← ArchiveProverbsSunday, July 10, 2016DateJuly 10, 2016Speaker—TextProverbs 7Passages in this sermonProverbs 70:59Proverbs 7:15:28Proverbs 5:1544:391 Corinthians 745:47Revelation 1948:37TranscriptClick any line to jump there.0:00Music0:30If you have your Bibles with you this morning, please turn to Proverbs chapter 7 and we will be looking and reading and I'll be0:59preaching through the whole proverb, not Proverbs, the Proverbs 7. And I know we will not have any issues with people paying attention today because we are looking at biblical sexuality. So if you feel like that's gonna be uncomfortable, it is, go ahead and giggle now. And let me just say this to our youthful section here is gonna be uncomfortable, that's okay. And if you think everyone's looking at you,1:25they're not. They should be looking at their Bible, they should be looking at their heart. Right? So if you're thinking, I hope those young people are listening, you missed the point. Because this is an issue that touches all of our lives. And the question is not, what is sex? What is sexuality? How do I live a relationship that is pure and honoring to God? The question is, what is God's word and how do I live it out?1:40Because we've been spending the summer in Proverbs. So wisdom for our lives. And Proverbs are short sayings that give us practical wisdom and how to live.2:01And if we need wisdom, it is in this area. It is in the area of Proverbs 7. Oscar Wilde said this, "Everything in the world is about sex except sex. Sex is about power. Sex is about power." And you say, "Well, when did Oscar Wilde live?" He was a man known for his wonderful poetry and literature. He's also a man known for his excessive living. And he died in 1900.2:21To give you perspective there. Lord, give us understanding. We see, I believe, two wrong views of sex in the world. And you're asking yourself, "Well, how often is that word going to come up?" A lot.2:36Right? This is not going to be a topic we're going to talk about what the Bible says about sexuality and we're never going to address it. We're going to look right at the issues and right at our heart. The first thing that we get from the world is this, and it's wrong. Sex is God. Sex is God.3:01It comes about this way. Well, this is what you need for fulfillment in your life. I've had it said to me this way when I was working in a secular job. You would never buy a car without test driving it. So you're right. I've never bought a car without test driving it. What does it have to do with my relationship? I don't marry a car. So we're going to look at that. If you've ever said that, you better, you're going to need to repent by the end of today.3:29I really, if you've ever given that advice to someone, you have led them down a road of sin. You need to find forgiveness. Because the world tells us that sex is God. Our culture makes too much of sex and too little of the boundaries. Our culture makes too much of sex and too little of boundaries. And then you have sometimes the church's response.3:55So the world says sex is God and the church says, no, no, no, no, no, no. Sex is gross. Just don't do it. That's not right. That's not biblical. So we're going to look at what God's word says, and it comes about this way sometimes. We just avoid talking about sexuality and saying, don't do it. And we're going to see, as I've counseled married couples, many couples, that if all they hear from the church is don't, don't, don't, don't, when they get married, that causes major issues in their marriage.4:22Because we've given them an unbiblical and ungodly perspective. Sex is not gross. Sex is not God. But sex can be godly. I think there's a third option here. It is God's design that he created us male and female.4:48I'm not going to get into that because it's not in Genesis. If you're here on Wednesday night, you know where we're going with that. But he created us not just personality male and female, but anatomically we are male and female. God didn't create us and go, oops. But he created us this way for a reason. It's God's design. Sex has purpose. It has design, and it has usefulness. Within its boundaries, within its boundaries, sex is righteous.5:18And you say, well, pastor, this is about to get awkward. It's too late. Let's look at Proverbs 7:1. We're going to see a wise, more than likely man, talking to a younger man. Looking through, and here's the picture that Proverbs paints. An older man is looking through the latticework, maybe in a castle, maybe as King Solomon, maybe in his palace.5:46And looking at a foolish man walking down a foolish road, running into a foolish woman. Not that that would ever happen today. And here's what Proverbs says. "My son, keep my words, treasure my commands within you. Keep my commands and live, and my law as the apple of your eye."6:10So we see what God is doing for us. See, if you will live according to what I have given you, you will find life. If you live outside of the design I have made for you, it leads to death. And that includes sex and sexuality. And this is exactly what Proverbs says.6:39So everything that we talk about today is