The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

John 10:10 ESV

Monday, February 11, 2019

Abortion the Devil & the Church - Exposing the Spiritual Forces Behind Abortion




I gave this message at New Life Baptist Church in Davie Florida on January 20, 2019.
Watch the message on Vimeo HEREView the PowerPoint slides on Microsoft OneDrive HEREListen to this message given at Calvary Chapel Pompano Beach on January 15, 2017 HERE.
  
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After suffering his second heart attack in 1984 my Dad under went by-pass surgery in an effort to save his life. It was major surgery, very invasive. His chest was cut wide open, so the surgeon could do what was necessary to save his failing heart. 

Sometimes major surgery is necessary to save the life of the patient. It was an uncomfortable and difficult procedure for my Dad to undergo but it was the only option available to keep my Dad alive. 

In the same way some subjects like abortion are difficult, perhaps even painful and uncomfortable to think about. But like major surgery is sometimes necessary to save the life of a heart attack victim so the truth about abortion, as uncomfortable, even painful as it might be, is necessary to save the lives of unborn children at risk of being aborted and is necessary for those whose lives have been touched by abortion to receive forgiveness, healing and restoration.

Statistics tell me that in most audiences I speak to there will be individuals whose lives have been touched by abortion. I want you to know that I am aware of that. Perhaps you have had an abortion, or in some way were a participant in an abortion. Or you have lost a child, a brother or sister, grandchild, niece or nephew to abortion. 

As followers of Jesus Christ we must be willing to address this subject from the authority of Scripture. But, do so in the context of two very important Biblical truths. 

Let me illustrate it this way. There are two things a train must have to safely arrive at its destination. Two tracks. Two tracks that run parallel to each other all the way to its destination. A train will go nowhere without riding on both tracks at the same time all the way to the end of the rail line.

In the same way, we must communicate what God says about abortion in the context of God's grace and God's truth. You see, theologically grace and truth always go together. In fact, they are theologically inseparable. They are like the two sides of the same coin. You cannot have one without the other. And here's why this is important. 

Pastor Randy Alcorn has written, "Grace without truth deceives people, truth without grace, crushes people."

We will never understand God's grace apart from God's truth. But God's truth will always lead us to God's grace. And as we begin this morning let me impress this upon you. If your life has been touched by abortion, while you cannot escape the truth about abortion nor some of the consequences of your abortion, please know that there is forgiveness, there is healing and restoration in the gospel of Jesus Christ. As with any of our sin, there is a way to resolve the guilt, shame and hurt that abortion will bring to the human experience. 

And I want you to know that you are in the right place to hear that Good News. No one is here to condemn or judge you. On the contrary, we are here to extend love and compassion and a message of forgiveness, hope, healing and restoration available to you through the gospel of Jesus Christ. You are in a safe place in this church.

Abortion was legalized forty-six years ago on January 22, 1973. According to the 
National Right to Life, on that day,

"...the Supreme Court handed down its Roe v. Wadeand Doe v. Boltondecisions legalizing abortion in all 50 states during all nine months of pregnancy, for any reason, medical, social, or otherwise.”

In other words, a woman was given the legal right to take the life of her unborn child at any time during the nine months of pregnancy, right up to moment of natural child birth, for virtually any reason.

Notice first of all, the Sanctity of the unborn. What value does God place on human life? To answer that question we begin with creation. 

Man was created by God, in His image and likeness.  Genesis 1:17,
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created them.”

Genesis 2:7 (ESV)"...then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” 

It should be clear from the Biblical creation account that man is not the product of a random, meaningless evolutionary process over billions of years. Man is not the result of a cosmic accident. God intentionally created man with capacities reflective of Himself, In other words, in His image. As God said in Isaiah 43:7, man was “created for my glory.”

Man is made in the image of God. In his book, Man: The Image of God, pediatrician, Dr. John Rendle-Short, M.D. points out the Godlike qualities man Shares with God.

Language – humans can communicate. We had a dog named Maggie. She could bark, whine, and growl, but I never heard her utter a single word, no less speak a sentence. 

Intelligence – man can think. Not only is he a rational being, he can think in the abstract. For example, he can compute complex mathematical, chemical and engineering formulas.

Creativity – his intelligence allows him to create sophisticated products. He can send a man to the moon, and speak instantly around the world from a cell phone or the internet.

Love - he can have relationships and live in fellowship and community. Man is a social creature with the ability to love and be loved; with the ability to care for and nurture its young; and to live in committed lifelong relationships, like marriage.

Holiness - man has a moral conscience with the ability to tell right from wrong. I

Immortality – man is eternal. Unlike the rest of the animal world, he will live forever.
Freedom – man can make choices. All of this “because he is human, made in the image of God."

Notice the Personhood of the unborn. This is what God said to Jeremiah, (1:5) “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”Before there was any physical manifestation of Jeremiah in the womb of his mother, God knew Him. 

Listen to this incredible incident. These words were spoken by Elizabeth who was six months pregnant with John the Baptist, when Mary, just days pregnant with Jesus
Christ, visited her.  Luke 1:41-44 

"When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, hat the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.’"

Do you realize what took place? The text says that John the Baptist, leaped for joy in his mother's womb when he came into the presence of Jesus Christ, God incarnate, who was but days old in the womb of his mother Mary. This is the first record of worship of the Messiah. And it took place in the womb. I call it intra-uterine worship. 

