Suicide + Harm
Teaching Notes
Every 11 minutes, someone in our country dies from suicide.
Tragic Juxtaposition:
Death by suicide is the tragic result of someone’s great pain.
There is no greater pain than losing someone by suicide death.
You don’t have to end your life to end your pain.
Rick Warren
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
Psalm 139:11-12
Are there examples in the Bible of suicide? Yes
Abimelech (Judges 9)
Samson (Judges 16)
King Saul (1 Samuel 31:5)
Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17:23)
King Zimri (1 Kings 16:18)
Judas (Matthew 27:1-5)
Is suicide a sin? Yes.
You shall not murder.
Exodus 20:13
For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.
Psalm 36:9
A person’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.
Job 14:5
Can suicide be forgiven? Yes.
We are not judged based on any one act in our life.
We are not judged upon the final act of our lives.
We are judged upon the blood of Jesus. Period.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39
Is it a sin to have suicidal thoughts? No.
Suicidal ideation is a reflection that we live in a sinful world and have a sinful nature, but having suicidal thoughts is not a sin.
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
How do we respond when someone expresses suicidal thoughts to us?
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Colossians 3:12
Take Them Literally.
Invite Them To Say More
Get Specific
Go “5 Deep”
5 People
5 Resources
5 Self-Care Strategies
Does my struggle mean that my faith is weak? No.
“I have had enough Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”
Elijah, 1 Kings 19:4
“Now O Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live…I am angry enough to die.”
Jonah, Jonah 4:3,9
“We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.”
- Paul, 2 Corinthians 1:8-9
They Cried Out To God:
Other Voices vs The Voice of God
Harsh Hopeful
Accuses Anchors
Haunts Holds you
Pushes you away Draws you near
Isolates Invites
What you’re not Who you are
Repetitive Refreshing
Compounds Comforts
Condemns Convicts
Shame Sorrow
Crippling Catalyzing
Death was not theirs to choose.
“I have had enough Lord,” he said. “Take my life;...”
Elijah
“Now O Lord, take away my life…”
Jonah
Setlist
WFC Lenexa + WFC Anywhere
Graves Into Gardens- Elevation Worship
Reckless Love- Cory Asbury
Abide- Worship Initiative
Gratitude- Brandon Lake
WFC Speedway
Glorious Day- Kristian Stanfill
Rest On Us- Maverick City
Graves Into Gardens-Elevation Worship
Firm Foundation (He Won't)- Maverick Cit
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