filtered through the purpose and design of what God has for us. Everything. And in Genesis, we see that God created a male and female, and then God presents the bride Eve to Adam. The first marriage ceremony, the Garden of Eden is the temple, and God is presenting the bride to the groom. God institutes marriage in that wonderful way in the Garden of Eden, and how dare us mess with it.7:06That is God's design. Anytime we lose His design, we will find sin. So let's pray as we look at God's Word. Father, may we be church and a people who look at the awkward things in this world and speak biblical truth. And so Lord, I know there's probably some awkwardness here.7:35Lord, there might be some apprehension on my part, but Lord, I pray if there is anything that's apprehensive in my life right now, Lord, may I speak with clarity and boldness about Your Word. And Lord, if there is someone right now struggling with sexual sin, with relationships that have gone too far, or with shame in marriage because, Lord, they just don't feel like they're comfortable in a place that they should be, I pray that You free them from that, that they will confess their sins and find forgiveness, and that we will live according to Your Word.8:05And if we do, we find life. Lord, help us keep Your Word as the apple of our eye. And may we seek righteousness. And we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen and amen. We find God's design. So we're going to look at verse 6, and we're going to work our way through the entire Proverb. So if you have your Bibles, please take them out. You're going to need them especially today. Proverbs chapter 7.8:34"For at the window," verse 6, "of my house, I looked through my lattice, and I saw among the simple, and I perceived among the youths, a young man devoid of understanding." A young man devoid of understanding. So this is not what Proverbs is saying. Proverbs is not saying this is only for the youth. This is an older man looking through and saying, "I've been there before. I see where this is going."9:02It's not going to honor God. This is what we see first about sex. God's perspective is always the right perspective. God's perspective, His Word equips us and informs us even about sex and sexuality. "For at the window of the house," verse 6, "this is the mentor looking. God will always have a greater view of your life than you do." God always knows best.9:33Why? Because I look through cloudy visions. Some of you are saying something's different about Pastor right now than earlier this morning. Well, if you were very perceptive, you noticed that I had contacts in about until five minutes ago. I just took them out because my vision was cloudy. God's vision is never cloudy for our life. And that includes in our relationships, actually more so in our relationships. God's perspective is always the best perspective.10:00Even though this man is looking through the lattice, he is seeing clearly. And God's Word shows us here that the things which bring us great joy in our life can also rob us of joy and bring great danger. So the reality is the biblical perspective of sex is this. It's not don't do it gross. I don't want to talk about it. It is sex can bring great joy in your life, but it also can bring great danger and hurt and death.10:26If it is not used for God's glory. Verse six. I looked through my lattice and saw among the simple. I perceived among the youth a young man devoid of understanding. That's actually not a very good translation. That's my translation. The Hebrew is actually a man, it is, the Hebrew is hasar lev, which is a man void of heart.10:54So we're going to look at our hearts later. So I saw a man that didn't have his heart right. And this is what God's perspective says about us, that his Word impacts your heart. God's Word changes our heart. And everything else in our life is competing for our affections. Everything in our life is competing for our hearts. So here's the reality.11:22There is no such thing as casual sex. There's no such thing because it is going to compete for your heart, is going to compete for your soul. And that's why you need to give it to the Lord. That's why God's Word transforms our heart. That's why we give our heart to the Lord. That's why this man did not have an understanding of heart. Because he's going to give his heart to a woman that he had no place giving anything to.11:50May God's Word inform and equip our relationships. If it does not, we are in the wrong every time. And it leads to sin. Verse 8 says this. This man without heart. He saw him passing along the street near her corner. And he took the path to her house in the twilight of the evening in the black and dark night.12:19In the black and dark night. The first thing we need to see about sex and sexuality and relationships. One, we begin with the Lord and His Word. Two, Proverbs warns us, be careful where you walk. Be careful where you walk. That's exactly what's being said here in verse 8. Passing along the street near her corner.12:47Now, here's what God's Word does not say. It didn't say he was going down a wrong way street. What street is he