What does God want to you know and embrace in regard to sexual temptation?

Personal Stories (me)

Before we get into the Text I would like to share with you a couple stories.

Joey Adair was the most influential person in my high school life. Basketball coach I listened to very closely (last play). Gave me a desire to pastor. Met me on the day of my graduation & father’s funeral with wrapped boxes. They were the suits I would wear to both. Our only breakfast in 20 years, with tears he said “I have no right to tell you anything but please hear me. It can happen to any of us. Stay on guard.”

Book by Steve Lawson. He was in is 50s and would a gifted teacher. He had good friends. He had a strong church. He gave into sexual temptation and ate of the fruit of “all that you have is not good enough.” He taught lessons like I am about to teach and he did a better job than I will do.

Common Ground (we)

There is not much need for me to spend much time on more stories like that. I expect you have them. I also expect that you all are keenly aware of the strong pull of sexual temptation.

Pornography is the “wallpaper of the world”—so widespread that it can't be avoided.

You know the power from victory or defeat.

There are a wide variety of motivating factors..

Does not glorify God with your body which He purchased.

Consequences of sin; quilt, shame, loss of fellowship.

Fear of earthly consequences; rewiring of the brain, destroys drive, pregnancy.

It lacks nobility. (Story of training in Boulder, CO.) - Book on nobility. We do not care about the men or women that are shown. You begin to stop being able to love and care for anyone except how they meet your needs. Ray Ortlund writes six personal letters, as from a father to his son.

“Here’s what I ask you to remember all along the way,” he says. “Your battle against porn isn’t about porn. It isn’t about sex. It isn’t about willpower. Your battle is about hope. It’s about your heart believing that in spite of your many sins—like my many sins—God rejoices to give you a future you can scarcely dream of. You’ll win your fight by believing that God’s love for you is too great to be limited to what you deserve.” 0 The Death of Porn: Men of Integrity Building a World of Nobility By Ray Ortlund,

Start with a quote from the book and make it my own.

“I’m faithful to my wife. I love my wife. I’m not looking at porn, but I am a sexual sinner…This is not me saying to everybody else, ‘You have a porn problem.’ This is me saying to all of us, ‘We have a porn problem.’ We are in this together and let’s admit it and see what God can do for people like us.”

What does God want to you know and embrace in regard to sexual temptation? (God)

I’ve read that there are two main reasons people lose their faith in college. The #2 reason is they encounter some problem they can’t explain—if there is a good God, why is there such pain in the world? (and we’ll deal with that in a few weeks), but the #1 reason why people depart the faith in college is a desire for sexual freedom. - Your preferred lifestyle starts to conflict with what you believe; so you can either live as a hypocrite or change your beliefs! Many people just opt for the latter

I doubt this is a new phenomenon. It is true in every culture and part of history. We should not be surprised that Jesus addresses this 2000 years ago.

Jesus comes to set at liberty the captive.

Those who are slaves to their sexual desires, and because of that that they can never take the Lordship of Jesus seriously.

Those who feel like the sexual mistakes of their past mean that God would never have any interest in them again—they are too damaged; too far gone.

To the believer the consequences of sexual sin are greater than Sexually Transmitted Diseased but Sinfully Transmitted Loss of Hope. There is nothing that will destroy your faith and dull your spiritual appetites faster than captivity to sexual lusts. (repeat)

Jesus deals with this group twice in John; we’re going to look quickly at both stories.

Scene #1: The Samaritan Woman out in public at a well. John 4:4–7 “4 And he must needs go through Samaria. 5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. 7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.”

John 4:4–7 KJV

4 And he must needs go through Samaria. 5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. 7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

Let me quickly address that I know “thirsty” is slang for someone who is desperate for attention or validation, especially sexual attention.

Details of story make sure we know she’s hated by the other women. She is the outcast of the outcasts. Hated by the hated. She gets there are noon to avoid the Housewives of Samaria.

Follow with me as I read. This is where the story takes a turn no one saw coming. Know that Jesus doesn’t run from this woman and He is not running from you today. Know God had an assignment for her and he has one for you as well but first He must address your thirst. John 4:8–10 “8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) 9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.”

John 4:8–10 KJV

8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) 9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

The woman is afraid to hope and changes the question to theological matters. John 4:19–20 “19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.”

John 4:19–20 KJV

19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

I see this all the time. What about homosexuality? What about abortion in this case?

Jesus wants to have a conversation with you about worship.

Her sexual shame and her hurt kept her from living in truth or knowing anybody in her spirit—she lived shut off from others, from God, even from herself. So she had chosen the easier path to deal with her void: just find a new lover; find a new thrill.