Do you see the personhood of the unborn in these narratives? You see, the Biblical evidence is clear. The unborn are created by God and for God. They are created in His image. They are recognized by God as distinct and unique persons even in the womb from the moment of conception if not before. Life begins at conception. 

The scientific evidence leads us to the same conclusion. Douglas Erlandson writes, 

“When the fertilized egg (or zygote) is first formed, it already possesses its fullcomplement of DNA or genetic information. That information never changes. A person’s sex, blood type hair and skin color, and future height are all determined in that first cell. From that moment on, unless its life is terminated, it will develop until it becomes an adult human being.” 

Professor Micheline Matthews-Roth, M.D. of Harvard University Medical School, concurs writing, “…It is scientifically correct to say that an individual human life begins at conception…”

Who is behind abortion? Who is the driving force behind this holocaust? The Biblical evidence would indicate that abortion is a Satanic enterprise.

The stage was set thousands of years ago as recorded in Genesis 3:15 (NIV). After Satan deceived Adam and Eve and man was plunged into sin, God said to Satan,

...I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." And with that the epoch struggle between good and evil began. And Satan has been involved in an unrelenting attempt to kill the offspring of Eve ever since. Abortion is a satanic enterprise!

Jesus, Himself, said as much. John chapter eight records an encounter between Jesus and the religious leaders. In that exchange Jesus said this about the devil, 
"The devil…was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies."  John 8:44 (NIV)
Here Jesus identifies two roles of Satan: A murderer from the beginning and a liar and the father of lies. Has he been successful?
It is estimated that between 40 and 50 million unborn babies are killed by abortion worldwide each year. Worldwide about one in five pregnancies end in abortion. (AGI “In Brief” October 2007)
A study by Dr. Brian Clowes estimated there have been 1.72 billion abortions worldwide in the forty years between 1973 and 2013. That's an average of 117,800 per day for 40 years!
Each year close to one million preborn babies are killed by abortion in the United States. Since 1973, almost about 60 million unborn babies have been killed by abortion in America. 
Abortion is the most frequently performed elective surgery in America. Over 3,000 a day. 21 % of all pregnancies (excluding miscarriages) are surgically aborted. About one in three American women will have had an abortion by the time she reaches age 45.” (Compiled by Operation Rescue)
In Florida, almost 68,000 unborn babies lost their lives to abortion in 2018. (Florida Agency for Health Care Administration).
John Powell has written, 
“In the United States it is statistically confirmed that the most dangerous place for anyone to be, with regard to the preservation of one’s life, is in the womb of one’s mother.”  (Abortion: The Silent Holocaust)
In John 10:10, Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy." The Devil has been very successful in carrying out his agenda. 
Satan is also a liar and the father of lies. Deception proliferates in the abortion industry. In fact, one can accurately say that deception characterizes the abortion industry.
Notice that deception involves telling lies. These were the words of an abortion counselor: "Although the test is positive, you shouldn't consider yourself pregnant," she explained. "It's really just cells dividing at this point. We can take care of the problem quickly and easily, and you'll never have to think about it again.”
She made four statements. Each statement was a lie. This is the mantra of the abortion industry. 
Deception involves withholding the truth.This study showed that, “Even though the majority felt rushed and uncertain, 67% received no counseling; 79% were not told about alternatives to abortion.” (VM Rue et. al., Medical Science Monitor)
You see, deception leads to moral schizophrenia. As Pastor Randy Alcorn has noted, "In America it is illegal toharmyour pre-born child, but it is perfectly legal to kill him.”
The Devil is “a murderer" "a liar and father of all lies.” These two “attributes” expose himas the architect of abortion. 
Look with me at the ancient origin of child killing. We trace it to Molech worship. Molech was a god of the Ammonites the descendants of Lot. Molech was a fertility god whose worship included child sacrifice. Ezekiel 16:20-21 records God's words, "And you took your sons and daughters whom you bore to me and sacrificed them as food to the idols… You slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols.”
King Solomon built the first high place for the worship of Molech. Subsequent kings continued the practice including King Ahaz and King Manasseh who sacrificed their own children as they led their nation in the worship of the demon god Molech.
Notice the parallels with abortion. In Molech worship a child was sacrificed to gain Molech's favor. In other words, the parents sacrificed something of value, their child, to gain something at a given point in time they considered to be of even greater value. For example, seeking Molech’s favor for a good harvest, victory in battle or financial well-being.
Notice the similarity with abortion. In abortion the mother sacrifices the life of her child for something, which at that time is of greater value to her than the child. Her education, avoid personal shame, finances, personal convenience, her career, birth control.
Sacrifice for what? Pastor John Piper, “Abortion in America is not done consciously with any desire to get blessing from a deity. But it is done to gain something 'better' than the baby—the life of a child is being sacrificed for something. What that “something” is defines the barbarity of our culture.”
Do you see the deception? The Scriptures identify the demonic nature of this child sacrifice in Psalm 106:37-38.
"They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood."
There are distinct parallels between Molech worship and modern abortion.
Abortion is the sacrifice of the unborn. “They sacrificed their sons and their daughters.”
The unborn are family – our sons & daughters. “They sacrificed their sons and their daughters.”
Abortion sheds innocent blood. “They shed innocent blood.”
The innocent blood of the aborted is sacrificed to demons. “They sacrificed…to demons.”
Eric Holmberg and Jay Rogers, in their work, Massacre of Innocence, summarize,
“The spiritual heritage of the Moabites and the Ammonites is passed down to our own day through abortion. Today the church is fighting against those same spiritual forces for the very survival of our nation.”
Lest you think that abortion and the demonic is just ancient history, let me bring you up to date.
Modern feminism, witchcraft & abortion.
In December of 1985, an article, entitled, "Feminist Spiritualism and Abortion" appeared in the feminist Ms. Magazine, written, and I emphasize, by feminists about themselves.
"The feminist spirituality movement began to emerge in the mid-1970s and has become one of the largest sub-movements within feminism...to the women in feminist spirituality, witchcraft had even a more fundamental meaning. It is a woman's religion, vilified by patriarchal Christianity, and now, finally, reclaimed.”
Eric Holmberg and Jay Rogers have this to say about what was in the article, “Much space was given to goddess worship or adulation of the various demons associated with child sacrifice (including Isis and Aphrodite).” (Massacreof Innocence)
