Bring the Little Children to Me: A Plea for Life, Part 2

Today on Summit like JD Greer some people for life is like a moral club. The use of the culture war as they ignore the sufferings of the needs of other vulnerable groups around them and also you. Your conviction is not sincere and not shown by the disposition you take toward other people more vulnerable around you if you really care about the vulnerable. You will see you advocating life everywhere before the marginalize the forgot of all ages and all races you most of all be brokenhearted about those around the world. No access to the gospel of your Christian biblical teaching here on after JD Greer. As always, I'm your host Molly, but events you know disciples of Jesus, called to speak for those who have no voice, marginalize the oppressed in the week as we continue through our new teaching theories to the book of Luke called In-Stat, will be talking about what it means to be a protector and defender of the beacon vulnerable among picking up where he left off last week after JD titled this message to Luke 18 bring the little children to me for life said the children were his first priority. As a matter of fact children is one of the best pasta, receive my kingdom unless we grasp that wall like children vulnerable and helpless, spiritually speaking. None of us will ever reach out for the kingdom of God to grasp that we are all like like like like vulnerable and helpless children in God's eyes. From that point on.

Once we realize that Rose you have a special place in our hearts for the vulnerable and helpless around us. There are lots of places where we can apply this what I want to focus today on the place that Jesus did. And that is with children and particularly children in their most vulnerable state right now in our country that is in the womb to look at the world with the eyes of the good Samaritan first. Be honest about the state of the victim. In front of us. Listen to this 2018. Abortion was the leading cause of death worldwide, with 42 million victims.

That is roughly 7 Holocaust in a single year last year right at 900,000 babies were selectively aborted in our country which is more than the total amount of American casualties in both world wars and the Vietnam War combined. I agree with my African-American friend, Pastor of the beauty on the relay who says it is staggeringly clear that the largest scale injustice. The most morally outrageous thing happening in our society today is the killing of children in the womb.

This are you committed to social justice. You want to defend the vulnerable.

You want to fight systemic injustice. There are few places where dire urgency meets such moral clarity and clear opportunity is with the cause of the protection of children in the womb.

Now I know a lot of people say, well, Mennonites, a lot more complex than that. The baby is a part of a woman's body and we need to respect your right to privacy and sovereignty over her body, and I agree that the right to privacy over our bodies is precious. But here's the thing that baby is not part of her body. That baby is intimately attached to her body for a period of time. Yes, but it's not part of her body. Listen Thaddeus Williams, from whom to draw on a lot today. This is from the moment of conception that baby has its own DNA its own unique genetic code its own unique heart its own unique circular story system its own unique brain and more. If you're saying it as part of her body. Does that mean she herself has two brains to Art's forearms and forelegs.

No course not. It's a separate person even when intimately attached to her body. Scripture certainly presents the pre-born child is its own person. The psalmist of Psalm 139 glories and the fact that in the womb. God knew me by name as a person and there I was fearfully and wonderfully designed for the purposes that God had for me. I was knit together according to his plan and all my days in all his purpose for me was already written down the boat before my mom even knew she was pregnant and I said yeah but still in my body yeah, but we all know that our rights over our bodies are not absolute. As for the losses are prostitution is illegal in most states, and I don't know of anywhere in the US that you can legally pour drugs in your body just because it's your body, your rights to your body. Stop precisely at that place were they begin to affect somebody else's. That's exactly what's happening to the pre-born was and what about the case of genetic disabilities. We should be bringing babies in the world of genetic disabilities whose lives are good just be reduced hardship and on and unhappiness on people say that's a male as I will first you should know the people with disabilities are vehemently opposed to that argument that there's not a single organization of disabled people in the world that I know of that is in favor of elective abortions of those who have disabilities. Second, you are making a false correlation. Make a false correlation between genetic deformities and unhappiness.

Listen, this no study is that important at this Baltimore study done in Baltimore. No study has found that handicapped persons are more likely than not handicapped persons to want to die or commit suicide. In fact, of the 200 consecutive suicides in Baltimore last year. Nine had been committed by people with congenital deformities.

