“A Christian Perspective on Euthanasia”
(3rd message in a 5-part sermon series)
Scripture Reading: II Corinthians 4:16-5:9
Sermon Transcript for October 16, 2005
By Rev. Mike Beck
TAPE (Reverend Adam Hamilton, Senior Pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City): A man has just been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that’s attacking his bones. The doctors have told him there is nothing they can do to treat it. They have tried their very best. There is nothing that seems to be working. What he can expect is that the disease will eventually take over his body and that there will be great pain. That when he sits, when he moves, if he is not extremely careful, bones will break. That he can expect that the progression will happen fairly quickly and painfully.
A woman finds out that she has an inoperable brain tumor. She has had surgery twice before for cancer. This time there is no surgical procedure that can help. She has two teenage boys and she fears what kind of burden she will be to her family as her physician tells her that one day she will not be able to recognize them. She will need to be diapered, bathed, and fed by her loved ones.
A young man with two small children finds out that he has a debilitating disease that will take his gross motor skills first. Eventually it will take his ability to speak, it will take his ability to swallow, take his ability to eat, but his mind will be crystal clear all the way to the end.
A young woman has been waiting for a transplant, an organ transplant, having already gone through one surgery unsuccessfully, now awaiting a second. The disease finally takes over. She slips into a coma. She’s hooked up to a respirator. Her family is perplexed. What do we do now?
If you have not yet dealt with those kinds of issues, at some point in life you will—for yourself or maybe for a loved one. And it is critically important that you think through these issues in advance. This is the third message in a five-part series entitled, “Confronting the Controversial Issues of our Day”. We have looked at the relationship between church and state, a debate between creation and evolution. Next week we will look at the topic of abortion; two weekends from now the issue of homosexuality. Today we struggle with the issue of euthanasia. A leading ethicist said this issue with advances in medical technology may be the abortion issue of the 21st Century.
If you would look in your dictionary as I did this week for a definition of euthanasia, the first definition you would find would be a simple one—painless death. But in our day and age the word “euthanasia” more often our conversation within the culture is taking on the meaning “mercy killing” where we willingly take a life in order to spare that person pain and suffering. Now it is important as we begin to make sure we carefully define what euthanasia is not. Euthanasia is not the removal of life support. Let’s think about life support for a minute. I am confident there are numerous people hearing my voice at this moment that would not be here if it weren’t for a life support procedure. A machine that breathed for you, other machines that took care of your bodily functions until the time came that your body could function again on its own. But we often talk about the need to pull the plug to remove life support equipment. In this case is not to take the person’s life. It is the accident; it is the illness when we pull the plug that has taken the person’s life. All other treatments in those cases that stood a reasonable chance of being successful had been tried and they didn’t work. The person is moving into the death process, and to keep them on life support would only be to postpone the inevitable.
I need to stop here and just say a word about the Terri Shivo case. And in no way do I profess to have the last word on that issue. That was a very complicated issue. But I think the story that wasn’t told nearly as much as the story the protestors protested what was taking place there in that hospice room. I read an excellent article in USA Today. The husband in that case was kind of made by many people to be this evil, villainous person. But most people did not realize he had spent close to $200,000 taking his wife to several medical centers throughout the country to see if there was anything that could be done to help her. Her doctors were saying, “Although this woman blinks her eyes and has some slight movement, we see no sign of any brain activity at all.” And if you remember, the autopsy following her death confirmed that. And the courts had to listen to this case on several occasions and came to the conclusion that although she never put anything in writing, which she should have done, her wishes were that she not be kept alive if she was nothing but a vegetable. In fact, I want to share this interesting side light because most of those people protesting were good Christian people. But my guess is if you had of gone down the sidewalk and polled them, three-fourths of those persons protesting what was taking place would have been in favor of the death penalty. Now, isn’t there some inconsistency in those positions or am I missing something? Just think for a moment.