walking down? I've already lost you. I know you're paying attention today. Not her street, but we have no inclination that this is a street filled with danger. It didn't say he passed a sign that said danger and he ignored it.13:15It's possible that he's walking down a street that he had to walk down to get to his house. We don't know. But we need to be careful as Christians not to walk down paths of danger. So I think the reality of our relationships is this. We're fooling ourselves if we don't think about it this way. Every relationship we have, there is temptation and sexual temptation. Every relationship, there is sexual temptation.13:45You wouldn't be in a relationship with that person if you didn't find them attractive. That's just reality. That's the natural person within us. And so that natural attraction is easy for us to push and go now to a street where we don't belong. As a Christ follower, we must pay close attention to the paths that you walk. This is why it's so important that we say, "Lord, lead us not into temptation."14:10Lead us not into temptation. Sometimes we just walk in daily life. I was reminded of that when I was preparing this sermon on Wednesday. I was on Facebook sending a message to some of our church members. And I'm preparing for a sermon on sex. And this bikini clad woman from Russia wants to be my friend. I'm like, "Who is Anna?14:37I don't know her." But she got my attention. And I'm thinking, "Lord." I was actually on the part where I said, "Watch about temptations." And she pops up. And I said, "Lord, I get it. I understand that I can be studying your word to preach about sex in the church office, on the church computer, and still I can find temptation."14:54And I wasn't doing anything wrong. God didn't tell me in the morning, "Well, don't go to church today. Don't prepare your sermon. It could lead to bad things." I was doing my normal activities. I was walking down my normal road, and yet I still found temptation. Be careful of the paths that you walk.15:22But not only be careful of the paths that you walk. We must be careful when we walk those paths. Look at verse 9. "Sexually, he was walking down in this path to our house when? In the twilight, in the evening, in the black, and in the dark." We know very little about the street that he was walking, but we know a lot about the time he was walking in.15:45Why do you think God's word reminds us four times he was walking in the twilight? If you didn't get that, in the evening. If you didn't get that, in the black. If you didn't get that, in the dark. Because God's word is reminding us there are some streets that aren't sinful and they're not righteous. You just walk them, but you need to be very careful when you walk those streets.16:10Be watchful in your relationships when you're walking during dangerous and vulnerable times. When you're walking during dangerous and vulnerable times. So what might those look like? Let's get real now. If you are highly committed in your relationship or if you're engaged. You are very vulnerable to temptation and sexual issues there.16:36You might say, "Well, we're about to get married. We're not going to be tempted." No, here's how we reason. "Well, we're about to get married. We're practically married." I can't tell you how many times over and over again. Couples who have been pure up until that point when they're engaged say, "Well, Lord, we're practically married. Why wait now?" If you are engaged or thinking about being engaged, you're almost engaged, you're almost married.17:02You're in a very vulnerable time in your life. Seek the Lord. That's an evening period of your life. Be careful. If you're going on a date. There's nothing wrong with going on dates. If possible, don't go alone. Have other people. And you say, "Well, we're past that." Well, fine. Go to the movies. But where you sit in the movies says a lot about your intentions.17:29In the movie you see. So if you are going to see a movie and you sit in the front row, I'm going to say, "Hey, good for you. Go have that date." If you're sitting in the back row, I'm saying you're walking that path at twilight in an evening. I know what you're going to do. And if you say, "Well, no, not us." Be very careful when you walk those paths. Be careful when temptation will creep up in your life.17:58In moments of sadness. In moments of emotion. In moments of high romance. Anniversaries. Youth, you guys have anniversaries every day. I see you put it on Facebook. We've been together for three days. Be careful. Be careful. Right? If that's you, I'm sorry. That's just not me. I know my anniversary is coming up at the end of this month. I do know it.18:27Be careful because those are our emotionally romantically charged times. If you're in a dating relationship during Valentine's Day, be careful. Be on guard. There's nothing wrong with walking that road. But be careful when you walk that road at midnight. Because sexually you are entering into a time where temptation will be its greatest. If you've been through tragedy in your life, if you've been through difficulty, be very careful. Be watchful when we walk