Series: Cow Tipping!
Thesis: Cow tipping has to do with tipping over and destroying idols in our life that usurp God. They come in many forms and shapes.
Sermon 1: We have looked at the golden cow of the love of money, materialism and prosperity at any cost.
Sermon 2: We have looked at the golden cow of Self.
Today we will look at the golden cow of sex – more specifically sexual immorality.
Sermon 3: Cow Tipping - sexual immorality
Thesis: The Golden cow of sexual immorality is a big fat cow getting bigger by the day as it enslaves people into it’s dark world of shame and bondage. It’s a sin that the apostle Paul says we need to run from!
Introduction:
The question could be asked: "What is sexual immorality?"
The following answer is from Gotquestions.org: In the New Testament, the word most often translated “sexual immorality” is porneia. This word is also translated as “whoredom,” “fornication,” and “idolatry.” It means “a surrendering of sexual purity”, and it is primarily used of premarital sexual relations. From this Greek word we get the English word pornography, stemming from the concept of “selling off.” Sexual immorality is the “selling off” of sexual purity and involves any type of sexual expression outside the boundaries of a biblically defined marriage relationship.
Jesus said in Matthew 19:4-6: The question rose up of divorce: He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?” So, they are no longer two, but one. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no man separate.”
Sex is part of two people coming together to be one in spirit, soul and body and it is designed by God to be for a lifetime. I believe sex creates a soul tie in the male and female which is a spiritual is also somehow linked to God’s Spirit.
But in our sexual promiscuous world today people don’t believe there is a soul tie so they deny the action as meaning anything even though deep down inside they know somethings wrong. The sin of sexual immorality is gripped with shame, bondage, secrecy, darkness, fear, lack of self-esteem and other works of the flesh. It’s a dark lonely world in spite of what the media says about it and others.
The word “sexual immorality” encompasses the following according to the Bible and encompasses sins which fall outside of Biblical Marriage:
? Adultery
? Fornication
? Abortion
? Homosexuality
? Pornography
? Masturbation
? Rape
? Incest
? Sexual abuse
? Child porn
? Child sexual abuse
? Sex slavery
? Prostitution
? Sexual Harassment
In the last 40 years we have seen this golden cow grow bigger, fatter and bolder across the USA – we see it growing fatter in books, on Tv networks, on cable networks, in magazines, and on the internet! It’s becoming one of the top 3 idols people worship in our country today! It’s a big fat golden cow destroying the fabric of the family and Biblical marriage! It creates bondage, shame, fear, low-self esteem and darkness. It is destroying spirits, souls and bodies daily! Holding it’s victims with a grip of death and destruction.
Are you amazed at all the sexual harassment coming out into the light in America today on the media? Should we be surprised when we look at what is being produced daily in this country? Have you lost count of all the cases of it in the last month or even this last week? By the way it’s around 34?
Let’s look at some of the men accused of sexual harassment- rape – sexual abuse since the Weinstein accusations emerged and set this firestorm ablaze across our TV screens:
Entertainment world:
— Producer Harvey Weinstein’ Accused by dozens of women of sexual harassment or sexual assaults, including rape. Fired by The Weinstein Co. and expelled from various professional guilds. Under investigation by police departments in New York, London, Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. Weinstein denies all allegations of non-consensual sex, but he has apologized for causing “a lot of pain” with “the way I’ve behaved with colleagues in the past.”
— Celebrity chef John Besh — Accused by 25 women of sexual harassment. He has stepped down from the company he founded.
— Actor Richard Dreyfuss — One woman alleges sexual harassment. He denies the allegation.
— Actor Dustin Hoffman — Accused by woman of sexual harassing when she was 17. He has apologized for his behavior.
— Producer Chris Savino — Accused of harassing up to 12 women. Fired from Nickelodeon. He has apologized for his behavior.
— Actor Steven Seagal — Accused by two women of rape. He denies the allegations.
— Actor Tom Sizemore — Accused of groping an 11-year-old actress in 2003. Utah prosecutors declined to file charges, citing witness and evidence problems. He denies the allegation.
