Sanctity of Life 2016.

Steve Gentry

[0:02] Pray with me this morning. [0:05] Father we come before you and we are thankful for the life that you have given us. [0:15] First from birth then the new life in Jesus Christ through the resurrection.

[0:21] I pray this morning that you would open our hearts and open our minds to receive your [0:25] word to receive your truth. [0:27] Lord if our minds need to be changed I pray change them.

[0:35] Lord if our lives need to be emboldened to defend your truth I pray that our lives will [0:40] be emboldened. [0:41] Where repentance is needed I pray that you would draw it out. [0:46] Be merciful to me a sinner. [0:48] May your gospel be proclaimed. [0:50] In the name of Jesus I pray.

[0:52] Amen. [0:53] If you have your Bibles go ahead and open them up to Jeremiah chapter 1. [0:58] We’re going to be in many different texts this morning but we’re going to begin in [1:01] Jeremiah chapter 1. [1:02] We’re also going to be in Psalm 139 and a few other places as well but those are the [1:08] texts that we’re going to jump off of this morning.

[1:12] That video is staggering. [1:14] I know that many of you have seen it before.

[1:20] Abortion is something that we’re going to deal with today so it may be more of a mature [1:25] subject.

[1:30] We’re going to two services next week because we’ve grown so church health experts say [1:34] and church growth experts say that when you go into two services deal with controversial [1:38] topics so we’re going to deal with abortion today and we’re going to start the most controversial [1:42] chapter of scripture next Sunday which is Romans 9 and so we’re going to try to make [1:46] some space for you.

[1:51] Abortion which is a war against the unborn has claimed more lives than any other war [1:59] in American history even if we combine them all. [2:04] Now the issue that we want to deal with today is really whether or not we should view it [2:11] as a terminology. [2:13] I know sometimes that terminology that it is a war or aggressive terminology such as [2:19] murder and killing.

[2:21] Sometimes that should we talk about it in that way? [2:24] Should we think about it in those terms? [2:26] I don’t want to deal with that specifically today but this is an issue of what role we [2:34] of Jesus play in this culture and in this society when things such as this and my hope [2:42] today is that I can present a persuasive case to you that abortion is contradictory to [2:52] a biblical worldview that it is contradictory to human flourishing and I want to be clear

[3:00] with you. [3:01] I just want to kind of cut one thing off first off is that understand that 90% more than [3:10] actually the numbers greater than 90% of abortion are matters of convenience. [3:15] Just convenience. [3:17] I don’t want this child.

[3:20] So before we get into a debate on the health of the mother, the health of the child, any [3:27] of that, understand that what I want to do is my hope would be if we could just end [3:35] over 90% of them I would be pleased today.

[3:41] So I want to convince you that those at least 90% that’s where I want to start. [3:46] I think it should be we should fight the other ones as well. [3:48] Don’t get me wrong.

[3:53] But we as a society have to deal with this and of course this is an issue that is a [3:58] hot button issue in all of society and in all of the world and today I want to deal [4:03] with what does it mean from a biblical worldview to deal with this. [4:07] Now one issue that we’re going to come into play that’s going to come into play is some [4:10] of you have your minds made up and so if you’re just you know for the next few moments you’re [4:16] just going to conjecture reasons why you think that I’m wrong then we won’t really

[4:20] get anywhere.

[4:23] I don’t want to confront you this morning. [4:25] My hope is that we can have a persuasive conversation.

[4:29] Most of it coming well all of it coming from me.

[4:33] But you know whatever.

[4:37] But the reality is that I do not believe and I think the word of God is of course on my [4:42] side but I think science has ultimately proven that life begins at conception as well so [4:48] we’re going to cover that. [4:49] But what I want to do in my first point is talk to you about what God says I want to [4:55] talk to you about what science says and then in my second my second and third point I [4:59] want to talk to you about why in the culture neither of those matter.

[5:04] And so number one this morning I want you to understand that the answer to when life [5:09] begins is increasingly clear. [5:12] The answer to when life begins is increasingly clear and first I want to look at where scripture [5:16] says that life begins and so in Jeremiah chapter one I want to start reading in verses I want [5:21] to start reading in verse four and then we’re going to cover verse five it says. [5:24] Now the word of the Lord came to me saying.

[5:28] And he says coming to the prophet Jeremiah and he says before I formed you in the womb [5:33] I knew you and before you were born I consecrated you. [5:36] I appointed you a prophet to the nations and understand that he’s specifically speaking [5:39] to the person Jeremiah. [5:41] But this is not something that is just him. [5:45] So he doesn’t know any other babies but he knows Jeremiah in the womb because the reality

[5:49] of what God is saying there about his sovereignty is echoed throughout the scripture it is [5:53] echoed in the book of Ephesians it’s echoed in the book of Romans it’s echoed in the [5:57] Old Testament various passages it’s echoed in the book of Revelation a few times that [6:01] before anyone is even in the womb. [6:04] So for me from a biblical worldview I’m going to tell you that your life began before conception [6:10] your life began in the mind of God and the plans of God.

