January 21: Value All

How does our culture teach us to view humanity? How can we avoid the trap of this fallen world to view people as means to our own ends? How do we avoid exploiting the human life? These questions have reached a precipice in our current culture as we see people exploiting human beings on so many fronts. The answer is only found in Christ. Our session this week, Value All, will explore this very topic.

Because this Sunday is Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, we are going to revisit Acts 16:16-19. It is an example of how a vulnerable demon-possessed slave girl was exploited for money by her owners. This passage is used in this week's teaching ideas to launch a discussion regarding how people exploit others today and how, as believers, we can avoid being guilty of the same actions.

Discussion Points
The following is used in the teaching ideas to guide the discussion on how exploitation of humans is practiced today. Consider adding your own additional information as well.

There are many different ways in which one person can be exploited. For example:

• Abortion – The baby is exploited for profit by the abortionist. The mom’s vulnerability is exploited by the abortionist. The mom might view the baby as an inconvenience; therefore the baby is exploited. The politicians might exploit it for political gain.
• Pornography – Women, children, and men are exploited for others' personal, perverted pleasure. When profits are at stake, many times the pornography is ignored.

• How are the posters of young ladies on the fronts of certain mall retail stores examples of human exploitation? Are they just exploiting the women in the posters? (No) They also exploit the desires of men and young boys and exploit the women who feel they need to look like the ladies on the posters.
• How does the #MeToo movement demonstrate that people are willing to overlook human sexual exploitation?

Scripture To Help Us Remember the Value of Human Life

The list of ways humans exploit other humans is too numerous to discuss. The fact is that our sin nature makes us subject to the temptation to exploit others for personal gain. As believers we are commanded to rise above the sin of this world that permeates our thoughts and desires. We are to live with a different view of humanity. We are to value humans as God’s special creation.

Guide your group to consider how these verses help us remember the value of human life and teach us how to rise above the temptation to exploit another human being for any reason:

• Genesis 1:27
• Jeremiah 1:5 
• Romans 13:8-10 
• Psalm 139:13-16
• John 3:16 
• 1 John 3:17 
• Matthew 9:36 
• Deuteronomy 24:17 
• Romans 12:10
• Philippians 2:3
• 1 Corinthians 10:33

Paul’s view of humanity was changed when he received Christ. At one point, he had exploited Christians for his own personal gain. He had a reputation to uphold and to build upon as he moved up the Jewish leadership chain. His power and fame would have grown on the backs of persecuted Christians had Jesus Christ not come into his heart and changed his view of humanity. That view was only changed because of a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ.

While we have gross examples of human exploitation dominating the headlines, we must be aware of the fact that any one of us can be tempted to exploit people around us in order to gain something. Our sin nature gives us a tendency to treat people as things. But, through Jesus Christ, we have a different view of people. Humans are not just animals in the string of the evolutionary chain; they are humans made by God’s hand and in His image. They are loved by God so much that Jesus Christ died for them. As believers, we are to demonstrate our love for and the value of humanity by showing the love of God and by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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