— Actor Kevin Spacey — Accused by at least 24 men of sexual misconduct or assault. London police reportedly investigating a sexual assault. Fired from “House of Cards” and replaced in Ridley Scott’s completed film “All the Money in the World.” Massachusetts prosecutors are investigating one allegation. His former publicist has said he is seeking unspecified treatment.
Media, publishing and business:
— Billboard magazine executive Stephen Blackwell — Accused of sexual harassment by one woman. He has resigned from the magazine.
— Penguin Random House art director Giuseppe Castellano — Accused by one woman of sexual harassment. Penguin Random House is investigating. Castellano has not commented.
— New Republic publisher Hamilton Fish’ Multiple sexual harassment allegations. He has resigned from the magazine.
— Journalist Mark Halperin — Accused of harassing about 12 women while at ABC News. Book contract terminated. Fired from job at NBC News. He has denied some of the allegations.
— NPR news chief Michael Oreskes — Accused of inappropriate behavior or sexual harassment by at least four women while at The New York Times, NPR and The Associated Press. He has been ousted from NPR.
— Amazon executive Roy Price — Accused by one woman of sexual harassment. He resigned from Amazon.
— Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner — Accused by one man of sexual harassment. He says he did not intend to make the accuser uncomfortable.
— New Republic editor Leon Wieseltier — Accused of sexually harassing numerous women. Removed from the masthead of The Atlantic magazine. He has apologized for his behavior.
— NBC News booker Matt Zimmerman — Accused of inappropriate conduct by multiple women at the network. He was fired from NBC.
- November 21, 2017 Charlie Rose: The rise and plummet of a man who preached “character” and “integrity” on CBS news.
Politics:
— U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) — Accused of forcibly kissing a woman while rehearsing for a 2006 USO tour; Franken also was photographed with his hands over her breasts as she slept. Franken has apologized, while maintaining that he remembered the rehearsal differently. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has called for an ethics investigation of Franken.
— U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore (R.-Ala.) ‘Accused of sexually assaulting two women decades ago when they were teenagers; about a half-dozen other women have accused Moore of inappropriate conduct. The former state Supreme Court chief justice denies the allegations. He has rebuffed pressure from national Republican leaders to step aside; the state GOP is standing by him.
-The #Metoo moment is also prompting re-examination of past sexual misconduct claims against powerful men, including Democratic former President Bill Clinton in the 1990s. He was impeached and then acquitted of perjury and obstruction of lawmakers’ investigation into his sexual encounters with a White House intern, and he settled a sexual harassment lawsuit stemming from his time as Arkansas governor.
- November 21, 2017 Michigan Rep. John Conyers faces ethics probe over harassment allegations by two women
— Florida Democratic Party Chairman Stephen Bittel — Accused of sexually inappropriate comments and behavior toward a number of women, Bittel resigned. Meanwhile, Democratic state Sen. Jeff Clemens resigned after a report that he had an extramarital affair with a lobbyist.
- Republican state Sen. Jack Latvala is being investigated by the Senate over allegations of harassment and groping. Latvala has denied the allegations.
— Kentucky House Speaker Jeff Hoover — Stepped down as speaker this month after news surfaced that the Republican had settled a sexual harassment claim from a GOP caucus staffer. Hoover denied the harassment allegation but said he sent consensual yet inappropriate text messages. He remains in the Legislature.
Sports:
November 22, 2017 Michigan gymnastics, USA gymnastics doctor pleads guilty to sex charges Larry Nassar guilty on 7 counts of 1st degree criminal sexual assault with girls ages 13-15.
— International Olympic Committee member Alex Gilady — Accused by two women of rape and by two others of inappropriate conduct. Gilady denied the rape accusations, said he didn’t recall one of the other allegations, but acknowledged a claim he’d propositioned a woman during a job interview 25 years ago was “mainly correct.” He stepped down as president of an Israeli broadcasting company he founded. The IOC has said it is looking into the allegations.
What has happened to sexual morality in America? Was this an all of the sudden collapse or has the world jumped on the band wagon because it’s become so frequent. The truth is this country gets worse and worse by the year?
