Sex and Fire Matt 5:27
Matthew • Sermon • Submitted
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· 9 viewsSex like fire has the potential to bring life or destory life. Jesus addresses the core issue of sexual abuse weather it be adultury or rape as an issue of the human heart. No behavior modification can fix this issue because the source is found deep in the human heart. The answer Jesus gives us is a new heart and a willingness to cut ties with our temptations.
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Introduction
Introduction
Over the last two weeks I have had three people confide in me that they had been sexually assaulted. Two women and one young man shared their stories with me. Each one with shame, as if they had done something evil.
I got the sense they were afraid I would judge them for being assaulted.
Today I do not want this to be a political message but at the same time I want to address a real issue that is leaving people scared and in shame.
Obviously the political fallout with the supreme court nominee and his accuser has brought up a lot of terrible memories in people.
In fact 1 out of every 4 women in this country have been sexually assaulted.
But why do women and for that matter men not come forward after being assaulted?
Shame - I too was sexually assaulted as a 6 or 7 year old by a male and then again as a 14 year old by a woman. Both times left me with more shame than I new what to do with it. I never told my parents and I have never publically or privately told anyone the names of my assulters.
Along with shame comes the feeling that it was there fault. Maybe they had too much to drink, or was in the wrong place at the wrong time, or simply because the shame makes them feel this way.
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Again, this is not about politics but rather about real people, real victims and real abusers. Let this sink in, everyone of you know a victim of sexual assault and half of you know a person who has abused another sexually. This is a human issue not a political one.
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The only reason I am addressing this topic today is because today we land on
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
You have hear it was said....
You have hear it was said....
You shall not bring the fee of a prostitute or the wages of a dog into the house of the Lord your God in payment for any vow, for both of these are an abomination to the Lord your God.
“You shall not commit adultery.
Exodus 20
The Jewish concept of adultery is a man having sexual relations with a married woman.
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But I say to you.....
But I say to you.....
Jesus like we discussed last week is not opposing the command of God but rather showing the spirit of the command and thus fulfilling it.
Look at a woman with lustful intent...
Look at a woman with lustful intent...
Jesus is not saying if you notice a beautiful woman/ trouble
Jesus is saying looking/intent to fantasize sexually.
Then you have already sinned against her in your heart.
So, where is the problem located? / Heart!
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Jesus does not dismiss God’s law but rather raises the bar!
Jesus does not dismiss God’s law but rather raises the bar!
But why?
I think there are two reasons Jesus raises the bar and shows us God’s intent.
Jesus has a and 2 view of humans, sex, sexuality, and marriage.
Matt 19:
He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
Gen 1:
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
So, Jesus saw humanity as being made in the image of God.
Male and female - Sexual beings with sexual organs
And God called it ---- Very good.
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Jesus sees the ideal: men and women as image bearers of God
In covenant with God
And in covenant relationship w/one another.
From this comes life, community, cities, home, security
So Jesus sees adultery as an assault of the image of God.
Jesus sees any kind of sexual assault as an assault against the image of God.
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Secondly,
Jesus has a high view of sex.
Song 8:6-
Set me as a seal upon your heart,
as a seal upon your arm,
for love is strong as death,
jealousy is fierce as the grave.
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
the very flame of the Lord.
Many waters cannot quench love,
neither can floods drown it.
If a man offered for love
all the wealth of his house,
he would be utterly despised.
Jesus would have read out of this book at least once a year.
Jesus would have read out of this book at least once a year.
A book written about the desire for sex in a marriage relationship.
Jesus and the Jewish people did not see sex as dirty, or evil but rather as beautiful, life giving, as worship.
Solomon describes sexual desire as a fire.
Solomon describes sexual desire as a fire.
Can fire be good?
Can fire be dangerous?
Fire contained brings warmth, life, light.
Fire outside of containment brings destruction.
Sexual desire contained in a covenant - life, joy, beauty
Sexual desire unconstrained - rape, assault, abandoned children, poverty, sickness, pain, shame, destruction.
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So, you can now see why Jesus takes this issue very seriously.
So, you can now see why Jesus takes this issue very seriously.
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Adultery and Sexual assault does not just happen.
Adultery and Sexual assault does not just happen.
You do not wake up one morning and out of the blue decide -I am going to commit adultery today.
Or I am going to sexually assault someone today.
It comes from a heart and mind that has been meditating, fantasizing, and playing the movie over and over in their head.
When we look at a woman with lustful intent we are in fact using her as an object or tool for our own gratification.
We are using an image bearer of God in a selfish way without her consent or desire.
We are degrading the image of God in us and them.
Jesus sees adultery and sexual assault as the fruit of the issue
Jesus sees adultery and sexual assault as the fruit of the issue
And he tells us we have to get to the root which is our own hearts.
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What is Jesus’ solution?
What is Jesus’ solution?
He places the burden on the men.
He places the burden on the men.
You cannot blame the woman for your own heart issues.
Should godly women dress modestly - yes
But can you blame them for your own heart sickness? NO
8 out 10 porn users are men
We have to own it/confess it/ and turn away from it.
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2. Realize you have a heart sickness and nothing but God can fix it.
2. Realize you have a heart sickness and nothing but God can fix it.
If you struggle with lust or a desire to control women sexually, you have a heart sickness.
There is only one cure - a new heart. / And this is what God offers us through a relationship with Jesus.
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
Eze
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3. Lastly, Jesus says to pluck it out or cut it off.
3. Lastly, Jesus says to pluck it out or cut it off.
Jesus is using strong language to show how important and immediately we need to act.
If the device in your hand is causing you to sin get rid of it. Go back to a dumb phone.
If your computer is too much of a temptation get rid of it.
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It is better to lose your phone or computer than to lose your life in prison for assaulting someone.
It is better to lose your phone or computer than to lose your marriage.
It is better to lose your phone or computer than to lose the respect of your children, family and friends.
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Lastly
We as the Church of Jesus need to mourn over the hurting and broken lives of the assault victims.
We need to create a new atmosphere where women and men feel safe to share their pain.
We need to create an atmosphere where women and men can come forward and not be shamed.
We do this by not allowing these issues to be politicized by either side.
We do this by never speaking evil against victims.
We do this by holding our tongue and praying until we know the facts.
Finally we do this by publically repenting.
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Every 98 seconds an American is sexually assaulted
Every 8 minutes a child in America is sexually assaulted
1 out of 4 women have been sexually assaulted
1 out 33 men have been sexually assaulted
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We are the Church of Jesus and we must stand with Jesus.
With that said - I want to apologize for any part I have had in shaming or not allowing victims to feel safe.