Pride Of The Eyes And Lust

Pride of the eyes and Lust

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-4:8 (add scripture)

Virus – Hidden Infections in the Spiritual Life

Lust – 1 Th. 4:1-8

Trans: Last week we started a new series on the (7) deadly sins – Virus. Our goal is to place these deadly sins under the microscope of God’s Word to understand their infectious tendencies and to discover a remedy. Today we’re going to look at lust.

Trans: When it comes to lust and sex many of us failing b/c we’re naïve to the power of lust. We treat it like it’s a rubber snake when it’s a King Cobra. And unless we gain a biblical understanding of its power, it will inflict a great deal of pain in our lives.

Read: 1 Thes. 4:1-8

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Instructions on the Way Christians Should Live

4 Now then, brothers and sisters, because of the Lord Jesus we ask and encourage you to excel in living a God-pleasing life even more than you already do. Do this the way we taught you. 2 You know what orders we gave you through the Lord Jesus.3 It is God’s will that you keep away from sexual sin as a mark of your devotion to him. 4 Each of you should know that finding a husband or wife for yourself is to be done in a holy and honorable way, 5 not in the passionate, lustful way of people who don’t know God. 6 No one should take advantage of or exploit other believers that way. The Lord is the one who punishes people for all these things. We’ve already told you and warned you about this. 7 God didn’t call us to be sexually immoral but to be holy. 8 Therefore, whoever rejects this order is not rejecting human authority but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. (God’s Word)

I. The ROOT of Lust “….very strong sexual desire.”

Define: Lust is an insatiable craving to gratify your fleshly desires by seeking to satisfy a legitimate desire in an illegitimate way.

Truth is we can lust after money/possessions – greed; food – gluttony; and recognition – pride. But for the sake of our study today, we’re going to discuss lust w/in the context of sexuality.

Note: Under God, sexuality is a gift to be enjoyed by married adults w/in the context of a loving relationship. But since the fall, sexuality has been perverted and misappropriated in lude acts of lust and self-gratification contrary to God’s plan.

Text: Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. Col. 3:5

A. Lust ORIGINATES in the Flesh

A. Note: Its origin is found in the flesh and the portals of

the soul include the lust of the eyes, the lust of the

flesh, and the pride of life.

Verse: Don’t love the world or the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that’s in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn’t of the Father, but is of the world.

Note: Since the fall, the flesh (or natural man) craves but one thing – immediate and complete satisfaction at all cost. The flesh is filled w/ a desire to satisfy its shameful appetites, showy appearances, and shallow applause. It will indulge in all kinds of perversity to satisfy its desires but will never be filled. (See Romans 1:16-32)

Note: The flesh is totally depraved and despicable – completely self-centered and self indulgent. The flesh is only capable of gratifying itself and perverting what God intended for good into an act contrary to the heart and will of God.

B. Lust must be EXECUTED by the Spirit

Note: It must be put to death – which is only possible through the cross. No person can overcome the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life w/out the cross. The cross sets a man free and enables him to walk in the grace of God.

II. The REALITY of Lust 2 Samuel 11:1-27

A. Stage 1 – IDLENESS

VERSE 1 It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

Quote: If idle hands are the Devil’s workshop, than an idle mind is his playground.

Note: Notice that when kings normally went to war, David stayed in Jerusalem. David was lazy and content and set up for failure. He didn’t take the war serious.