The Church and the LGBTQ+ Movement

Intro

Last week we discussed the primary attack on family and that is the attack of Divorce and division.

Today we are going to look at a few of the other attacks on family. In particular, the attack of confusion.

you see the enemy uses family division, trauma, abuse, or anything he can to confuse children and the younger generations. Last week we focused on one of the primary attacks, Divorce, but divorce isn’t the only thing Satan will use to attack you or your kids

He will:

an Illness

death of a loved one

traumatic events.

and a host of other things to wedge you and God apart.

to confuse and make vulnerable the potential victims.

What we look at now as great threats to family, are really just broken individuals that need Jesus. But we need to understand that those individuals are are struggling with these things are not to be our targets of condemnation but are to be objects of Gods love.

This morning I want to address this LGBTq+ culture that we live in.

Now if this makes you uncomfortable, we will make it through this. God created everything, we shouldn’t fear anything. But for too long the church has remained silent in the face of growing evil.

That evil, is the LGBTQ+Movement/Culture. It is a satanic trap. that promises wholeness, but delivers nothing but emptiness.

It promises:

People struggling with Same sex attraction, a place of safety and hope, but then walks them down a road of loneliness and despair.

You and I, acceptance amongst peers for being “tolerant”, but the moment you cross the line, it crushes you.

Churches, new members, greater love, greater impact, but leaves them hallow, lifeless, and dying.

Parents, the salvation of their children, but ends up stealing those children from both them and God

Lost and curious children, meaning and purpose, but leads them to a pit of selfish ambitions.

The American church’s reluctance to deal with these pressing cultural issues has lead to the rise of this movement.

It is time for Us, RC3 to answer the call and stand up to be that City on a hill here on the Westside in Jacksonville.

Couple quick thing to note. I want this to be clear as we get started.

Breath, Relax, calm down, move forward.

Truth Matters

Homosexuality is a Sin!

Leviticus 18:22 ESV

You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.

God makes it unequivocally clear, homosexuality is a Sin.

For those that may be tempted to say that was the old testament. Here ya go

1 Corinthians 6:9–11 ESV

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 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.

Paul makes it clear that Homosexuality is still a sin, along with a myriad of other sins.

Same Sex Attraction is not a Sin

Wait, I thought, if you were attracted to the same sex you were gay. No. that is what the World says. They condemn people to the whims of their emotions.

The world gleefully declares, “you are what you feel.”

But we as the Church must rise above simplistic notions.

That is why this non-binary stuffy is so confusing, because the definition rests not on Truth but on emotion. My friends that life is not freedom. that life is a nightmare.

You cannot escape your desires. you are trapped there. You have condemned them. The world has condemned them. Sure they fancy it up buy claiming it Jesus that hates them, but it is not Jesus who tell them, take this pill and you “may not get aids.” How scary it must be, to have those desires and thoughts in this culture.

But we as the church need to be lifeline in this culture as opposed to more noise.

But those desires in and of themselves are not sin. Now what you and I do with those desires, will either lead us to or from sin.

But the desire itself is not any worse or better than my desire to eat 10 chocolate cakes.

Both are unhealthy desires, both will lead to sin and sickness, but the thoughts themselves are not sin. What we do with those thoughts determines everything.

The young person with same sex attraction

We must remind them. You are not your emotions. your passing thoughts do not determine your character. You can choose to submit to the Word of God. But your see the First attack on a Young person struggling with same sex attraction will be fear.

You cannot go to your family, your church, or your God. They will reject you. These are lies the enemy tells those struggling with this. You are alone!

If we as Christians are not ready for these questions, then the enemy may get the upper hand. But here is what you tell someone struggling with this. Do not fear!

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV

for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

God will lead you to a place of courage if you let Him

Second thing the enemy will use in this attack, along with every other attack, is I have you. You desire for sex is too great! BUt my friends Our God has made a way! WE can overcome.

Again the message from the church to the person struggling with Same sex attractions needs to be, “You are not the sum of your desires. You are who Christ says you are! you can over come not only this struggle, but any struggle through Jesus! I will stand with you in this season.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

You have the ability to control your emotions

Proverbs 16:32 ESV

Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

Galatians 5:17 ESV

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

You see We live in a time where this satanic cultural movement that just devours people is marching across the land. It is time for the church to stand and speak with clarity.

For my entire life if simply seemed as though the church would mostly ignore this topic, or the church would come out and say, homosexuality is a Sin. That’s it and it. get over it. to many who were struggling that just seemed cold.

Okay, its a sin. Please explain what to do from here.

Just calliing out sin, doesn’t solve the issue. When someone is struggling with any issue but sexual issues in particular, we need to understand that most of the time they are acting out of wounds. To leave that Sin is almost to leave their identity.

Especially for those in the LGBTQ+ movement. Satan has lied and convinced large numbers of people. You are your desires.

Well if those change, thir identity is lost. WHo am I, if I am not gay? or Bi?

If the church isn’t there to provide the answers. then simply saying stop being LGBTQ+ is terrifying to that individual. They will lose their friends, “Family”, sometimes income, they will lose a lot and if we the church are not ready to catch someone running from Sin, they will fall right back.

WE cannot simply say come out. WE must say, come out of that life and walk with us into new life.

The Church Must Respond In Truth and Love

Yes, Being LGBTQ+ is a Sin

But let me not just show you are, but what God wants to do in and through you.

you see the Life of Sin, leads to death.

Emotionally

Spiritually

Physically

But God isn’t merely calling to stop sinning. Oh no, He is calling you to start living!

Step Out of where you are into new life with Jesus!

You see church both are required!

Look at Jesus Calling Matthew

Matthew 9:9–13 ESV

As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

It wasn’t just a calling to stop sinning. It was a call into a relationship.

That is ultimately what the Great lie of the LGBTQ+ Movement is:

“Hey you have a hole in your heart.” Fill it with it with sex, and you will be satisfied!”

The problem is, sex cannot fill anyone heart, and it certainly cannot redeem anyone.

The one that can restore your broken heart is Jesus Christ. Which is why is said Matthew,

“Follow Me!”

Walk with me, and let me restore your life.

Cause guess what? If you and I follow Christ, Our depraved thoughts will come less and less, and Jesus will shine more and more.

So how do you and I as Christians address this demonic moment in our culture. By living the Gospel. By reaching out to lost and hrting people. Not as “other, but as lost children that need to be brought home to their Father.

Ignore the media, and focus on the person God places in front of you.