Emptiness of Lust

Steve McKenzie July 11, 2021

July 11, 2021

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

“For my people have committed two evils: (1) They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and (2) hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” – Jeremiah 2:19

Lust Defined: LUST is a distorted sexual desire that dishonors another person and disregards God.

CREATION | God Created Sex

• God creates humankind, male and female, in his image (Gen. 1:27)
• God institutes the covenant of marriage in Genesis 2:24 “a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”
• God commands them to be fruitful and multiply (Gen. 1:28)
• God’s Purpose for Sex:
  • Consummation of Marriage Union (Gen. 2:24)
  • Making Babies (Gen. 1:28)
  • Mutual pleasure and delight of a husband and wife (Proverbs 5:18-19; 1 Cor. 7:15)

• Distorted Desire
  • “While SEX may be presented today as little more than a recreational activity – SEXUALITY is presented as that which lies at the very heart of what it means to be an authentic person. That is a profound claim that is arguably unprecedented in human history.” Carl Trueman, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self
• Dishonors the other person
• Disregards God

• GRACE FOR THE PAST
  • “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11
• GRACE FOR THE PRESENT
  • Resist
    • “The testing of your faith produces steadfastness” James 1:3
    • Resist sin by taking your thoughts captive under the authority of God’s Word. (2 Corinthians 10)
  • Receive
    • The better joy that the pure in heart with seek God. (Matthew 5:8)