SEX AND THE CITY
Lesson 3
Homosexuality and the Bible
Rom. 1:18-32
August 29, 2004
SEX AND THE CITY. MORE THAN A T.V., IT’S A PHILOSOPHY. PERHAPS EVEN A RELIGION.
ONE OF THE DEFINITIONS OF RELIGION IS:
A CAUSE, PRINCIPLE OR SYSTEM OF BELIEFS HELD TO WITH ARDOR (EXTREME VIGOR) AND FAITH.
I THINK I WOULD CALL OUR SOCIETY’S OBSESSION WITH SEX A RELIGION.
PEOPLE HOLD TO, BOW DOWN TO, DEDICATE THEIR LIFE TO AND PURSUE SEX AS MUCH AS THE MOST DEVOTED CHRISTIAN, MUSLIM OR HINDU.
SEXUAL ENTICEMENTS SATURATE THE AIR WAVES, FLOOD THE BILLBOARDS AND TAKE OVER OUR COMPUTERS.
I CAN’T EVEN GO TO A NEWS WEBSITE WITHOUT AN ADVERTISEMENT BEING ON THE SIDE OF THE SCREEN SHOWING A PICTURE OF A HALF DRESSED WOMAN FROM THE NECK TO THE THIGHS.
SEX AND THE CITY THE RELIGION OF OUR CULTURE AND I’M AFRAID IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE.
HOWEVER, THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS ABOUT RECLAMATION.
I HAVE USED THIS PHRASE IN EVERY MESSAGE BECAUSE IT’S A TRUTH WE CAN NEVER FORGET.
WHAT THE WORLD HAS PERVERTED CAN BE PURIFIED FOR THE BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST.
GOD IS THE CREATOR OF SEX AND SEXUALITY AND IN CHRIST SEX IS A BEAUTIFUL GIFT AND OUR SEXUALITY FINDS IT FULFILLMENT.
IN OUR FIRST LESSON WE TALKED ABOUT HOW TO RECLAIM SEX FROM THE WORLD’S RELIGION.
LAST WEEK WAS A VERY DIFFICULT AND INTENSE MESSAGE.
90% OF THE SERMON WAS TO SINGLES. WE TALKED ABOUT THE PRICE OF MARRIAGE, COMPANIONSHIP AND SEX.
IF I AM YOUR PASTOR AND YOU ARE SINGLE AND YOU DIDN’T HEAR THAT MESSAGE I SAY TO YOU IN THE STRONGEST TERMS – GET THE TAPE!
I MAY JUST REQUIRE ALL WHO ARE CONTEMPLATING MARRIAGE TO LISTEN TO THE TAPE BEFORE I START ANY PREMARITAL COUNSELING.
GET THE TAPE!
TODAY IS OUR LAST LESSON AND I MUST SAY, TO DESCRIBE THIS TOPIC AS A RELIGION IS ABSOLUTELY APPROPRIATE.
THE EXTREME NATURE IN WHICH PEOPLE HOLD TO THEIR BELIEFS IS STRONGER THAN MANY CHRISTIANS I KNOW.
THE PEOPLE WE WILL TALK ABOUT THIS MORNING PROMOTE THEIR BELIEFS STRONGER THAN WE AT REZ PROMOTE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.
THE METHODS AND TOOLS OF THIS GROUP ARE CREATIVE, BLATANT AND EFFECTIVE.
THE TRUTH BE TOLD, THE CHURCH COULD LEARN A FEW THINGS FROM THE WAY THIS GROUP PROMOTES THEIR RELIGION.
I AM TALKING ABOUT THE RELIGION OF HOMOSEXUALITY.
A SEXUAL PREFERENCE BECAME A LIFESTYLE, THE LIFESTYLE BECAME A POLITICAL AGENDA AND NOW IT’S A RELIGION TO BE ADHERED TO AND PRACTICED WITH DEDICATION.
BUT WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
HOMOSEXUALITY AND THE BIBLE IS OUR TOPIC THIS MORNING.
TO BEGIN WITH TURN WITH ME TO II PET. 3:9.
I KNOW THIS IS NOT A VERSE YOU THOUGHT I WOULD READ CONCERNING HOMOSEXUALITY, BUT PEOPLE OF GOD THIS VERSE IS SO IMPORTANT IN REGARDS TO THIS TOPIC.
LET THIS TRUTH RING LOUD AND CLEAR.
