Reclaiming Sexuality Series

SEX AND THE CITY

Lesson 1

Reclaiming Sexuality

August 15, 2004

SEX AND THE CITY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE CABLE T.V. YOU PROBABLY KNOW ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.

IT STARTED OUT ON HBO AND HAS NOW MOVED TO A NON PAY FOR VIEW STATION.

I HAVE ONLY SEEN THE COMMERCIALS, BUT IT’S OBVIOUS THE TITLE OF THE SHOW SAYS IT ALL.

THE PRODUCERS ARE TRYING TO SEE HOW MANY SEX SCENES OR SEXUAL CONVERSATIONS CAN BE PUT INTO A 1 HOUR PROGRAM.

I AM USING THE TITLE OF THIS SHOW TO GET ATTENTION FOR THE SERIES, BUT ALSO BECAUSE IT STATES SO CLEARLY THE THOUGHT PROCESS OF OUR SOCIETY.

SEX IS EVERYTHING IN OUR SOCIETY.

EVERYTHING FROM T.V. SHOWS TO SELLING UNCLE BEN’S RICE INVOLVES SEXUAL CONTENT.

BILLBOARDS WITH BIKINI CLAD WOMEN SELLING BEER AND RIPPLED MUSCLED MEN SELLING TOOTHPASTE.

EVERYWHERE WE TURN WE SEE HALF NAKED BODIES TRYING TO ENTICE US TO GO SOMEWHERE OR BUY SOMETHING.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE HAD SEX AND THE CITY, SEX AND THE T.V., SEX AND THE BILLBOARDS, SEX AND THE GROCERY STORE, SEX AND THE COMPUTER - SEX AND EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE.

SO, FOR THE NEXT 3 WEEKS WE’RE GOING TO LOOK AT SEX AND THE BIBLE.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS FIRST LESSON IS RECLAIM WHAT GOD CREATED.

YOU SEE, SEX WAS GOD’S IDEA. SEX AND SEXUALITY IS HIS CREATION.

SOCIETY HAS TWISTED AND PERVERTED HIS CREATION, BUT THAT DOESN’T CHANGE THE FACT IT’S STILL HIS – HE OWNS THE PATENT.

BECAUSE OF SIN AND PEOPLE’S LUST FOR FRUIT OF SIN, SEX AND SEXUALITY WILL NEVER BE WHAT GOD INTENDED, EXCEPT FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD.

DID YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID?

SIN HAS PERVERTED SEX, BUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS ALL ABOUT RECLAMATION.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS ALL ABOUT TAKING WHAT SIN HAS MESSED UP AND MAKING IT BEAUTIFUL AGAIN.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS ABOUT PURIFYING THE POLLUTED, REGENERATING THE DEGENERATE, STRAIGHTENING OUT THE TWISTED.

THIS SUNDAY WE ARE GOING TO RECLAIM SEXUALITY FOR THE CITY OF GOD, THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

NEXT WEEK WE’RE GOING TO DEAL WITH SEX AND SINGLENESS AND FINALLY HOMOSEXUALITY AND THE BIBLE.

FOR OUR GUESTS THIS PROBABLY ISN’T WHAT YOU EXPECTED WHEN YOU DECIDED TO ATTEND REZ THIS MORNING, BUT I BELIEVE IN BEING RELEVANT AND WE ALL MUST ADMIT THAT SEXUALITY AND SEXUAL PREFERENCE ARE NOW EVENING NEWS STORIES.

IF PETER JENNINGS IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT SEX AND GAY BISHOPS AND CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO AM I.

OKAY, HOW DO WE RECLAIM SEXUALITY FOR THE KINGDOM.

1. RECLAIM SEXUALITY BY ACKNOWLEDGING GOD AS THE CREATOR OF IT.

GEN. 1:26-28; 2:21-25

PEOPLE OF GOD, WHAT OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN CREATED IS NOT EVIL.

WHAT PEOPLE DO WITH IT MAY BE EVIL, BUT THE HUMAN BODY AND WHAT GOD INTENDED THE HUMAN BODY TO DO IS NOT EVIL.

DR. RICHARD DOBBINS SAYS, SOME PEOPLE THINK GOD CLOTHED ADAM AND EVE AFTER THE FALL TO COVER UP THE EVIL PART OF BEING HUMAN.

HE CONTINUES BY SAYING, IF GOD WANTED TO COVER UP THE MOST EVIL PART OF THE HUMAN BODY HE WOULD HAVE COVERED OUR MOUTH.

JAMES 3:6 SAYS:

“AND THE TONGUE IS A FIRE, THE VERY WORLD OF INIQUITY; THE TONGUE IS SET AMONG OUR MEMBERS AS THAT WHICH DEFILES THE ENTIRE BODY . . .”

GOD CLOTHED ADAM AND EVE TO PROTECT US FROM TEMPTATION, NOT BECAUSE THE HUMAN BODY IS EVIL.

FOR THOSE PARENTS WHO HAVE TAKEN MY CLASS ON TALKING TO KIDS ABOUT SEXUALITY YOU WILL REMEMBER THIS.

THIS POINT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR PARENTS WHEN YOU TALK TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT SEX AND SEXUALITY – YOU BETTER TALK TO THEM – DON’T LET SOMEONE ELSE DO YOUR JOB.

THINK ABOUT IT. WHAT DO WE OFTEN DO?

WE TALK ABOUT “DOWN THERE” IN WHISPERED TONES.

WE GET ALL SHY AND EMBARRASSED AND AGITATED, EVEN ANGRY WHEN WE’RE FORCED TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING SEXUAL WITH OUR KIDS.

PARENTS, WHAT ARE WE DOING? WE’RE SUBTLY TELLING OUR KIDS THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH SEX AND SEXUALITY.

WE’RE GIVING THEM THE IMPRESSION IT’S SOMETHING THAT CAN’T BE OR SHOULDN’T BE TALKED ABOUT.

IT’S TIME TO RECLAIM WHAT GOD CREATED AS BEAUTIFUL AND IT’S TIME TO SEE WHAT GOD CREATED AS BEAUTIFUL.

IT’S TIME TO STOP VIEWING WHAT GOD GAVE US AS EVIL AND START SEEING IT AS BLESSED AND A GIFT FROM GOD.

SEX WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES GOD CREATED IS A BLESSING FROM HEAVEN AND OUR KIDS NEED TO KNOW THAT – SOME ADULTS NEED TO KNOW THAT.

WITHIN THE BONDS OF MARRIAGE THE EXPRESSION OF GOD’S CREATION CAN BE ENJOYED.

WE MUST RESPECT GOD’S CREATION, PROTECT GOD’S CREATION, ONLY USE GOD’S CREATION AS HE HAS ORDAINED IT TO BE USED, BUT WITHIN THESE GUIDELINES WE MUST ALSO TEACH THE WONDERFUL BLESSING OF GOD’S CREATION.