January 23, 2005

Text: John 1:10-13

In a college classroom a discussion over the death penalty was taking place. One young man who made it quite clear he had no problems with abortion spoke out strongly against the death penalty. When asked by another student why he took such a stance he said: “I am against the death penalty because life is sacred.” The discussion continued with the effort to clarify when this sacred thing called life begins. I think we can see from this example just how important it is that the Biblical understanding of life and its origin be the foundation of our understanding of the sacredness of life.

Both Genesis 1 and John 1 tell us that in the beginning God created, that all things were made through Him. It is by His Hand and His Hand only that life exists. God is the Creator of the sacred. “For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm” (Psalm 33:9). “For by Him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible …” (Colossians 1:16). “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command …” (Hebrews 11:3).

In Genesis 2:7 (NIV) God created Adam, and he became a living being when God “Breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (the living soul).” Eve was then made from the side of Adam, and she too was a living being without God breathing into her. She received from Adam what God breathed into him. God continues to pro-create, and a child receives from his or her parents what God gave to Adam and becomes a living being. Life begins then in the beginning by the creative and pro-creative hand of God. This life was wonderful and holy and indeed sacred.

That life which was created by the Hand of God has fallen by the hand of man. “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in that way death came to all men because all sinned” and “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature …” (Romans 5:12;7:18). “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5 NIV). “ … like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3). “… a bad tree bears bad fruit” (Matthew 7:17). Oh, how clear can Scripture be than to show us that the sacred living has become the defiled dead, dead to God and active in sin. Do we have a hard time accepting that? Is it too gloomy and pessimistic to attribute to ourselves? If so, look into the Law of God.

We recite the First Commandment yet think nothing of being frantic over having enough money as we sacrifice our worship and devotional life in order to secure plenty of finances. We believe what the Sixth Commandment says yet act as though we are lords over our own bodies. If it feels good and looks fun what harm can there be in that? Do sexually what you want with whom you want and if not with our bodies at least with our minds. We cry foul when someone violates the Eighth Commandment against us yet the words of gossip and defamation flow out of our hearts and past our lips without hesitation. In the Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed we admit that we cannot by our own reason or strength believe in Jesus nor come to Him, yet how often don’t we inform God of all our good deeds and expect eternal reward for them? Yes, sad to say it is true, sin entered through one man and because of that, death has been passed onto us all.

We, the so called living, are born lost and lonely in the dark world of deceit and death that the Apostle John speaks of in chapter one of his Gospel. Where can we go? What can we do? Actually you can go nowhere to hide from this condition, nor can you do anything about it. It is God who comes to you and re-creates.

The sight of our plight, the darkness of our sin, and the stench of our death did not chase God away from us. He makes a decision for us and comes to our aid. He does for us the most merciful thing of all. He suffers and dies in our flesh. He opened His Hands to receive the nails that affixed Him on the cross of our punishment. He came amongst us and lived in sacred holiness the life of perfect obedience and painful passion in our place. He becomes the source of all the living, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”; “I am the Resurrection and the Life” says the voice of Jesus Himself. “In Him was the Light of Life” says John the Apostle. Only in Christ Jesus is life holy and sacred.

That holy and sacred life is given to you that you may be a redeemed living being. Our text says: “Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God-children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but BORN OF GOD.”

In Baptism God has re-created the pro-created. There, in the regenerative waters, He called you to repentance as He offered and imparted to you the forgiveness of sins. With this act of grace He delivered you from eternal death and the power of the devil. With this miracle He gives you the promise of salvation. When the power of the Law crushes our ego and shows us our dirty sinfulness, He calls us to confession where He listens and hears with ears of compassion. He speaks from His own lips the Word of forgiveness directly to our souls. He grants us an assurance of His abiding love in Christ. He continues to give refreshment and cure in mysterious ways with the Holy Supper. In Holy Communion God touches the lips of the redeemed with His sacred Body and Blood for us to eat and drink. With this eating and drinking we receive what we already have; namely the forgiveness of sins. He gives from the cross this Meal of Thanksgiving that He may strengthen us in faith toward Him and deepen our love for one another.

This is a love that respects the life that God created and pro-created. It’s a love that honors life from the beginning, a love that is faithful to Him and greatly appreciates the forgiveness and salvation earned and given through His Son, our Savior, Jesus the Christ. So, when does life begin? When is it sacred? When and where does it have hope? The answer to those questions is the same today as it always has been and always will be. The answer is “In the Beginning,” for Christ is in the beginning and where there is Christ there is life and salvation. Amen.