But back to the topic for today. Friends, it is critically important that you talk with your family about these issues in advance! In fact, out in the lobby today in a couple of locations, you will find a front and back document produced by Clarion Health which allows you to say what you want done in certain conditions. It needs to be notarized. You probably need to check with your attorney. Terri Shivo failed to do that. That’s what caused all the controversy. Also, I hope that on your driver’s license, you have checked that if something happens to you, you want to be an organ donor. Because I have found that when tragic deaths occur, persons who have helped others to live by donating their organs, the family goes through the grief process in very different ways.
So we have said from the perspective of most Christian ethicists, removing life support is not euthanasia. In its popular usage, euthanasia as “mercy killing” is when by an act of commission, we intentionally choose to end the life of another person to eliminate suffering. The issue first came to our attention in Michigan in the person of Dr. Kervorkian and his famous suicide machine. But we’ve seen it recently in a case that was reviewed by the Supreme Court just two weeks ago dealing with a Physician Assisted Suicide Law that has been passed twice by voters in the state of Oregon. Now, it’s a topic for another day, but I do want to say this because probably 20 percent of those of us in this congregation have been touched someplace in our family by suicide. From my perspective, unlike our Catholic brothers and sisters, suicide is not necessarily an unpardonable sin. That becomes a very complicated issue as well.
And the arguments in favor of euthanasia can be very compelling. Persons, including Christians, because friends, one of the things I hope we are conveying in this sermon series is Christians whose salvation comes through their faith in Jesus Christ often come out on different sides of an issue. And because someone might hold a differing view does not automatically disqualify them from being a Christian. Persons who hold this position believe there are times when suffering is so intense that it would be inhumane to keep the person alive, especially if it is the person’s desire to die. In fact, they would argue that we don’t do that to our animals. If our animals have been wounded and are suffering great pain, we take them to a veterinarian and then we euthanize them.
There are two other phrases that are associated with persons who are in favor of euthanasia. One is, you’ll hear them talk about having the “right to die”. You’ll also hear them talk about “death with dignity”. And it is very important to realize many persons who hold the position voted on by the people of the state of Oregon do so out of a great sense of compassion and care. You know, all of these issues which are complex, it’s easy for you and me to take what seems like the high moral ground on this issue until we actually, in this case, walk with a person who is facing terrifying circumstances and suffering. I say that to remind you that in this sermon series, although we are seeking to look at what the Scripture has to say on these issues, at the same time we are asking you to live out your Christian conviction in a grace for other people.
Having said all of that, let’s look now at why many Christian ethicists believe that euthanasia is not an appropriate response to suffering, death, and dying. And basically will argue three things:
Ending of Life is God’s Domain: The first argument would be this. The Scriptures clearly teach that the ending of life is God’s domain. The Psalmist said that “God has already numbered our days before even one of them had come into being.” And again, please keep in mind what we said earlier in terms of removing life support when there is no chance of recovery and the person is brain dead. That is not euthanasia. But for many Christians, to willingly participate in the ending of a person’s life is stepping into an area that is God’s authority, not ours.
Our Lives are Not our Own: The second argument is an interesting one that we don’t often think about. And that is, the Bible teaches that our lives are not our own. We say that we have a right to do with our body whatever we want to do with it. But God says back to us, “Wait a minute. Whose body is it, anyway?” Friends, this isn’t my body. It’s on loan to me from God. It contains a soul because unlike the rest of God’s creation, as important as our pets are to us, only we as human beings are made in the image of God. So when I say I am going to end my life is to say to God that there is no longer any purpose for my existence. In a sense, we may be saying, “God, I don’t trust you that you’ll take care of things. I’m going to take care of them myself.” We are in a sense telling God, “I no longer want this gift that you gave to me.”
Now, if it seems like I’m going back and forth, I am! Because again, friends, these are controversial issues. There are times that persons feel just the way I said. God understands those feelings. Do you remember Jesus’ words in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed with drops of blood, “Lord, I do not want to suffer this agony? If there is any way, take it away from me.” On the cross as Jesus was baring your sin and my sin, and in that moment He was separated from God, He said like many persons sometimes feel in their pain and suffering, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” God understands those things. He wants us to rise above them not ignoring our fears and our anxieties. God understands those. But to accept every day of life that we are given by God which will contain a corresponding measure of grace, and simply accept that when it is our time, He’ll call me home.
