The Sermon I Don't Want To Preach

I promised I'd go through these six statements of Jesus in Matthew 5,
each beginning with, "You have heard it said..."


Today we hit the second one.
The only other one I'm preaching on.
(I preached on anger last Sunday.)
This is the one I really DO NOT want to preach on.
This is not a comfortable topic to speak about in front of a large gathering of people, who have come to worship, primarily hoping to feel uplifted, encouraged and inspired after a hour of singing and listening.

²⁷"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' ²⁸But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

This passage is absolutely unwavering.
Adultery is not good. Most people agree on this. But still, nearly half of all married couples will experience one person having an affair.

If you are completely and haplessly addicted to porn, most people would agree that this too is bad. Some stats say 10% of the North American population is addicted to porn, other stats say as much as 80% of Internet users regularly view porn. I don't know what the real stats are, but I know it's only a click away, and sometimes not even a click. I know porn is potentially in EVERY HOME.

Jesus takes us exponentially deeper into this whole issue.
"anyone who looks at a woman lustfully..."

I don't think any man can escape this charge.
Maybe not any woman.

And "if" you've looked at a person lustfully, then Jesus says you have to go deeper.
You have to pray for forgiveness.
You have to protect yourself from temptation.
You have to guard your heart.

Jesus is saying it's never right to objectify another person.
Never right to think how another person may solely gratify your sexual desire.
Never right to desire with another person what is reserved for the context of the marriage bed.

Many people are going to straight up disagree with this view of lust.
Our cultural mantra is,
"If it doesn't hurt anyone, what's the problem?"
True enough.

I just happen to believe that lust hurts.
It hurts the object of desire.
It hurts our relationship with God.
It hurts our own soul.

Can we be pro-beauty, pro-sex, and still be anti-lust?
Absolutely.

So I'm gonna preach it up on Sunday.
Some will hate what I have to say.
But I promise I will say it all from the bible.
I'd appreciate your prayers.
Your stories.
Maybe even your testimony on this one.