were talking about, not a potential human being, not an embryo, not a fetus, not a clump of cells, not tissue. A person.

In fact, those words those euphemisms have been entered into our language as II believe a a satanic attempt to disguise or to obfuscate. What's really going on with an abortion if you call it a fetus or embryo.

It doesn't sound the same as if you say it's a baby or person what is inside of a pregnant woman is a life a human being with a body and a soul with DNA that is different from the DNA of the mother that's that's important. It's different DNA.

It's a new life that is entirely dependent. In that moment on its mother for protection and for care. The infant child in his or her mother's womb is attached to the mother but the child is not.

It is not an organ, not like a kidney or liver or pancreas.

It's a person and this is the defining central issue in the abortion debate. If you don't believe that the surgical procedures. Not a big deal if you do believe that were talking about something very different.

You could talk about a woman's right to choose or about overpopulation or about keeping government out of the bedroom.

Whatever all of those issues. We can talk about those things but the question that governs all of that is is abortion taking a human life. If it's not, it's a simple surgical procedure to remove tissue if it is it something completely different. We would all agree that a woman ought to have a right for a medical procedure she can decide to have Botox or she can decide to have a hysterectomy or have her wisdom teeth removed. I mean, that's any individual's choice but she shouldn't be able to decide that if her son or daughter has become a problem. An inconvenience to her then she has the right to terminate, we would all say that clear. If the son or daughter who is a problem is outside the womb three months old when no one would say will if it's a problem to you. You should terminate the ticket back six months.

The same child is in the womb now is it okay to the question on the table. Here is whether the decision to terminate a child in the womb is somehow different than terminating a child outside the what's the difference. The only difference is time age. It's the same person before as it is later, and Scripture can give us guidance on this this morning that their scripture in a number of places I zeroed in on this one passage from Psalm 139 because it is so clear and eloquent in this and let me just set up a context before we read the passage Psalm 139 David the psalmist is declaring the attributes of God, but he is declaring why those attributes make a difference to him. So in the outline of this in verses one through seven. He says God is omniscient God knows everything and his point is, God knows me completely. He knows all things, and he knows me through and through and then the second part, verses eight through 12 are about the fact that God is omnipresent, he's everywhere. Where can I go from your spirit.

He says I can't go anywhere. You're everywhere in the psalmist point is wherever I am God is with me. He knows me. He's with me and then the third section, which will look at this morning.

Verses 13 through 18. These are are the verses that say God is the creator of all things and and his power is on display through his creation is the omnipotent creator of everything.

And as a result, what you create. You have ownership over so he created everything he owns everything he is powerful and he has ownership over me and then the last section is that God is holy and and the psalmist is making the point that the one who created us is calling us to holiness as he is holy and that then ends with a prayer. Verses 23 and 24 search me know me see if there be any wicked way in me, lead me in paths of righteousness is the prayer so to this God who is all knowing, all powerful, all present everywhere, the creator God who is a holy God, Lord, search me and know me and lead me in your paths. That's what this Psalm says that's the overview born to zero in on verses 13 through 18 the talk about God as the creator and not be good for us to read the whole Psalm and will do that here just a minute, let me pray for our time in God's word and then will read the Psalm together father as we come to your word. Now we come with anticipation. We come wanting to hear clearly from you, Lord. We want our hearts and our ways to be conformed to your heart and your ways. We want to be remade in the image of your son. So we asked that your Holy Spirit would be at work during this time in this place as we look to your word would you do a work in us, change us, make us more like Jesus we pray in your name. Amen. Psalm 139. This is the word of God for the people of God beginning of first one you follow as I read along old Lord you have searched me and known me, you know when I sit down and when I rise up, you discern my thoughts from afar you search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, oh Lord, you know it all together you hem me and behind before you lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, it's too high.

I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your spirit, where shall I flee from your presence. If I ascend to heaven you're there if I make my bed and she old you are there. If I take my wings of the morning and dwell with the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall still lead me in your right hand shall still hold me if I say, surely the darkness shall cover me on the light about me be night. Even the darkness is not dark to you.

The night is as bright as the day for darkness is as light with you for you formed my inward parts, you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works, my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth your eyes saw my unformed substance in your book were written every one of them.

The days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts of God how vast the sum of them if I would count them there more than the sand. I awaken, I'm still with you all that you would slay the wicked.

Oh God, oh man of blood depart from me, they speak against you with malicious intent.

Your enemies, take your name in vain do I not hate those who hate you will Lord do I not loathe those who rise up against you. I hate them with complete hatred. I count them my enemies search me oh God know my heart try me know my thoughts and see if there be any grievous way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.

Amen my God have his blessing to this reading of his word beautiful Psalm business. A magnificent Psalm with a lot to think about a lot we could meditate on Obama point you back to verse 13 where the psalmist is making clear that he understands that human beings are not autonomous. We are not our own. We are not any involved higher life form.

We are not self existent people David says about God. You formed my inward parts, you are at the creator of me now I want you to think back with me for just a minute about the miracle that takes place when life begins is a window back and do a little ninth grade biology okay so here's a picture of a human egg right that's the egg inside of a woman that that an egg. Interestingly enough, is the largest cell inside a human body. It's about the site that egg is about the size of a strand of hair about 100 µm big. Bigger than any other cell in our body. And here are the sperm cells them around the egg. Can we show them some so this is what a sperm cell looks like and when sperm cells are released into a woman's body. There are about ready but 100 million of them that get released I mean this… Just blow your mind.

100 million of social the next one.

