it’s about…

2. it’s about… Jesus People

3. the high call of the new covenant “I can guarantee that unless you live a life that has God’s approval [righteousness] and do it more faithfully than the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20, GW)

4. essence of true righteousness God never intended us to just “obey the rules;” He wanted us to be like him. He intended us to value what He values.

5. life outside the box Sexual Wholeness in a Broken World

6. Sexual Wholeness in a Broken World Wholeness within

7. Three Dimensions of Sexual Wholeness

8. Matthew 5:27-28, (NLT) ““You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’

9. Matthew 5:27–28, (NLT) But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

10. a step further… ““You must not commit adultery.” (Exodus 20:14, NLT) ““You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife,...”” (Exodus 20:17, NLT)

11. “look with lust” Not normal attraction or noticing, but the lingering thoughts, fantasizing, contemplating sexual activity with someone who is not your spouse.

12. lust in men and women • men – visual/physical • women – relational/emotional

13. poison of porn 9/10 young men; 1/3 young women admit to having accessed porn http://www.internetsafety101.org/Pornographystatistics.htm

14. dangers of social networking • what porn is to the male brain, social networking can be to the female brain • emotional/relational exposure outside of marriage is as damaging as exposing the body

15. the internet didn’t do it the internet didn’t invent infidelity and immorality, it just made it easier to access, easier to hide, and easier to get caught in the web.

16. SCRAP it! • “search my heart O God,” (ps 139:23-24) • “confess your sins,” (1 John 1:9) • “renew your thoughts and attitudes,” (Ephesians 4:23) • “admit your sins to each other,” (James 5:16) • “pray for each other,” (James 5:16)

17. the most important thing you can do to address sexual sin – TELL SOMEONE!(James 5:16)

18. Sexual Wholeness in a Broken World Wholeness with God

19. Three Spheres of Sexual Wholeness

20. Matthew 5:29–30, (NLT) So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, 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.

21. Matthew 5:29–30, (NLT) And if your hand—even your stronger 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 be thrown into hell.”

22. Sexual Sin = Idolatry “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” (Colossians 3:5, NIV84)

23. Sexual Sin = Exploitation “It is God’s will that you keep away from sexual sin as a mark of your devotion to him.No one should take advantage of or exploit other believers that way. The Lord is the one who punishes people for all these things. We’ve already told you and warned you about this,” (1 Thessalonians 4:3, 6 GW)

24. Why Sexual Purity Matters “He personally carried our sins…that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right.” (1 Peter 2:24, NLT)

25. two principles: • sexual sin has eternal consequences • deal ruthlessly with sexual sin

26. Sexual Wholeness in a Broken World Wholeness in Marriage

27. Three Dimensions of al Wholeness

28. Matthew 5:31–32, (NLT) ““You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’”

29. Matthew 5:31–32, (NLT) “But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.”

30. cultural context • Jewish men could divorce for any reason • adultery = a woman having sex outside the marriage • divorce certificate seen as license to remarry

31. Jesus on Marriage and Divorce • unlawful divorce does not dissolve the marriage, (Matthew 5:31, 32) • divorce permitted for the innocent, (Matthew 19:9; 5:32) • divorce arises from hard hearts, (Matthew 19:8) • marriage – one man, one woman for life, (Matthew 19:4-6)

32. divorce is messy because marriage is permanent

33. a word of hope “Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.

34. a word of hope “Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9–11, NLT)

35. 1 Peter 2:24, (NLT) “He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.”