paths that are dangerous, that are vulnerable.18:52You never know when that might come. Men, especially be careful when you are on your computer alone. And you say, "Well, not me. I'm not going to look at anything." You're fooling yourself if you think you're above temptation. There's a reason sex sells. Because we eat it up. There's a reason clothes companies have advertisements with people without clothes on them.19:18Because they're not advertising clothes, but you'll buy clothes because they're advertising sex. That's the reason drink companies. "Here, have this drink." And you'll have all these friends that are half naked. I'm like, "Yes! That will quench my thirst." But if you think about what we see, that's what we're bombarded with. Why? Because you're tempted and I'm tempted. And why?19:47And why? Because it works. Temptation is temptation because it's tempting. Be careful when you walk those times during twilight. Be careful where and when you walk. Verse 10. "Let God's word equip us about sex. Watch where you walk." Verse 10. And there is a woman who met him with the attire of a harlot. And a crafty heart. She was loud and rebellious. Her feet would not stay at home. At times she was outside.20:16At times she was in the open square, lurking at every corner. So she caught him and she kissed him with an impudent face. She said to him, "When we talk about sex and see it biblically, we need to now guard our heart. We need to guard our heart." Why? Because this man could have been on a path that he took every day and yet he met a man, a woman, dressed in unusual attire.20:39This could have been his daily path. He could have been going to the church for all we know. And yet he found this woman with unusual attire. Actually, the Bible says she was wearing the clothes of a harlot. And we see in Scripture this word "hene." It's "Look, there she is."21:06We see her before we hear her. Why? Because guys see women before they hear them. That's natural, right? So ladies, just practically relationship-wise, if your husband, if your significant other, if they're not looking at you, they're not listening. Take it from a guy. Right? Hey, dear, can you pick up the kiss? Sure, honey. Right? Can you do this?21:35Can you? Absolutely. What did you just say? Because we see, we listen, guys, we listen with our eyes a lot. We see this woman before we hear her, don't we? Look at verse 10. The woman, he met him with the attire of, guard your heart. Because when you guard your heart and you find yourself in places where you meet unexpected women and unexpected attire, your heart will already be guarded.21:54It's so important that we guard our heart and give it to the Lord. That way, when some random woman from Russia wants to be your friend on Facebook, you don't say, you know what, no one's watching. She had unusual attire on. By unusual, meaning not much. But you would have never known if she's my friend, would you?22:24There is a temptation. Y'all aren't watching. We have to guard our heart. Because we all walk down places sometimes where there will be temptation. The Lord knows that. The Lord knows that. And he's saying, I'm going to prepare for you. Give me your heart. Trust in me. And I will watch over you. Guard your heart. We also need to guard our heart in this way. Verse 10.22:53Verse 10. She had the attire of a harlot and a crafty heart. Guard your heart against being provocative. Now, I'm going to speak mostly to the women here. But guys, it holds true for us too. The word provocative means to get or to desire a response. Extraordinarily, if I can get that word out. Extremely desiring a response. That to me, that's provocative. So I can be provocative with my words as we've seen this week. I can say something on Facebook that will incite violence.23:20And the same thing is true with our clothes. Ladies, you can wear things that you know, that will get a response from a guy. And if you're honest, you desire that response. Now, do you have to have garb from head to toe where only we can see is your eyes? No. Because the reality is there's nothing you can wear that's going to prevent lust in a guy's heart.23:46Because even if we can see your eyes, we're going to lust after eyes. That's the heart of man. But be very careful on what you wear. Be careful about being provocative. This woman was wearing clothes that were intentionally provocative. The Bible says she was wearing clothes like a, like a prostitute, like a harlot. Be careful with what you wear. Do you have to have a blue jean skirt that goes all the way to your ankles?24:16Not necessarily. But should you have blue jean shorts or letting everything hang out? No. That's not godly. That's not righteous. And I think the issue is deeper than that because you're now wanting and longing for something, for a man to make a comment that gives you fulfillment that won't happen. Be careful what you wear. Be, guard your heart about being provocative. And I think the Lord will give you wisdom on what that looks like.24:46If you're asking for rules, well, Patrick, you tell me what to wear and I'll wear it. That's not my job. That's