Sermon: 4 Things to Know About Abortion

Today we take time to observe “Sanctity of Human Life” Sunday. This special day is observed because 41 years ago (1973) the Supreme Court decided (Roe v. Wade) that abortion on demand is legal and thus overturned the anti-abortion laws in 46 states. 41 years and over 50 million abortions later let it be known to all that the members of the First Baptist Church of Scott City, MO say that enough is enough. Therefore, let us discuss today 4 Things to “Know” about abortion:

1. Know What Abortion Is
2. Know Why Abortion Exists
3. Know Who We Fight Against
4. Know How to Fight

Know What Abortion Is

While the topic of abortion is uncomfortable, the church cannot turn a blind eye and ignore the abortion culture around us. 41 years and 50 million abortions means there are 1.21 million abortions per year. This means 3,315 per day with 3 babies aborted every minute. To press the magnitude of abortion even further consider that in the time it takes to preach this sermon 90 babies have been aborted in the US.

What is abortion? The answer depends on who you ask. If you ask Planned Parenthood, the self-professed “nation’s leading sexual and reproductive health care provider and advocate”[1] and a strong supporter of abortion rights; they will tell you that it is simply the process of using a suction device to gently empty a woman’s uterus of the unwanted pregnancy tissue[2]. The unwanted pregnancy tissue is not human (a baby), they reason, because the mother has rejected “it”. With this type of thinking you can better understand how one New Mexico-based abortion practitioner said an abortion “is like any shot…like a flu shot or a vaccine”[3].  But let us ask God. According to the Bible, the fetus is a human being created in the image of God (Gen 1:26). God, not the mother, grants human rights to the child.  Therefore an abortion is the murder of a baby in the womb because the human being (baby) in the womb is alive before the abortion and dead afterwards.

Know Why Abortion Exists

According to Planned Parenthood, “Abortions are very common. In fact, 3 out of 10 women in the US have an abortion by the time they are 45 years old.”[4] Why is abortion very common? The answer is because of sin. Some women find themselves considering an abortion because of the sins of others. With rape, for instance, a woman may have an unwanted pregnancy because she was forced into unwanted sexual intercourse. The church must help these women in this difficult situation and we must still speak for the rights of the unborn child. If the mother cannot raise the child, adoption, not abortion is the best course of action. Others find themselves with an unwanted pregnancy because of their own sin and lust. They made the choice to give into their own lusts and temptations and now they are looking for a means to escape the child produced from that sexual union. The church must speak clearly in this situation about the Biblical command for sexual purity, abstinence outside of marriage, and speak for the rights of the unborn. It is no surprise that a nation given over to their own sexual lusts is a nation that complains about women “being punished” with a baby. Babies are not a punishment, they are “a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward” (Ps. 127:3).

Know Who You Fight Against

We do not fight against the women who have had an abortion or who are considering abortion. The Bible is clear that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Our enemy is Satan; not the women who have had or are considering an abortion. They are captives of the enemy and we work to set them free. We oppose the culture of abortion that is so prevalent among us. We stand unapologetically opposed to a society that tells a woman that the baby growing inside them is unwanted tissue that can be gently emptied from them without consequences.

Know How to Fight

Once you know who we fight against, we can now understand how to fight and what is our goal. Our goal, as Russell Moore (head of the SBC ERLC) recently said, is “We will work toward the day when not only is abortion illegal, but unthinkable.” We must fight first in prayer for ourselves and our nation. We must fight as parents as we teach our children about God and pray that they know Him and love Him. Only then will they regard His commands about sexuality.

As the church, we must fight as we teach about God’s commands and share the good news of Jesus. We also have an opportunity to support the work of Pregnancy Resource Centers.  We begin this battle today with a “Baby Bottle” Campaign. You will find baby bottles in the foyer for you to take home, one per family, and fill up with your spare change. Everything collected will be sent to “Options for Women”, a pregnancy resource center that is starting up in Cape Girardeau. You can also contact them because they need volunteers for counselors, teachers, maintenance, ultrasound operators, and child care helpers. May God help us in this.