GOD LOVES THE HOMOSEXUAL AND JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS FOR THE HOMOSEXUAL AND GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON, AND GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT ARE NOT WISHING FOR ONE HOMOSEXUAL TO PERISH.
THE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FROM HEAVEN EXTENDS TO EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD ON THIS EARTH AND SINCE GOD LOVES THE HOMOSEXUAL SO SHOULD HIS CHURCH – SO SHOULD WE.
PEOPLE OF REZ, NEVER DEHUMANIZE ANYONE BY LABELING THEM.
IN INDIA I WAS STRUCK AGAIN BY THIS.
WE MINISTERED TO THE PROSTITUTES AND THEIR CHILDREN IN CALCUTTA.
AFTER THE FIRST DAY OF SEEING THEM LAUGH AND CRY, AFTER WATCHING THEM HUG THEIR CHILDREN AND TELL THEIR STORIES, I SAID TO MYSELF, “THESE ARE WOMEN, MOTHERS, AND DAUGHTERS.”
TO ALWAYS REFER TO THEM AS PROSTITUTES FORGETS THE HUMAN ASPECT.
THEY ARE PRECIOUS WOMEN CHRIST DIED FOR. THEY ARE MOMS LONGING FOR A BETTER LIFE FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
THE SAME THING CAN HAPPEN TO THE HOMOSEXUAL.
IT IS SO EASY TO LABEL PEOPLE ACCORDING TO THEIR SIN THAT WE LOSE SIGHT OF THE FEELINGS OF THE PERSON.
TURN TO ROM. 1:28-32.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO HAS COMMITTED MORE THAN ONCE ANY OF THESE SINS?
HOW WOULD WE FEEL IF OUR SINS BECAME OUR LABEL AND PEOPLE SOMEHOW FELT LIKE THEY COULD TREAT US WITH NO RESPECT AND DISREGARD OUR HUMANITY.
JESUS DIED FOR THE GOSSIP, THE UNTRUSTWORTHY, THE GREEDY AND THE HOMOSEXUAL.
ALRIGHT NOW, HAVING SAID THAT WE MUST NOW LOOK AT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY.
TO DO THAT WE WILL STAY IN ROMANS 1.
READ ROM. 1:18-32.
VERSE 18-25 ARE TALKING ABOUT MANKIND’S REJECTION OF LAWS AND PRINCIPLES GOD CREATED.
THE APOSTLE PAUL SAYS, MANKIND GOT IT ALL MESSED UP. INSTEAD OF WORSHIPING THE CREATOR THEY WORSHIP WHAT HE CREATED.
INSTEAD OF SEEING THE GLORY OF GOD IN NATURE THEY LOOKED FOR GLORY IN NATURE ITSELF.
THEY WORSHIP THE ANIMALS AND TREES.
BY THE WAY, THIS IS NOT JUST PAGAN CULTURES IN THE JUNGLES.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY THAT WILL PROTEST TO SAVE THE WHALE, BUT NOT CARE ABOUT ABORTION.
THE CREATURE TAKES PRIORITY OVER THE CREATOR AND HIS PRINCIPLES.
IN VERSES 26 AND 27 WE HAVE GOD’S VIEW OF HOMOSEXUALITY.
IT SAYS, THERE IS THE NATURAL FUNCTION AND THERE IS THE UNNATURAL FUNCTION.
THERE IS THE WAY GOD INTENDED HIS CREATION TO FUNCTION AND THERE IS THE WAY MANKIND HAS CHOSEN TO FUNCTION.
IT WAS GOD’S PLAN FOR MEN AND WOMEN TO COME TOGETHER UNDER THE BONDS OF MARRIAGE TO HAVE SEX AND THAT’S ALL THERE IS TO IT.
REJECTION OF THIS IS REJECTION OF GOD’S WORD AND REJECTION OF GOD’S WORD IS SIN.
THEREFORE, WHEN GOD’S NATURAL FUNCTIONS ARE CHANGED OR IGNORED THE PERSON INVOLVED WITH THIS BEHAVIOR IS SINNING.
THEREFORE, MEN HAVING SEX WITH MEN AND WOMEN WITH WOMEN IS SIN.
SUCH STATEMENTS GET ACCUSED OF BEING INTOLERANT. SERMONS LIKE THIS POLARIZE AND ANGER PEOPLE.
HOWEVER, THE BIBLE IS CLEAR. SAME GENDER SEXUAL RELATIONS IS A “DEGRADING PASSION,” AN “UNNATURAL FUNCTION” AND AN “INDECENT ACT.”