What has happened to America’s sexual purity? Well I am glad you asked this question —— watch this video for the answer and the rest of the covered up story of the sexual revolution!
Video Illustration: Who created this golden cow? Here is the rest of the story from — More Than Conquers Series: The battle plan for purity in America from Session 1 video.
As we have talked about Cow Tipping this last month – I pray you have seen that idol worship is still happening in our world -different names but still happening - the point of these messages is to identify any idols we may have created or bought into in our life that are hindering our relationship with the Lord! These cows need to be tipped over and destroyed. The one we are focusing on today is sexual immorality and it is huge – a mega idol – and yes, it is tearing our society apart, our relationships, marriages and our families apart.
Prayer: I pray God would show you if this is hindering your relationship with Him and if you need to be aggressive and go tip this golden cow over! Today! Not Tomorrow Today!
Let’s look back at our main text for this series to see how this is not a new idol but a recurring idol throughout history.
Scripture Text: Title: The Holy Bible, New International Version - Exodus 32
Exodus 32:1-6:
When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.” Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD.” So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.
Exodus 32:17-19:
When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “There is the sound of war in the camp.”
Moses replied:
“It is not the sound of victory,
it is not the sound of defeat;
it is the sound of singing that I hear.”
When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.
Exodus 32:30-35:
The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” So, Moses went back to the LORD and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.” The LORD replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.” And the LORD struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.
So, we see even back in Moses time the connection between sexual immorality and idol worship!
Got Questions states this about the connection of sexual immorality with idol worship of the Bible and of today:
The connection between sexual immorality and idolatry is best understood in the context of 1 Corinthians 6:18, which says, “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.” The bodies of believers are the “temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). Pagan idol worship often involved perverse and immoral sexual acts performed in the temple of a false god. When we use our physical bodies for immoral purposes, we are imitating pagan worship by profaning God’s holy temple with acts He calls detestable (1 Corinthians 6:9–11).
Biblical prohibitions against sexual immorality are often coupled with warnings against “impurity” (Romans 1:24; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 4:19). This word in the Greek is akatharsia, which means “defiled, foul, ceremonially unfit.” It connotes actions that render a person unfit to enter God’s presence. Those who persist in unrepentant immorality and impurity cannot come into the presence of God. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8; Psalm 24:3–4). It is impossible to maintain a healthy intimacy with God when our bodies and souls are given over to impurities of any kind like sexual immorality.
Sexuality is God’s design. He alone can define the parameters for its use. The Bible is clear that sex was created to be enjoyed between one man and one woman who are in a covenant marriage until one of them dies (Matthew 19:6).
Human Sexuality is His sacred wedding gift to human beings. Any expression of it outside those parameters constitutes abuse of God’s gift. Abuse is the use of people or things in ways they were not designed to be used. The Bible calls this sin. Adultery, premarital sex, pornography, and homosexual relations are all outside God’s design, which makes them sin.
T.S. – But the world, the media, (Yes) Satan has deceived modern day America that it’s okay to sin in this way and God’s okay with it too! Truth be told He is not okay with it!
I. The Great Deception of today: The deception of society goes deep today as many believe it’s okay to worship the golden calf of sexual immorality day in and day out without thought to their offense against God and His Word.
a. The following are some common objections (lies, myths) to God’s commands against sexual immorality these come from Got questions.org!
i. Many today says, “It’s not wrong if we love each other.”
1. The Bible makes no distinction between “loving” and “unloving” sexual relations. The only biblical distinction is between married and unmarried people. Sex within marriage is blessed (Genesis 1:28); sex outside of marriage is “fornication” or “sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 7:2–5).
2. The Bible is very clear on what constitutes sexual immorality and what is not and it has not change it’s mind.
ii. Many say, “Times have changed, and what was wrong in biblical times is no longer considered sin in our new world.”
1. Most of the passages condemning sexual immorality also include evils such as greed, lust, stealing, etc. (1 Corinthians 6:9–10; Galatians 5:19–21).