[6:16] So he’s saying that to the prophet Jeremiah and then in Psalm 139 the psalmist says for [6:21] you formed my inward parts you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. [6:26] I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made wonderful are your works my soul knows [6:31] it well. [6:31] My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret intricately woven in [6:38] depths of the earth.

[6:39] Your eyes saw my unformed substance in your book were written every one of my days that [6:47] were formed for me when as yet there was none of them. [6:53] And so we see from the words of scripture that if we believe that this is the message [6:57] of God that there is something dignifying about human life in relationship with the [7:05] sovereignty of God with who he is and how he has mapped out our days how he has mapped [7:10] out our lives how he has even mapped out what takes place in the mother’s womb between

[7:16] a child and a mother that God is intricately involved in every one of those steps forming [7:22] making giving you purpose determining the days of your life determining what you would [7:29] walk forward in. [7:31] He does this from eternity past. [7:33] So I’m in my mid 30s right now. [7:35] So every day that I have walked is a day that God had in his mind before I was formed in

[7:41] the womb while I was formed in the womb and every day that I walk after this is not just [7:45] happenstance but God knew them and he determined them before I was even in the womb. [7:51] And so God is the author of life. [7:53] God is moving in life. [7:55] God is working in life. [7:56] He is the one that’s doing this work.

[8:03] But science though is increasingly also making the case for life at conception. [8:09] So this is not just a mystical reality. [8:11] It is a physical reality. [8:14] The decision in the Supreme Court of Roe v. Wade which was the decision that that that [8:19] abortion should be legalized and just to put it simply 3D sonograms did not exist at that [8:28] point to where at 20 weeks I was able to see my babies which I have three of them now

[8:37] smiling.

[8:40] Current embryology textbooks uniformly state that new human life comes to existence. [8:49] Upon the completion of fertilization. [8:52] This is scientific fact. [8:53] This is not theological belief.

[8:57] Science has shown us that from 8 to 12 weeks in the womb babies suck their thumb. [9:03] They respond to sound. [9:06] There is evidence that they are dreaming. [9:08] They recoil from pain when needles for surgery go in when prenatal surgery is necessary. [9:15] All of their major organs are functioning between 8 and 12 weeks. [9:18] The liver and kidneys are working.

[9:21] They have a fingerprint between 8 and 12 weeks.

[9:27] Before week 12 the baby can actually squint, open her mouth, flex her fingers, spread [9:36] her toes.

[9:40] At 24 weeks there is a 50% chance of survival and the number increases by 3% and the number [9:48] is 3-6% every day after that.

[9:55] Of the over a million abortions that took place last year.

[10:02] The majority of them were after 20 weeks.

[10:08] Science has come amazing ways and often times when I see the doctor I am so grateful and [10:14] grateful for I live in 2016 because of how many leaps and bounds have happened in medicine. [10:22] But in the womb we have learned so much.

[10:31] In 38 states we have fetal homicide laws and this is a law that says that if someone murders [10:38] a mother who is carrying a child that they are guilty of two murders. [10:43] So understand that the issue of life does win in the voting booth because these are [10:48] laws that have come from votes. [10:50] But it often loses in the courthouse. [10:53] Now before we too quickly say don’t interject politics into this, understand that I understand

[10:59] that this is greater than a political issue but understand that it is not less than that [11:03] in our nation.

[11:05] We are invited into the work of democracy and so I believe that the Christian does [11:12] serve a vital element in our country that we are citizens of and I believe that Romans [11:17] 13 actually calls us under obedience that when we are invited into the process we should [11:22] get into the process.

[11:26] Therefore do not divorce yourself in some sort of stoic or Gnostic thought that you [11:32] should not be involved in the political process specifically when the life of a child is [11:37] involved.

[11:39] I have been in the delivery room a few times now and lived to tell about it. [11:50] I have seen things man.

[11:54] The fathers know what I am talking about. [11:56] They lied to me. [11:59] Said it is such a joyous picture of God’s grace. [12:02] No it is something. [12:06] A miracle took place, the miracle that I did not pass out. [12:10] My wife also struggled through labor.

[12:15] I still maintain it was no easier on me.

[12:19] That couch was very uncomfortable.

[12:25] An interesting thing does happen to you when you first take a look into the eyes of your [12:32] child and I do not mean to minimize this for those of you who do not have children but [12:37] something did happen to me and so I want to tell you about my personal experience that [12:40] when on the day that my oldest was born the most horrific of them all because I did not [12:47] know how to avert my gaze. [12:48] I did on the next two.

[12:51] I knew how to look over here. [12:53] Yep, everything is going good honey. [12:55] I am in here with you. [12:57] On that one I was just a boy.

[13:01] Ignorant boy.

[13:04] But when my son was born I looked into his eyes. [13:07] I heard his first cry. [13:09] I will be honest with you. [13:10] I do not understand how you could go through that experience as a father and a mother and [13:16] go through this joyous moment which it was after all the kidding is aside and from that [13:23] moment forward not fight for the rest of your life for the life of those babies.

[13:30] Unfortunately we have lost 54 million. [13:34] One is of course too many but 54 million is staggering. [13:38] It is a staggering number to me.

