Love Vs Lust Series

Sermon: “Love vs Lust”

Series: 4 letter words+

Thesis: When you compare love verse lust you very quickly discover that one leads to happiness, blessings and fulfillment in life while the other leads to discontentment, guilt, curses and despair in life. Which will you choose?

Introduction:

We all have scar tissue on our lives from sexual sin. This sin is ripping our culture apart today and it’s destroying the fabric of this nation. It’s responsible for ripping the family unit apart today more than ever. Lust today is called love but lust is not love! We watch the news and we see one family after another family being attacked and maimed by sexual sin. We see the Hollywood stars jumping from one bed to another and seeming to have little regard for traditional marriage. They are applauded for being free and progressive in their lifestyle– free from what – free to be deceived? They propose that the sexual sins of the world is a normal and even accepted way to live. Lust is promoted while Biblical love is criticized and mocked by the world. They say lust is real love buts it’s not and lust will never bring satisfaction or fulfillment in life.

Lust and its path into sexual sin is addressed by Jesus in Scripture. I am always amazed at how relevant the Bible is to society today. The problem of sexual sin is not new it’s the same as it was back in the Bible days. God is never afraid to talk about sexual issues. The church seems to be afraid to deal with sexual issues but God is not afraid. The Bible references men’s private parts and even the private parts of a female. The Bible addresses a women’s menstrual period and is candid in discussing the sexual dimension of us all.

This weekend is Valentine’s Day weekend. It’s the weekend we celebrate the wonderful gift of love. Many people will be out for a romantic dinner on Sunday night and they will experience a night of romance. Some will experience a genuine love while others will pursue a lust filled evening of sexual indulgence. It’s important for us to have a clear picture on what is real love and what is sexual sin. The Bible tells us clearly the difference between love and lust. So tonight in keeping with our theme 4 letter words let’s explore Love vs. Lust.

T.S. – Let’s read a few Scripture texts that address the subject of lust first so we can gain a proper understanding of lust and love. One is a sexual sin the others is a God given gift of real love between husband and wife. Between us and God.

Scripture Texts:

Matthew 5:27-30:

27“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

"I say then: Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law " (Galatians 5:16-18).

"For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world" (1 John 2:16).

"Let not sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts" (Romans 6:12).

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law" (Galatians 5:22, 23).

Lust is featured in Scripture as negative, as evil, as bad for us not good for us. It’s warned against because it does not come from God but from the world.

1 Corinthians 13:

Love

1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.