None means if you're trying to say that we should be able to abort those whom we know in advance are most likely to be unhappy. If not, those with genetic before these that you start with there on the happy end of the scale.

Some of the mice in their say well okay with something a pretty eloquent defense of life and my mind starting my mind made up on Apple what's my responsibility on that's a great question to the point good Samaritan story is not that we nearly think the right things boy the good Samaritan stories that we do the right thing as well. What I want to show you that all of us. All of us have a role in that. So what you keep your finger. Luke 18 and I want you to flit back to Proverbs 31 go back to Proverbs 31 because this is a passage listen to this that Jesus would have been very familiar with and that would have profoundly shaped his own attitude toward justice. You see, every Jewish boy was reared on the Proverbs in this section of Proverbs is one of the most well-known. If you listen you can hear echoes of Proverbs 31 of the good Samaritan story because Jesus is taking what he learned in Proverbs 31 is applying it to a real-life situation. "My African-American pastor for the beady-eyed we lay this is that this passage is crucial in instructing us how to respond to the abortion crisis because it tells us first, what God's requirement is secondly the scope of that requirement and then even how we learn that requirement is a format I want to give you some concluding words. I got a few couple for the followers of Jesus and I've also got a word to those of you who may be sitting here filled with regret, or fear or shame.

Wonder what you what what you should do to just hang on Proverbs 31 the words of king Lemuel pronouncement that his mother taught him speak up verse eight here's a pronouncement speak out for those who have no voice for the justice of all who are dispossessed, speak up, judge righteously and defend the cause of the oppressed and the needy verse. What is our responsibility for Satan, speak up, speak up for those who have no voice. What better description of the pre-born could there be than those who have no voice. Nobody hears their screams as their slaying in the world.

We know they feel pain, microscopic cameras, we can see them flinches there injected with poison. We see their heartbeat, Spike, is there killed. We don't hear their voices. Some of them are old enough that if they were just 6 inches further out of the womb.

We could hear their screams because there left in the womb when their life is taken. We don't hear so that means that we are obligated to speak for them because they don't have a voice speak up is repeated twice, once in verse eight. Once in verse nine speak out. The king says, speak, say something like the store with the good Samaritan not speaking up in the face of injustice makes you guilty of complicity in that injustice would let Martin Luther King Junior said in regards to racial injustice, is in our lives begin to end the day that we become silent about the things that matter.

Silence is support silence is complicity. So speak up. I will me to stop or hearsay. Some some you don't miss a lot about to say more. I want to ask you to seriously consider whether or not God might be leading some of you to take on the mantle of government leadership for causes like these, we need godly people in both political parties advocating for this is like a said this should not be a partisan issue, much like care for the refugee respect for the immigrant should not be partisan issues.

I don't care what your political party is all Christians should be united in seeing the removal of this scourge from our land. Second, Proverbs 31 shows us the scope of that responsibility.

Verse eight speak up for the justice of that word. All who are dispossessed all go on record and tell you if your love for the vulnerable is sincere. This is not going to be the only life issue that you care about say that because for some people, pro life is like a moral club they use in the culture war, even as they ignore the sufferings and the needs of other vulnerable groups around them and I say to you, your conviction is not sincere and not shown by the disposition you take toward other people who are vulnerable around you if you really care about the vulnerable. You will see you advocating life everywhere. The poor, the marginalize the forgot of all ages and all races you most of all be brokenhearted about those around the world. No access to the gospel. If you're Christian. We are the greatest tragedy in our world's people die without the gospel and the greatest injustice in the world is the failure of the church to get the gospel to a real commitment to life is demonstrated by advocacy for the vulnerable from the womb to the tune that I could just flip out for second. Don't tell me your pro-life if you're apathetic about life in the womb. She just so you know Christians of always been involved in ministry for the womb to the tomb and sometimes I hear people say, well, you know you Christians would care about is the pre-born for this is not true since I GF you example. Since 1973 for everyone abortion clinic in America.