FOR THE RECORD, WHEN A PERSON STANDS AND DECLARES THEIR FAITH IN GOD AND AT THE SAME TIME PROCLAIMS THEIR SAME SEX PREFERENCE WE ARE WELL WITHIN OUR BIBLICAL FREEDOM TO REJECT THEIR CLAIM OF CHRISTIANITY.
BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY CANNOT ACCEPT HOMOSEXUALITY AS A PROPER OR APPROPRIATE LIFESTYLE.
BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY MUST STAND AND DECLARE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WITH A MAN AND WOMAN IN MARRIAGE IS THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE FORM OF SEX IN THE EYES OF GOD.
I REALIZE THOSE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS ISSUE TAKE STRONG EXCEPTION TO THIS, BUT FACT REMAINS GOD’S CREATION SPEAKS TO HETEROSEXUAL RELATIONS, AT EVERY TURN.
THE VERY EXISTENCE OF OUR PLANET AND SPECIES IS CONTINGENT UPON THE FUNCTION OF HETEROSEXUAL RELATIONS.
WE HAVE MALE AND FEMALE HUMANS, WE HAVE MALE AND FEMALE BIRDS, FISH, INSECTS, EVEN PLANTS.
GOD IS A GOD OF ORDER. WHAT HE CREATED WAS INTENDED TO WORK TOGETHER, COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER AND FURTHER THE PROGRESS OF HIS CREATION.
IT IS THE NATURAL ORDER OF THINGS.
SAME SEX RELATIONSHIPS IS THE RESULT OF MANKIND FORGETTING ABOUT THE CREATOR AND FOCUSING ON THE CREATED.
AND, WHEN THAT HAPPENS THE PERVERSION OF THE CREATED IS ALMOST LIMITLESS.
THE HOMOSEXUAL WILL SAY, GOD CREATED ME THIS WAY.
THE PROBLEM IS, THE BIBLE SAYS, NO HE DIDN’T, IT’S A PERVERSION OF HIS CREATION.
SIN HAS INFECTED EVERY ASPECT OF NATURE. SIN TWISTS EVERY PART OF THIS EARTH, INCLUDING SEXUALITY.
BUT, CHILD OF GOD, WHAT IS THE SOLUTION FOR THE INVASION OF SIN?
ANSWER: THE DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST.
JESUS DIED FOR THE LIAR, FOR THE ADULTERER, FOR THE GOSSIP, FOR THE THIEF, FOR THE GLUTTON AND FOR THE HOMOSEXUAL.
AND, I JOHN 1:9 SAYS,
“IF WE CONFESS OUR SIN HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.”
THE SIN OF HOMOSEXUALITY IS NO MORE UNFORGIVABLE THAN THE SIN OF UNFORGIVENESS.
HOWEVER, I WILL SAY THIS. SOME SINS HAVE A GREATER GRIP THAN OTHERS, AND SEXUAL SIN IS ONE OF THE GREATEST.
WHY IS THAT? BECAUSE SEXUAL SIN INVOLVES EVERY ONE OF THE SENSES. PLUS, IT INVOLVES THE EMOTIONS.
OUR EYES SEE, OUR BODY FEELS AND OUR EMOTIONS GET CONNECTED.
WHEN THIS HAPPENS FORGIVENESS IS IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE, BUT ACCOUNTABILITY IS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN VICTORY.
HOMOSEXUAL, GOD LOVES YOU AND JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS FOR YOU.
YOUR LIFESTYLE CANNOT BE JUSTIFIED, AND IT MUST CHANGE, BUT YOU ARE LOVED AND IN CHRIST THERE IS HELP AND DELIVERANCE FOR YOU.
HETEROSEXUAL, OUR SIN IS NO LESS THAN ANYONE ELSE’S AND WITHOUT REPENTANCE WE ARE NO BETTER THAN ANY OTHER SINNER.
IT IS TIME FOR US TO GET OFF OUR SPIRITUAL PEDESTAL AND SEE OUR SIN FOR WHAT IT IS – DESERVING OF DEATH.
JESUS LOVES ALL PEOPLE AND OFFERS HIS GRACE AND MERCY TO ALL PEOPLE.
LET US STAND FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS AND THE NATURAL FUNCTION GOD CREATED, BUT LET US NOT CROSS THE LINE TO HATE OR DISRESPECT OF SOMEONE’S HUMANITY.
PROCLAIM SIN AS SIN, BUT ALSO REMEMBER GOD’S LOVE FOR THE SINNER.
