God’s Answers About Suicide – Part 1

John 10:10

I.       Study Introduction (1 Samuel 12:7)

A.    Life – just living - drives us to question things.

1.      Like, Why things happen? What is right to do? What is wrong with such and such?

2.      Each generation has its questions

3.      The questions our parents hard were different than the ones asked today

4.      The Bible believer searches the Scriptures to find the right answers, for every generation

5.      There are no questions that cannot be answered from the Bible

6.      I may not be able to answer all questions, but this Book is timeless and infinite in its answers

B.     God just asks people to take the time to let Him reason with us (1Sam 12:7; Isa 1:18, Isa 41:21; Act 24:25)

1.      He wrote a Bible to delve into, study, test and apply (2Timothy 2:15)

2.      Gave us pastors, teachers (Eph 4:11,12)

3.      Best of all gave us the Comforter who would lead us into ALL truth (John 16:13)

C.     This Series of studies will look at several modern issues that are plaguing our culture – driving this generation away from God and further and further into drugs, drink, anger and bitter destruction

D.    By the way, these are not scary subjects – not when you know the truths about them, and have Jesus Christ, the hope of glory on your side!

II.    Introducing Tonight’s Study - Suicide

A.    Suicide is... the act of deliberately killing oneself.

B.     It doesn’t make sense. It never does.

1.      QUOTE: “Suicide is like a pain so blinding that it blocks out most rational thought. This cruel affliction comes close to (and sometimes probably succeeds in) rendering its victims temporarily insane.”

2.      Anyone who has ever battled with depression and thoughts of suicide, or has ever tried to help someone who was contemplating thoughts of suicide, know that it is not a rational, reasonable conclusion. It is insanity. But it is the only thing going in inside of their heads at the time!

C.     Irish statistics:

1.      507 committed suicide in 2012 

2.      With Cork city having the highest rate!

3.      Men are 5 times more prone to commit suicide than women. 

4.      Especially men under 30

D.    But the problem is not that someone considers suicide – the problem is that most people have no other alternative!

E.     Questions about suicide that need solid answers:

1.      Why do people seek to die?

2.      What is God’s view on suicide?

3.      What is the effects of suicide?

4.      Do only unsaved people kill themselves?

5.      Is suicide the ultimate sin?

6.      How to defeat suicidal thoughts and desires!

III. Message

A.    Seven Examples of Suicide in the Bible

1.      Abimelech (Judges 9:54) – to avoid the shame of death at the hands of a woman

2.      Samson (Judges 16:28-31) – self-sacrifice to defeat those who imprisoned him

3.      King Saul (1Samuel 31:1-4) – to avoid the abuse he would endure after he was captured

4.      Saul’s armour-bearer (1Samuel 31:5) – because he didn’t want to admit not being able to protect his king

5.      Ahithophel (2Samuel 17:23) – a bitter, angry, and defeated man whose counsel had been rejected, and he was now doomed to be executed anyway for treason against king David

6.      Zimri (1Kings 16:18) – a wicked, murderous man who tried to take over the kingdom of Israel, reigned for 7 days, and then tried to burn down the palace with himself inside, to avoid capture by the army

7.      Judas Iscariot  (Matthew 27:3-5, Acts of the Apostles 1:18-20) – because of guilt

B.     Six Examples of people who just wanted to die

1.      Job's wife wanted to die (Job 2:9)

2.      Job himself wanted to die, and wished he had never been born (Job 6:8-9; 14:13)

3.      Elijah wanted to die (1Kgs 19:1-4)

4.      Moses wanted to die (Numbers 11:15)

5.      Jonah wanted to die (Jonah 4:3,8,9)

6.      So, the urge to end one’s life early comes even to the godliest of us.

C.     By-the-way, in the near future, ALL men will desire to die (Rev 9:6) but won’t be able to!!!

D.    So Many Modern Examples

1.      Robin Williams, November 2015. Aged 63 – hanged himself in his home

2.      Rock star Kurt Cobain. Aged 27 – gunshot

3.      Film director Tony Scott. Aged 68 – jumped from a bridge

4.      Star of Spiderman 3 and Serendipity, Lucy Gordon. Aged 23 – Hanged herself

5.      Dozens of Walt Disney Stars, hundreds of Rock and Rap Musicians

6.      And then there are the 38,000 last year in America alone, and 60,000 in all of Europe!!!

E.     Why do some people seek to die?

1.      A ruined social world (death is the answer to my troublesome social relationships)

2.      Because of overmuch guilt and sorrow.  Trying to escape the crippling effects of guilt and sadness. 2Co 7:10  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

3.      Because they believe they are trapped, have no other way out – feel hopeless

4.      Because a voice keeps telling them it is the right thing to do – best for everyone. “Everyone would all be better off without me”

5.      Because they want to hurt those around them who don’t seem to care

6.      Hopelessness (there is no evidence that life is going to get any better).

7.      All of the above “reasons” are based upon lies that Satan has slowly built into their thinking and feeling.

8.      In general, people do not commit suicide because they are in pain, they commit suicide because they don't believe there is a reason to live and the world will be better off without them.

IV.    Conclusion

A.    More next week

1.      Our Culture of Suicide

2.      The Seven Lies of Suicide

3.      The Biblical and Real Truths About Suicide

4.      The Believers View on Life, Struggles, and DEATH

5.      How to defeat suicidal thoughts and desires!

B.     The ONLY answers to Suicide is found in another life – in the LIFE of Jesus, and only if He is IN you! (John 1:1-4; John 10:10)

1.      A life that is BIGGER, better, cleaner, stronger, able to carry your when you fall and are overwhelmed!

2.      Christ in you, the HOPE of glory (Col 1:27)

3.      HE gives you life, abundant

4.      HE gives you a reason if not many reasons to live, and suffer, and struggle on

5.      That’s why we walk circumspectly, vigilant, sober, on guard against the devil’s wiles and schemes and lies!

C.     If you have ever thought about suicide, or, are struggling with it right now – the best thing to do is talk to someone. Talk with me or my wife! The devils loves darkness and keeping things secret. Jesus says come to Him! He will not only give you hope, but he WILL give you rest!