Christians have built free pregnancy centers for everyone. We built three pregnancy centers to assist women in crisis in there you'll find them buying groceries and helping set budgets and often financial assistance and counseling to help young mothers get housing or whatever else they need going to foster services and adoption agencies today and there you will find the group represented. Most are pro-life Christians and their friends. Christians have built more hospitals around the world than any other single group that for a long time in sub-Saharan Africa. There was not a single hospital in the entire continent that had not been billed by Christian mission.

So do not believe the tire drove the followers of Jesus only care about the pre-born is just not true. A lot of people use that to excuse the fact that they are virtually silent about the tragedy of abortion is hard to say that you are pro-life from the womb to the tomb if you're apathetic when the womb is a two third how do we learn that responsibility. All of this, verse one the words of king Lemuel pronouncement that his mama taught it commitment to preserve life and a commitment to protect the vulnerable is learned not from Fox News, not from the magazine you read is learned in the whole thing. Lemuel will develop his passion from his mama.

Try learned moms. Your children should hear you talk about your responsibility in our responsibility speak up for the vulnerable and are not to learn that from hearing you yell the news pundit on the TV screen they'll learn that from how you coach that older sibling to care for their weaker and more vulnerable younger sibling and when a bigger sister sees that her younger sisters will that one toy that one toy that she decides that she wants and that she can get because she's bigger so she could just take it from her. That's the place where you teach her about the sin in her heart and how Jesus wants her to be a young lady who looks out for the younger and the weaker or dads when your son comes home talking about how the unpopular kid was being picked on and you teach him that it's his responsibility to Santa for the week even if it cost them even to get the blood he knows in the process you teach him that he can't just walk on by a culture of life is not fomented in the news media. A culture of life is grown in the whole.

Finally, when in this by given word to those of you who sat there through this whole service with a pit in her stomach filled with regrets.

Gilts shame or fear is not told you beginning the center of Christianity is not a political condemnation of abortion, the center of Christianity at heart is Jesus Christ dying and rising from the dead to save abortion committing sinners like you and me one the most remarkable passages in the Bible in first Corinthians 6. The apostle Paul describes the makeup of the membership of the early church, shortlisting out kinds of people. Several categories, thieves, extortionist abusers, the rebellious, the apathetic, greedy drunkards, drug addict, slanderers, murders certainly add abortion people provide abortions.

Remove got abortion's people have been complicit in a more you could out Alderson Atlas and Palm against that little description with the most glorious five or six words of Scripture policy Mullen says in such some of you.

Such were some of you in the makeup of that first church there were a bunch of people whose identity had been that list. Such were some of you but you now he says you are your new washed, you were sanctified, you were justified by the blood of Jesus and by the spirit of our God. Listen to me, young lady. Abortion does not define thank God that in Christ. None of our sins to find us anymore. There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins. Sinners plunged beneath the flood lose all their guilty staying. You are a beloved daughter or a son of God who sin. Jesus went to a cross to pay for the is put your sand into the depths of the deepest depths of the deepest part of the sea and put up a sign there like Corrie 10 boom used to say put up a sign there in the deepest part of the deepest sea. This is no fishing allowed. What sin he says your sins were scarlet.

I made them as white as snow. Behold I make all things new. This is the new reality. He wants you to live in. You cannot change the past. As you can become a protector and preserver of life right now because of the cross. Your sand is not the last word about you Jersey same end of that because of the cross. Your sin is not the last word about you because of the resurrection. Your mistakes are not the last word on you either.

If any man, or anyone is in Christ there new creation. All things are passed away during the grave. Jesus bury them. All things are become new. Listen baby are 16 years old use found out you're pregnant. I know you're terrified. I know you are terrifying negative dad is are long gone. You're scared one of our campuses this weekend. What you look around the grimmest church spread. I look around rear there's 500 men at this church that are ready to be a part of this boy's life were ready to help you raise, there's 500 ladies here to step up and help you mother. We have rooms or houses. You can stay in these ladies. Your mother use you mother that maybe there is a shower you with so many gifts it's gonna be awkward assuming we got you because you financially.

