Sunday, Sept 13th, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-10: Lust
Each week Pastor Grant posts the sermon text for the coming Sunday, some of his research for reflection, along with some conversation starters for you to comment on. You are invited to share your thoughts on the text by commenting on this post. To share a comment, “click” the title of this post, or the link at the end of the post (COMMENTS), and you will be directed to a page where you can share your thoughts, reflections, questions, illustrations and/or applications.
Continuing the sermon series on the seven deadly sins. This Sunday - Lust.
TNIV 1 Thessalonians 4:1 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit. 9 Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in fact, you do love all the brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, dear friends, to do so more and more[.]
Research For Reflection…
“While the term holiness itself is broad enough to encompass the full range of Christian behaviour, Paul focuses on a singe aspect of what it entails, namely, sexual morality. This topic would have been of particular significance for anyone recently converted from pagan culture, in view of the wide range of sexual mores and practices that existed in Greco-Roman society…a wide range of pre- and extramarital activity was tolerated and occasionally encouraged. Thus it could not be assumed that converts brought with them into the church any common understanding or expectation regarding sexual behaviour. This was an area where socialization into the norms of the new community was definitely a necessity. Against such a backdrop Paul counsels the Thessalonians to ‘avoid sexual immorality’ (4:3b; cf. 1 Cor. 6:18), that is, porneia, a general term for nearly any type of sexual sin, including prostitution, adultery, or fornication.” Michael Holmes, 1 & 2 Thessalonians (NIVAC)
“The church, now as then, faces the challenge of socializing or acculturating to a biblical sexual ethic people who bring with them, when they come into the church, no common standard or set of expectations regarding sexual behaviour. Even those raised within the church cannot be assumed to be of one mind regarding sexual ethics and behaviour, due in part to the church’s wavering and uncertain voice on the subject (when it speaks at all) and in part to the widespread but widely varying impact of contemporary culture on believers through movies, television, music, books, and the arts.” Michael Holmes, 1 & 2 Thessalonians (NIVAC)
“An additional paragraph is needed for those of us (Stott himself) who are single and therefore lack the God-given context for sexual love. What about us? We too must accept this apostolic teaching, however hard it may seem, as God’s good purpose both for us and for society. We shall not become a bundle of frustrations and inhibitions if we embrace God’s standard, but only if we rebel against it. Christ’s yoke is easy, provided that we submit to it. It is possible for human sexual energy to be redirected both into affectionate relationships with friends of both sexes and into the loving service of others. Multitudes of Christian singles, both men and women, can testify to this. Alongside a natural loneliness, accompanied sometimes by acute pain, we can find joyful self-fulfillment in the self-giving service of God and other people.” John Stott in The Gospel & the End of Time: The Message of 1 & 2 Thessalonians
“Lust is not a sin of the flesh so much as a sin against it. It is in our flesh that we are present to the rest of creation, and particularly we are present in it to each other, revealing and exposing, sensitive to others and even vulnerable to them, open and hurt.” Henry Fairlie in The Seven Deadly Sins Today
“Jesus’ own teaching offered very little comfort for those who wished to escape indictment for lust (Matthew 5:27-29). It is not only people who overtly commit lustful acts who miss the mark, but even those who keep them covert, hidden within. If the mark we aim at is Jesus’ own radical dedication to God, with nothing whatever, inner or outer, compromising it, then we all miss the mark…(One) can remain physically exclusive to one’s spouse but toy with delicious fantasies about others. One can remain faithful to vows to marriage or celibacy, but resent it. These are not great crimes of lust; they do not miss the mark by much - except the mark of loving as God loves, wholly. Thus lust reveals us as sinners, and sin as pervading our lives.” William Stafford in Disordered Loves: Healing the Seven Deadly Sins
“The first remedy for lust is to drop the wilful denial that shields our sexual lives from God, and to confess our sin to him: we have missed the mark…The remedy for lust includes hearing the word of forgiveness deeply .” William Stafford in Disordered Loves: Healing the Seven Deadly Sins
“The counterpoint to lust is purity of heart. Whereas lust is unethical and unrestrained, purity of heart is the ethical and disciplined devotion of the heart. Whereas lust binds and dissipates our strength, purity of heart is both clear-sighted and a concentrated focusing of strength…Thus to love God with a love that is pure, clear, simple, undiluted, and total is the counterpoint to lust and the idolatry of sexual pleasure that accompanies it. But such a strenuous ideal of an untarnished heart can crush us with disillusionment if it is not accompanied by grace and forgiveness. Jesus upset all expectations here, including those of moralistic believers of all ages. He offers forgiveness and restoration to those caught in sexual sin.” Os Guinness in Steering Through Moral Chaos
Questions for Conversation and Comment:
1. What questions do this text and/or research raise for you?
2. In our culture today, is it possible to live ‘lust-free’ lives?
3. What role can a local church have in helping people combat lust?
4. Is it any of the church’s business what goes on behind bedroom doors (or online)?
5. What insights do you bring to this topic?
September 9th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
I have been reading a book entitled “Unchristian” put out by the Barna Group. It talks about how people outside the Christian community want to see transparency by Christians. The fact that so many pastors have to resign over pornography indicates that “lust” is real and defeating. And if Pasotrs are having a problem, so are we laymen. We are sourrounded by all kinds of programs that entice our “lust” I have to constantly pray for God’s help to get out of these programs. Many people may feel that this shouldn’t be talked about in the pulpit but it is a major issue and needs to be addressed. I will pray that God will guide you and I know that I will receive help from the message that the Holy Spirit speaks thru you to me.