Matthew 5:27-30
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 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. 30 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.
Jesus telling about love and sex. Natural to have a negative response. aha, look at these Christians prude views. Yes, it’s different from the culture, but it is probably one of the most attractive things about Christianity.
What’s sex about in the Bible? Covenant vs Consumer
Challenge of lust
Sex as picture of future love
COVENANT V CONSUMER
Biblical sex ethic in OT – no sex outside of a covenant. or from a positive, sex only inside a covenant. OR – sex inside of marriage.
There’s not another word that conveys the idea of covenant.
It’s a relationship far more loving than a merely legal relationship and far more binding and enduring than a merely emotional relationship.
[Consumer relationship vs Covenant relationship]
Covenant relationship is more loving because it is legal!
Consumer relationship – relate to a vendor as long vendor is giving you product at a good price. Meet my needs or I’m moving on.
Consumer relationship says – you adjust to me or I’m out of here.
Covenant relationship says – I will adjust to you because I’ve made a promise and the relationship is more important than my needs. [why marriage matters]
Marks of covenant relationship
1 – Safety & security (finally, be yourself, stop spinning, stop marketing,
2 – Commitment. When you are committed to a person in spite of your feelings, deeper feelings grow. (other example beside marriage – parent & child) You give and give – so invested, you still love them. In the same way, if you are in a covenant commitment; deeper feelings grow.
3 – Freedom – Keirkegard – If you’re in a relationship where you have to feel it, you’re a slave to your feelings. (Feelings from physiology, past, psychology)
What does this have to with sex? Sex is a covenant good, not a consumer good.
A consumer good is a way you keep someone in a relationship because you have a need so you find someone who will meet that need.
A covenant good, sex become like a sacrament. An external symbol of an invisible reality. When you have sex inside a covenant it becomes a vehicle for engaging the whole person in an act of self giving and self commitment.
The integrity of sex is: there must be an integrity between body and life. You must not do with your body what you’re not willing to do with your whole life.
CS Lewis – The monstrosity of sexual intercourse outside of marriage is that those who indulge in it are trying to isolate one kind of union, the sexual, from all other kinds of union which were intended to go along with it and make up the total union.
THE BEAUTY OF SEX & CHALLENGE OF LUST
Think of how the Bible start – Genesis, SoS, I could make you blush. Many of you who were here during the SoS sermon series remember it.
Be fruitful and multiply – Gen 1:28 “knew his wife” – Gen 4:1
Think about how the Bible starts – p2 Gen 2 – naked man, naked women, in the presence of God – singing a love song.
Sex in marriage – approved and encouraged.
SoS 4-5 – newlyweds explore each other’s bodies. (yay God)
Consider Proverbs 5:19 a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love.
Word for lust – Lust – ἐπιθυμέω (epithymeō), vb. desire; long for; lust for – often associated with greed.
Selfishness, addiction, fantasizing. Think about it (lottery)
Jesus say, it is very possible to have this same attitude towards sex.
Something that is used selfishly
Something that is addicting
Something that is filled with fantasy
Some way in which you’re looking to sex and sexual love to give you what only God can give you.
Examples – addicting, selfish, fantasy
• Pornography – consumer good utterly and completely
• All sex outside of marriage is using sex selfishly – consumer good of physical aspect only. Using.
People asked, “why are you doing it?” To keep the relationship going. (Consumer approach) You adjust to me or I’m out of here, looking for an upgrade.
• Belief that you must have sex to be a whole person. To say to anything, I need God, but I also need ________ to be happy.
Expound – gouge out eye, thrown in hell (gehena)
NUMBER ONE LOVE
Woman at the well – you’re looking for something in human relationships that only God can provide.
“I have water that if you drink it you’ll never be thirsty again.”
“Give me this water”
“Go find your husband” [why would he bring her relationships/sex life into this?]
Spousal love of Christ must be the main thing – freedom, love, security, acceptance, – you will never be well married well or single well unless Jesus Christ is the main spouse of your soul.
(Purpose of marriage ch) Ephesians 5:32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.