the Holy Spirit's job. But may we have wisdom that is guarded by God's word. Guard against being provocative. Men, guard against looking at women who are provocative. Also this we see in verse 11. She said with a loud and rebellious voice and her feet would not stay at home.25:12What does that say about this woman? She was not content. She was not content. Guard your heart against discontentment. This woman who was once at home is now on the streets. I think God's word guards us against wanting more. I think this is actually in the confines of a marriage here. Guard your heart sexually against wanting more and needing and finding fulfillment elsewhere.25:39We must guard our hearts against the fight for more, more, more. This woman, her feet were not at home. They were in the streets. They were in the square. And I guess Lewis says it like this. Everyone knows that the sexual appetite, like other appetites, grows by indulgence. Starving men may think about food, but so do gluttons, the gorged and the famished.26:08If your heart only wants more, more, more sexually, you will never find enough. Guard your heart against discontentment. I also see this in God's word here. We should guard our hearts against those who are sexually aggressive. Those who are sexually aggressive.26:36Look at verse 11 and 12. She was loud and rebellious. Her feet would not stay at home. At times she was outside. At times she was in the open square, lurking in every corner. And this is what this woman did. She caught him and she kissed him. In the mouth. It doesn't say that, but that's probably where. With an impudent face, she said to him. So you get the picture? This would have been unheard of in biblical times.27:03So this man is walking down the street, this young man, who has not guarded his heart. And this woman who is wearing prostitute clothes, whatever that means, grabs him in his face and gives him a kiss in his mouth. And he's like, now what, dude? He's like, now how do you think a young man is going to respond to that?27:36If we could pray, that would happen. But God's word tells us to guard ourselves against those who are sexually aggressive. What does that look like now? To guard yourself against being sexually aggressive in public. If you feel like you have to make out every time you're in public so people can see you, there's a problem. If you feel like that you had to put your make out pictures on Facebook so I can see them, and you're not married, there's a problem.28:01Because if you're that sexually aggressive in a relationship, there are deeper issues. If you feel every time your bae comes around, and you have to grab his face and kiss him in the mouth, it's like, that's right. That's what this woman is doing. And she's ungodly, and she's sinful. Now if you're married, does that mean that you have to walk around like this?28:31Don't touch me, people are watching. No. But if you're engaged with someone, ladies, that's sexually aggressive now, there's something deeper there. Run as fast as you can. Parents, if you have youth, and every time you have your camera, they want you to take pictures of them kissing, making out, put the brakes on that. We'll say, well, you don't have kids that are making out yet.28:59Goodness. Mine's four. I can put him in time out still. But I think God's word is timeless here. Why do we feel the need to be sexually aggressive, and do what the world says is okay? Just because that's the real world that we live in doesn't mean it's the right world. And does that mean we have to go back to Mayberry? No. But there is a time for that, and it is not on the streets, and it is not sexually charged and aggressive.29:29If you are in a relationship with that, be very careful. I would say get out, because there is a deep-seated, sinful issue you don't know about. Because if you're going to mug down like that in public, what are you going to do in private? What are you going to do in private? Guard your heart. Why is the heart so important biblically and sexually?29:55Because our romantic relationships have a tremendous effect on our heart. They will either strengthen us, or they will destroy us. Guard your heart. And then we see this, and let me just make this note before we move on. At this point, when this woman kisses him in the mouth and says, "You're my man," the language in the Proverbs shifts. I want you to catch this biblically.30:24I'm not going to read the Hebrew to you, but from this point on, the language shifts to that of a hunt. And you know who's being hunted? The young man. And you know who dies in the hunt? The young man. Why does the sex matter? Because it can lead us to death. It can lead us to death. Look at verse 14. Beware of sexual enticements in your life.30:51Verse 14, she says this, "I have peace offerings with me. Today I have paid my vows." Meaning she has worshiped, she's gone to the temple, and she has offered meat, sacrificed to the temple, and she has brought a delicacy home. That's what's going on. She's offered meat at the temple, and meat is not something that was common then. It was a rare occasion, so she's bringing something that's new. "Hey, I've spread the table for you.31:19I brought the good stuff home. Come and just have dinner." Verse 15, "So I came out to meet you. Diligently I seek your face." Yeah, we know that you kissed him in the face. "And I have found you. I have spread my bed with tapestry. I have colored coverings of Egyptian linen. