Preaching a Pro-life sermon

[Pergamum]

Has anyone preached a Pro-life sermon or a sermon specific to the cause of abortion? What text and advice would you give?

Would you advise it? Why or why not?

 

[Edward]

A pastor should preach the Bible, not politics. Preach the scriptures as you find them.

That being said, anti-abortion sermons are usually found in January, not June. (Specifically third Sunday in January)

 

[Pergamum]

Edward:

Abortion is not mainly/only a political issue, right? But a moral issue.

Also, suppose a church follows no liturgical calendar, or has one which does not include a "Life Sunday" - with millions killed each year and abortion a common societal ill, it seems reasonable to hear more sermon in these issues.

 

[Bill The Baptist]

I preached an abortion sermon from Leviticus 20:1-5.

 

[Edward]

Abortion is not mainly/only a political issue, right? But a moral issue.

Then why would you choose to preach on abortion instead of Black violence? (Unless, of course, you have).

Also, suppose a church follows no liturgical calendar, or has one which does not include a "Life Sunday"

So in preaching through a book of the Bible, you've come to verses which naturally support a sermon on this subject?

 

[Pergamum]

Edward:

Perhaps it would be better to start a new thread for this, but I disagree with your requirements for preaching here.

We need not merely advance chronologically 10-15 verses every weekend all the way through the Bible from start to finish.

Who cares if Los Angeles gets nuked next week; you'll continue on the Levitical system of sacrifices for the next 6 weeks....

Pressing needs in our culture may, and should, get special attention from the pulpit. The preacher's personal burden may also allow him to pick a subject and text as He feels the Lord would have him do so.

Abortion has killed millions. If black violence is killing millions, perhaps someone ought to preach on it.

 

[Edward]

Well, I've kept your thread bumped on the Lord's day evening. There's more traffic on Monday, and perhaps someone will be able to give you what you are looking for then.

 

[Pergamum]

Thanks for the interaction.

 

[AThornquist]

One of my pastors preach on abortion at least once a year, so I have a few thoughts it.

1) Offer actionable items to your hearers. It's surpassingly easy to make Christians emotional about it, but tell them how to pray about it, how to make change in their community, how not to be desensitized to it, etc.

2) Make the point that abortion is, as you've previously said, not merely a political issue. Children are being murdered in our midst; to think of this as merely politics is ungodly and demonstrates how desensitized we are to the massacre.

3) Remember that there may be woman in your midst who have had an abortion. Perhaps they are lost, or perhaps they had it in their previous life as an unbeliever. Either way, be careful in what you say lest you break a bruised reed.

4) Related to the last point, and as you should in every sermon, preach free, liberating, glorious, extraordinary grace. The Father killed His son for the salvation of many, even those who have killed their own son or daughter.

5) Perhaps explain why Christians harp on this issue. Help your hearers remember the importance of speaking about it. Help them not immediately zone out because "oh great, another abortion sermon..."


That's all I've got for now.
God bless you in this, friend.

 

[Toasty]

Has anyone preached a Pro-life sermon or a sermon specific to the cause of abortion? What text and advice would you give?

Would you advise it? Why or why not?

You can bring up the subject if the text deals with the nature of man or murder. Man has both a physical aspect and an immaterial aspect. He has both body and soul including unborn children.

If you are teaching on the 10 Commandments, then you can bring up the subject. If you are teaching about how God created man in His own image, then you can bring it up.

If you are teaching a Sunday School class about Christian ethics or biblical anthropology, then you can bring up the subject.

Here are some biblical passage relevant to the topic of abortion:

According to Psalm 51:5, we have a sin nature from the moment of conception. Having a sin nature implies that one is a person.

Exodus 21:22-25 says, "If men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she gives birth prematurely, yet there is no injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband may demand of him, and he shall pay as the judges decide. But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise." If the woman gives birth prematurely, but there is no injury to the mother or child, then a fine must be paid. If the mother or child are injured, then justice is supposed to be meted out commensurate with the degree of damage. Both woman and child had equal protection under the law

There are some philosophical arguments in favor of abortion. You can inform your audience about them and then refute them.

 

[earl40]

I have never preached any sermon, and as a layman have never heard a sermon specifically addressing abortion. To tell you the truth I am very disappointed in this fact.