[13:42] Too many times people attempt as I have said to qualify this debate about health issues [13:51] which we should talk about those.

[13:56] But let me remind you that I said 90% of them are just issues of convenience. [14:00] When I say issues of convenience it catches you at an unfortunate time when you believe [14:04] maybe you will have to drop out of college. [14:06] Maybe you may have to drop out of high school possibly even though there are great laws [14:12] that have been passed to change even that to where you can finish your school education [14:16] as a mother.

[14:19] But it is just issues of I think that this could be and I don’t mean to minimize anyone’s [14:23] plight that this is too much of a hassle for me to endure.

[14:28] And under a biblical worldview we cannot make such arguments. [14:34] When the case is about the life of someone that God has determined should be one of [14:41] his children primarily and the next there are my children. [14:44] My children are not mine primarily they belong to God. [14:48] And he has given them to me as a gift to steward throughout their lives. [14:53] He’s called me to lead his children into a life in which they will follow him into a

[14:59] life in which they will obey him. [15:00] But here’s the key for that to happen they must be born.

[15:06] And God is very interested in the birth. [15:09] So we see it from God we see it from science but understand that in light of this the secular [15:13] argument has become less about the science and more about human freedom and making choices. [15:19] So in order to strip dignity from the child I believe that we don’t refer to them as children [15:23] in the womb we refer to them as fetuses. [15:26] It’s a conditioning exercise to remove dignity and sanctity from human life.

[15:31] This reveals that science is not and has never been the primary motivation in the murder [15:38] of abortion. [15:39] Instead it is a fight for autonomy and authority over one’s life even at the cost of another.

[15:49] Therefore we must understand the grounds on which we are standing that these are not as [15:54] simple as the times to which we can simply look and say abortion is the taking of a life [15:59] and I can scientifically prove it instead we must go further and we’re talking past [16:03] one another until we realize the standpoint that this is an issue in which we must talk [16:07] about the authority of a God who is there and a God who is involved in his creation. [16:13] That is the real conversation that we are having.

[16:17] So understand number two we have to make a base argument that God is the author and authority [16:22] of life. [16:24] And so long as you and I don’t see eye to eye or you and someone else do not see eye [16:28] to eye on that fact you will continue to talk past one another. [16:32] Understand that a few years ago a woman by the name of Mary Elizabeth Williams wrote [16:36] an article for Salon.com and the title of that article was So What If Abortion Ends

[16:41] Life.

[16:45] Here’s the quote she said all life is not equal. [16:49] That’s a difficult thing for liberals like me to talk about lest we wind up looking [16:54] like death panel loving kill your grandma and your precious baby stormtroopers. [16:59] Yet a fetus can be a human life without having the same rights as the woman in whose body [17:05] it resides. [17:06] She’s the boss.

[17:09] So that’s shocking. [17:11] It’ll be frank it’s a disgusting thing to say. [17:14] But this is the basis from which we are communicating. [17:19] And remember I don’t so much want to confront I want to learn to persuade.

[17:25] And so what she’s saying there is a very important matter for you to understand that our fight [17:31] for things such as free will for human autonomy for the right to make whatever choice I want [17:35] to make about anything in the world. [17:37] It is actually a fight against an authoritative God. [17:41] And so the fight for life is more about a fight for the existence of a God who is there [17:48] and a God who is an authority and a God who is involved in his creation is becoming more

[17:54] and more important for you to be able to persuade others about your worldview in this life if [18:00] it is a biblical worldview. [18:03] We must understand they’re saying what difference does it make. [18:06] I am in charge of my own life and have authority over my life. [18:11] No one has authority like that. [18:14] Friend, we do not have authority over our bodies.

[18:18] You do not have authority over your body to do with it what you would please.

[18:26] Understand that this is an all issues. [18:30] God alone has authority over your body. [18:33] Note what is said in Psalm 33. [18:36] The psalmist writes by the word of the Lord the heavens were made and by the breath of [18:41] his mouth all their hosts. [18:42] He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap.

[18:45] He puts the debt. [18:46] Excuse me. [18:47] He puts the deeps in storehouses. [18:49] Let all the earth fear the Lord. [18:50] Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him for he spoke and it came to [18:55] be.

[18:55] He commanded and it stood firm. [18:58] When you begin to exalt yourself up above God, you have to understand that we must [19:03] bring the world to a place where it understands that God has authority.

[19:09] And I do not believe that there need to be great arguments for there being a God past [19:15] the fact that if you look into the world around you, it reveals a designer God. [19:20] If you look to the scriptures and you look to the story, it reveals a God. [19:23] If Jesus rose from the dead, then there is a God. [19:28] And Jesus’ resurrection is a historical fact with more history backing it up than more [19:34] of what we just assume and accept about the revolutionary war which took place far later

[19:40] than the resurrection of Jesus Christ. [19:44] History demands an explanation for the resurrection of Jesus Christ because it is a fact with [19:49] enough evidence, with enough witnesses, with enough writings to show that he rose from [19:54] the dead. [19:54] And here’s the reality. [19:55] If Jesus rose from the dead, then there is a creator God.

