110613: Current Issues -- How Far Is Too Far?

Message: How Far Is Too Far?

I.                   Introduction

a.       I am a Christian. By that I mean that I have accepted Jesus as both my Savior and my Lord.  I have asked him to forgive my sins, but I have also put Him in charge of my life.

b.      The reasons for doing this are various but one of them is that I truly believe there is an all knowing, all wise God who cares for me and the rest of humanity.  And if he knows everything and cares about me, that means that if he told me what to do and what not to do, it would be the best thing for me. 

c.       And He does tell me all kinds of things to do and not do so that I don’t completely mess up my own life as well as the life of those around me. 

d.      I also believe that these rules are easy to find, because He spoke them in the Bible.  And though the Bible is really old, it still contains things that we can trust as solid even in our modern age….because God knew what now would be like, he wasn’t surprised and wrote his rules knowing they would be timeless.

e.       One area that God does care about is our Sexuality.  So he gave us various commands to look at, which since he is all knowing and cares about us aren’t to try and control us and stop us from having fun but to have fun safely and in a good way.

II.                Body

a.       How Far Is Too Far?

                                                             a.      I have been the youth pastor here for 11 years now, working on 12, and every year this is the most popular question we have: How Far is too far?  And it is nothing new, this has been a question that has been asked since Jesus walked the earth 2000 years ago.

                                                            b.      How far is too far?  Is it okay for me to?  What does God say is right and what does he say crosses the line where it becomes a sin, thus affected me and my life negatively as well as those around me?

                                                             c.      There is a problem with this question though…it starts with the idea that we should want to get as close to the line as we possibly can.

b.      The Garage Door

                                                             a.      When I was a kid I used to go to a friends’ house and play a game with him, his brother, and my brother.  This game was one in which we would hit the garage door to close and then we would run under it before it closed.  This game was banned by our parents, but they were elsewhere so we would play anyway.

                                                            b.      As guys do we would try and one up each other to see who could slide under at the lowest point.  And this particular day I decided I would win.

                                                             c.      So I lay down on the floor and waited.  Just as it hit I would kick with my feet…but this time it stuck.  And rather than coming back up it stuck…and I was trapped. 

                                                            d.      They tried to get the keys and hit the button but to no avail.  They finally had to get our moms who helped lift the door and drag me out.

                                                             e.      If had only listened to our parents I wouldn’t have gotten into this position, if only I had not tried to get as close to the line as possible, I wouldn’t have ended up trapped.

                                                             f.      If we play with the line often enough we will get trapped.

c.       How Far Is Too Far?

                                                             a.      Like I said before there is a problem with the question:  How far is too far?  We are often asking because we want to know how much we can get away with, not because we want to remain pure.  We want a line so we can toy with it…but if we play with the line often enough we will get trapped, we will cross it.  The question isn’t: How far is too far?  but How can I be pure?

d.      The Lines of God

                                                             a.      Now this may seem backwards because of what I just said but indulge me, I want to look at what the Bible says when it says how far is too far, because by doing so we will answer the more important question: How can I be pure?

                                                            b.      There are 9 lines that God sets up, saying this is too far when it comes to sexuality, do not cross these or you will be sinning, thus hurting yourself and those around you.

                                                                                i.      No Bestiality – Confine to humans only

a.       Deuteronomy 27:21 – “Cursed is anyone who has sexual relations with any animal”

                                                                              ii.      No bisexuality/homosexuality – Confine sex to opposite gender

a.       Leviticus 18:22 – “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable,”

b.      Romans 1:26-27 – “Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts.  Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.  In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another.  Men committed indecent acts with other men and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.”

c.       I know this isn’t a popular one among your age group, because you have been indoctrinated with the thought that love is love and we should celebrate love in all its forms.  (which is actually not even true of those who say it because there are certain forms of love they don’t agree with, ie underage with older person, human animal, etc..) 

d.      One way to look at it is a woman, meaning that that is the only marriage he deems as a real marriage and thus blessed by him.  Since it is impossible then for a same sex marriage that is blessed and condoned by God, sex between a same sex couple can never be considered as right as it breaks the rule of no sex before marriage.  It doesn’t matter how much they love each other or how much commitment is there, it is still past the line. 

e.       Remember it isn’t the person that God is condemning but the sexual act, he still loves a homosexual, just as much as he loves a heterosexual, and wants the best life possible for each one.

