{"id":6212,"date":"2011-02-15T11:37:17","date_gmt":"2011-02-15T00:37:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/imaginarydiocese.org\/bishopjohn\/?p=6212"},"modified":"2011-02-15T21:51:27","modified_gmt":"2011-02-15T10:51:27","slug":"euthanasia%e2%80%93ending-a-life-%e2%80%9cahead-of-time%e2%80%9d-sermon-notes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/imaginarydiocese.org\/bishopjohn\/2011\/02\/15\/euthanasia%e2%80%93ending-a-life-%e2%80%9cahead-of-time%e2%80%9d-sermon-notes\/","title":{"rendered":"Euthanasia\u2013Ending a life \u201cAhead of Time\u201d (Sermon Notes)"},"content":{"rendered":"

EUTHANASIA \u2013 ENDING A LIFE \u201cAHEAD OF TIME\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Readings:\u00a0 Psalm 139:16-20<\/a>; Genesis 2<\/a><\/p>\n

SERMON NOTES<\/p>\n

Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. The Dutch experience clearly demonstrates the disastrous effects of euthanasia legislation.<\/p>\n

a. The\u00a0former Dutch minister who successfully promoted the legalization of euthanasia has now admitted that the government\u2019s move was a mistake<\/a>, and says that they should have first focused on palliative care. In 2008, Dutch doctors reported 2,331 cases of euthanasia, 400 cases of assisted suicide, and 550 deaths without request.<\/p>\n

b. The Dutch are now holding an inquiry <\/a>into the effects, both intended and unintended, of the euthanasia legislation.<\/p>\n

2. Not a lot of biblical commentary on this issue directly.<\/p>\n

Some related themes are clear. Some are not directly presented!<\/p>\n

We want to introduce the biblical evidence that is clear in order to think a bit about the implications of some of the unclear issues.<\/p>\n

Respect for life\u2013a biblical perspective on some of the issues<\/strong><\/p>\n

God created life <\/strong>Genesis 1-2<\/a>; Psalm 139:13-14<\/a>; Isaiah 44:2<\/a>, 24<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Life is special and worthy of special care, because God created it.<\/p>\n

Human life has special value, because we are created in the image of God. Genesis 9:5-6<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

The value is based on the image of God in a person; NOT on their health or quality of life<\/p>\n

God\u2019s sovereign control of life<\/strong> Psalm 39:4-7<\/a>; Isaiah 43:1-3<\/a>; 44:2<\/a>, 24<\/a>; 46:3-4<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

God loves the suffering person more than we do! We can trust God.<\/p>\n

Psalm 116:15<\/a>; 1 Peter 5:7<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Seeing life as God sees it.<\/strong> James 4:13-15<\/a>; Matthew 6:25-27<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Perspective from Philippians 1<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

God takes some offensive and evil misconduct, and uses it for good<\/p>\n

Philippians 1:6<\/a>, 12-13<\/a>, 14-18<\/a>, 20-26<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

If to live is Christ, to die is gain. Phil. 1:20-21<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

To die is better than to live (always!! Reverse of popular view) Phil. 1:22-23<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

So, why would we CLING to the dying?!!<\/p>\n

God is still in charge! Phil. 1:23-26<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

God will decide what\u2019s best for us \u2013 in accordance with His loving purposes!<\/p>\n

Series of \u201cGod-given paradoxes\u201d\u201c<\/strong><\/p>\n

Taking of life is sin and deserves death.<\/p>\n

(Even trying to take your own life is an attempt to improve our life over God\u2019s will for our life! That\u2019s pride.<\/p>\n

The person who CLINGS<\/em> to his life, ultimately loses what he or she is clinging to. Mark 8:35-36<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Letting go of our life results in obtaining life. John 12:25<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Giving up your life for a friend is the ultimate demonstration of love. John 15:13<\/a>; Romans 5:6-8<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThou shalt not kill\u201d<\/strong> Exodus 20:13<\/a>; 21:12;<\/a> Matthew 5:21-22<\/a>; 19:18<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Biblical perspective on suicide.<\/p>\n

Taking the will of God into our own hands.<\/p>\n

Pride of assuming we have a better plan than God\u2019s plan for our life.<\/p>\n

When society decides whose life is \u201cworth living\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is a right the sovereign God keeps for Himself.<\/p>\n

That call is not OURS to make.<\/p>\n

We can trust God to decide when our life isn\u2019t worth living.<\/p>\n

The dilemma of modern medicine\u2013\u201cBecause we can!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Our word is not the last word<\/strong>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

The hardest decision –<\/strong> helpful comment from John Kilner, Life on the Line:<\/em><\/p>\n

Three issues to deal with in this discussion:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 [Calls for this kind of thinking:]<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0God-centered<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0Reality-bounded<\/p>\n

God intended implications, built in to the way God made things (whether we like it or not!).<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0Love-impelled<\/p>\n

Distinction between ending a life\u2013allowing a life to come to an end and deciding not to keep trying to extend it artificially.<\/p>\n

Disconnecting life support.<\/p>\n

Not ending life to escape from a hard life.<\/p>\n

Job\u2019s perspective is significant: Ending life is a call that only GOD should make! Job 1:21<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Distinction between disconnecting life support and starving someone to death.<\/p>\n

The problem with feeding tubes: Starving someone to end the pain.<\/p>\n

Releasing a dying person\u2013why would we cling?!!<\/em><\/p>\n

Compassion and grace for people who have to make the call.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A time for compassion \u2013 NOT for criticism!<\/span><\/p>\n

Further thoughts, Is euthanasia a morally acceptable way to ease suffering of the elderly?<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

EUTHANASIA \u2013 ENDING A LIFE \u201cAHEAD OF TIME\u201d Readings:\u00a0 Psalm 139:16-20; Genesis 2 SERMON NOTES Introduction 1. The Dutch experience clearly demonstrates the disastrous effects of euthanasia legislation. a. The\u00a0former Dutch minister who successfully promoted the legalization of euthanasia has now admitted that the government\u2019s move was a mistake, and says that they should have […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6212","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-main"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/imaginarydiocese.org\/bishopjohn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6212","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/imaginarydiocese.org\/bishopjohn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/imaginarydiocese.org\/bishopjohn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/imaginarydiocese.org\/bishopjohn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/imaginarydiocese.org\/bishopjohn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6212"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"http:\/\/imaginarydiocese.org\/bishopjohn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6212\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7029,"href":"http:\/\/imaginarydiocese.org\/bishopjohn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6212\/revisions\/7029"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/imaginarydiocese.org\/bishopjohn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6212"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/imaginarydiocese.org\/bishopjohn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6212"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/imaginarydiocese.org\/bishopjohn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6212"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}