Looking Never Hurt Anyone? Series

INTRODUCTION

• VIDEO SLIDE

• SLIDE #1

• Kevin James’ character seemed to be a bit occupied.

• The subject matter of today’s message deals with an issue that has the potential to destroy many lives.

• As Jesus continues with His six ways that our righteousness can exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, He turns to a subject that to this day has hit many homes and has been the cause of many marriages ending up in divorce and many lives being destroyed.

• Today we are going to see what Jesus has to say adultery. At what point are we committing this sin and what can we do to protect ourselves from allowing this sin to destroy our marriages and our families?

• Jesus is going to tell us that He is setting a higher standard for those who belong to Him. Once again, Jesus is going to deal with the heart of the problem.

• SLIDE #2

• Let’s begin with Matthew 5:27

• Matthew 5:27 ( ESV ) “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’

• Let us begin by seeing what the old standard was.

• SLIDE #3

SERMON

I. A FORBIDDEN ACT.

• Jesus goes right on to the next area in which our righteousness is to exceed that of the scribes and the Pharisees if we want to enter the kingdom of God.

• The sixth commandment (thou shall not murder) protects the sanctity of life whereas the seventh commandment (thou shall not commit adultery) protects the sanctity of marriage.

• What does it mean to commit adultery?

• In the Old Testament adultery was understood to involve sexual relations between a man (married or single) and another man’s wife, or a virgin engaged to be married to someone else (Lev 18:20; 20:10; Deut 22:22).

• The primary concern in the command against adultery was the violation or defiling of another man’s wife. This sin was punishable by death.

• Both the adulterous man and woman were viewed as guilty, and the punishment of death was prescribed for both (Lev. 20:10).

• I wonder what would happen if…

• This showed the severity of this sin on God’s eyes. God made faithfulness to the marriage relationship central to His divine will for marriage relationships.

• God created sex and He created it to be enjoyed within the boundaries of marriage. We need to understand that any activity outside the boundaries of marriage is against God’s will for you.

• Adultery is a big problem in the US today.

• Therapist Peggy Vaughan, author of "The Monogamy Myth," conservatively estimates that about 60 percent of married men and 40 percent of married women will have an affair at some time during their marriage. Maggie Scarf, author of "Intimate Partners," basically agrees. http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/tabor/050922

• The exact numbers are hard to find because not everyone who commits adultery would admit it.

• The Law said that you were guilty if you actually participated in the act.

• I realized that most of us are probably not going to run around on our spouses.

• Most of us would never carry out the act of cheating on our spouse.

• The religious leaders felt that as long as they did not act out the deed, that they were innocent before God.

• However; for most, the battleground is going to be in the mind. The greatest temptation we face is the invitation to participate with our minds in a world of virtual reality where we don’t think we are actually cheating on our spouses. Instead we’re lured to do it in our hearts.

• Let us turn to verse 28.

• SLIDE #4

• Matthew 5:28 ( ESV ) But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

• Jesus is going to go right to the heart of the problem.

• SLIDE #5

II. A DESTRUCTIVE DESIRE.

• Think about this, if there is no desire for another person, you will not commit adultery!

• Jesus tells us that if we look at a woman with lust that we have already committed the sin of adultery with her in his heart. Wow!

• Another way to translate this passage is to say that when a person looks in order that he may lust or looks to stimulate his lust.

• This is not noticing another person it is fixing your eyes and thoughts on them. You are playing out the deed in your mind.

• The word that we translate “look” indicates a continued action. The word also denotes purpose.

• Lust is an over mastering desire for something that is not ours. Jesus tells us that if we allow our look to be driven by an overmastering desire, then we have crossed the line. (Playboy without pictures)