2. We have no problem understanding that these other things are still sin. God’s character does not change with culture’s opinion (Malachi 3:6; Numbers 23:19; Hebrews 13:8).
3. God has not changed His position on sin!
iii. Many say, “We’re married in God’s eyes.”
1. This argument implies that God is cross-eyed. The fallacy of this idea is that the God who created marriage in the first place would retract His own command to accommodate what He has called sin.
2. God declared marriage to be one man and one woman united for life (Mark 10:6–9).
3. The Bible often uses the imagery of a wedding and a covenant marriage as a metaphor to teach spiritual truth (Matthew 22:2; Revelation 19:9).
4. God takes marriage very seriously, and His “eyes” see immorality for what it is, regardless of how cleverly we have redefined it.
iv. Others say, “I can still have a good relationship with God because He understands my situation.”
1. Proverbs 28:9 says, “If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.” We fool ourselves when we think that we can stubbornly choose sin and God does not care.
2. First John 2:3–4 contains a serious challenge for those who persist in this line of thinking: “We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.”
3. Hebrews 13:4 makes God’s expectation for His children crystal clear: “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.”
4. Sexual immorality is wrong. The blood of Jesus can cleanse us from every type of impurity when we repent and receive His forgiveness (1 John 1:7–9). But that cleansing means our old nature, including sexual immorality, is put to death (Romans 6:12–14, 8:13). Ephesians 5:3 says, “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.”
b. The Bible warns us over and over of the consequences of sexual immorality this is why we are told to flee from it and pursue holiness.
II. Sexual Bondage is one of Satan’s master plans! (A Conquer Series quote)
a. Why? Because it doesn’t just prevent us from growing into the image of Christ, but it distorts His very image in us and leaves us ineffective for the Kingdom, shamed and disgraced!
i. They note: “Sexual sin promises to serve and please, but only desires to dominate and destroy.”
1. Facts and figures from Conquer Series: A study of over 300 data points discovered that 60-70% of men and 20-30% of women in evangelical churches are sexually addicted to this golden cow idol.
2. Did you hear that statistic – does that alarm you at all?
3. Is it any wonder why the church is declining in America and our society is more and more sex crazed and we slip deeper into sexual immorality at younger ages!
ii. Note a truth of Scripture: Finding satisfaction in sexuality, rather than in God, is a form of idol worship because it replaces our need for and reverence to God, and to His ways.
1. Dr. Doug Weiss states: “That (pornography and other sexual sins) can get into a man’s heart to the place where it replaces God…it becomes an idol. And how do you know it’s an idol? When you’re in pain, you go to your idol. When you’re in need, you go to your idol. When you’re hurt, you go to your idol. When you want to celebrate, you go to your idol.”
2. Quote: “Sexual bondage is not about sex, it’s about how you’ve learned to medicate the pain in your life.” Dr. Ted Roberts.
3. Quote: “Whatever attracts and holds your attention will eventually control the direction of your life.” Paul Cole
a. James 1:14-15 says, “…but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death.”
i. The word entice in Greek means a baited hook!
ii. The world has baited the hook and many including Christians are getting caught in its trap of death.
iii. You need to run away from it today!
III. Keys to freedom from the golden calf of sexual immorality: There is hope of deliverance!
a. Break the denial structure!
i. Admit your sin and quit hiding in the dark because God will bring it to the light anyway.
ii. Admit you are wrong repent and change your acceptance of sin as a way of life.
iii. This helps break the cycle! It’s a start!
b. Understand the cycle of bondage from this idol.
i. It will shame you – it will condemn you and cripple your effectiveness for the Lord as a witness for Him in this world.
1. Do I need to name the many preachers – who crashed and burned because of this sin?
ii. The Devil wants you in bondage to sexual immorality because as long as it has a grip in your heart you will be trapped in bondage and eventually when it comes out in the light you will be disgraced as a Christian and Jesus will be disgraced.
c. Seek healing from the Creator of “Good Sex” – Yes, God – Jesus – and the Holy Spirit created and promote - Good Sex – it’s a gift from God to be used in the context of Biblical marriage.
i. To win this battle and tip this idol over in your life - requires you to follow His battle plan and use His power and weapons of warfare.