Let me give you just a sampling of the thinking of modern day feminists. Patricia Baird-Windle owned three abortion clinics responsible for 65,000 abortions. In an interview after retirement she said, "Abortion is a major blessing and a sacrament in the hands of women..." (The 'Sacrament' of Abortion: An Interview With a Retired Abortionist.")
Rev. Katherine Hancock Ragsdale, President of the Episcopal Divinity School in New England said the following in a sermon given in Birmingham Alabama in 2007.
When a woman becomes pregnant within a loving, supportive, respectful relationship; has every option open to her; decides she does not wish to bear a child; and has access to safe, affordable abortion– there is not a tragedy in sight – only blessing.”
Episcopal Priestess, Dr. Carter Hayward, told the National Abortion Federation in 1985, "Abortion would be a sacrament if women were in charge. Abortion should be a sacrament even today."
Listen to these astounding words. “It’s rare for a woman to choose abortion because in some way she dislikes the fetus. She sacrifices it for the sake of something she judges at this moment to be more important, whether it be her existing children… or her own physical, economic, or psychological survival or the fate of the planet."
Do you remember what I just shared, comparing abortion to child sacrifice? Psychologist Dr. Ginnette Paris wrote those words in her book, The Sacrament of Abortion. She continues,
“When abortion is necessary, not only should there be no shame but there should be a new consensus that to have a child who cannot adequately be cared for is shameful…It is not immoral to choose abortion; it is simply another kind of morality, a pagan one.”
Frank Pavone, commenting on her book writes,
“The fact that some defend abortion as a sacred act should alert us to the depth of the spiritual warfare that is going on. Abortion has never been merely or even primarily apolitical issue. It is a false religion."
He writes of a former abortion clinic security guard who "...after being converted, admitted why he was angry at pro-life sidewalk counselors  'You were coming to protest in front of our church. That clinic was where we conducted our worship.’”
Unmasking a "woman's right to choose" and "reproductive rights."
If you dialogue about abortion around the water cooler at work or at home over the back yard fence, these are the words that always come into play. These are the two terms the proponents of abortion use to frame the debate.  To hide, as it were, what abortion really is. "A woman's right to choose" and "reproductive rights" are code words for a woman's right to take the life of her unborn child. The key Scripture that addresses this issue is Genesis 3:1-5.
"Now, the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, “You must not eat from any tree in the garden?” The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, “You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.” ‘You will not surely die,’ the serpent said to the woman. 'For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'”
Note the significance of the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil." Here are the temptations. To live independent of God. Self-idolatry – self love rules. Man becomes his own god “you will be like God.” Man determines right and wrong (moral relativism). This is the underlying premise of the proponents of “a woman's right to choose" and "reproductive rights.”
As Dr. Carl Ellis has said, "Eve became, in essence, the first secular humanist."
Notice the link between abortion and the Garden of Eden. "I do not what a child at this time." Pastor John Piper,
"...that is one of the most powerful sentences a person can speak...the 'want' of a mother has become the will of a god....Our modern, secular, God-dethroning culture has endowed the will [the 'want'] of a mother not just with sovereignty over her child, but with something vastly greater...the right and the power to create personhood."
The legal right "to choose" gives women the legal right to define personhood or play god. Again Pastor Piper,
“…the awesome thing is that we endow her will not just with sovereignty over her unborn baby, but with the authority to define it. If she wants it, it is a baby, a person. If she does not want it, it is not a baby, not a person.” (John Piper, “Abortion & the Tree of Knowledge of Good & Evil.”)
Pastor Randy Alcorn,
“The prochoice position always overlooks the victim’s right to choose....The blacks didn’t choose slavery. The Jews didn’t choose the ovens. And the babies don’t choose abortion.”
How should the Church respond?
I hope you have seen that abortion is first and foremost a spiritual issue and thus a gospel issue. Prayer is therefore the first work in ending abortion. Copies of "Praying to End Abortion Prayer Guide" are available in the foyer. I put this together in 2012 when serving as the Prayer Coordinator for Fort Lauderdale's first 40 Days for Life Prayer and Fasting Vigil. It is virtually all Scripture. I use it every time I'm at the clinic praying.
We must live in sexual purity. There is a direct link between sexual immorality and abortion. Over 80% of women who have an abortion are unmarried. "…among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity.” Ephesians 5:3 (NIV)
We must repent of abortion in the church, "There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: hands that shed innocent blood” (Proverbs 6:16a,17b)
Why repent of abortion in the church? 37% of women having abortions identify themselves as Protestant. (AGI, “In Brief” July, 2008) A number of years ago Focus on the Family reported that 250,000 evangelical women choose abortion each year.  (www.heartlink.org) A more recent study found that "23% of Christian women who have had an abortion consider themselves to be an evangelical Christian." (Lifeway/Carenet 2016)
As the church responds to abortion we must be careful not to overlook the complex circumstances of many facing unplanned pregnancies. This demands a practical and compassionate response by the church. Over 50% of all women who have an abortion feel they have no choice. Notice some of the reasons women have abortions. They are forced by their mother; father opposed her having the child; persuaded by husband or boyfriend; never given an option; loss of family support; would be kicked out of their home; persuaded by the clinic. (Frederica Mathewes-Green, Real Choices)
As you might know, one of the ways the Church is responding in a practical and compassionate way here in Broward County is through the ministry of Hope Women's Centers, with centers in North Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale and Davie. I congratulate this church for being one of the avid supporters of this ministry as is your pastor.
As you can see Hope provides many free and confidential services including pregnancy tests, limited obstetric ultrasound, STI testing and treatment, options counseling, community referrals and of course the gospel. I believe the church should take ownership of these pregnancy resource centers. There are Hope Center flyers in the foyer that will tell you more about how you can help, support and pray for them. They have a volunteer training on February 2. See the bulletin insert.
In these centers the truth about abortion and the gospel of Jesus Christ are confronting the lies of hell itself. It is where church members, the Body of Christ, are intervening in the lives of men and women often at a critical time of decision when they need love, compassion, truth and the gospel of life.
The church must also reach out and minister to the post-abortive. Does abortion hurt men and women? This study showed that, “65% report symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder they attribute to their abortions.” (VM Rue et, all)
