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God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)

Expository preaching has three decided advantages for any pastor: First, it takes the congregation through a book of the Bible so that they are able to observe and understand the various covenantal themes contained in it. Second, this type of “series” preaching protects the congregation from the pastor’s “hobby horses.” Therefore, rather than preaching on a number of his favorite topics, he is bound by the text to preach and teach the variety of doctrines found in the Word of God. Moreover, in the history of preaching it has been this expository approach that has proven to be the most spiritually beneficial to God’s covenant communities. Third, this will solve the problem for the younger pastor of choosing a text every week. Being guided by the text and your exegesis, you know what you’re preaching on next week.

Ten Arguments against the use of birth control and a response to each: 1. Genesis 1:28; 9:1. But: a. If this were a specific command to every individual, every man and woman would be required to marry. But clearly marriage is not a universal obligation (Jesus, Paul, 1 Cor. 7). b. This text does address the responsibility to bear children but says nothing about how many or for how long. Nothing in the text explicitly requires us to have as many children as is biologically possible. c. Gen. 1:28 must be read in the light of 1:26. 2. Deut. 23:1 – The argument is that this prohibition reflects God’s displeasure with any means of birth control. But: a. There is nothing to indicate that these men were castrated as a means of birth control. b. In all likelihood, this refers “not to states of infertility produced by illness or accident, but to deliberate acts of castration at times associated with pagan worship in the ancient Near East” (Davis, p. 37). 3. Genesis 38:6-10 (Deut. 25:5-10). But: a. Onan’s sin was not that he violated the general command to have children, but that he violated the specific obligation in the law of levirate marriage. His action was sinful not because he used a form of birth control, but because he disobeyed a legal responsibility to raise up seed in his deceased brother’s name (probably because he didn’t want to assume the personal and financial obligation of raising them). b. Lev. 20:10-21 lists specific sexual crimes punishable by death under the Mosaic Code. If coitus interruptus, such as that committed by Onan, were regarded as an abuse or sin, one would expect to see it in this list. 4. Psalms 127:3-5; 128:1-6 – No one would dare disagree that children are a wonderful blessing from the Lord. But: a. Why should we conclude from these texts that we are morally obligated to have as many children as is biologically possible? b. As with all God's blessings, we must be wise and prudent stewards in the enjoyment of them. 5. The purpose of sex in marriage is procreational, not recreational. But: a. The Bible reveals at least [four other] purposes for sex in marriage. b. “If sex were intended only for procreation, then it would be strange that nature has it that women can procreate less than half of their married life…and then only at a very limited time each month” (Geisler, p. 215-16). c. If this argument were valid, it would be sinful for a married couple to have sexual relations subsequent to female menopause or a hysterectomy or in cases where either husband or wife is sterile. 6. Birth control is unnatural and artificial. Common sense suggests that the purpose for human sexual organs is reproduction. Anything that prohibits or interrupts the sex organs from performing their appointed role is thus sinful. But: a. “If the sole purpose of sexual intercourse is procreation, then why did God give women the desire for sexual intercourse at times when they cannot become pregnant? Does not the natural order of things, then, demonstrate that procreation is not the only purpose of sex?” (Feinbergs, p. 175-176). b. We do many so-called unnatural things that run counter to and hinder so-called nature, none of which any of us would regard as immoral or unbiblical: shaving, air-travel, mowing the lawn, etc. c. If we consistently applied this principle we would be forced never to employ medical assistance, medication, or surgery. d. Those who employ this argument concede the use of the rhythm method and abstinence during times of ovulation, none of which is itself natural (charting or scheduling intercourse based on body temperature, etc., is hardly natural; and abstinence runs counter to the natural sex drive). 7. Birth control betrays a lack of trust or faith in the sovereignty of God. He is Lord over the womb. If God wants us to have children, He should be free to bestow them. If He doesn’t want to, He (and He alone) should have the power and prerogative to prevent conception. But: a. We must be careful that our trust in God is not simply irresponsible behavior. b. If this argument were consistently applied, we should never work, use locks or alarms on our homes, save money for emergencies, purchase life or health insurance, wear safety goggles when using a weed-eater, use sun-screen when outside, or support the police or national defense. 8. Birth control has the potential to alter in a destructive way our concepts and experience of love and commitment. But: a. The fact that birth control may yield negative consequences does not itself make birth control wrong. The absence of intimacy, promiscuity, etc., are wrong, not because one may have employed a contraceptive device, but because such things are declared to be wrong in the Bible. 9. Birth control encourages promiscuity among both married and unmarried people. But: a. We must distinguish between an object and the purpose or use to which an object is put. Cars are not sinful simply because people can use them to escape the scene of a crime they’ve just committed. The fact that an object can be used for immoral purposes does not necessarily prove the object is in and of itself immoral. 10. Birth control devices have negative side-effects and are detrimental to one’s health. Since our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, we should not employ those things that do damage to our physical constitution. But: a. If a birth control device is found conclusively to have physical destructive side-effects, it should not be used. But such scientific evidence does not exist for all methods of contraception.
Sam Storms

