The Meaning of Life A Gift from God

The Meaning of Life: A Gift from God Life is a Gift to Be Defended

Romans 8: 20 -22 • 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time

Luke 14: 12 -14 • Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. "

• James 2: 1 -10 My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you, " but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet, " 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong? 8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself, " you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

1 Samuel 31: 3 -4 • 3 The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him critically. 4 Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me. " But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

The Great Debate • Resolved: The armor bearer should have ended Saul’s life as he requested. Vs. • Resolved: The armor bearer should not have ended Saul’s life.

Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) • Resuscitation is an aggressive procedure designed • primarily to restart a heart by external means which has stopped unexpectedly. It is not uncommon for some patients to suffer broken ribs and bruising during this procedure. A successful resuscitation is intimately tied to the health of the patient at the time of the arrest. Statistics indicate that elderly patients, generally 70 years of age and older, who undergo a resuscitation in a nursing home have very little chance of surviving more than a few additional days.

Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) • When a family is asked whether they wish a DNR order upon a family member admitted to a nursing home or hospital they should consider the age and general health of that patient. A discussion with the attending physician will prove helpful in determining whether or not to authorize a DNR. The motive for not authorizing it would be an acknowledgement that when the heart stops it is perhaps the final attendant medical circumstance to arriving at the conclusion God is bringing death for this person. Other circumstances preceding the heart arrest might be advancing dementia, inoperable cancer or tumors, advanced age and a frail body. (CLR Website)

MEDICAL DIRECTIVE STATEMENTS The Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (DPOAHC) document is a medical directive statement. Medical directive statements are intended to guide others on how to provide for your care if you become unable to make decisions about your health care. Documents which enable you to designate a health care agent have become increasingly popular because they generally allow a person more options for providing health care than the living will.

Some History of DPOAHC • 1980’s – Living Wills – Promoted by Society for the Right to Die – AKA “Concerned in Dying” – Pro-euthanasia – Written directives became more popular • Christian Response – Christian Life Resources – DPOAHC – Christian Version

Validity of this document • 1989 – Legislation by Congress – Must inform of rights to document – Options available • Differences by State – Regularly Changing • Validity dependent on state of mind when giving instructions • Directives Must be in agreement with current law

Designating a Healthcare Agent • Someone who has time and love to do it • Someone who has faith to do it – Shared convictions about God’s Word – Shared convictions about human life – Not geographically restricted

Page 3 • Read and evaluate each of the three choices on top half of the page. • Recommendation: None of Above • Addendum addresses this from a Christian viewpoint.

Duration of Document The first section allows you to designate a time or event when you would like this Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care to take effect. Without a specific designation, the document will first take effect when you are no longer able to make medical decisions for yourself. The second section allows you to designate a time or event when you would like this Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care to terminate. Without a specific designation, the document will terminate upon your death.

The Christian Addendum • General Statement • Health Care Statement of Beliefs • Health Care Directives for the agent • Specifics on some complicated issues

The Feeding Tube – pg. 9 • Which option would you select, and why? (Consider the passages we studied earlier concerning quality of life and the sanctity of life. )

Admission to Nursing Home • Discuss with your health care agent your wishes. • Balance desire to not be a burden with God’s giving opportunities for others to serve him through you.

The Meaning of Life: A Gift from God Life is a Gift to Be Defended

The Meaning of Life: A Gift from God II. Life is a Gift to Be Respected

Philippians 1: 23 -24 • I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

Romans 14: 8 • If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

Psalm 31: 15 • My times are in your hands.

Psalm 90: 12 • Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Luke 23: 44 -49 • 44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. " When he had said this, he breathed his last. 47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man. " 48 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. 49 But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

A Sample Christian Preamble • I commit myself to God’s care, secure in his love for me and trusting in the salvation purchased for me through Christ’s suffering and death. I leave those who survive me the comfort of knowing that I have died in this faith and have now joined my Lord in eternal glory. I commend my loved ones to the protecting arms of God knowing that he will continue to provide for them despite my absence. I encourage them to place their faith and trust in Him alone.

The Meaning of Life: A Gift from God II. Life is a Gift to Be Respected

The Meaning of Life: A Gift from God III. Life is a Gift to Used

1 Peter 2: 9 -12 • But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy • nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

1 Corinthians 10: 31 • 31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God

2 Corinthians 1: 3 -4 • 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

Galatians 6: 2 • Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Matthew 25: 40 • 40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. '

Ephesians 2: 8 -10 • 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Philippians 1: 12 -14 • 12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.

Luke 10: 30 -35 30 In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him, ' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have. '

John 9: 1 -7 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? " 3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, " said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world. " 6 Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 7 "Go, " he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

The Meaning of Life: A Gift from God III. Life is a Gift to Used