This is, I emphasize, a short list of emotional and behavioral problems experienced by the post-abortive: emotions such as anxiety/panic, grief/loss, fear of losing your child, guilt, self-hatred, depression, and anger/rage. Behaviors such as drug and alcohol abuse, child abuse, sexual promiscuity, overprotecting parenting, eating disorders, and inability to bond with children. 
On Wednesday morning I watched the video of the Hope Restored Stories, a panel discussion you hosted here at New Life with two post-abortive women, Chaina and Michelle. Powerful testimonies. They experienced these types of problems but they gave witness to how the ministry of Hope Women's Centers and the gospel prevailed in their lives. It brought me to tears a number of times as I watched it. It was powerful.
It is important to realize that the root cause of any of these problems could be past involvement in abortion. "Could it be that your life has been touched by an abortion?" That question could unlock the door to wonderful healing and restoration.
I want you to know this morning that there is forgiveness, healing and restoration for the post-abortive in Jesus Christ. And that is a priority here at New Life Baptist Church. 
If your life has been touched by an abortion speak with Pastor Coleman.
Hope Women's Centers also provides help to those suffering from post abortion stress through an abortion recovery ministry. For more information or for an appointment call the number on the screen or email at hoperestored@thereishope.org. 
Several years ago I was on Facebook one Sunday afternoon. A pro-life advocate was having an online discussion about abortion. A woman came into the discussion, telling us she had three abortions in her past.  Listen what she went on to say,
“The consequences to women who have had abortions (and men as well) cut deep into the soul…The post-abortive women sitting in church on a Sunday morning need to hear about forgiveness for ALL SIN through Jesus Christ….abortion is not the unforgivable sin so many think it is... women need to know there is healing and hope in Christ that they may also forgive themselves.” 
The host asked her about how she was dealing with the loss of her three children. This was the powerful testimony she then shared,
“…the fact of the matter is that I don’t grieve any more. Christ has delivered me from all of the pain through his healing power! I know that one day I'll stand in heaven finally meeting my three precious children: David, Rebekah, and Grace Hope!... when they've asked the Father why they couldn't be with me on earth or why they never knew me here, He’ll look at them with love and say, “I don't remember”  (VA, Facebook 09-27-09)
There is a way to resolve the guilt, shame and hurt that abortion will bring to the human experience. The blood of Jesus Christ shed over 2000 years ago is sufficient to cover our sin, my sin and your sin, any sin and all sin. If you today are not reconciled to God through faith in His Son Jesus Christ, today can be your day of salvation. The healing can begin.
The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 7:10, "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret."
Remember the words of Jesus in John 10:10, "The thief comes only to stead and kill and destroy." Listen to the second half of that verse. "I came that they might have life and have it abundantly."
Here's Jesus invitation, Matthew 11:28,
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (literaly - I will rest you - knowing Jesus is the rest) Take my yoe upon you and learn from me, for I am gently and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
Abortion is first and foremost a gospel issue! There are two conclusions I have been sharing with the Church for over a decade. 
The Body of Christ, the church, is the onlyorganism (institution) spiritually equipped to engage the Satanic forces behind abortion. Therefore the Church must take the leadin the effort to end abortion.
When the church sees abortion as a Gospel issue we will win the battle for life! Christ has already won the victory! 
“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.” (Colossians 2:9-10)
Paul goes on to say, verse 15,
“...having disarmed the powers and authorities, [God] he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."
This is how we respond to 46 years of legalized abortion. Unashamedly proclaim the gospel of life, while responding with compassionate and practical help like that offered through Hope Women's Centers and other ministries in Broward, by prayer and sidewalk counseling and other ways of assisting and helping.
I close with this illustration, John Ensor wrote, "The commands of Scripture exist that we might be compelled to do what does not come naturally." (John Ensor, Innocent Blood - Challenging the Powers of Death With the Gospel of Life)
In Luke chapter ten Jesus tells the story of a man on his way to Jericho from Jerusalem who was robbed and beaten and left half dead alongside the road. Three different individuals had the opportunity to come to his rescue, in all likelihood to save his life. Two of the three did not respond to the needs of the man bleeding by the side of the road. Those two were the church leaders of that day, a priest and a Levite, responsible for the spiritual care of their nation.
And Jesus points out that not only did they fail to respond, but they "passed by on the other side." In other words they consciously and deliberately distanced themselves from the needs of the man dying by the side of the road. 
Jesus then pointed out that the one who proved to be the neighbor to the dying man was the one who showed mercy to the badly beaten traveller. He then said, "Go and do likewise."
John Ensor, in his book Innocent Blood, defines "Samaritan compassionthis way, 
"Doing right in the sight of the Lord means acting to stop the shedding of innocent blood. The only person in Jesus’ parable who is pro-life according to the demands of love is the Samaritan. Only he was willing to make the nearly dead man’s problem his own. Only he was willing to see the victim’s suffering as his own. Only he was willing to act according to what he would cry out for if their positions had been reversed."
May I suggest to you that according to Jesus' parable, our salvation has a moral imperative built into it with regards to the needs of those around us, our neighbors.
Last year almost 9,000 unborn children lost their lives to abortion in Broward County, an average of over 26 per day. They were our neighbors. 
Children will die unless someone intervenes on their behalf. In other words, we have an opportunity to "go and do likewise."
Again, Pastor John Ensor, "Loving my neighbor will occasionally arrest me and maybe even require me to help prevent someone from being murdered."
The writer of Proverbs said something very similar, "Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; Don’t stand back and let them die. Don’t try to avoid responsibility by saying you didn’t know about it." (Proverbs 24:10-12)
Eight years ago, Flip Benahm, on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, (January 22, 2011) issued the following statement in a press release,
"...the time is now, for the Church to rise up and not wait for political parties, or the president, or Congress, or the Supreme Court to take care of the issue. It is our responsibility. The gates of hell will not prevail against the Church of Jesus Christ. Abortion will come to an end when the church of Jesus Christ makes up her mind it will come to an end - not a second sooner. The responsibility for ending abortion rests squarely upon the shoulders of the Church of Jesus Christ."
I think he's right.
© James P McGarvey , All Rights Reserved