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us feel of love until morning.31:48Let us delight ourselves in love. For my husband is not at home. He has gone on a long journey. He has taken a bag of money with him, and he will come home on the appointed day. With her enticing speech, she caused him to yield. With her flattering lips, she seduced him." Be wary in your relationships of sexual enticements. What do those look like? First, in verse 14, the enticement is something new, something rare, something desirable.32:16Something that's fantasy. You don't get meat often. Come and enjoy this nice meal with me. Especially in our marriages, we need to be on guard against this enticement of more, new. Fantasy. Dream this, watch that. That is a path that only leads to the gates of hell in your marriage.32:43And we're going to talk about what sexuality in marriage looks like. It's a good thing. Just hold on for that. We must be wary. This is the danger of pornography. This idea of fantasy. By the way, it is a $97 billion industry in the world. 12 billion of that comes from the United States alone. The effects of pornography on the brain.33:12It is not harmless. Let me read this very quick. In men, there are five primary chemicals involved in sexual arousal and response. The primary is dopamine. Dopamine plays a major role in the brain system that is responsible for reward-driven learning. You know what fantasy hits at? You know what pornography draws you in? It increases the dopamine in your brain. You know what levels are elevated in youth?33:39In their brain? What chemicals are elevated in their brain? That pornography that fantasy appeals to? Dopamine. You are feeding a fire that is hard to put out. The effects of fantasy and pornography are devastating in our life. Men's exposure to sexually explicit material is correlated. This is scientific. This is not, pastor speak. With social anxiety, depression, low motivation, concentration problems, negative self-perceptions, negative issues of physical appearance and sexual functioning.34:09Pornography is devastating. Research found that those that are exposed to pornography rate themselves as less in love with their partner than men who did not see any other thing. You know what pornography, how that draws you in?34:36This is new. This is novel. It's a delicacy. No one will know. Come join us. It's the same trap that this woman is offering on the street corner. And how dare us as a church ignore the problem. And if you are a believer in a man or a woman and you are stuck in that trap of I just can't get out of it. Seek the Lord today. Find accountability in your life.35:05And may that change right now. May we put the pornographic business out of business as Christians. Beware of that trap. We also need to beware of this. Verse 18. Beware of when someone offers you the pleasures or the entrapment of love. We just think this is a modern issue.35:35Look at what's going on here. Verse 16. She says, I have spread my bed with tapestry. I have colored coverings of Egyptian linen. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. And you can tell this is a time long ago. Because if I walk in my house and I smell cinnamon, I'd be like, man, cinnamon rolls? Breakfast is served. But she's saying, come, enjoy who I am.36:03Come, let us feel of love until morning. Let us delight ourselves with love. Beware when someone offers you the pleasure of love. The only time when sexual and physical relationship is appropriate and where sex and love actually meet was within the context of marriage. Without love, there is no romantic sex.36:30She's offering him, come, baby, I love you. I went to Egypt and got you some fresh sheets. Your favorite color. Look at the color. I smell good. I put on the perfume you like. Cinnamon, aloe, myrrh. Look at, we can enjoy love until the morning. Spices would have been from Arabia and India.36:58Lenons were from Egypt. This is no small task. Beware of the trap when someone says, but come on, I love you. I love you. Oh, I wish you understood love. Because if you love me, you would marry me. And we would enter into a union that is glorious and beautiful. And then we can have a sexual relationship that honors the Lord.37:25And then you can look at me and say, baby, I love you. And then you can go to Egypt and get the new sheets. Then you can make me the cinnamon rolls. When a young guy says, but I love you, you tell him, no, you don't. Because you don't understand what love is. And it's not your fault. You can tell this to the guy.37:54It's not your fault. You just don't know what love is. Because if you do know what love is, you would never have asked me to do something that goes against what my savior wants. And that's not just for youth. Be careful. A guy or a girl says, just send