 

[OPC'n]

I'm not trying to be continuous, but why would a pastor need to preach against murdering an unborn child? Shouldn't we already know it's wrong? Wouldn't our bigger sin but that of not spreading the Gospel to "pro-choice" groups of people and giving some type of financial help in keeping their unborn child to those considering abortion?

 

[earl40]

I'm not trying to be continuous, but why would a pastor need to preach against murdering an unborn child? Shouldn't we already know it's wrong?

A preacher should explain to those who may be not at the level of understanding we are at. We have had people come to our church who do not know what the "stick with the cross piece is on the front of our church".

Here would be a great sermon outline that In my most humble opinion the best in explaining biblically the way one ought to understand this subject.

http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-misuse-of-exodus-2122-25-by-pro-choice-advocates

 

[Gforce9]

As a layman, the issue that comes to my mind about one-issue sermons generally, is that now you have a topic/idea that needs to be "proved". It would seem to me that this is a greased-skids setup for reading something into the text.....even if one is careful. Certainly, a minister of the Word must know the needs of those under his care and change things when he sees a need (Columbine high school incident, for example), but that would be a special circumstance.

 

[Pergamum]

One of my pastors preach on abortion at least once a year, so I have a few thoughts it.

1) Offer actionable items to your hearers. It's surpassingly easy to make Christians emotional about it, but tell them how to pray about it, how to make change in their community, how not to be desensitized to it, etc.

2) Make the point that abortion is, as you've previously said, not merely a political issue. Children are being murdered in our midst; to think of this as merely politics is ungodly and demonstrates how desensitized we are to the massacre.

3) Remember that there may be woman in your midst who have had an abortion. Perhaps they are lost, or perhaps they had it in their previous life as an unbeliever. Either way, be careful in what you say lest you break a bruised reed.

4) Related to the last point, and as you should in every sermon, preach free, liberating, glorious, extraordinary grace. The Father killed His son for the salvation of many, even those who have killed their own son or daughter.

5) Perhaps explain why Christians harp on this issue. Help your hearers remember the importance of speaking about it. Help them not immediately zone out because "oh great, another abortion sermon..."


That's all I've got for now.
God bless you in this, friend.

Thank you. Great points. Great to have you back, Andrew.

 

[Pergamum]

Has anyone preached a Pro-life sermon or a sermon specific to the cause of abortion? What text and advice would you give?

Would you advise it? Why or why not?

You can bring up the subject if the text deals with the nature of man or murder. Man has both a physical aspect and an immaterial aspect. He has both body and soul including unborn children.

If you are teaching on the 10 Commandments, then you can bring up the subject. If you are teaching about how God created man in His own image, then you can bring it up.

If you are teaching a Sunday School class about Christian ethics or biblical anthropology, then you can bring up the subject.

Here are some biblical passage relevant to the topic of abortion:

According to Psalm 51:5, we have a sin nature from the moment of conception. Having a sin nature implies that one is a person.

Exodus 21:22-25 says, "If men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she gives birth prematurely, yet there is no injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband may demand of him, and he shall pay as the judges decide. But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise." If the woman gives birth prematurely, but there is no injury to the mother or child, then a fine must be paid. If the mother or child are injured, then justice is supposed to be meted out commensurate with the degree of damage. Both woman and child had equal protection under the law

There are some philosophical arguments in favor of abortion. You can inform your audience about them and then refute them.

Thanks Henry, I was going to focus on the Exodus passage. Then Proverbs 24 at the end:

Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
does not He who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not He who keeps watch over your soul know it,
and will He not repay man according to his work?
----- Proverbs 24:11-12

 

[Pergamum]

I have never preached any sermon, and as a layman have never heard a sermon specifically addressing abortion. To tell you the truth I am very disappointed in this fact.

Yes, that has also disappointed me as well.

 

[Pergamum]

I'm not trying to be continuous, but why would a pastor need to preach against murdering an unborn child? Shouldn't we already know it's wrong? Wouldn't our bigger sin but that of not spreading the Gospel to "pro-choice" groups of people and giving some type of financial help in keeping their unborn child to those considering abortion?

They should know it is already wrong. But millions of abortions says otherwise. I also agree that not engaging Pro-choice groups with the Gospel is a deficiency on our part (yet many know the Gospel, but reject it).

