Introductory Comments
1. I had just come out the bank. I got into my car and started pulling out when I noticed two men getting out of a car. They started walking across the street. Perhaps that does not seem like something that I should take notice of. But the parking lot is only for bank customers and I had often been frustrated by the lot being full and offering me no place to park. People like these two men were part of that problem. And also, I have the habit, good or bad, of taking note of injustices and feeling I must do something about them. And so I stopped in front of their parked car. From across the street, they noticed me and I pointed to their car and the bank, trying to let them know they were not to park there. They did not understand me, so I pulled closer and reminded them of their transgression. But as I did, I could not help but also point out another sin they were about to commit. And so I shouted across the street "this lot is for banking only, not for men to go to girly shows." For it was obvious they men were about to enter a place called "Spanky’s". Well, they moved the car, but they did not change their plans.
2. As I drove away, I felt somewhat convicted by God. "John, you are right, does men should not be going where they went. But, John, you struggle with the same sin as they do, perhaps in different ways." God convicted me that I struggle with the sin of lust, and I do not really like to tell you that this is a sin I struggle with.
3. Would you? If I were to ask you to raise your hand if you have ever struggled with this sin, how many hands would we see. This is a sin that not to many of us like to confess to. And yet it is a sin that is natural to us and which few of us have not had to deal with.
4. But let us be honest. Whether male or female, most of us have struggled with, and may still struggle with the sin of lust. I’m not asking you to tell us, but be honest with yourself and with God, because He knows whether you do or not anyway.
Teaching
1. Today we complete our root canal journey. And we look at what some Jewish scholars called the chief of all sins. As we look at this sin, we see how easy it is and how we must deal with it.
2. What is the sin of lust? Lust in Greek is a impulsive, passionate desire. That desire can be appropriate in marriage. And we are also called to have a deep passion toward God.
Psa 42:1-2 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
3. But lust as a sin is a longing for sexual satisfaction outside of marriage. It has been described as an agitated longing, a frightening craving, an out of touch desire for something or someone that is not yours. It is a desire to possess, to own, to consume without caring about the needs or feelings of any other being or the will of God.
4. Lust is a form of passion that has been misdirected and twisted by the power of sin. It is taking a beautiful gift of God and making it an terrible sin.
5. It seeks to fulfil its desires without considering love. As Christians we are to be people who love one another. Society teaches that lust and love are similar. But lust bypasses love and moves directly to passion. It eliminates relationships and turns the other person into an object or thing. They become a body to conquer. Lust is temporary and never has any lasting satisfaction. Love never ends, Paul said. Lust has no lasting quality. As one minister said, "Love is a marathon runner, lust runs the 10 yard dash."
6. Because it never satisfies, lust leads to greater perversion.
Rom 1:25-27 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
Because it does not last, because the thrill is gone, we seek something even more exciting. We can see that it society all over the place. We are told, "If it feels good, do it." We could talk about how bad things have become, but these things do not merit being talked about.
7. We see the danger of lust. We see society in which adultery has become the accepted norm. But we need to look at our selves.
8. Jesus says in Mat 5:27-28 "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." It is easy to judge those who commit adultery or to those who go to Spanky’s. But Jesus says, look at yourself.
9. If you even look at a woman lustfully, with a desire to be with her, you have already committed adultery. For you have committed the sin in your mind.
10. Someone shared an interested perspective about David. We know how when he saw, Bathsheba he though she was abeautiful woman. He was filled with lust for her. But if we look at David we see elements of this sin earlier in his life. Two incidents.
11. The first takes place during the time before David became king. Saul was chasing David and wanted to kill him because he was jealous of David. He asked Nabal to give some food and provisions for his men. When Nabal refused, David told his men to prepare to attack Nabal and his servants. Nabal had a wife and we are told that she was a beautiful woman. When she heard that David was about to attack, she quickly gathered some provisions and rode out to meet David without telling her husband. David accepted her gift and was convinced not to attack Nabal. When Nabal was told about this by Abigail, his heart failed him and he died. After David heard this, David sent word to Abigail to become his wife. We read that when she got word, she quickly got on her donkey and became David’s wife. She did not even grieve her husbands death. It seems that David was already affected by beautiful women. Was it her beauty that stopped him from attacking? Was he already lusting for her and waiting for the first opportunity to make her his wife?
12. Later we read about David dancing when the ark was brought to Jerusalem. We read that David danced with few clothes on, in the sight of the slave girls of his servants.
13. Perhaps this is reading into the stories more than is there, but there seems to be some evidence that David enjoyed seeing beautiful woman and enjoyed attracting them.
14. Lust begins with our desire to flirt or to focus on members of the opposite sex with the wrong thoughts. Lustful desires are natural to the sinful man. But they prevent us from honouring God and from being satisfied with the spouse that God has given us. It leads us to think of others at the times we are to be most intimate with the one we have married. It thereby distances us from God and from our spouses.
15. Friends, this terrible sin is so easy to commit. Advertising, movies, pornography are but a few of the tools of Satan to stimulate these desires. A while ago we looked in James 1 and saw how sin develops. We saw how our sinful desires and opportunities to sin combine to tempt us which then leads to sin. We may be outstanding Christians, but these desires still remain in us. And so we need to be on guard to not fall into opportunities to satisfy those desires.
16. That is why Jesus says such strong words about lust:
Mat 5:29-30 If 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. And 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.
Should we take these words literally? If we did we would have a lot is blind Christians. I believe Jesus is saying that we must get rid of whatever leads us to sin. What movies, what books, what television shows we should we not watch? I believe Bay Watch is one of most popular shows on television today in the world. Could it be because it feeds into our lustful desires. This is but one of many shows we should not be watching.
17. Friends, lust is a hidden sin. Who can tell what is on our minds? Who knows our deep desires? We cannot judge each other in this but God knows. How does He feel about what is deep inside you? Would you watch the thinks and think the things you do, if He was with you in person? Perhaps we may not see Him and at times can pretend He is not with us, but He is.
18. Let us get rid of those things that make us sin against Him and may we honour God with our bodies and minds. Lust is a terrible sin that removes the love of God from being active in us. It reflects a selfish attitude that makes us not love others. It divides the church by affecting us in subtle ways. May God help us to focus on Him instead.
Phil 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
19. When we start thinking lustful thoughts, think on God. Play Christian music or read the word or come to God in prayer.
20. Well, the root canal is almost done. We have completed our journey. Has God pointed out and convicted you of any deep sins in you? What are those seven deadly sins again? Pride? Greed? Envy? Anger? Gluttony? Sloth? Lust? Which one are the biggest struggles for you? Which one destroy you relationship with God or with each other the most?
21. The surgery may be over, but the pain of it may linger, as the anaesthetic wears off. It may be painful to see the extent of our sin. But it is much more painful to ignore it. May we honour God and glorify Him by living holy lives. May we ne clean vessels to be used by Him. May we be healed our sin and experience the joy of our salvation.
