What Did He Say?

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
John 12:24-26

I heard quite a courageous sermon today by J. Steven Wilkins, titled “We Hate Children”. [Once at the blog link, click on the title of the post to download the mp3.] Shocking, right? It got my attention, and the attention of his congregation, I am sure. What follows are my random thoughts on this powerful message.
I appreciated so many things that Pastor Wilkins had to say. Like the Amy Carmichael biography I am reading, this sermon helped me be better able to express what I believe when it comes to children. I am convinced that God wants Luke and me to be open to having as many children as He gives us. This position we hold is often met with statements from people that require me to defend myself.

For me, it comes down to a matter of dying to my selfish nature. I’ve written at length about my continuing journey in this here. God has called me to do things in this life that may be exhausting, painful, or at least very difficult. That doesn’t mean I refuse to do them or find some way to get around His instructions. It means I buckle down and endure in His grace and strength. The above passage in John is my goal. To be totally spent means to really live. To truly value life, I must not consider mine at all. Those that value their own life over others’ will lose everything.

I heard Pastor Wilkins say something in the sermon at one point,

“Unbelief is present-oriented, and suicidal for that reason.”

This was a strange, complicated phrase, and I had to really think about it to figure out what it might mean. The word suicidal in there leads me to think he’s saying basically what I am in the above paragraph- defining the essence of having a life, yet taking it by one’s own self-centeredness. Any individual or culture that is anti-God is naturally self-absorbed, and only focused on the here and now. Since they have no hope past themselves, they will not give in sacrifice or make any provision for tomorrow. The unbeliever will waste away, destined to die by their own inaction. This is not God’s way, and must grieve Him so to watch the progression of unbelief. God is the author of life, of hope, of a future.
Other neat thoughts from the sermon:
~As a husband and wife, we are used in the creation process. What a privilege to play this part in building His kingdom!
~Children are not an accident of marriage! It is easy to start thinking of a pregnancy like a ticking bomb- something to approach with great caution and planning, or avoid entirely. I hear phrases like “when we decide to have a child” or “she got pregnant” or “that baby wasn’t planned” or “why would they have a kid at a time like this?” God is the one that gives and takes away life. Viewing life as “an accident”, we start to think conception is our doing, and can forget God’s complete sovereignty. Sure, I have questions like everyone else as to why He has given life to some less deserving, and taken it away from others more deserving, or why He lets birth control work in the first place, but that still doesn’t take away from the fact that this whole area of reproductive abilities is under His control. There are no accidents.

Malachi 2:15 was mentioned in the sermon.

Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring.

Here it states one reason for marriage- to produce godly offspring. I liked how Pastor Wilkins admonished the young people present to choose a mate carefully. It isn’t enough to marry a Christian; they must find a partner who realizes their calling to become one and produce godly offspring.

Our future generations’ existence depends on the decisions couples are making right now as they pertain to having children, and raising them to be godly. Take a half hour to listen to this timely message. Hopefully neither the title of it nor my post have scared anyone away.

Thanks to Sherry for mentioning this enriching sermon.