                                         

                                             










        
                                                        




















  




Wednesday, August 29, 2018

A Day of Atonement message - to the All Women's Medical Clinic


(I wrote this blog back in September of 2012 while serving as the Prayer Coordinator for  Fort Lauderdale's first 40 Days for Life prayer vigil)

Yesterday was the first day of the Fort Lauderdale 40 Days for Life's prayer vigil at the All Women's Medical Center located at 2100 E. Commercial Blvd. I signed up for the twelve noon hour and upon arrival, found only one other 40 Days for Life volunteer at the clinic.

Unfortunately, when she left, I was the only 40 Days for Life  volunteer for the next hour and a half. (Please go to the prayer vigil website, www.40daysforlife.com/fortlauderdale and sign up to join the vigil. We need more intercessors!)

The imposing black metal gate remained shut today as the clinic was closed, presumably in observance of Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. The Day of Atonement is the holiest day of the year for those of the Jewish faith, a day of fasting, prayer and repentance.

It is ironic that a business that majors in shedding innocent blood of unborn children (abortion) would be closed on the Day of Atonement. 

The shedding of blood was central to the Day of Atonement. (See Leviticus 16.) As J. Barton Paine has written,

"An atonement is, literally a 'covering,' a ransom that averts one's punishment...  atonement furnished a covering over the sin, provides an intervening sacrifice to bear the punishment that would otherwise fall upon us, should God 'see through to our sin.'"

Of course, Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of what was foreshadowed by the Day of Atonement. As the writer to the Hebrews says of Christ,

He did not enter [the Holy of Holies] by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption...the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, [will] cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!   (Hebrews 9:11-14 NIV)
That is why we pray in front of the All Womens Center. Abortion is a gospel issue. The gospel can change the heart of an abortion minded mother to make a life affirming decision. The gospel can change the heart of those who participate and are invested in the abortion industry. The gospel alone provides the hope of forgiveness, healing and restoration for the post-abortive.

Only God can bring this about. That is why we fast and pray. The words of the prophet Azariah to King Asa of Judah, (2 Chronicles 15:2)

“The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you.”

The ten foot high black fence that surrounds the entrance and parking lot of this abortion facility is intimidating. Apparently designed to secure the privacy of those at work inside. But I prayed, alone, out loud, very loud, to an empty building - knowing that a ten foot high black metal fence, as impregnable as it looks, cannot keep out the Spirit of God, and the building, though closed for business, might not be empty. After all, abortion is a satanic enterprise (John 8:44), so should any of his legions be within hearing of my voice, I shouted, among others Scriptures, these words from the Apostle Paul,

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority...having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
(Colossians 2:9,15  (NIV)

A Day of Atonement message to the All Women's Medical Clinic.