1. The first weapon is the renewal of the mind!
2. Romans 12:2: “…be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
a. God’s Word renews our twisted lustful minds – it’s the only power in this world that can deliver people from this sexual idol.
b. We need His battle plan for victory to tip this golden cow over and it starts with our minds:
i. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5: For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. One the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
ii. Did you here that we take captive every impure thought in our mind and make it be obedient to Christ!
iii. Quote: “Many Christians never reach their full potential for God because they have never conquered the strongholds in their lives like the idol of sexual immorality.”
iv. Are you hearing this message?
c. This sin holds their minds hostage to lust and the dark side!
a. We need to be reminded that Conquerors are not born, they are made. By God’s Word!
2. Renewing the Mind is essential if we want delivered from this idol.
a. Yes, read or listen to God’s word daily – read a daily devotional!
b. Read or listen to books – teachings on the subject:
i. Book: At the Altar of Sexual Idolatry by Steve Gallagher
ii. Cd Series: Conqueror Series – the Battle Plan for Purity.
iii. Every Man’s Battle – others too for woman, teens!
c. Get in a Bible study a life group!
d. Get Christian counseling!
e. Find an accountability partner!
3. Let the HS heal the wounds which drive you to this sexual idol for comfort.
a. Things people took from us!
i. Those who have been sexually abused or misused fall into this category!
ii. Those exposed to porn at young age.
b. Things people did to us!
i. Rape, incest and exposure to porn.
c. Self-inflicted wounds from our own sins!
4. Put on the armor of God to fight for your life!
a. You need His armor to win this fight and tip this idol to destroy it!
5. Take action - today!
a. Rebuke impure thoughts of others ---- Immediately! Use the name of Jesus to rebuke the thought or image!
i. Don’t entertain these thoughts!
b. Put a block on your computer, phone, i-pad and Tv for porn and protect yourself from x-rated images.
i. Don’t play with fire!
1. It will burn you!
ii. Flee sexual immorality!
1. Run away from it!
a. Paul says in I Corinthians 6:18-20 (NLT): “Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So, you must honor God with your body.”
6. Don’t take a second look at her or him in an improper manner —- flee the lust.
a. Jesus said in Matthew 5:27-30:
i. 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.
Conclusion:
Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.”
What do they need to know from this message?
Answer: The world has deceived people into thinking they can worship the golden cow of sexual immorality and God will be okay with it.
Why do they need to know this?
Answer: They need to destroy the golden idol of sexual immorality in their lives and protect their children from being drawn into worshipping this idol. They need to rise up with the strength and the help of the Lord and tip this idol – it is getting larger and larger in our culture and we need to knock it over.
Revelation reveals the danger of sexual immorality: In Revelation chapters 17-18 we get a picture of the Great Prostitute in the end times! The one who sat on many waters and committed adultery with the inhabitants of the earth as they were intoxicated by the wine of her adulteries.
Reality Check: I believe the Great Prostitute is the United States symbolized by the Statue of Liberty and the city Babylon is New York. Why? The United States is the number one producer of porn in the world!
* Pornography has grown into a $10 billion business — bigger than the NFL, the NBA and Major League Baseball combined — and some of the nation's best-known corporations are quietly sharing the profits. Companies like General Motors, AOL Time Warner and Marriott earn revenue by piping adult movies into Americans' homes and hotel rooms, but you won't see anything about it in their company reports. And you won't hear them talking about the production companies that actually make the films — or the performers the producers hire, men and women as young as 18, for sex that is often unprotected.
"We have an industry that is making billions of dollars a year, and it is spreading to cable television and to the Internet, and yet their employees are considered to be throwaway people," said former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop (http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/story?id=132001&page=1).
What do we need to do?
Answer: Say No – fight against this idol and destroy it because if you don’t it will get your kids! Ask God to forgive and he will and go on the war path!
Why do we need to do this?
Answer: Your life is at stake, your future is at stake – and so is your kids and grandkids future! Your society is crashing – are you going to fight to save it!