me a picture. It's inappropriate. You say no. Because you don't understand what love is. You don't understand what purity is.38:22That is, I'm holding that for the person that God has for me. And then we will enjoy that. Beware the trappings of love. Because it is not love. It is ugly. It is self-gratifying. It is coercion. It is a lie from hell. Beware. Beware. Verse 18. In our hearts, beware the promise of security.38:51Verse 19. My husband is not at home. He's gone on a long journey. He has taken a bag of money with him. And he will come home on the appointed day. Beware of sexual temptation and the promise of security. It sounds today like this. You can look at that. No one will know. Send me the picture. No one will find out.39:20It might sound like this. You know what? If I just sleep with him, he'll stay with me. Security. No, he won't. And if he does, that's not the guy you want in your life anyway. It might sound like this. I've seen this happen. Well, if I just had his child, then he'll have to commit. No, he won't. And you'll be raising that child by yourself and you'll never see him again. But if that's already happened, we'll help you raise that child as a church. Because you do not do this alone.39:50Beware of the false sense of security, of sexual temptation. Verse 22, we see this. Not only should we beware, we need to know the devastating effects. Verse 22, immediately, because he's a young dude. She's already, she has his provocative clothes. She's kissed him in his mouth. She spread the table. Immediately, he went after her as an ox goes to the slaughter.40:17Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks. Till an arrow strikes his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare. He did not know it would cost his life. Now, therefore, listen to me, my children. Pay attention to the words of my mouth. Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways.40:43God's word says, guard your heart. Protect your heart. This young man found out the devastating effects of sin. And God's word didn't say this to the man. You know, all those STDs you can get. You know, if you have a relationship, your feet are going to fall off. Your tongue is going to fall out of your mouth. Your eyeball is going to pop out. It's going to be nasty.41:13That could happen, by the way. That's real. That's reality. But God's word says that's just a side consequence. God's word actually says we need to know that impure relationships always lead to brokenness. God's word pushes us in that. Unrighteousness. Sex before marriage always leads to pain. Look at where the arrow pierces.41:41Verse 23. An arrow strikes his liver. Liver. In the Bible, the liver is closely linked to sexual desire. But for those of you who are hunters, you know this. A liver shot is a slow and painful death. And if you are content to have a physical relationship without marriage, it is a slow and painful descent in your life. Be very careful.42:10These are the devastating effects of sin. God's word tells us this. If you are not honoring God in your relationship, he is not going to bless that relationship. So if you are having physical intimacy and you should not be, and you're praying, God, but I love him. I love her. Just bless this relationship. God will not bless your relationship until you honor him. So I just want to speak quickly at what if it's too late?42:39What if you have already crossed bridges? And you can't go back. What if you have already gone down paths? Or have you been shot in the liver? And you say, I'm experiencing pain right now. First, if you are in an improper relationship and you are doing things sexually, you should not. That includes texting. That includes sending pictures. That includes thinking, watching, and acting. Commit today to begin a life that is pure before God.43:08It is not too late to say, God, starting today, I want a pure life before you. If you are in a relationship where you cannot honor the Lord sexually, get out. You say, but I can't do that. Why not? It's better for you to break that off than go down a place where you will only find pain, hurt, and destruction. You say, I can't believe you said that.43:36You'll thank me later. If you say, well, I just can't. I can't date him. I'm so attracted or I'm so attracted to her. I can't help myself. Don't date her. If you are unequally yoked with someone, meaning if they are not a believer, and you are and you are not married, you go home as soon as we say amen, you share Christ with them. If they are still not a believer after you share Christ, go your own way.44:04I have seen personally the heartbreak. We have people here that their spouse is not married and I see the pain every day that is in their life. Do not be unequally yoked as God's word commands. So this is a pretty negative sermon and I'm married. Okay. Well, I'm glad you said that.44:33Let's look at chapter five really quick. Proverbs 5:15, I'm glad I had extra time today. If you're not, if you're no longer, if you're not married right now, you're off the hook. Your time's over. If you're married, verse 15, chapter five. This is God's