Virus – Hidden Infections in the Spiritual Life
Lust – 1 Th. 4:1-8
Intro: Video Clip – It’s Just Sex
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.
Story: A girl talking to her grandma asked, "How old are you?" The grandma replied, "Dear, you shouldn’t ask that question. Grownups don’t like to tell their age." The next day, the girl asked, "Grandma, how much do you weigh?" The grandma replied, "Honey, you shouldn’t ask grownups how much they weigh. It isn’t polite." The next day the girl was back w/ a smile. She said, "Grandma, I know how old you are – 62, and you weigh 140 pounds." The grandma was surprised and said, "My goodness, how do you know?" The girl said, "You left your driver’s license on the table, and I read it." Grandmother said, "So that’s how you found out." The girl said, "That’s right, and I also saw on your driver’s license that you got an “F” in sex."
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.
Stats: (Insert Stats on Porn and Sexuality) Read: 1 Thes. 4:1-8
I The ROOT of Lust
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
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 v. 1
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.
Insert: Many of us don’t take battle for our mind and hearts seriously. We question the devil’s existence and even tempt temptation. Ee grossly underestimate the reality and power of Satan not realizing that he is out to destroy our families, reputations, and lives. We must never drop our guard.
Verse: Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. 1 Pt. 5:8
B Stage 2 – INTEREST v. 2
Note: Lust has an INSATIABLE Appetite – if you feed it – it only craves more.
Story: Observers have noted that certain kinds of ants have a passion for the sweet, granular substance given off by the caterpillar of a blue butterfly. They become so addicted to it they seek out the supplier and carry him home to their nest. But they unwittingly bring home an enemy in disguise, for the caterpillar gorges himself on ant larva. Usually such a threat to the colony would be repelled w/ great vigor, but the adults enjoy the tasty secretions of the guest so much they’re oblivious of the fact that their young are being devoured in the process.
Verse: Everyone is tempted by his own desires as they entice him away and trap him. Then desire becomes pregnant and gives birth to sin. When sin grows up, it gives birth to death. Jm. 1:13-15
Word: Entice – is a fishing term meaning to lure by using bait. Did you know that in fishing, the #1 lure for catching bass is called a jig? The best jigs have just enough skirt to hide the hook. The devil understands that if he can get our interest peaked in lust, he has us well on the way to getting hooked.
C Stage 3 – INTOXICATION v. 3
Note: the tendency to flirt w/ lust trying to get as close to sin w/out sinning as possible.
Story: A wealthy couple desired to employ a chauffeur. The wife advertised, the applicants were screened, and (4) candidates were brought to her for the final selection. She called the prospective men to her balcony and pointed out a brick wall alongside the driveway. She asked the men, "How close do you think you could come to that wall w/out scratching my car?" The 1st man felt he could drive w/in a foot of the wall w/out damaging the car. The 2nd felt sure he could come w/in (6) inches. The 3rd believed he could get w/in (3) inches. The 4th candidate said, "I do not know how close I could come to the wall w/out damaging your car. Instead, I would try to stay as far away from that wall as I could." This candidate had a different focus. He understood that true skill in driving is not based so much on the ability to steer the car to a narrow miss as on the ability to keep a wide margin of safety.
Note: David began to fantasize and develop plans to gratify his lust. He began to ignore his conscience and justify his convictions. He was consumed w/ Bathsheba.
Truth: Anytime a person begins to dwell in his mind on the possibility of sin, he is well on his way to sinning.
Trans: Law of Diminishing Return – the more you look the more you desire – the problem is what was exciting the 1st time is only okay the 2nd time, but boring the 3rd time.
Insert: Playboy holds your attention for a while, but then it’s on to other explicit magazines. Soon you’re trying softcore videos from the store or pay-per-view leading down the road hardcore porn. Suddenly the funny Playboy peep show has resulted in a full blown addiction and only the raunchiest material gives you the fix you crave.