Copyright James P McGarvey All Rights Reserved







Saturday, August 25, 2018

The Grace of Giving - 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 "excel in this grace of giving"



(I preached this message at Pine Baptist Church in Pembroke Pines Florida on September 4, 2011.)

In October 2008, www.emptytomb.org published the following data regarding giving in a report "The State of Church Giving through 2006". In 1916 Protestants gave 2.9% of their income to churches; in 1933, in the worst of the Depression, 3.2%; in 1955 after America began to experience affluence, it was still 3.2%; in 2006 Americans were 569% richer than in the Depression, after taxes and inflation, but were giving 2.6% of their income to their churches. 
"Giving has not kept up with income” the report said....The Great Depression and World War II help to explain the down turn in giving in the mid-1930s. No such national disasters help to explain the decline in giving since the 1960s.”  
According to a research project, "4 Key Findings from STATE of the PLATE" released in March of this year (2011), "Since the recession started in 2008, churches have been learning to navigate troubled financial waters that are unprecedented in our lifetime…" The report indicated that 43 % of churches saw increases in giving in 2010 while 39% reported a decline in giving in the same year. The remaining 18% saw no change. The smaller churches those under 250 people in attendance saw more decline in giving than larger churches. Churches in the west coast and southeast states were hit the hardest. 46 % of churches in those states saw a decline in giving, the downturn in giving is forcing some churches to down size their staff or programs. Some churches have closed or merged with others. 
I received an email this week from a pastor who said his church is going through a major financial crisis that threatens to put them out of their building very soon unless the favor of the Lord intervenes. Thursday I learned of another church in Broward whose property was foreclosed on and their members are now attending a sister church. These are difficult economic times for many of us, if not most of us. 
Let me make a disclaimer at the outset of this message. This is not a message about fund raising. I give you this information as a backdrop for what we will look at this morning in 2 Corinthians 8 on the subject of giving. I don't want to minimize the challenges churches are facing. I don't want to trivialize the difficulties that many of you might be facing personally as a result of the current economic crisis.  But I am going to suggest to you that there is a greater issue at stake here than paying the grocery bill and mortgage payment, or churches meeting budgets and maintaining programs. And it is this, making sure we understand God's provision for us in the matter of giving. I hope you didn't miss what I just said. I said, "God's provision for us" in the matter of giving. 
Let me ask you a question? Have you ever been given a gift and felt hesitant to receive it because you felt undeserving? Perhaps you felt the person giving the gift could not afford to give you the gift. Remember Paul's words to the Ephesian elders Acts 20:35? He reminded them that Jesus said '''It is more blessed to givethan to receive.'" (emphasis mine) That sounds counterintuitive doesn't it? Most of us would associate blessing with receiving rather than giving. I think that Paul's doctrine of "grace giving" in 2 Corinthians 8 explains how it can be more blessed to give than to receive.
In this letter, Paul once again addresses the Corinthian church regarding an offering he was collecting for the church in Jerusalem that was undergoing very difficult economic times including a famine. That is the context of 2 Corinthians 8:1-15.
Read with me our text this morning that includes words of encouragement and instruction to the Corinthian church as they prepare to participate in that offering. 
"We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favorof taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. 10 And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. 12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that theremay be fairness.15 As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.” (ESV) 
I remember reading about the economic problems in Russia after the fall of the Communist regime. One of the serious problems was a shortage of food. But the problem was not a lack of food. The problem was with the “delivery system” of the food. You see, food was rotting and spoiling in warehouses because of the failure to get the food to the consumer. 
It was a delivery or distribution problem not a lack of resources. Could I draw a parallel here? Lack of giving is usually not a shortage of resources. If I understand 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 correctly it is more a failure of the “delivery system.” We are going to see that grace giving takes care of the “delivery problem." And according to chapter 9 it takes care of the resource problem as well.  2 Corinthians chapters eight and nine, in my opinion, is the greatest passage in the Bible on giving. This passage gives us one of the most remarkable stories of giving in the Bible, the giving of the Macedonian Christians. Paul uses the Macedonians as an example in challenging the Corinthian church in their giving to the famine stricken Jerusalem church. 
If you look carefully at the first part of chapter eight, you notice the emphasis on grace in this matter of giving. In fact, grace is so closely linked with giving that Paul in verse seven calls it an "act of grace" (ESV), or the "grace of giving" (NIV). 
A number of years ago, Dr. Keith Bailey wrote, "The theological basis of stewardship is the doctrine of grace." I think that is probably why the New Testament says next to nothing about tithing. Now, I believe tithing is Biblical. I practice it and teach it and commend it to you. Jesus endorsed it, as did the prophet Malachi. But other than Jesus' endorsement little mention is made of it in the New Testament.
As Paul prepared the Corinthian church to participate in the offering he was taking up his emphasis was on the grace of giving, verse six. When we begin to talk about grace we begin to focus on what God wants to do through us. You see, "grace giving" depends on God. Isn't that what grace is all about? God doing in us and through us and for us what we cannot possibly do for ourselves? 
That means that in "grace giving" God provides us with both the motive or desire to give and the means or resources to give. Did you get that? In "grace giving" God provides us with both the motive or desire to give and the means or resources to give. 
Paul cites the Macedonian Christians as examples of grace givers. By looking at this passage, we can see the characteristics of grace giving in the lives of these Macedonians and in Paul's instructions to the Corinthians. 