                                                                            iii.      No close relatives – Confine sex to opposite gender who isn’t closely related to you

a.       Leviticus 18:6 – “No one is to approach a close relative to have sexual relations.  I am the Lord.”

b.      Mom, Dad, Step-mom, Step-dad, Sister, Brother, Half-Brother, Half-Sister, Your kids, Your grandkids, Aunt, Uncle, Grandfather, Grandmother, Daughter-in-law, Son-in-law, Brother-in-law, Sister-in-law

                                                                            iv.      No non-Christians – Confine sex to those of the same faith

a.       2^nd Corinthians 6:14-15 – “Don’t be yoked together with unbelievers.  For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?  Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?  What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?  What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever.”

b.      If it is wrong to have sex with a non-Christian then it is wrong to be married to a non-christian, and it if is wrong to married to a non-christian then it is bead to date a non-christian, and the reason it gives is that they are headed in two directions with two purposes.  One wants to please God, and one doesn’t care, so what ends up happening the one dating a non-christian is usually drawn away from God.

                                                                              v.      No sex before marriage – Confine sex to only the one you are married to

a.       Galatians 5:19 – “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,”

b.      Fornication means two unmarried people having sex

c.       Now remember sex doesn’t just mean vaginal/penial sex, it can mean any action that brings pleasure to a sexual organ, no matter the means of this happening.  Sex is sex, whether it goes all the way or not

                                                                            vi.      No adultery – Confine sex to only one person

a.       Exodus 20:14 – “You shall not commit adultery.”

                                                                          vii.      No divorce – Confine sex to only one person for life

a.       Matthew 5:30-32 – “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’  But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.”

                                                                        viii.      No lust – Sex isn’t just about the body, it is about the mind

a.       Matthew 5:27-28 – “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

b.      This goes for both men and women, if we look at person or some other representation of a person that causes us to lust, meaning looking, desiring, and dwelling on then we have crossed the line.  Jesus puts this on the same level of sin as the physical act.

                                                                            ix.      No hint – Sex isn’t just about the body or mind, but also how others view what is being done

a.       Ephesians 5:1-4 – “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.  Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.”

b.      But it isn’t just about sex, or just about lust, God then draws a line of not even a hint of that immorality in your life.  This can be in the way we talk, the way we act, the things we thing about.  So any of the areas listed above: animals, homosexuality, close relatives non-christians, pre-marital sex, adultery, divorce, and lust we are not to even have a hint of sin in those areas.

c.       So much so that if someone looked at your life they wouldn’t think there was impropriety going on.

                                                                                                                                      i.      Ex.  Living together before marriage

III.             Conclusion

a.       1^st it is good to establish a line of how you will stay pure before you get into the dating scene, so that you can go back to that line, I won’t go this far, because I want to stay pure.  And I hope some of you will make that choice tonight of saying I will stay pure by….

b.      2^nd There are some of you in this room that have crossed a line, some of you have had sex, some of you have are looking at porn, but purity is still available.

c.       When I got stuck under a garage door, I didn’t just lay there and say, “Well I guess I will always be under this garage door.”  I got freedom because I did three things:

                                                             a.      I admitted I had crossed the line

                                                            b.      I got help from God and others

                                                             c.      I stopped playing the game

                                                                                i.      Matthew 5:29-30 – “If your fight eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away.  It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.  It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”

                                                                              ii.      Get out of the situations or away from the people that are tempting  you to cross the line

a.       If it is the internet, get rid of it

b.      If it is a boyfriend/girlfriend, break up

c.       Whatever it is, no matter how difficult, it is better than being trapped the rest of your life.

103013: The Trinity -- God the Holy Spirit

Message: God the Holy Spirit

I.                    Introduction

a.       We are finishing up talking about the three persons of the trinity this week by looking at the third member (God the Holy Spirit) 

b.      Exodus 17:8-13 – “The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.  Moses said to Joshua, ‘Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites.  Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.’  So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill.  As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.  When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it.  Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other till sunset.  So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.”

II.                 Body

a.       We live in a country that values the individual, showing vulnerability and weakness or a need for others is frowned upon.

b.      Why couldn’t Moses just do this on his own, was he not man enough?

                                                             a.      No he wasn’t man enough, but he recognized he didn’t have the strength and that he couldn’t get it done on his own, and turned to others for help. 

                                                            b.      It wasn’t something to embarrassed by, showing vulnerability and weakness is the only way to receive the help we need.

c.       Karl Marx said that religion was a crutch for weak minded people.  Some view Christianity this way, a crutch.  Funny thing about crutches, they actually help us when we need them…and we need one if we are going to make it through this life.

d.      John 14:16-17 – “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.  The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.  I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.^”

                                                             a.      Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit here, he refers to him as the Counselor.  The word in greek is Paracletos.  It is a word used for a person who would come up alongside someone else and help them.  Usually this was used in a legal sense, they were an advocate.  But it would be like anyone would come and put their arm around you and walked with you.