About financial help, here is something I wrote last week for an article an I wanted to make it into one of the spoken action-steps during the sermon:

Exercise compassion to poor mothers:

I would suggest that even while stressing that abortion is sin, we should nevertheless, treat the mothers heading into the abortion clinic as victims rather than perpetrators. Many are pressured by parents and boyfriends. In an effort to “get ahead” or escape an added burden, many women succumb to what seems an easy choice, “Today, a full 42 percent of women having abortions live under the poverty line…. 69 percent of women who have abortions are economically disadvantaged.” (“The Demographics of Abortion: It's Not What You Think,” by Amanda Marcotte, The American Prospect, January 22, 2013). Abortion clinics are located primarily in poor areas of the city.

How can we help them?

Concerning the financial aspect of abortion, I am not sure how to help. Many of the young mothers going into the clinic were young mothers with quite a few fancy cell phones, painted nails and hair weaves. I don't want to judge, for all people "waste" money on things important to them, but the issue isn't one of "Due to my great poverty, I must abort my baby or die of hunger" but it is "This baby is inconvenient to my present lifestyle."

So, I support helping poor mothers. But I also want to guard the monies of the church for evangelistic priorities and the support of Christians first. Any suggestions?

 

[Pergamum]

As a layman, the issue that comes to my mind about one-issue sermons generally, is that now you have a topic/idea that needs to be "proved". It would seem to me that this is a greased-skids setup for reading something into the text.....even if one is careful. Certainly, a minister of the Word must know the needs of those under his care and change things when he sees a need (Columbine high school incident, for example), but that would be a special circumstance.

Greg, Yes I agree. When a preacher wants to find a text to fit his topic, he may be guilty of stretching the text to make it all about his one pet issue when, in fact, the main point of that text may be something else. But the Exodus 21 passage seems to support the sermon thesis of: God does not hold him guiltless who harms the unborn

Also, if Columbine was an occasion demanding special mention from the pulpit where a handful of kids were killed, isn't abortion a much greater special occasion? Or has our societal acceptance and complacency allowed this huge evil to be forgotten and unmentioned from our pulpits?

 

[Gforce9]

As a layman, the issue that comes to my mind about one-issue sermons generally, is that now you have a topic/idea that needs to be "proved". It would seem to me that this is a greased-skids setup for reading something into the text.....even if one is careful. Certainly, a minister of the Word must know the needs of those under his care and change things when he sees a need (Columbine high school incident, for example), but that would be a special circumstance.

Greg, Yes I agree. When a preacher wants to find a text to fit his topic, he may be guilty of stretching the text to make it all about his one pet issue when, in fact, the main point of that text may be something else. But the Exodus 21 passage seems to support the sermon thesis of: God does not hold him guiltless who harms the unborn

Also, if Columbine was an occasion demanding special mention from the pulpit where a handful of kids were killed, isn't abortion a much greater special occasion? Or has our societal acceptance and complacency allowed this huge evil to be forgotten and unmentioned from our pulpits?

With you, I'm incensed about the wholesale approval and carrying out of murder. I do think "speaking out" against this wickedness has it's legitimate venue. It seems to me, though, that Lord's Day worship is for 1) worship and, 2)the instruction of God's people in the whole counsel. The chastisement/lobbying of/persuading of the unbelievers, has no place there. If it is the people of God who are uninstructed, that should be handled according to the need:

1- A whole church of brand new converts- Have "fundamentals" type classes to bring them up out of their ignorance.
2- A "mature" congregation- something is wrong and a faithful church may need to be sought out.
3- "Rebellious" people/congregations ( I see it here in Chicago where a political agenda trumps what is right and wrong and the people will not repent)- not sure the right way to handle this....maybe faithful churches "cut off" the unrepentant folks (independency) or appeal to a higher level (Presbyterian).

The Columbine reference was intended to convey that a pastor may need to be extra sensitive, pastoral and gentle in an extreme case like that. In the case of abortion, as wicked as it is, probably wouldn't (directly) have a whole congregation so in turmoil and in need of special pastoral care, though it is possible.

Society has accepted, by and large, the wickedness of abortion. I have not. God has not given me the sword, however. In all honesty, sometimes I wish He had. I will continue to speak out when "speaking out" is appropriate. I engage unbelievers regularly on that and other matters; sometimes biblically, but usually a mix of it and pragmatics as most folks are pragmatic. When I go to worship, however, I need to hear the Gospel every week....I really need it.

 

[Pergamum]

Greg,

Defending the cause of the poor and needy is part of the whole counsel of God. As well as "You will not murder." Instruction on the Lord's Day ought to include instruction in the societal evils around us and how to respond to them.