D Stage 4 – INDULGENCE v. 4
Note: David was no longer satisfied w/ the dream – he wanted to experience the goods. Thus, he abused his authority and took what didn’t belong to him. He had Bathsheba brought to his home where he acted upon his lust and sinned against God.
Note: David stepped out of the fantasy and into the nightmare. What looked good from a distance was poison to his soul!
Quote: Every outward act of sin is preceded by an inward act of choice.
E Stage 5 – INCINERATION v. 4
Note: If what David did wasn’t bad enough, he then set out to eliminate any evidence that might reveal his guilt. As if adultery wasn’t enough, he had Uriah murdered. This is the nature of the flesh – to find an excuse or and escape from the pain, penalty, and power of sin. But sin always has a payday. (Rom. 6:23 and Gal. 6:7-8)
III The RESULT of Lust
Verse: Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins that a man commits are outside of the body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 1 Cr. 6:18
A It Destroys Your CONVICTIONS
Note: Think about it – a little lust led David to commit acts of adultery and murder. It will eventually cause you to lose your ability to judge right from wrong.
B It Destroys Your CHARACTER
Note: Lust destroys you reputation and integrity. You lose both your credibility and the confidence of others b/c you have no sense of morality and no sense of self-control.
C It Destroys Your CONNECTIONS
Note: As a result of his sin, David lost his intimacy w/ God, his son, and his Kingdom.
Note: Lust will separate you from fellowship w/ God.
Lust will separate you from your spouse and kids.
Lust will separate you from your friends and family.
Note: It destroys your ability to love w/ purity – it taints the soul.
V The REMEDY for Lust Genesis 39:6b-12
A Be Accountable v. 8-9
Note: Joseph said he couldn’t indulge b/c he’d have to answer to Potipher and to God.
Insert: Who or what holds you accountable? Do you have a net nanny for the internet? Do you have a ratings block on your TV? Do you have a person you answer to regularly for your actions? Everyone needs accountability!
B Count the Cost v. 8-9
Note: Joseph then recognized all that he would lose if he engaged in the proposition.
Note: Is it worth losing respect for your self? It is worth the guilt and emotional turmoil? Is it worth the shame and damage to your reputation? Is it worth the risk of disease?
Is it worth getting divorced or estranged from your mate? Is it worth it?
Funny: I’m reminded of the man shopping w/ his wife at the mall. A beautiful young lady passed by wearing a provocative form fitting dress catching the eyes of the man who nonchalantly watched the girl walk out of view to which the wife responded w/out looking up – “Was she worth the trouble you in?”
C Stick to Your Convictions v. 10
Note: The idea is to always – Keep Up Your Guard
Note: Potipher’s wife was relentless. She used every means to tempt, trick, and turn Joseph, but he stuck to his convictions.
Note: He determined to believe the commands of God over the whispers of the wife.
Note: Remember that while lust makes great promises – it can only deliver a lie.
Verse: I have hidden God’s Word in my heart that I might not sin against God. Ps. 119:11
E Flee the Folly and Fight the Urge v. 11
Note: Do whatever it takes to avoid lust – Joseph found himself in the clutches of a temptress and decided to make a run for it leaving his clothes in her hands.
Trans: Jesus offered some pretty radical too.
Verse: You’ve heard that it was said, ’Never commit adultery.’ But I can guarantee that whoever looks w/ lust at a woman has already committed adultery in his heart. "So if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose a part of your body than to have all of it thrown into hell. And if your right hand leads you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose a part of your body than to have all of it go into hell. Mt. 5:27-30
Insert: Hyperbole – an exaggeration to make an undeniable point.
Note: Jesus doesn’t mean for you to pluck out your eyes, but He does want you to do whatever it takes to eliminate lust from your life.
Video: Triple X
Concl: Lust – it’s no joking matter – it is a real problem in our culture, in our communities, in our churches, and in our homes. But we can only overcome through the blood of the lamb – b/c greater is He that is w/in you than he who is in the world.