                                                            b.      If you needed someone to hold you up, they would.  If you needed someone to defend you, they would.  If they needed someone to talk to, they were there.  If you needed someone to tell you that the way you were going was the wrong way, they would try to keep you on the right path.  If you needed strength, he would provide it.  If you were sad, he would help bring you peace.

III.               Conclusion

a.       Emma was born on July 20^th, 2009.  I had no idea what I was getting into.  In the first few days I said up 35 straight hours and then 30 straight hours.  I was exhausted.  We made it home and my mom helped out for a while, but then after she left it was just Lacey and I and Emma.  Emma cried, Lacey cried, I don’t cry.  It is a hard transition to be a parent.  Emma would cry and I had no idea what was wrong.  We would feed her, she would cry, we would change her, she would cry.  I was getting very little sleep, and finally one night I broke.  I went into the bathroom, turned on the fan, and bawled.  I finally looked in the mirror and prayed, “God I can’t do this, I can’t handle this, I don’t have the strength.”  Then I went back out and took Emma in my arms.  I didn’t have the strength, but God did, but it wasn’t until I admitted that I couldn’t do it alone and allowed him to be my strength that I found the strength I needed.

b.      We need the Holy Spirit in our life.  Because we can’t make it on our own.  We need him to walk beside us.

c.       Is there anyone here that would like to admit that they need the Holy Spirit because they need someone to give the strength?

d.      Is there anyone here that would like to admit that they need the Holy Spirit because they need comfort?

e.       Is there anyone here that would like to admit that they need the Holy Spirit because they need guidance?

f.        Pray

102313: The Trinity -- God the Son

Message: God the Son

I.                    Introduction

a.       We are talking about God as a trinity for two more weeks.  Each week we will cover one of the persons of the trinity, this week we will be talking about God the Son.

b.       We know God the Son by a different name, usually we refer to him as Jesus.  He came to earth and lived a life, fully human and fully divine.  He lived a life but didn’t sin, he died and then rose from the dead.  He then ascended to heaven, where he sits in heaven until the point when he comes back to the earth to defeat evil and reward the faithful.

c.       But tonight I want to look at a title he gives himself, so that we can understand a little bit about who He is and even a little about His mission on earth.

II.                 Body

a.       John 8:12 – “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

b.       John 3:16-21 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believe din the name of God’s on and only Son.  This is the verdict:  Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.  But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

c.       Ephesians 5:1-14 – “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.  Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.  For of this you can be sure:  No immoral, impure or greedy person –such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things.  God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.  Therefore do not be partners with them.  For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Live as children of the light in the Lord.  Live as children of light (for the fruit of light consists of all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.  Have nothing to do with the fruitlessness deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.  For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.  But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible.  This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’”

7:??-7:30 – Table Time #1 – Go through scriptures read and come up with what we learn about light and darkness

d.       Share what each table learned from these passages about light and darkness

e.       Too often we live our lives in darkness (sin), which ultimately is just a slow, meaningless march to death.  We are blinded to the reality of our lives and what is really important.  We are hopeless and purposeless, yet we still cling to the darkness.

                                                             a.      Why?  We are afraid what God or others will think of us if they really knew what our lives were like, how sinful and bad we really are.  The things we think about, and the things we do that we think no one knows about, or at least not the people that will judge you.

                                                             b.      We are used to the darkness, we think it is normal

                                                             c.      We don’t want to stand out as different.

                                                             d.      We don’t want to change the things we are doing because we are enjoying them, though they aren’t really brining us anything more than a small taste of true peace, contentment, and joy.

f.        But darkness isn’t good, it doesn’t satisfy, it only shields us from the truth, that we are completely lost and alone. 

g.       But there is good news, Jesus came, and he brought light into this world, and is even willing to bring light into your life.  But this can bring up fear.  What if he is angry, what if he abandons me, what if he sees how dark I am, what if someone else finds out?

                                                             a.      John 3:17 – “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

                                                             b.      You see, Jesus doesn’t want to bring you into the light in order to mock you, or so he can judge you, or so he can condemn you, or so that he can show his anger about it to you.  He wants to shine his light on you so that you can be saved.  Saved from the hopelessness, saved from the fear, saved from being lost, saved from meaninglessness, saved from sin.

III.               Conclusion

a.       There is good news, Jesus came, and he brought light into this world, and is even willing to bring light into your life.  But his light will only go as far as you will allow it in.

                                                             a.      Illus: The Lion King Light Scene

                                                                                 i.      Jesus is king of all areas of our life that has his light in it, meaning any area we allow him to take control of, to forgive, to change

                                                                               ii.      But there might be areas that we hold back and hold on to, but he wants to be able to bring his light and freedom into those areas as well.

b.       Are you willing to let his light in tonight?