Forty years ago this month, on January 22, 1973, the United States Supreme Court issued a decision in Roe v. Wade, finding that a “right to
privacy” it had earlier discovered in the Constitution was “broad enough to
encompass” a right to abortion adopting a trimester scheme of pregnancy. Issued
on the same day, Doe v. Bolton
defined “health” to mean “all factors” that affect the woman, including
“physical, emotional, psychological, familial, and the woman’s age.”
Since
that ruling, there have over 53 million
abortions, the population of a mid-sized country. It would rank 24th
among national populations, a number greater than the nations of South Africa,
South Korea, or Spain. For
those born since 1973, for every ten people born, three more have been aborted.
There are more than 140,000 second and third trimester abortions each year.
Every year more American children die from abortions than have died from every
war in which America has participated combined.
On Dec. 26th, 2012, US Supreme Court
Justice Sonia Sotomayor denied Hobby
Lobby’s application
for an emergency injunction protecting them from the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act’s HHS Mandate on abortion-inducing drugs (and fines of $1.3
million per day). Hobby Lobby has decided to defy the federal government to
remain true to their religious beliefs, at enormous risk and financial cost. Hobby Lobby sued the federal
government for violating their Christian owners' religious freedom.
Hobby
Lobby is wholly owned and controlled by the Green family, who are evangelical
Christians. The Greens are committed to running their business in accordance
with their Christian faith, believing that God wants them to conduct their
professional business in accordance with the family’s understanding of the
Bible. Hobby Lobby’s mission statement includes, “Honoring the Lord in all we
do by operating the company … consistent with Biblical principles.”
David
Green, CEO and founder of Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., responded to the denial of
request with this statement: “When my family and I started our company 40 years
ago, we were working out of a garage on a $600 bank loan, assembling miniature
picture frames. Our first retail store wasn't much bigger than most people's
living rooms, but we had faith that we would succeed if we lived and worked
according to God's word. From there, Hobby Lobby has become one of the nation's
largest arts and crafts retailers, with more than 500 locations in 41 states.
“Our
children grew up into fine business leaders, and today we run Hobby Lobby
together, as a family. We're Christians, and we run our business on Christian
principles. I've always said that the first two goals of our business are (1)
to run our business in harmony with God's laws, and (2) to focus on people more
than money. And that's what we've tried to do. We close early so our employees
can see their families at night. We keep our stores closed on Sundays, one of
the week's biggest shopping days , so that our workers and their families can
enjoy a day of rest. We believe that it is by God's grace that Hobby Lobby has
endured, and he has blessed us and our employees. We've not only added jobs in
a weak economy, we've raised wages for the past four years in a row. Our
full-time employees start at 80% above minimum wage.
“But now, our government threatens to change all of that. A new government
healthcare mandate says that our family business must provide what I believe
are abortion-causing drugs as part of our health insurance. Being Christians,
we don't pay for drugs that might cause abortions. Which means that we don't
cover emergency contraception, the morning-after pill or the week-after pill.
We believe doing so might end a life after the moment of conception, something
that is contrary to our most important beliefs. It goes against the Biblical
principles on which we have run this company since day one. If we refuse to
comply, we could face $1.3 million per day in government fines. Our government
threatens to fine job creators in a bad economy. Our government threatens to
fine a company that's raised wages four years running. Our government threatens
to fine a family for running its business according to its beliefs. It's not
right. I know people will say we ought to follow the rules; that it's the same
for everybody. But that's not true. The government has exempted thousands of
companies from this mandate, for reasons of convenience or cost. But it won't
exempt them for reasons of religious belief.
“So,
Hobby Lobby — and my family — are forced to make a choice. With great
reluctance, we filed a lawsuit, asking a federal court to stop this mandate
before it hurts our business. We don't like to go running into court, but we no
longer have a choice. We believe people are more important than the bottom line
and that honoring God is more important than turning a profit. My family has
lived the American dream. We want to continue growing our company and providing
great jobs for thousands of employees, but the government is going to make that
much more difficult. The government is forcing us to choose between following
our faith and following the law. I say that's a choice no American — and no
American business — should have to make.”
Hobby
Lobby will now continue their lawsuit in the Tenth Circuit, but they are not
alone. More than 110
individuals in 43 separate cases — representing hospitals, universities,
diocese, businesses and schools — are challenging the HHS mandate.
Contextual notes:
According
to the Reese Chronological Bible, Psalm 139 is set in the year 1016 B.C., after
the David’s battles with the Philistines at Baal-Perazim and in the mulberry
trees (2 Sam 5:19-25; 1 Chron 14:10-17) about the time the Ark of the Covenant
was brought to Jerusalem (1 Chron 13:1-8; 2 Sam 6:1-5).
The
superscription is found previously at Psalm 109, a song fit for the most
excellent of singers.
Key
Truth: David wrote Psalm 139 to teach
Israel that the Lord is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent over all of
life.
Key
Application: Today I want to show you what God’s Word says
about life.
Key Verse: Psalm
139:13-16
Pray
and Read: Psalm 139
Sermon
Points:
1.
God Knows Every Person. (Psalm
139:1-6).
2. God is Present with Every Person (Psalm
139:7-12).
3.
God Creates Every Person (Psalm
139:13).
4.
God Designs Every Person (Psalm
139:14-15).
5.
God Plans Every Person (Psalm 139:16-18)
6.
God Judges Every Person who Destroys other Persons (PSALM 139:19-24)
Forty years ago this month, on January 22, 1973, the United States Supreme Court issued a decision in Roe v. Wade, finding that a “right to
privacy” it had earlier discovered in the Constitution was “broad enough to
encompass” a right to abortion adopting a trimester scheme of pregnancy. Issued
on the same day, Doe v. Bolton
defined “health” to mean “all factors” that affect the woman, including
“physical, emotional, psychological, familial, and the woman’s age.” 
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Image by Getty Images via @daylife
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