First of all, generosity, verse two, is a characteristic of grace giving. Paul described their giving as "a wealth of generosity on their part" (ESV), literally, "abounded to the riches of the liberality of them" (Marshall). Paul is not talking about the amount they gave.  They couldn't have given a very sizeable amount because according to verse two they lived in "extreme poverty". As someone has said, it was a "deep down poverty." In other words they were "scraping the bottom of the barrel" due to the harsh treatment of the Romans who were exploiting their natural resources. 
It was not the size of the gift Paul was commenting on. It was how generous they were with what they had. It was the "delivery system" that was so unusual. You see, God had done a work in their heart that released generosity in their giving despite their difficult economic circumstances. You see, generosity is a characteristic of grace giving. 
Secondly, verse three, sacrifice is a characteristic of grace giving. Verse three, "they gave…beyond their means" (ESV) "beyond their ability" (NIV). It is one thing to give when you have plenty. It is another thing to give when you have next to nothing. In Mark 12: 41-44 we are told that Jesus sat down opposite the temple treasury and watched people put their offerings in the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums of money.  But a poor widow gave two small copper coins, two leptons. A lepton was a Jewish coin worth 1/128thof a denarius. One denarius was one day's wage of a laborer in those days. In other words, the widow gave a very small gift. Based on our minimum wage scale the widow put about 94 cents into the offering box. Jesus called this to the attention of his disciples and said that the widow out gave the rich. The reason for this conclusion is found in verse 44, "…they contributed out of their abundance (wealth NIV), but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on." (ESV) This was very similar to the experience of the Macedonian Christians. 
Alan Redpath has written, "They gave out of what they could not afford." It is one thing to give generously when you have plenty. It is another thing to give everything you have when you have very little. Grace giving has less to do with what you have than it does with what you are willing to live without. Sacrifice is a characteristic of grace giving. 
Thirdly, willingness is a characteristic of grace giving, verses 4, 10-11. Evidently Paul did not have to do any arm-twisting  to get the Macedonians to give. On the contrary, the Macedonians who lived in extreme poverty according to verses three and four, "Entirely on their own…urgently pleaded with us" (NIV) ("begging us earnestly" ESV) '...for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints."(NIV) In verse ten Paul comments on the desire, the willingness of the Corinthians, to participate in this offering. He says that a year ago they were the first to "have the desire to do so." Then in verse eleven, he encourages them to follow through with this "eager willingness" ("readiness in desiring it" ESV). He goes on in verse twelve to say, "…if the willingness (or eagerness, readiness ESV) is there, the gift is acceptable". 
It would appear that to Paul, one's attitude in giving was of paramount importance. He wanted the Corinthians to follow through with their giving but is concerned that the motive, an eager willingness, is behind the giving. Paul deals with this again in chapter nine verse seven where he admonishes them to give, "not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." It is the grace of God at work in our lives that creates eagerness, a willingness to give. 
The fourth characteristic of grace giving is surrender, verse five. In fact we might say that surrender is the pre-requisite for grace giving. Surrender to God, that is.  When you surrender yourself to God you will also surrender all that you have to God. Perhaps you've heard the slogan, "God does not have a man until he has his pocketbook.” The truth behind that saying is found here in verse five, "they gave themselves first to the Lord". You see, the greatest obstacle to giving has never been lack of resources. It has been the lack of a willing heart. In other words, it's a heart problem. 
Jesus said as much, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth… but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…for where your treasure is there your heartwill be also. (emphasis mine Matthew 6:19-21 ESV) In other words, your heart follows your treasure. And then he makes this observation, verse 24, "No one can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot love both God and money."  (Matthew 6:24 ESV) 
Therein lays the tension. Jesus was emphatic about this. You cannot split your allegiance between God and your money. Alexander MacLaren has written, "These Macedonians did more that Paul had hoped for, and the explanation of the unexpected largeness of their contribution was their yielding themselves to Jesus. That is the deepest source of all liberality. If a man feels that he does not own himself, much less will he feel his goods are his own?"
As they surrendered their lives to Christ, the grace of God flowed through the Macedonians. As they surrendered their lives to Christ, God's giving heart flowed through them; God's giving nature was reproduced in them. It was as though God gave through these suffering, poverty stricken, Christians. 
Number five, grace giving is always voluntary, verse eight. The defining motive behind grace giving is love. Paul did not want to "command" the Corinthians to give. He wanted their giving to be an act of love. 
When a man and a woman commit themselves to marriage it is a voluntary act. They give themselves to one another whole-heartedly, completely, permanently and voluntarily, in an act of love and commitment. And all of this is motivated by their love for one another. The voluntary lifelong commitment they make to one another is the ultimate test of their love.
Paul points to the grace of Jesus Christ as the model of this voluntary sacrificial love. Jesus was rich, but He became poor "so that you by his poverty might become rich." (verse nine ESV) Grace giving is voluntary giving. 
Dr. L. L. King writes, "He [Paul] could have called their attention to the fact that Jesus, the Head of the church, endorsed tithing. Also, in accordance with his own divine commission and authority as an apostle, he was entitled to command them to give. Instead, he chose to put the Corinthians to the test of love." 
Dr. King continues, "Sometimes people have asked: 'If the Lord wanted us to give, why did He not leave a clear command and stipulate the amount? How gladly then would we do it.' Ah! There you have it. You want a command to make you do it.  But Christ does not want to make us give. He wants us to give out of love for Him. He therefore, has made the motivation to give and the amount to give to be the test of our devotion to Him."