[20:00] And if Jesus rose from the dead, then that creator God is intricately involved in his [20:05] creation and the lives of his creation because if the resurrection is true, then the resurrection [20:09] demands an explanation for why a God with the power to speak worlds into existence, [20:16] which he did, would dare do such a thing. [20:18] What’s the point? [20:21] The point being the salvation of his people.

[20:24] So if he is God, then friend, you have no authority over any part of your life.

[20:34] To proclaim authority over any part of your life is to proclaim that Jesus is not God. [20:43] Do you understand that? [20:45] More so goes past that. [20:48] She said, well, that’s fine. [20:49] I believe in Jesus.

[20:52] It is then to take a leap into credulity and say there’s no God. [21:01] Because if there is any God, anywhere, anyhow, then you do not have ultimate authority. [21:09] You don’t have any. [21:10] He has it all. [21:12] And if a God does exist, then the plight of your life, the purpose for which you exist [21:18] can only be one thing, to figure out who he is, to figure out where he is, to figure

[21:25] out what he is doing. [21:27] Because if there is a God, then the demands on your life are far greater than just living [21:35] the best life you can. [21:37] The demands on your life are living the best life that he defines. [21:41] That’s the demand on your life.

[21:45] You say, well, how do you know he exists?

[21:51] Number one, look outside.

[21:58] The faith that it takes to believe that all of this just happened, that the human cell [22:04] which holds together just simply does it by itself with no cause, with no uncaused cause.

[22:17] It takes more faith than even to be a Christian because these are things that you cannot [22:21] prove. [22:23] Yet there is enough historical evidence to point to Jesus Christ that number one, if [22:28] you’re in here and you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, will you find it to be logical? [22:31] Do you not?

[22:34] So in your life, in this world, you may feel foolish because you believe in Jesus. [22:39] Friends, you are not the fool. [22:41] I will not define who is, but it’s not you.

[22:47] The evidence of the Creator is all around us. [22:50] Science increasingly showing the intelligent design of this world. [22:53] Science increasingly showing that the way in which this universe in this parallel even [22:58] works, you could read the writings of William Lane Craig, Eric Metaxas to just see all [23:02] of the beautiful design of a Creator and the arguments for which there is a God. [23:06] You will see it, but I no more want to make those arguments any more than I want.

[23:10] Excuse me, I no more want to make those arguments this morning, nor do I feel that I need to [23:14] more than I do to prove to you that I’m standing on the ground this morning. [23:18] And you say, you’re not standing on the ground. [23:20] Yes, but the stage that I’m on is on the ground. [23:21] You say, well, the stage you’re on is not on the ground. [23:23] I would say the concrete that the stage is on is on the ground.

[23:25] You say, no, there’s footers underneath there. [23:27] And I would say, well, those footers are on the ground. [23:29] And that’s the way that I want to talk to you about God.

[23:33] Is that he is there.

[23:38] He is. [23:40] More so, he has not left me without a revelation. [23:44] He’s given me the revelation of who he is. [23:46] He’s given me the revelation of where he is and he’s given me the revelation of what [23:49] his name is. [23:51] He is Yahweh, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, who became the person of Jesus

[23:55] Christ.

[23:58] Friends understand that the way in which we must begin to understand about authority [24:04] is to begin with God.

[24:08] In Genesis 1 27, it says that God created man in his image.

[24:14] That we have a special dignity defined by God. [24:19] In Romans 14 verses seven and eight, he says, for none of us lives to himself and none [24:25] of us dies to himself. [24:27] I don’t have time to talk about euthanasia or physician assisted suicide.

[24:33] Sinful. [24:35] For if we live, we live to the Lord. [24:36] If we die, we die to the Lord. [24:39] So then whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. [24:44] You say if there’s a God who authored life, then that God has authority over his [24:49] creation. And if Jesus is God, then God is not disconnected, but instead is imminent

[24:54] in his interactions and personally involved in the lives of his creation. [24:58] Why then don’t people simply submit to this? [25:01] That’s the great question.

[25:04] You must ask yourself, why then don’t people submit to this? [25:07] God tells us in Romans chapter one, he says in verse 24, God gave them up to the lust [25:13] of their hearts, to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves [25:20] because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the [25:25] creature rather than the creator who’s blessed forever. [25:28] Amen.

[25:29] This is where the lie of human autonomy and self-rule has come from. [25:34] And friends, our only hope is to aid people in understanding the root of the problem. [25:41] It is very difficult to explain to people why they need the cross when they don’t know [25:45] why they need the cross at all. [25:47] What direct object are they being redeemed from? [25:50] Well, their personal sin.

[25:53] Therefore, it is impossible for me to enter into a conversation with someone who would [25:56] defend the right of humans to murder, which it’s not even considered murder in our [26:01] culture, but to kill a child without me saying it’s killing a child. [26:06] And that’s why it’s sin. [26:07] That’s what you need to be redeemed from. [26:09] And you say, well, that’s going to divide.

[26:11] Yes, it will.