Hope: Jesus’ love would give her the one thing she’d craved all her life: to be loved by someone who knew her fully and loved her unconditionally.

Scene #2: The woman caught in adultery in a court room scene. John 8:3–10 “3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?”

John 8:3–10 KJV

3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

What captivates me about Jesus’ response to her is the order of what he said. “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” We would usually reverse those: “if you go and sin no more, then I won’t condemn you.”

You see, Jesus knew she’d never have the ability to break free of the idolatry that led her to adultery until she see felt the embrace of a God better than what she had sought in adultery.

Simply: God’s acceptance is the power that liberates us from sin, not the reward for having liberated ourselves.

To you have that have fallen into sinfully wrong sexual relationship in reality or virtually I tell you..” yes, how damaging pornography is to them, but I also tell them, according to 1 Cor 11:7 that, as a man, you are “the glory of God.” You are not an animal. You are the glory of God. You are not a pervert. You are the glory of God. You are not an addict. You are the glory of God. You are not a victim. You are the glory of God. You are not a fool. You are the glory of God.” - Mark Driscoll

1 Corinthians 11:7 KJV

7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.

Amazes me that Jesus would take time for either of these women in his short life headed to the cross. But it only makes sense being that the gospel is that Jesus would pay the full penalty for the sexual sin of both of these women.

In Him they would be fully known and fully loved. Because he would become their shame; he would be displayed naked; exposed; He took their shame, so that they could become his righteousness.

No matter who he sat beside at the well or met in the courtroom they would be sinners in need of a Savior.

What your sexual sin has done for you has shown you that you will never be satisfied in this world, if you cannot be satisfied through your relationship with God. This is a lesson that ever captive of sin must learn. Being at the place is good and necessary. Now you must learn to trust His way is better than the way you created to feel loved.

3 Revolutionary ideas we must acknowledge in following Jesus. (you)

Sex is not just a physical thing

Sex is driven by soul thirst

The gospel liberates the sexual captive

Sex is not just a physical thing

In the pagan world, they thought sex was just for the body. Biology, like eating a meal or taking a nap.

The Bible takes a much higher, a much more exalted view, on sex: 1 Corinthians 6:18 “18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.”

1 Corinthians 6:18 KJV

18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

The one who sins sexually (even if its just a sin of the mind), sins against their own body! Sexual sin destroys your walk with God, tears apart your soul, captivates your spiritual emotions, decimates your spiritual power, obliterates your capacity for faith, and destroys your capacity for a healthy, committed relationship.

God doesn’t exaggerate. It’s serious to God because it is seriously destructive to His image bearers.

Sex is driven by soul thirst

Josh McDowell: sex is not the answer; sex is really an expression of the question.

We thirst for love. We want a perfectly accepting, unconditional love. We look for it first in our parents and when we don’t get it from them we develop all kinds of dysfunctions.

Whenever someone says to me, “I struggle with guilt about my past,” it is always sexually related.

The gospel liberates the sexual captive

If you’re familiar with your Bible, you can’t read John 4 without thinking of Jeremiah 2:13 “13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”

John 4 KJV

1 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, 2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) 3 He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. 4 And he must needs go through Samaria. 5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. 7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. 8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) 9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? 12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. 16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. 17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: 18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. 19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. 27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? 28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, 29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? 30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. 31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. 32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? 34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. 39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. 40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his own word; 42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. 43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee. 44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country. 45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast. 46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. 48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. 49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. 50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. 52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. 54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

Jeremiah 2:13 KJV

13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

He’s telling them they have drunk from wells that won’t, can’t satisfy. Are you old enough to know that not everything you drink will satisf

Unlike a cistern you have not ruined the stream.

Jesus doesn’t just give you new water in a new cistern; he puts in you spring that just bubbles up continually. When life and people throw dirt and junk at you the joy in you just keeps pushing through.

To the one that feels like they have no more worth because they have given themselves away to too many people, or maybe because they have been abused, or raped. The gospel shows you are incredibly valuable. Worth enough for Jesus to die for you.

We must learn to have an ongoing, private, relationship with truth. We don’t just need to just know it but embrace it until we feel what we are dying to feel; loved. (we)

Tim Chester says, “Porn is a sin of imagination. We need to counter it by enlarging our imaginations. The answer to porn is to believe the truth. But that’s so much more than an intellectual process. We need to let the truth capture our imaginations: to meditate, ponder, wonder at, and sing the truth. We need to feel the truth, glory in the truth, delight in the truth.”

Conclusion: So look at him! See him crucified for you. See how great a price he paid to redeem you, and learn to think it a small thing to bring bodily desires under control for him.