Rev. David Holwick ZL
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
November 14, 1999
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
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I. Dilemma of sexuality.
A. Intense curiosity, joy.
1) Sex is among strongest physical urges.
Nigel Blundell, deputy editor of the London tabloid,
says the three best words in the newspaper business,
in alphabetical order, are "sex," "free," and "win."
He tries to use them in headlines when possible. #378
2) Sex can be glue that holds couples together for a lifetime.
3) Sex can result in the blessing of children.
B. Other results: intense pain, ruin.
1) Broken hearts and loneliness. 1 Thess 4:6
2) Unwanted pregnancy or the guilt abortion.
3) Abuse, psychological trauma that lingers for a lifetime.
4) Debilitating or even fatal disease.
II. What is the world coming to?
A. We live in a "sexual revolution."
1) Old standards are crumbling fast.
a) Living together - skyrocketing.
b) "Domestic partnership" laws.
c) Acceptance of homosexuality, maybe homosexual marriage.
1> Methodist churches may kick out Boy Scout troops
due to their stance on homosexuality.
2) Beginning of our revolution - Hugh Hefner.
He's the one who really philosophically articulated it.
Very early in his career he wrote these words which were
quoted in a Christian magazine.
"Sex is a function of the body, a drive which man shares
with animals like eating, drinking, and sleeping.
It is a physical demand that must be satisfied.
If you don't satisfy it you will have all sorts of
neuroses and repression psychoses.
Sex is here to stay.
Let's forget the prudery that makes us hide from it.
Throw away those inhibitions, find a girl who is
like-minded and let yourself go."
Now that is the philosophy of the sexual revolution.
There are several components to it.
First of all, sex is simply an animal function.
It's no different than eating, drinking or sleeping.
Secondly, it is a physical demand that must be satisfied
or you will wind up in a psychiatric office.
Thirdly, there are some prudes who would want you not to
do that, you've got to ignore them, find a girl who
feels the same way and do it.
3) God's answer - 1 Corinthians 6:9-13.
B. There is nothing new under the sun.
1) Ancient world did what we do, but more.
2) Tremendously corrupt, from top down.
Demosthenes of Athens, fourth century B.C.:
"We keep mistresses for pleasure, concubines for
our day-to-day bodily needs, but we have wives to
produce legitimate children."
III. Christians have always been different.
A. Your sexual morality is an expression of your spirituality.
1) Strong sense of morality inherited from Old Testament.
2) Be sanctified - set apart for God. Put him first.
B. Yet even many Christians are changing.
1) Christians are succumbing to society's standards.
2) Josh McDowell statistics...
Survey shows 65% of church-attending youth have
had sexual experience by age 18.
43% have had intercourse.
About 10-15 percentage points behind general
population.
Fundamentalist churches were surveyed. #81
3) Are God's standards realistic?
IV. God's standards for sex.
A. Sexuality is good.
1) Intimate union between man and woman. Genesis 2:24-25
2) Enjoyment as well as producing children. Proverbs 5:18-19
B. Sexuality has boundaries.
1) Between male and female.
2) Within the marriage covenant.
a) (Not all sex in marriage is good.)
b) Sex outside of marriage is consistently labeled
fornication. "Love" is not enough.
3) "A society where covenants can have new clauses added at
the whim of either party to the covenant is a society
doomed to disintegrate." John White
a) A scientific study has found that those societies which
place the most restrictions on sex are the most
advanced and vital. #981
C. Sexuality must be as broad as Christian freedom.
1) Doesn't mean we can do anything we want, but we should
choose to follow God out of love, not cringing fear.
a) "Thou shalt not" is not core of God's teaching,
freedom is. 1 Cor 6:12-14
2) Does NT's urgency on this matter suggest there may have been
a tendency to resist such standards or downgrade them?
a) Doesn't Jesus set us free from codes and taboos which
hold us in bondage?
b) Jesus brings us a new life, and that new life has
positive ethical content.
1> Jesus lived in a way that pleased his heavenly
Father.
2> He taught us to live the same way.
3> Christ's way of freedom delivers us from old sinful
habits.
3) Abusing sex leads to slavery and loss of control.
V. Getting control again.
A. Put God first. 1 Th 4:2
B. Avoid immorality and tempting situations. 1 Th 4:3
1) Decide what your standards are going to be.
a) Don't make up your mind in a moment of passion.
2) Know where you are weak and strong.
a) Avoid situations that would pressure you.
C. Control your body, don't let it control you. 1 Th 4:4
1) Some translations - "wives."
a) Literally it is vessels. Here, most likely our body.
2) Don't lust like heathen. 1 Th 4:5
a) Self control is admired by most.
1> What you don't do can make you prouder than
doing what you would normally do.
b) Sexual control impossible? Against nature/hormones?
1> Hard, but do-able.
2> According to Jesus, it all starts in the mind.
c) How to gain self-control.
1> Seek encouragement from others.
A> Self-help groups.
2> Watch what you watch.
3> Emphasize positive in relationships.
D. Don't hurt others. 1 Th 4:6
1) Sex is not harmless pleasure.
a) Abuse widespread. (read Boy Scout chapter with Daniel)
2) I turn on TV yesterday, Jerry Springer is on.
a) Two best friends sit before the audience.
1> One makes confession - "I slept with your wife."
b) Other tries to kill him.
1> Beefy guards pull them apart while crowd chants,
"Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!"
2> Wife makes them both angry, loves the attention.
c) I turn the channel.
VI. Sex carries consequences.
A. Can mess up your life.
B. Can have eternal repercussions. 1 Thess 4:6
C. God will judge, but he can also save.
1) Sexuality is only one area of obedience among many.
2) Failure can be forgiven.
3) Intimacy can be enhanced among Christians.
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Sermon is based on an original preached by Rev. Holwick on June 2, 1991.
SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
# 81 Christianity Today, March 18, 1988, page 54.
#378 Newsweek magazine, November 7, 1988, page 75.
#981 "How To Put Premarital Sex On Hold," by Reo M. Christenson,
Christianity Today, February 19, 1982, page 16.
These and 4,900 others are part of a database that can be downloaded,
absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
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