If you have not read the book, Tuesdays with Morrie, and it’s also been made into a movie, you need to know that story. Now Morrie was changed, but what Morrie taught his friend about dying as he was dying from one of the most painful illnesses known to man, Lou Gehrig ’s disease, it is a profound story. Tuesdays with Morrie, read it or watch the movie if you haven’t done so.
Suffering can be Redemptive: But then here’s the third argument. We as Christians believe that suffering can be redemptive. Boy, here me carefully on this. God does not cause our suffering. Friends, if God causes our suffering, if God caused what happened to the Tyson’s son, they are here with us in worship today, I hope the words of that opening medley of hymns spoke to you. But if God causes those kinds of pain, this robe is off, my stoles I’ll give to somebody else. You’ll find me down at Timbergate this morning playing golf. That’s not good news to proclaim. Be careful who you blame with the suffering of life. God gets the bum rap too often. But as Romans 8:28 tells us, God can take suffering in the worse that life can send our way and through His grace, He can bring good from it. In fact, God knows that suffering, and again He does not cause it, but He knows it brings about a depth of character that cannot be achieved in any other way. In fact, friends, you are who you are in large part because of the difficult circumstances in life that you have had to face. Let me repeat that. You are who you are today because of the difficult experiences of life that you have made.
It’s been real interesting for Mickey and I to watch Adam and Shanna who lost their first child a little over a year ago. She’s doing well and should deliver a healthy baby girl in early November. But when Adam was growing up, he gave us plenty of gray hairs But this past year, to watch the growth, the maturity that I have seen take place in their lives as they have had to deal with one of the toughest things that a person can deal with. To get up every morning and see over there on the dresser the picture of that beautiful little boy so wanted and hoped for. But gosh how they have matured. He was born on a Sunday and I found out and just gave thanks to God. Do you know where they were on the one year anniversary of the day of his death? In church in worship! The difficult experiences in life make us who we are. And there is nothing more beautiful than to see a Christian standing firm in their faith in the midst of difficult and painful circumstances of life.
God has promised He will be with us in the midst of our suffering. In fact, in the midst of our suffering we have a chance to witness to non-believers. It is in the difficult moments of life that trust in God is hammered out. Will God understand when we cry and when we don’t understand? Absolutely! He will carry us in those moments. And that is what is so profound about the aspect of the gospel that we call the “incarnation”. That when we pray to God in our hour of suffering we pray to One who has walked where we walk. In fact, how encouraging it has been to me on numerous occasions to visit with persons in time of pain and suffering who have said to me, “Reverend Mike, as I am suffering, I am beginning to understand the suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross for me. And if He did that, how awesome His love must have been.”
Friends, here is our hope as Christians. It is found in the profound words we read earlier. I just want to read a few of them. “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs the moment. So we fix our eyes not on the seen but on what is unseen. What is seen is temporary but what is unseen offers eternal. And we know that this earthly tent that we live in is destroying the other building for God, an eternal house in heaven not built by human hands.”
This brings us full circle to the persons that Adam Hamilton described on the tape we listened to at the beginning of the sermon. And to use Paul Harvey’s phrase, I want you now to listen carefully “to the rest of those stories”.
TAPE: Those four stories I told you in the beginning, they weren’t some hypothetical stories I made up. Those were Church of the Resurrection members. A man who finds out he has bone cancer that can’t be treated anymore and his bones are going to break. They become brittle; and there will be a great deal of pain. And he use to come and he would sit in the back of the room in our old sanctuary and worship with us on the evening services. And there he would find strength to face what he was going through. Until finally he couldn’t come to church any more. And his wife called me and said, “You know, Sam would really like to join the church but he is not able to make it to worship. Is there any way he can join it at home?” I said, “Absolutely.” And that week I went to their house in the Brookside area. And we sat in the living room and there was a special chair that Sam sat in. And there was a special bed that he slept in his room in the back of the house. And he was in great pain. Many times when he sat down a bone would break. And he’d be back in the hospital again and back out of the hospital. I believe it was Thanksgiving week when I was there. And in his living room he professed his faith in Christ and his desire to be a part of your church family. I asked him, “Sam, what’s the state of your soul? How are you doing with all of this?” He said, “Adam, I am so grateful.” I said, “Grateful? Sam, how can you be grateful?” He said, “It’s Thanksgiving. Adam I’ve just been so grateful for what God has given to me and the life He as given to me and allowed me to live.” He said, “Do you know what we did this week?” I said, “What, Sam?” He said, “This week I had a chance to actually go out in the car with my wife. She helped me get out to the car. Do you know what we did when we were in the car?” I said, “What did you do, Sam?” He said, “We drove around and looked at the leaves.” He said, “Those leaves were so beautiful. Have you ever really stopped to look at them?” He said, “Adam, it was beautiful. I am so thankful Adam.” I prayed with him on Christmas Eve night. The last time I saw him alive. As we surrendered his life, as we gave his life to Jesus Christ. I tell you in that hospital room in K.U. Med Center there was great dignity.