[26:14] Friends, unless the other person comes to faith in Jesus Christ, there is no way in [26:19] which to reconcile reconciliation on all issues. [26:23] Understand any issue under the sun. [26:26] The only way to reconcile is first for both parties to be reconciled to God, then to [26:32] one another. [26:33] This is God who is chiefly offended by sin.

[26:37] It is a rebellion against the rule of God for man to assume the control of authority [26:41] over his own lives and the lives of others, specifically the unborn, the decision to [26:47] end life. [26:48] These are immoral and evil acts.

[26:52] And there’s nothing more than attempting to apologize for what Jesus has said to act [26:57] as if they’re anything else.

[27:00] This is where these conversations must go. [27:04] When dealing with these issues, we are dealing with the incongruence of opposing world [27:09] views. [27:10] There is and will continue to be division without the bridge being built to take the [27:16] message of the author and authoritative God to those who ignorantly assume their autonomy [27:21] over their own lives.

[27:23] And that bridge is the result of the gospel of Jesus Christ. [27:27] It ends division when both parties trust it.

[27:32] Greatest hope in all debates of life is the gospel. [27:34] And without it, there is no hope. [27:37] I want you to understand that this morning that when we deal with issues, no matter how [27:41] political we may think they are or they are not, understand that we are primarily dealing [27:46] with the issue of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

[27:50] There’s no less than that. [27:53] It is what are you rooted in? [27:55] What are you building your life upon? [27:57] If it is the gospel, then this is a gospel issue. [28:00] And you are not just fooling yourself if you believe otherwise. [28:05] Friend, you are lying to yourself if you believe that you have no stake in this game.

[28:15] The issue of life is the issue of gospel centrality, because if the gospel is true, [28:22] then abortion is murder because Jesus is God.

[28:28] Understand, number three, this morning, that the gospel is what restores us to God’s [28:31] authority. [28:33] The gospel is what restores us to God’s authority. [28:35] So you may ask, how in the world can you in any way have an ironic, winsome, peaceful [28:44] conversation with someone who has a standpoint that’s completely opposed to that without [28:51] coming to blows or without vilifying one another?

[28:57] And my response to that is the gospel. [29:01] When I say everything that I just said to someone who disagrees with me, absolutely, [29:05] I have before.

[29:09] I’ll tell you what I wouldn’t do. [29:11] I wouldn’t attack their character. [29:13] I wouldn’t attack them. [29:16] I would attack everything they’ve said in a heartbeat, because again, when you say, [29:24] well, that will push them away from the gospel.

[29:28] If they don’t realize what sin is, how can they come to the gospel anyway?

[29:35] Again, there must be an object from which you are being redeemed in order for you to [29:41] know that you need redemption. [29:44] And for too long, we have attempted to pacify that and attempt to bring people to a cross [29:51] without understanding what sin actually is, and then try and figure out why isn’t there [29:56] any repentance? [29:56] Is there a repentance in their lives?

[29:57] Because we didn’t start there.

[30:01] It’s a foundational issue. [30:02] Even in this discussion, the fight for life is about God’s will. [30:09] It’s an issue of gospel reconciliation. [30:12] And that term goes across many different bounds in our lives. [30:16] There are many different boundaries and many different issues that the term reconciliation [30:21] should be used for, must be used for, but it must be used correctly by those who believe

[30:26] the gospel, that if you are one who believes the gospel, then the term reconciliation [30:30] cannot be defined apart from the gospel, because there is no real reconciliation apart [30:36] from the gospel. [30:36] What reconciliation is when you have two different parties who someone has done an [30:43] offense against the other or vice versa, or both, and they are opposed to one another. [30:49] They are offended by one another because of something.

[30:53] To reconcile means for them to be brought back together into a good relationship [30:59] through forgiveness, through something being paid in suffrage, through some way that [31:05] relationship is restored and made whole again. [31:09] And there’s no real reconciliation apart from the gospel. [31:12] Why not?

[31:14] For the very fact that God is the primary offended one because of all sin. [31:21] He’s created us, if He does exist, to live for a specific thing and a specific way [31:26] for specific purposes. [31:27] In Romans 1, 24, you can go back and read that again. [31:30] It says that we have rebelled against that. [31:32] We have worshipped and served the creature rather than the creator.

[31:36] So if we’re talking about the issue of life and we have said that I have authority [31:39] over things that God claims authority and because it’s going to be inconvenient for [31:42] me, I’m going to exercise my human autonomy to do this thing. [31:46] Well, that is rebellion against the authority of God. [31:50] And in that, God and us, we are on the outs. [31:54] Our relationship is not right.

[31:55] It is not whole. [31:57] God has offense against us. [32:00] And in that offense, God has instead of justly understand, it would have been just [32:07] for Him to have responded and said, I’m going to condemn every single one of you [32:12] to eternity under my punishment. [32:15] That’s what hell is.

[32:16] God would have been just to do that every one of us. [32:19] But instead, in love, God said a price must be paid for us to be reconciled to [32:26] one another. What God did was God said, I will send my son. [32:33] And he will live a life in which he never offends God the Father. [32:37] He obeys God the Father. [32:39] He serves God the Father faithfully.

