Sermon Central
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Sex And Marriage Part 1
Contributed by Mark Aarssen on Aug 15, 2009 (message contributor)
Summary: Why is it that sex is made cheap and common by our society? Like so many things it can be bought and sold but what is the right attitude we as Christians should hold about sex in marriage?
Sex and Marriage
So how does the topic of sex and marriage come up as a sermon theme you might ask? Last week I was talking with some of our men while waiting for Sunday morning church goers to arrive. Typically we men were talking about cars and Rob and Bruce mentioned a huge car show that was held in London, Ontario at the estate of Steven Plunkett.
Don also joined our conversation and shared that he had worked on a bus owned by the Badder family that was on display at the Plunkett Estate Car Show. After we talked about cars for awhile the men informed me that Steven Plunkett was the heir of a vast family fortune made possible by the discoveries and financial rewards associated to his father Dr. Earl Plunkett who was a major contributor to the modern birth control pill as well as vitro birth control science.
So ladies it should now be clear why it is men talk about cars and sex in the same conversation since you now know how they are inextricably linked thanks to Dr. Plunkett.
To set the record straight we did not talk about sex and marriage though I am sure I could have gleaned a wealth of knowledge from these men and their wisdom on that subject. But the fact that birth control science was mentioned got me to thinking on the subject at hand.
The topic of sex and marriage always creates a great deal of interest and sometimes conflict or confusion for church folk. The first thing I want to dispel is that the title is not an oxymoron. Having been married for 26 years I know that sex is very much a part of marriage especially in the Christian home. In fact a happy Christian home must be just as happy in the bedroom as in the pew on Sunday morning.
To validate my statements on the subject I turn to scripture and as we already looked at Proverbs Chapter 5 we see the wisdom of Gods plan concerning marriage. This particular Proverb was written by King Solomon reputed to be the wisest man that ever lived.
God asked Solomon what he would choose to be blessed with. Solomon chose wisdom and the result of that choice caused God to bless Solomon with other great gifts.
11 God said to Solomon, Since this is your hearts desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, 12 therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.
So what we have from Solomon is the wisdom literature concerning sex and marriage.
It may surprise you to know but I even studied this subject at Knox College as we discussed another famous portion of scripture the Song of Solomon which is the love letter of a king.
In the weeks to follow we will discover together more on this subject as we look to what King Solomon wrote as inspired by God.
Today I want to discuss the topic of faithfulness in marriage and how we are under attack by our old fallen nature, our current social values and our enemy the devil. You can see that every marriage has a lot to contend with before we even get to the mother in law jokes.
In this passage Solomon is giving us advice and a warning about what we are all up against as married people. Adultery is not a new phenomenon in the church or in society. Just as I quoted last week Solomon reminds us that there is nothing new under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 NIV
What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
God in his wisdom made women attractive so that we men would pursue them to the altar and enjoy what God had instituted as a marriage relationship. That we would be drawn to each other in love and that we would be fruitful and multiply. Some of you are very good at math.
Sexual relationships outside of the marriage covenant are willfully breaking Gods law and our vows to stay faithful to one another as man and wife. The Believers Commentary page 803 says…Respectable citizens who have secret immoral liaisons whether literally or through pornography, x-rated films, and videos often find themselves the victims.
Solomon warns his sons that temptation is very deceptive for the married man. The other woman may look desirable as in verse three but the end result is bitter and cuts like a two edged sword. That kind of sword cuts on its way in and on its way out.
