SUICIDE The Fierce Goodbye Matthew 4 John 10
Dec 14, 2015
SUICIDEThe Fierce Goodbye
Matthew 4 John 10
SUICIDEThe Fierce Goodbye
Matthew 4 John 10
The suicide of Robin Willliams
has stirred discussions across our great land
The suicide of Robin Willliams
has stirred discussions across our great land
For those who decide to end their life, they sense there is
‘no’ hope
For those who decide to end their life, they sense there is
‘no’ hope
Matthew 4:1-4
“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be
tempted by the devil. And when He
had fasted forty days and forty nights…
Matthew 4:1-4
“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be
tempted by the devil. And when He
had fasted forty days and forty nights…
…afterward He was hungry. Now when
the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God,
command that these stones become
bread.”
…afterward He was hungry. Now when
the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God,
command that these stones become
bread.”
…But He answered and said, “It is
written, ‘Man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of
God.”
…But He answered and said, “It is
written, ‘Man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of
God.”
A Historical ViewThe predominate ‘Christian’ view of
suicide for the past thousand years was
established by Thomas Aquinas, a Dominican monk
who died in 127 AD
A Historical ViewThe predominate ‘Christian’ view of
suicide for the past thousand years was
established by Thomas Aquinas, a Dominican monk
who died in 127 AD
A Historical View
Suicide is a denial of the self-love for
life that every being naturally has
A Historical View
Suicide is a denial of the self-love for
life that every being naturally has
A Historical View
Suicide is the rejection of one’s obligations to the
community
A Historical View
Suicide is the rejection of one’s obligations to the
community
A Historical View
Since life is God-given, only God can take it back
A Historical View
Since life is God-given, only God can take it back
A Historical View
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who suffered and was finally executed in
a Nazi Concentration
camp, argues…
A Historical View
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who suffered and was finally executed in
a Nazi Concentration
camp, argues…
A Historical View
…that suicide is not the sin of
murder, but the loss of faith
A Historical View
…that suicide is not the sin of
murder, but the loss of faith
The Painful Issues
The Loss of (a) Life
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of
death in the United States
The Painful Issues
The Loss of (a) Life
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of
death in the United States
The Painful Issues
39,000 die each year by their own hand, killing more people than motor vehicle accidents and more than twice as many
as homicide.
The Painful Issues
39,000 die each year by their own hand, killing more people than motor vehicle accidents and more than twice as many
as homicide.
The Painful Issues
Specifically in the Christian community,
the suicides of prominent pastors Rick Warren’s son Matthew
and Frank Page’s daughter Melissa thrust upon us the reality and
challenge of suicide
The Painful Issues
Specifically in the Christian community,
the suicides of prominent pastors Rick Warren’s son Matthew
and Frank Page’s daughter Melissa thrust upon us the reality and
challenge of suicide
The Painful Issues
The Collateral Relationships of
Life
The Painful Issues
The Collateral Relationships of
Life
The Painful Issues
“It is not possible to take a morally neutral stance on suicide, since it is
the most significant of all
deaths in its impact…
The Painful Issues
“It is not possible to take a morally neutral stance on suicide, since it is
the most significant of all
deaths in its impact…
The Painful Issues
…on the survivors causing long-
lasting grief and guilt and a high
suicide expectancy in spouses, around…
The Painful Issues
…on the survivors causing long-
lasting grief and guilt and a high
suicide expectancy in spouses, around…
The Painful Issues
…one thousand times the average.” A.C. Cain, ed.,
Survivors of Suicide, 1972
The Painful Issues
…one thousand times the average.” A.C. Cain, ed.,
Survivors of Suicide, 1972
The Painful Issues
“Nevertheless, no one who has had to cope with the
aftermath of suicide will ever argue that the
believing community
should…
The Painful Issues
“Nevertheless, no one who has had to cope with the
aftermath of suicide will ever argue that the
believing community
should…
The Painful Issues
…sanction it as a favorable way of meeting death.”
G. Lloyd CarrProfessor Emeritus of
Biblical Studies, Gordon College
The Painful Issues
…sanction it as a favorable way of meeting death.”
G. Lloyd CarrProfessor Emeritus of
Biblical Studies, Gordon College
The Painful Issues
TheDiminishment
of Life
The Painful Issues
TheDiminishment
of Life
The Painful Issues
The death of one single individual,
let alone thousands each year, diminishes
our families, communities and
nation
The Painful Issues
The death of one single individual,
let alone thousands each year, diminishes
our families, communities and
nation
A Redemptive Response
All that Jesus did (His life and death)
demonstrated that purpose in life is
found in our ability to be redemptive
A Redemptive Response
All that Jesus did (His life and death)
demonstrated that purpose in life is
found in our ability to be redemptive
A Redemptive Response
God’s Will is always
a Redemptive Will!
A Redemptive Response
God’s Will is always
a Redemptive Will!
A Redemptive Response
The story of Genesis is one of
paradise lost!
A Redemptive Response
The story of Genesis is one of
paradise lost!
A Redemptive Response
The story of God’s grace is about paradise
regained!
A Redemptive Response
The story of God’s grace is about paradise
regained!
“Life is only a long and bitter
suicide, and faith alone can
transform this suicide into a
sacrifice.” Franz Liszt, Austrian
Composer
“Life is only a long and bitter
suicide, and faith alone can
transform this suicide into a
sacrifice.” Franz Liszt, Austrian
Composer
God’s Word Speaks to Us of
Hope!
How God Values
each of Us!
God’s Word Speaks to Us of
Hope!
How God Values
each of Us!
Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the
Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a
future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the
Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a
future and a hope.”
God’s Word Speaks to Us of
Hope!
Available Assets!
God’s Word Speaks to Us of
Hope!
Available Assets!
2 Corinthians 12:8-10
“Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart
from me. And He said to me, “My
grace is sufficient for you…
2 Corinthians 12:8-10
“Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart
from me. And He said to me, “My
grace is sufficient for you…
…for My strength is made perfect in
weakness.” Therefore most
gladly I will rather boast in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ may
rest upon me.
…for My strength is made perfect in
weakness.” Therefore most
gladly I will rather boast in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ may
rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in
infirmities, in reproaches, in
needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for
Christ’s sake. For when I am weak,
then I am strong.”
Therefore I take pleasure in
infirmities, in reproaches, in
needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for
Christ’s sake. For when I am weak,
then I am strong.”
God’s Word Speaks to Us of
Hope!
A Community of Faith &
Hope!
God’s Word Speaks to Us of
Hope!
A Community of Faith &
Hope!
Philippians 4:12-14
“I know how to be abased, and I know
how to abound. Everywhere and in
all things I have learned both to be
full and to be hungry…
Philippians 4:12-14
“I know how to be abased, and I know
how to abound. Everywhere and in
all things I have learned both to be
full and to be hungry…
…both to abound and to suffer need. I
can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me. Nevertheless you
have done well that you shared in my
distress.”
…both to abound and to suffer need. I
can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me. Nevertheless you
have done well that you shared in my
distress.”
Galatians 6:2
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of
Christ.”
Galatians 6:2
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of
Christ.”
God’s Word Speaks to Us of
Hope!
The Promiseof Christ’s
Abundance!
God’s Word Speaks to Us of
Hope!
The Promiseof Christ’s
Abundance!
John 10:10
“The thief does not come except to
steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have
come that they may have life, and that they may have it
more abundantly.”
John 10:10
“The thief does not come except to
steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have
come that they may have life, and that they may have it
more abundantly.”
SUICIDEThe Fierce Goodbye
Matthew 4 John 10
SUICIDEThe Fierce Goodbye
Matthew 4 John 10