[32:42] And then in the end of his life, he goes to the cross and he dies. [32:47] Why did he die? Not for his offense. [32:50] He died for the offenses of all of us. [32:53] He paid the penalty. [32:55] The wrath of God, the Father was poured directly on to God the Son. [33:00] The offense that I deserve, the offense that you deserve.

[33:04] The offense the whole world deserves poured on him. [33:07] And when he died, he died for my sin, [33:11] for your sin, for the sin of everyone who’s ever considered an abortion, [33:14] for the sin of everyone who’s ever had an abortion, for the sin of the abortion [33:18] doctor, for the sin of politicians who would put forward that abortion needs to [33:24] be legal, for the sin of everything that has ever been contrary to the will of God.

[33:31] Jesus died for that. [33:33] And then he rose again, winning victory over sin and death so that you and I could [33:39] have a new life in which we are in a right relationship and God is not offended [33:44] by me anymore. I walk every single day. [33:47] God is not offended by just my sin because Jesus obeyed him. [33:52] Jesus died for my sin.

[33:53] And you say, how can we as Christians talk [33:56] to those people who would disagree with us? Because at one point we were them.

[34:03] Anytime anyone disagrees with you on anything that’s scriptural, understand [34:06] that at one time you were in the same boat. [34:10] We didn’t know Jesus and your hope is that they will come to know Jesus as your [34:15] primary hope in all things. [34:16] My primary hope is not so small that I would stop someone simply from having an [34:22] abortion. Praise God if we can.

[34:24] But my hope is that they will all come to faith in Jesus and then be restored to [34:29] life in him and then he will come to life in you. [34:30] And then human life will flourish. [34:31] And that is my hope of the triumph of the gospel over this world that will one day [34:35] happen.

[34:38] Believe it.

[34:42] Understand. [34:44] Romans chapter five, verses 10 and 11. [34:48] Tell our story. [34:51] This is for if while we were enemies, [34:54] we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more now that we are [34:59] reconciled, shall we be saved by his life?

[35:02] More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through [35:06] whom we have received reconciliation.

[35:11] It’s a polarizing term, enemies, isn’t it?

[35:15] Yes, but what if my purpose for telling [35:17] you about you being an enemy of God is so that I can tell you, but there’s good [35:21] news. God doesn’t want you to be his enemy. [35:25] And he’s done absolutely everything to reconcile you to himself. [35:29] That is why. [35:32] That we.

[35:34] Can accept people with open arms.

[35:39] Give them the well-meant offer of the gospel of Jesus Christ. [35:44] That’s why, if, friend, you have made the unfortunate decision to have an abortion [35:49] and you’re in here this morning and you’re saying this is a painful sermon, I [35:53] can tell you there is good news. [35:54] God is not holding it against you any longer. [35:56] If you will trust in Jesus Christ and you can walk completely purified

[36:02] of all sin for all time. [36:05] As why to those who work in the clinics [36:07] that we believe are committing grave murder this morning, we can offer, we can [36:12] shake their hand, we can have coffee with them, we do not have to vilify them [36:16] personally, but instead we can share the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and [36:21] what human life exists for and look at them and say every sin that you’ve ever

[36:25] been committed was paid for by Jesus Christ. [36:29] There’s hope for everyone. [36:33] So I do not want this conversation to just be boiled down to you’re a wicked [36:37] sinner, well, you’re stupid, well, you’re a Democrat, well, you’re a Republican. [36:40] That’s not what I’m talking about.

[36:44] Talking about the gospel of Jesus Christ. [36:48] So what can you do? [36:49] What should you do about this? [36:51] Well, I want to tell you that living as a disciple. [36:55] Following Jesus and spreading the message [36:57] of the gospel is the foundation of the fight for life.

[37:02] That’s the foundation. [37:04] Want to change the world? [37:06] Follow Jesus, obey him. [37:09] Tell others about him. [37:11] That’s how you change the world. [37:13] That’s how you change lives.

[37:16] Too many of us have lost hope in the things that Jesus has been crystal clear on. [37:22] And so we’re going on to alternate methods. [37:25] The alternate methods that Jesus didn’t give us, throw them away. [37:29] Start with what Jesus was clear on. [37:31] Be his disciple. [37:32] Saturate your life in his word.

[37:34] Be a good neighbor. [37:35] Love your neighbors. [37:36] Spread the good news of Jesus. [37:38] You have to open your mouth to do that. [37:40] You have to talk to others. [37:43] Do that.

[37:43] That’s the foundation for this fight. [37:46] Our view of children must also be transformed into God’s view of children. [37:50] Too many believers treat children as if they are drudgery. [37:54] You hold off on having children because you want to reach your dreams first. [37:59] Well, God’s dream is probably if you can have children. [38:03] Psalm 127, he says, Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord.

[38:06] The fruit of the womb, a reward. [38:08] You see that the fruit of the womb, a reward like arrows in the hand of a warrior [38:13] are the children of one’s youth. [38:14] Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with him. [38:16] He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. [38:19] Do you want to know why so many 20 year olds don’t want children?