We get you emotionally.

We catch practically we got you girl all right relax when a kid turns 18 not to walk across that stage graduate to be a bunch of us from this church that are there that graduation Judy for him and called his name and principal did not to call us down tells we got chosen is right for others were not in the care is really part of his life with you.

As you can handle any of this will find a family ministers to adopt a baby when I delete when I do believe that man may have run away, but we're not because we serve a God who didn't run away from us. She don't be afraid.

Listen to me. Don't be afraid. Have the baby have a baby by God's grace.

You can do this you can. His grace is enough for you. His grace is enough differing your dad involved in all this.

Tell her you will support her. Be a man. Don't shirk the responsibility to protect the vulnerable in your life.

64% of women who get abortions say they did so because they felt pressured Dolby and not 64% have the courage to do it God's way. Maybe that feels overwhelming to you and we're here to help you to know a few years ago I preached on this and I said similar things. What I'm saying today and on the number next to me in our congregation that day set college-age girl at our Chapel Hill campus just learned she was pregnant. She was scheduled that afternoon to go in and have an abortion and find this out then I found out later that she said to my words that morning in the spirit of grace in our church commenced her to cancel that appointment to choose life for her baby for that baby up for adoption.

First, I heard this story was a year later when into my office while the family would adopted this baby to show me how God had used this church in his word to save their new daughter's life� The picture when that happened was I will get a lot of hate mail when I thought about this whenever I talk about. I get a lot of email and I'm sure that will be through this weekend say right now that one picture makes all those hate letters evaporate into the wind for me to speak up something speak up, speak out for those who have no voice defend the cause of the needy and all the oppressed. These are not games.

We are playing people's lives depend on our voice and our action. The only thing that is necessary for the progress of evil in the world is for good people to do nothing for people who understand righteousness and most of all the people understand the gospel to just be silent and walk on by the other side. Let the little children come to us. That's the kingdom of God choose Christ. Choose the way of Christ. Choose life by your heads.

If you would talk first. You mother scared they can you ask for strength. The Holy Spirit is ready right now he's ready. These rates fill you with strength if you're ready to do it his way. Maybe you had an abortion in the passenger like in my life ever can ever be right again.

It can, you can't change the past but Jesus can make it all new we can set you on this new purpose he has for you. Confess that sin bring it to the throne of Jesus and let it be washed in his blood and embraced the new life God has for you summer church. Are we ready to recommit ourselves to loving the vulnerable, whether they live across the street or in the womb of the mother of the local high school will be ready to commit ourselves to say. But Jesus, no, let him come to me and come to me this of the kingdom of God choose not have moral clarity when it comes to protecting unborn children, we need a commitment to social justice commitment to defend the most vulnerable. Today Pastor Judy Greer finished his plea for life here on Senate life. If you miss the beginning of this message you can catch up free of charge@jdgreer.com one of our goals is to equip everyone who listens to Summit life to be disciple making disciples in developing healthy spiritual disciplines part of your looking for ways to focus on spiritual disciplines this year like I am, and I encourage you to get our news that 50 memory verse cards. The purpose of these cards is to help you grow deeper in your knowledge of the word of God to steer this set of cards is similar in size to adapt playing cards.

If we don't focus on learning the Bible then we dealing how can we be prepared for the trials of life.

When Satan attacked Jesus our Lord, quoted you come up with when you Jesus didn't try to outwit Satan even though he probably could have. Instead, he did exactly what you and I can use the words of God when life cut God's word and I want that for us. You memorizing Scripture gives us a great opportunity to share with other believers and encourage the scene knew their mind more to the person encourages us to share with unbelievers.

We are verse in verse 315 always be ready to give a defense for our help in Christ, we should memorize Scripture so we can walk unbelievers through the salvation message and help them understand the need for God's words instead of our own will give us companies and shared cards or share them with others in their hiring reminder to your loved ones always this set of cards is perfect to use for memorization or to have around for daily encouragement and will send it to you as an expression of thanks when you donate today to support his ministry.

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