Bible – German Luther Matthaeus Chapter 1:1-25.

Index: German Luther

 

Matthaeus 1

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1:1 Dies ist das Buch von der Geburt Jesu Christi, der da ist ein Sohn Davids, des Sohnes Abrahams.

1:2 Abraham zeugte Isaak. Isaak zeugte Jakob. Jakob zeugte Juda und seine Brüder.

1:3 Juda zeugte Perez und Serah von Thamar. Perez zeugte Hezron. Hezron zeugte Ram.

1:4 Ram zeugte Amminadab. Amminadab zeugte Nahesson. Nahesson zeugte Salma.

1:5 Salma zeugte Boas von der Rahab. Boas zeugte Obed von der Ruth. Obed zeugte Jesse.

1:6 Jesse zeugte den König David. Der König David zeugte Salomo von dem Weib des Uria.

1:7 Salomo zeugte Rehabeam. Rehabeam zeugte Abia. Abia zeugte Asa.

1:8 Asa zeugte Josaphat. Josaphat zeugte Joram. Joram zeugte Usia.

1:9 Usia zeugte Jotham. Jotham zeugte Ahas. Ahas zeugte Hiskia.

1:10 Hiskia zeugte Manasse. Manasse zeugte Amon. Amon zeugte Josia.

1:11 Josia zeugte Jechonja und seine Brüder um die Zeit der babylonischen Gefangenschaft.

1:12 Nach der babylonischen Gefangenschaft zeugte Jechonja Sealthiel. Sealthiel zeugte Serubabel.

1:13 Serubabel zeugte Abiud. Abiud zeugte Eliakim. Eliakim zeugte Asor.

1:14 Asor zeugte Zadok. Zadok zeugte Achim. Achim zeugte Eliud.

1:15 Eliud zeugte Eleasar. Eleasar zeugte Matthan. Matthan zeugte Jakob.

1:16 Jakob zeugte Joseph, den Mann Marias, von welcher ist geboren Jesus, der da heißt Christus.

1:17 Alle Glieder von Abraham bis auf David sind vierzehn Glieder. Von David bis auf die Gefangenschaft sind vierzehn Glieder. Von der babylonischen Gefangenschaft bis auf Christus sind vierzehn Glieder.

1:18 Die Geburt Christi war aber also getan. Als Maria, seine Mutter, dem Joseph vertraut war, fand sich’s ehe er sie heimholte, daß sie schwanger war von dem heiligen Geist.

1:19 Joseph aber, ihr Mann, war fromm und wollte sie nicht in Schande bringen, gedachte aber, sie heimlich zu verlassen.

1:20 Indem er aber also gedachte, siehe, da erschien ihm ein Engel des HERRN im Traum und sprach: Joseph, du Sohn Davids, fürchte dich nicht, Maria, dein Gemahl, zu dir zu nehmen; denn das in ihr geboren ist, das ist von dem heiligen Geist.

1:21 Und sie wird einen Sohn gebären, des Namen sollst du Jesus heißen; denn er wird sein Volk selig machen von ihren Sünden.

1:22 Das ist aber alles geschehen, auf daß erfüllt würde, was der HERR durch den Propheten gesagt hat, der da spricht:

1:23 “Siehe, eine Jungfrau wird schwanger sein und einen Sohn gebären, und sie werden seinen Namen Immanuel heißen”, das ist verdolmetscht: Gott mit uns.

1:24 Da nun Joseph vom Schlaf erwachte, tat er, wie ihm des HERRN Engel befohlen hatte, und nahm sein Gemahl zu sich.

1:25 Und er erkannte sie nicht, bis sie ihren ersten Sohn gebar; und hieß seinen Namen Jesus.