[38:23] It’s because they hear so many 33 year olds with children speak of them as if [38:27] they’re a drudgery. [38:29] Stop sinning against your children, folks. [38:33] Stop going on social media talking about how much you hate your children. [38:37] That is a sin against God.

[38:40] Your children are a heritage.

[38:44] The biggest problem with my children is not them, it’s this guy. [38:48] That I’m impatient, that I’m not loving enough, [38:51] that I’m not caring enough and I’m not willing to sacrifice enough. [38:55] And I just had a hard day. [38:57] Please leave me alone.

[39:02] Friends, fathers, mothers.

[39:06] Sacrifice for your children, you will never regret it. [39:11] I have three children, they will always be my children and I will always be their [39:14] father. The burden is on me, is not on them.

[39:21] Let the gospel revolutionize your life through that.

[39:25] A lot of the problem that many of you are having with your children is that you [39:29] thank God has put a great responsibility on them to serve you. [39:32] They didn’t ask to be born, you did that.

[39:38] So you’re the one with the responsibility.

[39:43] Friends, for many of you, [39:47] a step in following Jesus in a pro-life way is to be transformed by the gospel, [39:51] to love children rather than painting them as a drudgery. [39:54] And also, this is why we love people. [39:56] This is why we love people who disagree with us. [39:59] This is why we do not seek to simply vilify them again.

[40:02] The truth will be divisive. [40:05] I do not even for a moment think that every time I walk into a room and have a [40:08] conversation with someone who opposes my viewpoint, that they’re immediately going [40:11] to say, well, since you were so nice about it, [40:16] trust me, it doesn’t always happen.

[40:21] But your posture should not be that which ends the conversation.

[40:26] Your posture is very important. [40:28] Are you seeking to be strategic with your words? [40:31] Or are you just simply going to add homonym arguments and making it personal? [40:36] Do not do that. [40:38] Bumper stickers are often not great [40:39] conversation starters, depending on the wording.

[40:43] Just depending on the wording. [40:45] Sometimes they are, but sometimes it’s like if I talk to this person, [40:50] they’re going to punch me in the face. [40:52] And so I don’t want to talk to that person. [40:54] Just be careful follower of Jesus.

[40:57] This is why there can be a difference between being right and being loving. [41:01] The difference in being right and being loving is not [41:06] withholding truth. [41:08] The difference in being right and being loving is about your motivation. [41:11] Are you trying to prove a point or are you trying to persuade a person? [41:15] Those are two different conversations.

[41:18] You should show up to the one where you’re trying to persuade a person. [41:22] OK, and remember, you do not have to attend every argument that you’re invited to. [41:28] You don’t have to. [41:29] But understand that we cannot both obey scripture and set this one out. [41:34] Ephesians, chapter five, starting in verse eight, tells us that a follower of Jesus [41:37] at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.

[41:40] Walk as children of light, for the fruit of light is found in all that is good [41:43] and right and true and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. [41:46] You have to critically think. [41:49]

[41:51] And try to discern what’s pleasing to the Lord. [41:52] Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. [41:58] Note that final phrase. [42:01] Expose them. [42:02] That can be difficult, but that is your calling. [42:05] So when you see the work of iniquity in this world, your task is to come

[42:10] to a conclusion and arm yourself with enough intelligence, with enough fruit [42:15] of the Spirit, with enough love, with enough gospel saturation so that you can [42:20] enter into the world and expose the darkness that is there so that you can [42:23] shed light. [42:25] Because that’s the only thing that exposes darkness. [42:29] Darkness is not just exposed and it’s like, oh, that’s dark.

[42:33] Shine the light the other way. [42:34] Well, then the darkness is not exposed. [42:37] Darkness is only exposed to the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. [42:42] So then specifically, you need to and many pastors have said these things. [42:47] And so I’ve formed a conglomeration of like 17 sermons for you right here in two [42:50] minutes.

[42:52] Number one, your response and action to this. [42:54] Repent of unbiblical views of life. [42:58] If you’ve been struggling with the issue of abortion and you say, well, I don’t [43:00] think it’s all that bad, friend, repent of that. [43:04] Repent of your belief that your purpose of life is not to spread the gospel [43:08] through this world.

[43:10] Repent of faulty views of sexuality. [43:14] Understand that within the church, we need to have sexual credibility to have [43:17] many of these conversations. [43:19] And for too long, we have not. [43:22] Repent of unbiblical views of parenthood and family.

[43:26] Repent of indifference.

[43:29] Repent of your apathy. [43:31] You’re in this fight, whether you want to be or not, if you’re a follower of Jesus, [43:34] because Jesus has drafted you onto his team. [43:37] We’ll talk about election in two weeks.

[43:42] Pray.

[43:45] We have come into a place in our lives where we have lost our faith in the power [43:49] of prayer. [43:51] We recently preached a sermon on prayer. [43:52] Please go back and listen to that. [43:54] But prayer is the most powerful tool of any change because it changes you and it [44:00] changes things in this world.

[44:02] It really does. [44:03] Prayer is the hammer that drives the nail of God’s will.