 

[KMK]

From the Directory of Public Worship:

Ordinarily, the subject of his sermon is to be some text of scripture, holding forth some principle or head of religion, or suitable to some special occasion emergent; or he may go on in some chapter, psalm, or book of the holy scripture, as he shall see fit.

Let the introduction to his text be brief and perspicuous, drawn from the text itself, or context, or some parallel place, or general sentence of scripture.

If the text be long, (as in histories or parables it sometimes must be,) let him give a brief sum of it; if short, a paraphrase thereof, if need be: in both, looking diligently to the scope of the text, and pointing at the chief heads and grounds of doctrine which he is to raise from it.

In analysing and dividing his text, he is to regard more the order of matter than of words; and neither to burden the memory of the hearers in the beginning with too many members of division, nor to trouble their minds with obscure terms of art.

In raising doctrines from the text, his care ought to be, First, That the matter be the truth of God. Secondly, That it be a truth contained in or grounded on that text, that the hearers may discern how God teacheth it from thence. Thirdly, That he chiefly insist upon those doctrines which are principally intended; and make most for the edification of the hearers.

I assume, because of the itinerant nature of your ministry, that you are not asking for advice as part of an ordinary, week-by-week ministry. Therefore, just like the Puritans, you might address a specific topic rather than continue with an ongoing series. My advice would be to chose the text that relates to the special doctrine you wish to preach, but then go about expositorily preaching that specific text and let the instruction, confutation, exhortation, and dehortation develop naturally from the text. In other words,, "insist upon those doctrines which are principally intended" in the text. The abortion issue is too broad to cover in one sermon anyway. Preach with the intention that the hearers walk out knowing a passage of Scripture better rather than knowing the issues better.

I am sure it will be an awesome sermon no matter what, Perg, because your passion about the subject will shine through.

 

[Pergamum]

Thanks, I need to read the the Directory of Public Worship more.

 

[TylerRay]

Would you advise it? Why or why not?

The ministers of Christ have a responsibility to bring his word to bear on the issues of the day, just as the prophets of old did. It is more than commendable that you are seeking to apply the word of God to the needs that are clear and present in the world today.

Note: don't hear me saying that I think that this is the only responsibility of preachers of the Gospel. It is one of the many responsibilities that they have in administering the word to their hearers.

 

[OPC'n]

I'm not trying to be continuous, but why would a pastor need to preach against murdering an unborn child? Shouldn't we already know it's wrong? Wouldn't our bigger sin but that of not spreading the Gospel to "pro-choice" groups of people and giving some type of financial help in keeping their unborn child to those considering abortion?

They should know it is already wrong. But millions of abortions says otherwise. I also agree that not engaging Pro-choice groups with the Gospel is a deficiency on our part (yet many know the Gospel, but reject it).

About financial help, here is something I wrote last week for an article an I wanted to make it into one of the spoken action-steps during the sermon:

Exercise compassion to poor mothers:

I would suggest that even while stressing that abortion is sin, we should nevertheless, treat the mothers heading into the abortion clinic as victims rather than perpetrators. Many are pressured by parents and boyfriends. In an effort to “get ahead” or escape an added burden, many women succumb to what seems an easy choice, “Today, a full 42 percent of women having abortions live under the poverty line…. 69 percent of women who have abortions are economically disadvantaged.” (“The Demographics of Abortion: It's Not What You Think,” by Amanda Marcotte, The American Prospect, January 22, 2013). Abortion clinics are located primarily in poor areas of the city.

How can we help them?

Concerning the financial aspect of abortion, I am not sure how to help. Many of the young mothers going into the clinic were young mothers with quite a few fancy cell phones, painted nails and hair weaves. I don't want to judge, for all people "waste" money on things important to them, but the issue isn't one of "Due to my great poverty, I must abort my baby or die of hunger" but it is "This baby is inconvenient to my present lifestyle."

So, I support helping poor mothers. But I also want to guard the monies of the church for evangelistic priorities and the support of Christians first. Any suggestions?

I was going to answer this but i went wayyyy off OP topic so i'll just message you

 

[NoutheticCounselor]

A pastor should preach the Bible, not politics. Preach the scriptures as you find them.

That being said, anti-abortion sermons are usually found in January, not June. (Specifically third Sunday in January)

Preaching against abortion is preaching against the murder of unborn babies. It is a sin issue and there is no reason to avoid addressing it from the pulpit.