"The Crown Prince of Chaos"
1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace...
ILL -- "One woman wrote to a national magazine to say that every year, it seemed, her family would get on a highway a few miles out of the city, and her mom would wail, "Oh my goodness! I think I left the iron on." And almost every year they would turn around and go back. But as far as she could recall, not once was the iron ever plugged in. It seems her mom was dominated by the fear that all their earthly possessions would disappear in a fire caused by her forgetfulness. That was a family ritual, she says, until she was about 14 years old. On that occasion they were headed out of Chicago for Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and, sure enough, her mom gasped, "I just know I left the iron on." She says this time her father didn't say a word. He just pulled over onto the shoulder of the road, got out, opened the trunk and handed his wife the iron."
Introduction: Does it seem to you that the whole world is not chaos? Everywhere you look there is conflict, corruption and chaos!
I. We live in a day of Spiritual Confusion
When you reject God's plan for our spiritual life the result is confusion. The Bible tells us that in the end times that there would be great spiritual confusion.
The end of time will be a time of heightened spiritual activity...
a. Characterized by spiritual deception
The times we are living in are filled with spiritual deception. We need to recall that Satan is a deceiver and that this is one of his principle tools to use in this world. Remember that this is the tactic that he used against Eve and it has proven effective ever since. Note also that the end times will introduce the world to the spirit of antichrist.
1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
2 Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
b. Characterized by spiritual division
The church has never been more divided than it is today. There is doctrinal division, conflict about worship and music, what church model to use but even worse is the division about the Word of God and what it says or does not say.
Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
c. Characterized by spiritual declination
The spiritual condition of the church has contributed to this chaotic environment. The church today is much like Laodicean church that was neither hot nor cold but lukewarm.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
II. We live in a day of Social Confusion
When you reject God's plan for the home and family the result is confusion. The essential building block of society is the family. We are witnessing the collapse of our culture and the resulting confusion due to the attacks on the home and family structure. God created the home and family...
Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
a. The structure of the home is collapsing
God ordained the basic structure of the home and it was restated by both the Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul but unfortunately the structure of the home is collapsing. There are several reasons for the structural instability of the home. Certainly divorce has to be considered a major factor. We are told that 50% of all marriages end in divorce. The proliferation of co-habitation which now exceeds married couples must also be factored into this equation. Even more damaging in my opinion is the efforts on the part of our courts and political leaders to redefine what a home is. If you think the recent SCOTUS decision on marriage through to its logical conclusion then a marriage is what you say it is. It can be two or more members of the same sex or it can be bigamous or polygamous where a man takes multiple wives or visa-versa. And I don't mean to trivialize the importance of this issue but in theory you could marry your family pet!
b. The future of the home is uncertain
What do I mean when I speak of the sustainability of the home? My point is that if things don't turn around the home as we know it will cease to exist. The policies of federal and state governments have created a situation where we have millions of families where there is no father present, where single parents are trying to raise children by themselves, where grandparents in large numbers are now rearing their grandchildren and it is getting worse not better.
III. We live in a day of Sexual Confusion
When you reject God's plan for human sexuality the result is confusion. Nowhere is this confusion being displayed more than in this area.
Human sexuality is based on:
a. Biblical Design
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Matthew 19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
b. Biological Distinctives
Genesis 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. 21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
God created a biological compliment for Adam.
c. Basic Directive
There is basic directive that is implicit in the commands given to Adam and Eve. They were to reserve sexual relations for the marital relationship and within those boundaries they were to give pleasure to each other and procreate with each other, all within the biblical framework of marriage.
ILL - "My name is Dawn Stefanowicz. I grew up in a homosexual household during the 60s and 70s in Toronto, exposed to many different people in Gay, Lesbian, bisexual, Transsexual subcultures and explicit sexual practices. My biggest concern is that children are not being discussed in this same-sex marriage debate. As a child, I was at high risk of exposure to contagious STDs due to sexual molestation, my father's high-risk sexual behaviors, and multiple partners. Even when my father was in what looked like monogamous relationships, he continued cruising for anonymous sex. Unfortunately, my father, as a child, was sexually and physically abused by older males. Due to this, he lived with depression, control issues, anger outbursts, suicidal tendencies, and sexual compulsions.
He tried to fulfill his legitimate needs for his father's affirmation, affection and attention with transient and promiscuous relationships. Sadly, my father died of AIDS in 1991.
From a young age, I was exposed to explicit sexual speech, self-indulgent lifestyles, varied Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transexual subcultures and vacation spots. Sex looked gratuitous to me as a child. I was exposed to all inclusive manifestations of sexuality including bathhouse sex, cross-dressing, sodomy, pornography, gay nudity, lesbianism, bisexuality, minor recruitment, voyeurism and exhibitionism. Sado-masochism was alluded to and aspects demonstrated. Alcohol and drugs were often contributing factors to lower inhibitions in my father's relationships.
My father prized unisex dressing, gender-neutral aspects and a famous cross-dressing icon when I was eight years old. I did not see the value of biological complementing differences of male and female or think about marriage. I made vows to never have children since I had not grown up in a safe, sacrificial, child-centered home environment. Due to my life experience, I ask, "Can children really perform their best academically, financially, psychologically, socially and behaviorally in experimental situations?" I can tell you that I suffered long-term in this situation, and this has been professionally documented.
Over two decades of direct exposure to these stressful experiences caused me insecurity, depression, suicidal thoughts, dread, anxiousness, low self-esteem, sleeplessness and sexuality confusion. My conscience and innocence were seriously damaged. It took me until I was into my 20s and 30s, after making major life choices, to begin to realize how being raised in this environment affected me. My healing encompassed facing reality, accepting long-term consequences, and offering forgiveness. Can you imagine being forced to tolerate unstable relationships and diverse sexual practices from a young age and how this affected my development? My gender identity, psychological well-being, and peer relationships were affected. Unfortunately, it was not until my father, his sexual partners and my mother had died, that I was free to speak publicly about my experiences."
Unfortunately, Dawn's experiences aren't unique. Among children raised by same-sex couples, there is a significant increase in low self-esteem, stress, confusion regarding sexual identity, an increase in mental illness, drug use, promiscuity, STDs, and homosexual behavior, to name just a few. The fact is, our heavenly Father knows best! Children thrive when they have a mother and a father in a lifelong marriage bond. Kids need responsible monogamous parents free of extramarital sexual partners. Parental promiscuity, abuse and divorce are destructive for children.
Conclusion: One question that needs to be asked and answered is if God is not the author of this cultural confusion then who is?
Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
What is the answer? Let's return to our text and read it again. God is not the author of confusion, but of peace. That is the answer my friend. Spiritual, social and sexual peace can only come when we abide by God's divine directives found in His Word.
How did Jesus resist satanic influence? He did it with the Word of God. I call to your attention the Temptation of Christ:
Matthew 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
But it is not enough to talk like Jesus talked, we must walk like He walked.
1 John 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
As Christians we are to put on the whole armor of God Ephesians 6.
Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
