THE DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF ADULTERY
Notes
Transcript
Opening:
story
750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers and Writers (8: Adultery)
A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute confirmed what God has always known. Adultery is bad for you. One of the many ways it harms people is by increasing a woman’s risk of cervical cancer.According to the Associated Press, the study found that women are five to eleven times more likely to develop cervical cancer if they or their husbands have numerous sexual partners. Cervical cancer is directly linked to HPV, a virus commonly spread by sexual intercourse.“Male behavior is the important thing in this cancer,” said Dr. Keerti Shah, a professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the coauthor of the study. “In effect, the husband takes cancer home to his wife.” Dr. Shah explains that men who have many sexual partners are very likely to carry HPV home and that up to 97 percent of cervical cancers are infected with that virus.In the study group, wives whose husbands had twenty-one or more sexual partners were eleven times more likely to develop cervical cancer. Wives whose husbands frequented prostitutes were eight times more likely to develop cervical cancer.As always, God commands what is moral because he is looking out for our welfare. Nothing is more healthful than righteousness.
Intro
Sc. Ex.20:14 ““You shall not commit adultery.”
YOUR SPOUSE
YOUR SPOUSE
Cut in half
When a man and woman marry, they become one flesh. (Gen. 2:24.)
When one of the partners joins with a person outside that marriage contract, they have broken that bond and have joined with another.
Not Enough
Adultery says to the innocent spouse, “You weren’t good enough for me.”
Adultery has the power to destroy the self-esteem of the innocent victim.
I cant Trust You
Adultery destroys trust! Innocent spouse will have a hard time ever trusting the other spouse!
Perhaps this is why Jesus gave an escape clause in cases of sexual Immorality—Matt. 19:3–9.
Adultery Proof
The marriage must be “adultery proofed!” How is this done? By giving heed to the command given by Paul in 1 Cor. 7:1–5.
Adultery is also an attack at one’s children! (Ill. David’s children followed in his footsteps. Amnon raped his half-sister Tamar. Absolom took his father’s concubines unto himself. Sexual immorality has a way of filtering down to the children.) One’s spiritual influence is also compromised when we stoop to committing adultery. Children lose respect for a parent that destroys the family over illicit and indecent pleasures.II.
YOUR SELF
YOUR SELF
Off Guard
Adultery, among believers, is the result of being in a backslidden condition. Then, once that line is crossed, the enemy will continue to attack in that area. Doing it the second, third, fourth times will not be as hard because the will has been softened and one’s guard is let down.
Private Eyes
Many people are guilty of adultery even though they have never had sexual relations with another person. Jesus wants us to know that adultery is as much a matter of heart and mind as it is of the flesh—Matt. 5:28. (So called “girl watching.” Pornography, sexual fantasies, etc. All lead to adultery of the heart and make a person just as guilty as physical adultery!
There will be a terrible price to pay for crossing that line—Pro. 6:26–29, 32–33.
No Different
Committing adultery will hurt your witness and testimony. (Ill. The televangelists and others we have heard of here in our own area.)
When you commit adultery just try to tell a sinner how he can be saved!
On Guard
How can a person guard themselves? Adopt the attitude of the Psalmist—Psa. 100:3, (Ill. Just ask David what happens when you allow your eyes to wander). Notice what Job said about this issue—Job 31:1–11. We are to guard our eyes, our flesh and our mind. If we put the right stuff in, we will get the right results in return—Phil. 4:8.
In our world, it is hard to avoid sexual stimulation. Therefore, we are to be on our best guard at all times!
YOUR SOCIETY
YOUR SOCIETY
One Bad Apple
As goes the family, so goes the society. When we see the family unit being destroyed, we come to see that our society as a whole is in danger of collapsing. In fact, every great empire that has fallen has done so as the result of sexual immorality! Is America next? It all depends on what we do with our sexuality! (Ill. Immorality, homosexuality, etc, abound in our day. We need to turn the tide and doing so demands that it begin in my home and yours. We need to covenant together and vow to God that we will guard our homes and our lives against these evil sins.)
Tarnished
Immorality in the life of a member of the church can tarnish the entire work of God.
Notice, 1 Cor 12:26; 1 Cor. 5:6.
Do not think that your sin is a private thing, just a little affair that you can hide when you please.
In truth, it is a sin, it is adultery and it tarnishes the name of the church and destroys our ministry in the community!
God’s desire is that this type of behavior never find manifestation among His people—Eph. 5:3.
YOUR SAVIOR
YOUR SAVIOR
Please Him
Of all the reasons for not committing adultery this is the greatest!
(Ill. Joseph—Gen. 39:9)
If you are saved, you will want to please the Lord and nothing displeases Him more than to see His children committing adultery.
Sadly, this which should be our greatest reason for cleanliness in this area is often the very last one we consider.
The Great Sin
Adultery was considered the “great sin”—Gen. 20:9; Gen. 39:9.
Adultery was punishable by death—Lev. 20:10.
He will still deal with it today—Pro. 6:23–35. (Ill. Eph. 5:1–7; 1 Cor. 6:9–10)
Adultery destroys that which was created to be the most visible and closest approximation of God’s relationship to His people, marriage—Eph. 5:22–23.
God’s prohibition against adultery was not to ruin man’s fun, it was to protect the home which He had established—Ex. 20:14!
Holy As He Is Holy
When a person commits adultery, the cause of Christ is hindered and the Name of Jesus is dragged down.
Our duty is to be as sexually pure as we can be. We are to avoid any activity that may fuel passion and lead to adultery.
Closing:
ill.
A braid appears to contain only two strands of hair. But it is impossible to create a braid with only two strands. If the two could be put together at all, they would quickly unravel.
Herein lies the mystery: What looks like two strands requires a third. The third strand, though not immediately evident, keeps the strands tightly woven.
In a Christian marriage, God’s presence, like the third strand in a braid, holds husband and wife together.
Prayer