Sixthly, grace giving is proportionate, verses 11 and 12. In verse 11 Paul says we are to give "according to your means" or "completing it out of what you have" (ESV) or "Give in proportion to what you have." (NLT) And he repeats this in verse 12, giving should be "according to what a person has". 
Earlier he wrote something similar in his first letter to the Corinthians 16:2, "On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper." (ESV) or "in keeping with his income"(NIV).  This answers the question – "How much?" 
Pastor David Petrescue writes, 
"The New Testament does not teach tithing, although Jesus encouraged people to keep doing it. The New Testament teaches proportional giving. We are to give as we have been blessed, not with equal gifts but with equal sacrifice."("Your Money Matters", Alliance life 02-14-96)
Roy LaTourneau, was known as "The Dean of Earthmoving." Back in the first half of the 20thcentury he designed and built different kinds of earthmoving machines. He was known around the world as a leader in the development and manufacture of heavy earth moving equipment. As a committed Christian, he was tithing 90% of his income by the end of his life. I know of another Christian businessman, Stanley Tam, who legally made God the owner of his business so that all of the profits went to the Lord's work. 
If you make $20,000/year and tithe, you are left with $18,000 to live on. If you make $100,000/year and tithe, you are left with $90,000 to live on. That is why the New Testament teaches proportionate giving. That is why grace giving is proportionate giving. G. Campbell Morgan commenting on 1 Corinthians 16:2 wrote, "The giving of the Christian man is to be personal; let every man. It is to be regular, upon the first day of the week. It is to be perpetually readjusted, according as God has prospered." 
This is why tithing is not the focus in the New Testament. For some it would be too limiting. I believe God wants to demonstrate His grace in our giving by taking us well beyond the tithe. There is nothing wrong with the tithe as long it is viewed as the beginning not the end of our giving, the minimum not the maximum.
Lastly, grace giving is characterized by concern for others, verses 13-15. Paul is promoting a concern for equality or as the ESV translates it "fairness", in other words a concern that the needs of everyone are met. In verse 14, the contrast is between those who have "plenty" or "abundance" (ESV) and those who have a "need". In other words, the contrast is between those who have more than they need, and those who do not have enough. So Paul argues that it is appropriate for those who have "plenty", or more than they need, to supply the need of those who do not have enough. And he points out that the day may come when the shoe is on the other foot. When the need of the Corinthians will be supplied by the plenty of others. 
This concept was practiced early on by the Jerusalem church. Acts 4:32-35, 32Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 3And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all34There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. (ESV emphasis mine) 
Friends, you cannot explain that kind of love, sacrifice and care for one another apart from the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ at work in His body the Church! And that is what the text says "...great grace was upon them all." 
I will never forget Father's Day of last year (2010). The leadership of this church had invited my family and I to come here so they could pray for us, and I could bring the morning message. Just six weeks earlier, on Mother's Day, May 9                                                                            my family was on their way to join me where I was preaching that morning, but they never made it and I never peached that Mother's Day sermon. While driving on Pine Island Road in Plantation, they were in a very serious automobile accident. My son Christopher resuscitated my wife at the scene of the accident after he dragged her lifeless body from the car before the EMT's arrived. Three of my family ustained serious injuries. On that morning last June 20 here at Pines Baptist, three wonderful things happened. The church gathered around my family and prayed for us. Then I had the privilege to preach, my first love in ministry. And after the service Pastor Acosta gave us a love gift of $3,000 that had been collected earlier from you. Grace giving in action. Church, thank you again. 
As I said at the beginning of this message through "grace giving" God provides us with both the motive, the desire to give and the means or resources to give. That means that each of us no matter who we are, or what we have can be participants in grace giving. 
I close with this illustration and a final quote. In 1 Kings chapter seventeen, God sent the prophet Elijah to give a message to wicked King Ahab, "…there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word. (Verse 1 ESV) Then the Lord ordered Elijah into hiding by the brook Kerith east of the Jordan River. There Elijah camped drinking from the brook and eating food the Lord provided him flown in by ravens. Eventually, due to the drought, the brook dried up.
Who did God send Elijah to for food and shelter? To the wealthiest home? To the local philanthropist in the village  Zarephath? No, to a widow who was down to her last meal. A widow, who in this drought stricken land had enough food for one last meal for her and her son. God asked her to supply the needs of His prophet. And she did, feeding him first as he requested. And just as Elijah had promised she and her household ate for many mofe days as God in his grace kept refilling the flour pot and the jug of oil. 
You've heard the slogan, "You cannot out give God." It's true.  The widow of Zarephath experienced it. 2 Corinthians chapter nine teaches it. But that is another message. As Dr. A. B. Simpson founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance has written, 
"In second Corinthians 8 we are first taught that giving is a grace. It is not a work; it is not something we have to do but it is something God will do through us if we will let him. Grace is something given to us not something we give but  something we get." Dr. Simpson continues, 
"God does not require us to give as a hard exercise. He wants to give us the Spirit of giving. This then is something we must take as a divine gift, a grace of the Holy Ghost. It belongs to the essential qualities of holiness and right living and without it we cannot call ourselves truly sanctifies children of God."
2011 James P. McGarvey All rights reserved