Sanctity of Life Sunday

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be always acceptable to thee, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer and Lord, give us here today, eyes to see and ears to hear so we can learn your word together as a family. We offer you all the praise, honor, and Glory for it in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Good morning, my fellow encouragers!

Our resident art teacher will appreciate this question: Has anyone had the opportunity to see the wonder of a masterpiece of art—not a reprint or reproduction, but the real thing?

Perhaps we’ve seen fine art by a master painter like Rembrandt, van Gogh, Picasso, or da Vinci in our travels or at a museum visit.

Or perhaps we’ve been really fortunate to look upon the creations of sculptors like Michelangelo, Donatello, or Bernini.

Or possibly we’ve had the opportunity to visit a place like Jones Hall in Houston and listen to the symphonic orchestra perform music composed by greats such as Mozart, Beethoven, Debussy, or Tchaikovsky.

What’s distinct about the creations of these master artisans is their ability to inspire us. With every stroke of the brush, note on the page, or chisel of the stone, these great masters created something precious, things of beauty that have stirred the imagination and moved the hearts of generations.

But the greatest artisan of all is God – the ultimate master of creation and design. Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; * and the firmament showeth his handy work.” All we have to do is look up in the night sky and behold His glory.

Everything we see and perceive exists to the glory and praise of our God, who shaped all things into their being. Our world, the universe, and even space and time are marvels of God’s glory and power. Even the works of the great master artisans result from a gift God gave them and testify to His glory.

Of all creation, only one thing is the most precious – the crown jewel – the very pinnacle of God’s creation, and that is us – mankind, whom He crafted in His very image.

Take a moment to truly reflect on this thought: the most invaluable and cherished creation that God has ever brought into existence is you and me. Consider the weighty significance of our existence as we are intricately designed to mirror God’s divine image. The unique beauty and worth bestowed upon us as individuals highlight the extraordinary nature of our being, inviting us to recognize the sacredness embedded within each of us.

Today is Sanctity of Life Sunday. Churches across the nation observe the second Sunday of Epiphany to emphasize just how valuable we are to our creator. And rightly so. Ephesians 2:10 points to the wonder of our worth in a way that inspires us to steward God’s precious gift of life for His glory. It underscores the sanctity of human life.

The AMP version of this verse puts it this way: “For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set] so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].”

The word translated as “workmanship” here is the Greek word “poiema,” which is the same root word from which we get our word “poem.” We are God’s incredible workmanship – a masterpiece of a physical poem written by Him.

Our lives are a priceless gift from a gracious God. He is glorified when we discover His good purposes in Christ Jesus. Like a master artisan, God has designed us each to uniquely display His glory in ways that point to the sanctity of life and the creative wonder of His design. Three distinct truths in this verse from Ephesians help us see how we bring glory to God as we fulfill our purpose as His poetic and masterful creation.

WE ARE CREATED WITH PASSION

The first truth we find in Ephesians 2:10 that underscores the sanctity of human life is that we are created with passion. The opening phrase says, “We are his workmanship.” The word “workmanship” could similarly be translated as “masterpiece.”

God demonstrates passion for His workmanship in His many acts of love toward us. Consider, for example, our design as divine image bearers. Understanding that we are uniquely formed in God’s image should not fill us with arrogance or pride but wonder and awe at His loving kindness.

Every human life is created with passion and endowed with worth as a masterpiece forged from the furnace of God’s love, and our value does not diminish as we age or because of status or circumstance. The apostle John writes in 1 John 4:19, “We love him, because He first loved us.” Understanding this love compels us to love others just as God loves us. In verse 21, St. John writes, “And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”

One way we can love others is by championing the cause of life, defending those who are vulnerable and defenseless, and being a voice for those in need, especially the unborn. Standing for life demonstrates love and concern for those created with passion as God’s workmanship.

WE ARE CREATED WITH PURPOSE

The second truth in Ephesians 2:10 that underscores the sanctity of human life is that we are created with purpose. This verse explains that we are “created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” God’s purpose is seen in Jesus’s redemptive work. As sinners, we are transformed into saints on a mission to glorify the Savior by living for Him.

Our good deeds glorify God because we are created in Christ Jesus to do good works. By attending to the needs of others in our community, we can honor God and help those around us.

In St. James 2:15–16, we read, “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?” When we attend to the physical needs of others around us, we acknowledge their worth as fellow image bearers, and we embody the love Christ has for them.

I want to make an important distinction here. St. James is speaking of providing for the basic physical needs for survival of those in need: food, clothing, shelter, and the like. He’s talking about needs, not wants, nor is he saying to provide special luxuries or physical comfort in life, such as money for snacks, a cell phone, a new TV, beer, or anything like that. St. James is speaking of the necessities to sustain the sanctity of life, not providing for people’s wants.

Fostering and adoption, which are very near and dear to me, are also powerful ways we bring God glory by caring for others in their hour of need. We fulfill God’s purpose by doing good to those around us and allowing God to use us to meet their needs.

WE ARE CREATED WITH POTENTIAL

The third and final truth we see in Ephesians 2:10 that underscores the sanctity of human life is that we are created with potential. The verse ends with the statement, “…which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Every person is born with the potential to serve the Lord, but not every person realizes this potential. Only those who turn to faith in Jesus Christ can “do all such good works as God has prepared for us to walk in.” This makes our mission of reaching people with the Gospel all the more urgent.

Perhaps the most important thing we can do to acknowledge the worth of those around us is to proclaim the Gospel to them and to call them to place their faith in Jesus Christ. Every soul matters to God. St. Paul writes in 1st Timothy 2:4 that God desires “…all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” When we proclaim the Gospel to those separated from God in their sin, we urge them to walk in the potential for which Ephesians 2:10 tells us they have been created.

God is the master artisan; we are His incredible workmanship and His most precious creation. In Him, we have been formed with passion, shaped with purpose, and fashioned with potential. We are called to stir each other up to love and good works and champion the immeasurable worth endowed to every masterpiece created by God.

Let us stand for the sanctity of life at every stage. Let us defend the unborn, assist the elderly, meet the needs of the vulnerable, encourage the love of Christ through foster care and adoption, and proclaim the Gospel to those who know not Jesus.

Let us walk in the good works for which we were created in Christ so that we might bring praise and glory to our God, who shaped all things into their being.