[44:09] This should inform how we vote. [44:12] You say, what do you think? [44:12] What do you mean by that, Steve? [44:13] I’m going to say something that might throw you off a little bit, but think about it [44:16] later at lunch or something.

[44:20] I, Steve Gentry, [44:24] can never vote for a pro-choice candidate. [44:27] You say, oh, you’re a one issue voter. [44:29] Everyone’s a one issue voter. [44:31] So you’re telling me that if someone got up, and I’m going to use an extreme example, [44:34] even though it’s not,

[44:37] if someone stood up and said, I am pro-rape, [44:40] I think rape should be legalized. [44:43] I believe that people should have the choice to rape other people and take [44:47] their rights away.

[44:50] No matter how good his economic policies are, [44:54] you would call for his arrest.

[44:58] Like, I don’t know, foreign affairs policies. [45:01] He’s got me over there, so I’m just going to ignore. [45:03] No, you would not. [45:05] You would be a single issue voter and you would say, [45:07] we ain’t putting that guy in the White House. [45:12] Friends, I believe abortion should be murder.

[45:16] We’ve murders, the most heinous of crimes.

[45:20] Therefore, for me to even consider voting [45:23] for a pro-choice candidate would, to me,

[45:28] be a walk in very un-Gospel grounds. [45:31] And that’s as far as I’ll choose to go with it on that.

[45:34] I could not do it. [45:36] It should inform how you vote. [45:37] It is that serious. [45:38] We’ve become desensitized to life.

[45:44] Get off the sidelines. [45:45] Be a disciple. [45:47] Be responsible. [45:48] Inform yourself. [45:50] Read the scriptures. [45:51] Read good books on the scriptures.

[45:53] Be active. [45:55] We sponsor the Pregnancy Resource Center of Richmond. [45:58] Here is a church. [45:59] It’s one of our service activities that we sponsor. [46:03] We sponsor it financially. [46:04] We sponsor it with people.

[46:05] This is a place that helps young ladies and young men [46:09] who are found in a moment in which they are caught with a pregnancy [46:12] and they don’t know what to do about. [46:14] And they educate them about life. [46:16] They help the mother through the pregnancy. [46:18] They send Bible studies with the father.

[46:20] They have even post-abortive Bible studies for women who are dealing [46:24] with the tragic emotional and mental guilt that is carried after you’re having [46:31] an abortion. They preach the gospel to every single [46:34] young lady and young man or old lady and old man that come in to their facilities [46:38] and they give them actual alternatives to abortion. [46:42] Be involved in the Pregnancy Resource Center.

[46:44] There should have been an insert in your handout about the Pregnancy Resource [46:47] Center of Richmond. We have fundraisers for them. [46:49] We have drives for them that we will in a few weeks. [46:52] Get involved in the Grace Home, [46:54] which is a place that will house young ladies who are found with unplanned [46:58] pregnancies in our own city. Another place in which we sponsor is a

[47:02] place in which you can be involved. [47:04] Become involved in the foster care system. [47:07] There are, I think, believe 16, excuse me, [47:09] 6,000 young children who are not infants, who need foster homes. [47:14] And Christians should be at the forefront of foster care, the forefront of [47:18] adoptive care. Be involved in the lives of your neighbors.

[47:24] Proclaim the gospel. [47:27] If you see someone with a pregnancy [47:30] and they look to be struggling, find out how you can help them. [47:35] See some of the young children, if it’s a single parent, [47:37] if it’s someone with a special needs child. [47:38] Don’t just say someone should do something.

[47:40] Be as helpful as you possibly can, because that means we care about life.

[47:48] Evangelize. [47:49] I believe that this issue will be settled when the gospel goes to every nation.

[47:54] Tell your neighbors about Jesus Christ and disciple others.

[47:59] As the vein comes forward, [48:02] I know that this was a little bit different of a sermon than we normally have. [48:07] But every year churches cooperate together to have Sanctity of Life Sunday [48:11] because I believe that this is one of the most important issues facing our current [48:18] culture. [48:20] But understand

[48:23] that Jesus is God. [48:28] And that is the foundation for which all of life should be viewed. [48:34] He loves you so much that even though you have sinned against him, [48:39] he willfully and joyfully came, took your sin upon him and died for your sin. [48:46] Every Sunday we reflect on this [48:50] through the bread, which represents the broken body of Jesus,

[48:53] the cup, which represents his shed blood.

[48:58] We eat and we drink to reflect on the death of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. [49:05] And when we eat and we drink and we take that into ourselves, what it represents, [49:09] it is an analogy that the life of Jesus is in your life.

[49:15] So this morning, understand that you were an enemy of God [49:20] and Jesus made you a friend of God. [49:25] And if that’s you this morning, if you’re a follower of Jesus, [49:27] I invite you to the four stations in the front, the three stations in the back. [49:33] Eat, drink, proclaim the Lord’s coming.

[49:37] If you’re in here and you’re not a follower of Jesus, [49:40] I’m going to ask you to step out in the foyer [49:43] or be somebody there to talk to you, to pray with you, to explain the gospel [49:47] of Jesus Christ to you. [49:50] You can know him today and know him forever. [49:54] When you’re ready, come.