And the woman who had an inoperable brain tumor, Denise, mother of two teenage boys. The last time I saw Denise she had indeed fallen to the place where the doctors had projected. She was having a hard time remembering people. She couldn’t talk. She was very weak. I drove to Columbia because the family had moved to Columbia. I went to have lunch with them. And I was sitting in the living room as I watched John carry his wife, Denise, in his arms downstairs and sat her down at the dining room table where he fed her a bologna sandwich. And I tell you this; I saw something beautiful that day. Something beautiful! I saw a picture of what marriage is suppose to be about. I saw a woman who was already in the arms of God and who God was sustaining even at that moment. And I saw a man who had become heroic because this woman had touched his life and two sons who would never be the same again. And before I left we prayed and gave her life to Jesus.
And that man who had a debilitating disease. Four years ago found out that he was going to die from this disease. I’m not sure what his faith was like at that point, but I do know this—that somewhere along the way he decided to come to church. And he started coming to your church; and he began to worship here. And during greeting time, you may have tried to greet him one time and he couldn’t quite raise his arm up to greet you. And he spoke with a slurred speech. The first time I went to his house he told me he wasn’t sure whether he really believed all of this or not, but he was definitely interested and he felt better when he came to church. And over the next few months as we talked, he came to the point where he wanted to accept Christ and he was baptized. I often wondered as I thought about euthanasia if three years before he decided to take his life if he would ever before that come to the place where he was baptized and accepted Jesus. I don’t think so! And how in the last week of his life I was on his back porch sitting with him on one of those warm fall days last fall. And the butterflies were dancing around the flowers outside, and the breeze was blowing. And I said, “Jeff, what have you been thinking about?” He said, “Adam, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about heaven these days.” And on that Sunday morning, the Lord called him home. Can I tell you there was a beauty and dignity in that? It was profound!
And the teenage girl who slips into a coma as we stood around her bed at K.U. Med Center and talked through the ethics of taking her off life support. And as we held hands and prayed for her and gave her to the Lord that was a profound and holy moment that that family will never forget.
I want to end with a quote from the Journal from a man named Dr. Bill Bartholomew, a man who fought a very painful five-year battle with cancer before he went home to be with the Lord. Periodically he would write a meditation in his journal. One of his meditations contained these words. He said, “I have come to understand that death is the well-spring that drives our lives. To live in the bright light of death is to live a life in which colors and sounds and smells are all the more intense. In which smiles and laughs are irresistibly infectious, and hugs are warm and tender almost beyond belief. To live in this awareness that I am dying is to live more fully than I ever dreamed possible. Life doesn’t seem to be like a box of chocolates. It seems like endless servings of incredibly rich chocolate moose! I had not known this kind of living before. I wish that the final chapter in all your stories will be one in which you are given the gift of some time to live with whatever illness proves to be your fatal illness. But even more than that, I wish that you could discover what I now know—that this is the only way for us humans to live.”
Friends, you don’t have to be afraid of death. And suffering can be helped with medications, hospice workers, family members, and the support of a family of faith. The Holy Spirit can carry you through even the hardest of times if you will put your trust in Jesus Christ.
Would you take a moment now simply to reflect and offer up your prayers to God for wisdom and courage for those days in which the ending of life becomes a part of the fabric of your existence.
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