The Importance of Life
A Study on Suicide
Text—1
Tim. 6: 13 (1 Cor. 6: 19-20)
Introduction
A.
1 Tim. 6: 13, “I
charge thee in the sight of God, who giveth life to all things…”
B.
1 Cor. 6: 19-20, “Or
know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, why
have from god? And ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price:
glorify God therefore in your body.
C. Recent Statistics of suicide in America
The suicide rate in
America over the past fourteen years has climbed 31%, from 29,000 to just over
38,ooo in 2010. The increase among working adults was
“double that of the other demographics, with people in
their 50s showing the highest numbers” (“Suicides Soar in Past Decade”, Timothy
W. Martin, May 2, 2013, wsj.com).
Why
do people think they can take their own life?
Who’s authority do they have?
Does
one need approval to do such things to your own body?
A. Worldly Possessions
1. Don’t obtain all that is desired
a. House
b. Car
c. Spouse and kids
2. Don’t accomplish goals
a. Married after college
b. Dream job
c. Manager in 3 years
3. All is temporary—2 Pet. 3: 10 speaks of the earth and all of the works will be burned up.
4. Be content—
a.
Heb. 13: 5, “Be ye
free from the love of money; content with such things as ye have: for himself
hath said, I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake
thee.”
b. Matt. 16: 26, “For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? or what shall a man give in exchange for his life?”
c.
1 Jn. 2: 15, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the
world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
B. Emotions
1. Depression
2. Bullying
3. Loneliness
4. Noble—Health issues, no burden to family
5. 2 Cor. 10: 3-5 (Emotional vs. Intellect)
C. Physical
1. Pain & Suffering
2. Missing limb
3. Crimes and Imprisonment
4. Paul’s infirmity—2 Cor. 12: 7-10
5. Further reading—2 Cor. 11: 24-28
A. OT
1. King Saul—1 Sam. 31: 1-6
a. After his three strikes and losing the kingdom
b. The selection of David as next King
c. Being brutally beaten by Philistines
d. Took his own life
2. Assisted Suicide—2 Sam. 1: 1-16
a. Man returned from battle
b. An Amalekite
c. Told of Saul and Jonathan’s death
d. Said he was the one who slew Saul.
e. Read vs. 14-16
3. Job—
a. Satan’s challenge—Job 1: 8-12
i. Livestock—vs. 16, 17
ii. Family—vs. 18-19
b.
Job’s reaction—vs. 20-22, “Then Job arose, and rent his robe, and shaved his head, and
fell down upon the ground, and worshipped; and he said, Naked came I out of my
mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: Jehovah gave, and Jehovah hath
taken away; blessed be the name of Jehovah. In all this
Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
c. Satan’s Second challenge—Job 2: 3-7
d.
Job’s reaction—vs. 8-10, “And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself therewith; and
he sat among the ashes. Then said his wife unto him, Dost
thou still hold fast thine integrity? renounce God,
and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women
speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of
God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.”
e. Did not commit suicide, reward with twice as much in the end—Job 42: 12-17
B. NT
1. Judas Iscariot
a. One of the 12—Matt. 10: 2-4
b. Ill-gotten gain—Matt. 26: 14-16 (30 pieced silver)
c. Jesus predicts betrayal—vs. 21-25
d. The Betrayal—Matt. 26: 47-50
i. Still called him friend
ii. Knew he would be betrayed.
e. The Aftermath—Matt. 27: 3-5
f. Could he have repented?
2. Peter
a. One of the 12—Matt. 10: 2-4
b. Praised for understanding—Matt. 16: 13-17
c. Chastised for lack of understanding—Matt. 16: 21-23
d. Denial predicted—Matt. 26: 31-35
e. The Denial—Matt. 26: 69-75
f. Restored—Jn. 21: 15-17
3. Paul
a. Imprisoned with no hope of release
b. Knew Death was near—2 Tim. 4: 6-8
c. Abandoned by all—vs. 16
d. Except by God—vs. 17
e. His request—vs. 13 (still working!)
f. If in the Lord you can be content—Phil. 4: 11
C. Christians Today
1. Life too difficult even with God
a. “I’m so tired of standing for the truth. I’m all alone!” (Remember Paul)
b. “No one understands what I’m going through”
c. “No one has suffered like I have”
d. Phil. 4: 11, you can be content in the Lord.
e.
God knows—Heb. 4: 14-16, “Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through
the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have
not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;
but one that hath been in all points tempted like as `we are, yet' without sin.
Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may
receive mercy, and may find grace to help `us' in time of need.”
2. Give up and walk away from God—Heb. 10: 26, 29-31
A. Your death affects everyone
1. Spouse
2. Parents
3. Siblings
4. Ext. Family
5. Co-workers, Classmates
6. Boss, Teachers
7. Congregation
B. Not yours to forfeit
1. Given by God—
a. Every good gift—Jas. 1: 17
b. Formed by God—Gen. 2: 7
c. Returns to God—Eccl. 12: 7
d. Temple of God—1 Cor. 6: 19 (Not your own)
2. Live for God—
a. Keep his commandments—Jn. 14: 15
b. Do His Will—Matt. 7: 21-23
c. All are teachers—Rom. 10: 13-15
d. All are soldiers—2 Tim. 2: 3-4
e. Great joy in the Lord—Phil. 4: 4, “Rejoice…always…rejoice”
f. Citizen of Heaven—Phil. 3: 20-21
3. Suicide is Murder!
a. Whether
i. Babies—abortion
ii. Elderly—Euthanasia
iii. Self—Suicide
iv. Sinful (Rev. 21: 8)
b. Man made in image of God—Gen. 1: 26-28
c. Not our own—1 Cor. 6: 19
4. Paul and Silas—Acts 16: 22-34
a. Beaten with many stripes
b. Thrown in jail
c. Sang hymns to uplift spirits
d. Stayed the hand of the jailer
e. Converted him and household
IV.
Conclusion
A. God judges Life not Death
1. What have you done with your life? (2 Cor. 5: 10)
2. Not necessarily how you died.
3. Suicide is part of what you did with your life.
B. Suicide solves nothing, while bringing pain and leaving unanswered questions for the survivors.
C. Life is worth living; Christians are guarded by the peace of God (Phil. 4: 4-9).
D. Matt. 11: 28-30