So here they all swim around looking for the egg and if one of those sperm cells penetrates the egg, which is what the next picture shows penetrating the egg as soon as that happens. Here's what Webb MD says it takes about 24 hours for a sperm cell to fertilize an egg when the sperm penetrates the egg the surface of the egg changes at that point so that immediately. No other sperm can enter can adapt to me is miracle enough.

One sperm hits the egg shell of the egg cartons up. Nobody else gets in. I got the one at the moment of fertilization. The baby's genetic makeup is complete. It is a boy or a girl. At that moment and it has its own unique DNA. At that moment. It's a new person. So once the sperm penetrates the egg a new life has begun. Note forgive me for repeating your ninth grade biology but about this for a minute. As this process unfolds and begins to explode.

The inward parts of a person are beginning to develop.

So what happens next is that this one fertilized egg. The cell begins to divide and pretty soon you've got this clump of divided cells that attaches itself to the uterine wall. So the next one. So that's what it looks like as it starts to divide and attaches itself to the uterine wall and what's going on inside of their it's making hearts and lungs and brains and teeth and toenails.

The miracle of this happening is happening inside this little cell. How does this happen God is an amazing God who designed the process who superintendents the process who is at work in the middle of normal human biological processes.

All that's taking place in the human body, God is overseeing it, and in addition to that when the sperm and the cell come together got implants in their age soul so that the physical body is connected now inseparably from the soul of a human being whom God is creating that miracle is something we ought never take for granted. David says you formed my inward parts, God, you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made in that entry fearfully was.

I mean why are we fearfully made.

What's fearful about that. But what's fearful about that is the God that has the wisdom and the power and the design to do that in you is a God, you should not take lightly. You should have a reference a holy healthy fear that you don't want to get on the wrong side of the God who is able to take a sperm and an egg and make a human being out of that.

That's a powerful creative amazing God, and you want to approach that God fearfully. It is fearful and wonderful wonderful that we are made. David says wonderful are your works, my soul knows it very well. My frame was hidden from you, it was not hidden from you was hidden from everybody else. I was in secret and you wove me together and my day is every one of them were numbered. Before I even began. That's what the Psalm is saying James Montgomery Boyce, who was for years the pastor at the 10th Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. He says about this verse. He says the problem with trying to determine the point before which the developing child is fully human, is that there isn't one there is an uninterrupted development of the child from the very moment in which the sperm of the father joins the ovum of the mother and the cells begin to divide the father seed cannot multiply by itself.

The mothers egg can't either.

But as soon as the two sets of chromosomes combine not only does development of life. Continue steadily unless interrupted, either accidentally or deliberately, but the life that is developing is a unique life. There is no other combination of chromosomes exactly like the new one the fetus the baby. The child is already a uniquely determined individual Ellison if that's true, if life has begun. At this moment. If this is a new person who is been created in the image of God with value and worth and dignity, then we have a responsibility all of us have a responsibility to protect this child who is conceived to love this child to love our neighbor as ourselves to protect and defend this person that a responsibility with all of us as brothers and sisters to protect and defend one to bring justice in to our world to to care for each other, to love our neighbor as ourselves. Well, we ought to love this neighbor who is inside a mother's womb, but we been listening to the first part of a message on the sacredness the sanctity of human life. As we said this Sunday's sanctity of human life Sunday as we reflect back on the legacy of Roe V Wade, fun, almost 50 years since that Supreme Court decision was handed down and I do have to wonder what future generations are to think when they look back at this era in history. I wonder what we think is its you know when you said that is like I was a sophomore in high school that year and you know in the moment, I knew it was a in my opinion a bad decision. I had no idea that it would lead to 60 million deaths deaths since then and counting. So I hope man I hope the next generation looks at it that way and says we have to do something. I mean you hit it right there at the end so I'm never done the way you explained it, but that baby in the womb is a neighbor and we are called to love our neighbor, and you don't kill your neighbor. It's so interesting because I didn't grow up in a Christian home, I would've had an abortion without a doubt because it would have complicated my life and I have so many friends, great friends that have gone through abortions and struggle is not an easy thing to live through to talk about. I don't judge anybody because because I could have been that person.

I do hope this next generation has a love and protective spirit over these unborn children.

I know a lot of people think as they hear this. What about the situation. What about this argument and it were actually gonna dive into that as we hear part two of this message.

Tomorrow you can go to our website family like today.com and download the entire message. If you'd like, or there's a link to the video if you'd like to watch the message as well. Again, our website is family life to day.com to download the message you've heard today or again, you can view the video online@familylifetoday.com. We also mentioned David Platt wrote a book a few years ago called counterculture a compassionate call for counterculture in a world of poverty and same-sex marriage and racism and immigration, abortion, a number of subjects like this when he addresses not just the abortion issue, but so many cultural flashpoints and are in a world we've got David's book in our family life today resource Center and you can go online@familyliketoday.com for more information on how to get a copy. Again, the website is family life to day.com to order a copy of David Platt's book, or to download the complete message that you heard a portion of today is also called to order David's book. Our number is one 803 586-329-1800 F as in family L as in life, and then the word today. That's the number to call and we hope you can be with us again tomorrow as we explore the common objections made to a pro-life position and see what the Bible has to say about those objections. I hope you can tune in for that I want to thank our engineer today. Keith Lynch along with our entire broadcast production team on behalf of our hosts Dave and Anna Wilson and Bob Lapine see you back next time for another edition of family life, family life to day is the production of family life of Little Rock, Arkansas. A crew ministry help for today hope for tomorrow