word. Remember, drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well.44:58Should your fountains be dispersed abroad streams of water in the streets, let them be only your own and not for strangers with you. Let your fountain be blessed. And you might think, well, why is he talking a lot about water? He's not talking about water. Verse 19, as a loving deer and a graceful doe, let her breast satisfy you at all times and always be enraptured with her love.45:20If you are married, I want you to embrace God's design for sex within marriage. So here's your command from scripture. If you're married, go home and drink. That's verse 15. Drink water from your own cistern. Actually, first Corinthians seven says this. Do not withhold the affection.45:49Husbands, do not withhold affection from your wife. Only for a little while. And when you're withholding, you go pray. That's what Corinthians says. To avoid temptation and to give yourself to one another. So if you are married, embrace God's design for sexuality. Drink water. You should not feel shame within your marriage, within your sexual relationship. You should feel satisfaction.46:16So if you're dealing with shame, you feel like, well, the church has told me no, no, no, no, no. And now I'm married and I struggle with that. Seek the Lord's word. Find favor in that. And by all means, go home and drink water. Enjoy God's design for sexuality. That's what it's created for. For pleasure and reproduction.46:46Go multiply. That's God's design. We should embrace that. We should live that out. We also see this within marriage. Just quickly. Sex within marriage should be safe. It should be safe. How do we know that? Verse 17. Let them be only your own. And not for strangers with you.47:14I don't know if you do this or not. But you have no right to share your sexual relationship with anyone outside of your marriage. This idea of open marriages where we're going to invite people in is not godly. When you said, I do, you close the door on your marriage. Look at verse 17.47:43Let them be what? That well, husbands, the water, the well of your wife. It should be only yours. You have no right going anywhere else. And you have no right bringing anything in. You know what happens when you poison a well? Most often you can never unpoison it. Sex within marriage should be safe. It should be comfortable. And it should be for you alone. Enjoy.48:13Enjoy. Embrace God's design for sex. It is created for his glory, for his honor. Do not feel ashamed. Embrace that. Well, why does purity matter? And I've been praying over this all week. How do you give an invitation on this sermon? Here's how. Revelation 19 says this about Jesus Christ. Let us be glad and rejoice and give him glory.48:40For the marriage of the lamb has come. And his wife has made herself ready. And to her, his wife, it is granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright. For the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. The wife of our savior is the church. And he demands purity. He demands our purity.49:10And here's what God's word says about our lives. All of us are impure. All of us are defiled. Actually, if we're honest, all of us are the lady on the street wearing harlot clothing because we've sinned. And Jesus Christ died on the cross to purify us of unrighteousness. You say, well, I can't have a relationship with God because if I'm the bride, I'm impure.49:36And yet Jesus died to wash us as white as snow. That's why purity is so important. So if you're trying to live a life that honors God in your own strength, you can't do it. It's not possible. But while you are still a sinner, right now, while you are still a sinner, Christ Jesus died for you. From the foundations of the world, he was slain.50:04That if you believe in him with your heart, if you confess with your mouth, you put your trust in Jesus, he will purify you. He will give you eternal life. And he will take the harlot rags that we have and give you fine, pure linen. If you have a relationship with Jesus and you've been baptized, you say, I'm going to show the world. And you're part of the church, the invisible church, and you are not living a pure life. Your relationship needs to stop today.50:33If you say, well, I'm in a relationship, I'm sinning, I'm not living a life sexually that honors God. Stop today. It ends right now. Do business with God and say, Lord, make me pure. If you're in a marriage and you struggle sexually. And you say, we have brought things in that never belonged. And our will is tainted. Jesus Christ can heal wounds. And maybe you just need to spend some time with the Lord and say, Lord, I'm tired of being ashamed.51:03I'm tired of being in chains. God, forgive me. God, change me. God, break the chains that only you can. We need to get back to biblical sexuality. We need sexual healing. It does not come from the world. It comes from our Savior. Because he will guard our hearts and out of everything else, flows from our hearts. Let's pray together.51:32together. Father,← Previous in ProverbsSunday, June 26, 2016Next in Proverbs →Sunday, July 17, 2016More sermons on Proverbs →
