WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.280 Well, I'm going to give you a bit of a head start this morning. 00:00:02.280 --> 00:00:07.120 We are going to start our study today in the book of Ezekiel, chapter 16. 00:00:07.919 --> 00:00:11.660 And as I know, that's probably not an oft-visited book of the Bible. 00:00:11.759 --> 00:00:15.439 I want you to start flipping now to get to Ezekiel, chapter 16. 00:00:15.540 --> 00:00:21.740 As I remind you that this summer we've been doing a little mini-sermon series called Christ and Culture. 00:00:21.740 --> 00:00:29.679 And we've been discussing together how it is as Christians we should engage culture for the gospel. 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:31.019 Because we can't avoid it. 00:00:31.079 --> 00:00:32.600 Many people think that they can. 00:00:33.420 --> 00:00:37.619 They can just exclude themselves from culture altogether. 00:00:37.939 --> 00:00:41.500 And by so doing, in fact, create their own subculture. 00:00:41.719 --> 00:00:47.579 We will, in fact, have to participate in culture in one way or another. 00:00:48.219 --> 00:00:55.240 And the question for us is how is it that we do so as Christ would to advance the kingdom of God? 00:00:55.240 --> 00:01:02.700 And kind of our theme scripture for this series has been 1 Corinthians, chapter 9, 22 and 23. 00:01:03.740 --> 00:01:04.420 Paul writes, 00:01:04.519 --> 00:01:07.460 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. 00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:12.680 I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:18.219 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. 00:01:18.219 --> 00:01:25.299 We find in the previous chapters that Paul is talking about being set free from the law in Christ. 00:01:25.560 --> 00:01:31.620 And as such, he has the ability to live his life as he pleases. 00:01:32.480 --> 00:01:43.739 However, he would rather trade the liberties bought for him in Christ for the sake of the gospel and the greater joy of advancing the kingdom. 00:01:43.739 --> 00:01:54.879 So we've been talking about various topics and we're this morning going to discuss the issue of Christ and homosexuality. 00:01:55.640 --> 00:01:58.739 Kind of a hot topic these days, right? 00:01:58.799 --> 00:02:03.140 I'm told I should say something to get your attention and I think I already did. 00:02:03.379 --> 00:02:05.979 I don't think I really have to say too much more. 00:02:06.079 --> 00:02:09.819 There's certainly much heat about this topic right now. 00:02:09.819 --> 00:02:14.000 President Obama has recently come out and supported gay marriage. 00:02:14.120 --> 00:02:22.680 If you pay attention at all to blogs, you know that the president of Chick-fil-A made an anti-gay marriage statement, 00:02:22.819 --> 00:02:28.039 a stance for the company, which got way more publicity than I think it deserved. 00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:33.099 There are many laws in effect, and the repeal of laws, 00:02:33.099 --> 00:02:37.579 the most famous of which is the Defense of Marriage Act, passed in 1996, 00:02:38.139 --> 00:02:43.639 which defined marriage as the union between one man and one woman. 00:02:44.379 --> 00:02:48.680 In fact, this issue is much larger than it really should be in reality. 00:02:49.139 --> 00:02:51.740 A Gallup poll conducted in May of 2011 00:02:51.740 --> 00:03:01.319 found that American adults think that 25% of the American population is lesbian, gay, bisexual. 00:03:01.319 --> 00:03:09.500 American adults believe that 25% of the population practices this lifestyle, 00:03:09.639 --> 00:03:13.060 when in fact the estimate is more like 3.5%. 00:03:13.060 --> 00:03:20.060 However, we can't discuss just how it is that we ought to interact with the homosexual community, 00:03:20.120 --> 00:03:26.139 but how it is that we should interact with the community at large around this topic. 00:03:26.139 --> 00:03:30.000 Because it's become such a big issue, 00:03:30.500 --> 00:03:34.819 and because so many Christians have dealt with this issue poorly, 00:03:35.459 --> 00:03:42.899 there's a magnifying lens on the church, the American church, and certainly on ours. 00:03:43.979 --> 00:03:47.359 And because this has become such a large issue, 00:03:47.879 --> 00:03:52.659 we have to be so careful how we walk around it. 00:03:52.659 --> 00:03:58.939 Now let me say something political, just to get it out of my system, 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:00.359 so I can talk about the real issue. 00:04:01.859 --> 00:04:06.039 And let me say that this is my opinion, I believe it's an opinion based in fact, 00:04:06.359 --> 00:04:08.419 however it is my opinion. 00:04:09.259 --> 00:04:11.159 If you value liberty, 00:04:12.039 --> 00:04:14.560 you appreciate the freedoms that you have, 00:04:15.400 --> 00:04:16.560 and you hold to them, 00:04:16.560 --> 00:04:21.339 if you begin to loosen your grip on your liberty, 00:04:22.439 --> 00:04:24.980 the government will take it from you. 00:04:26.439 --> 00:04:27.879 Now I don't know what that means, 00:04:27.980 --> 00:04:29.639 case by case in every situation, 00:04:30.420 --> 00:04:34.699 but we have to think as we enter into political realms 00:04:34.699 --> 00:04:37.439 that are not what the government was designed to do. 00:04:37.939 --> 00:04:42.060 The government shouldn't be defining what marriage is for us. 00:04:42.060 --> 00:04:45.639 As we venture into that world, 00:04:46.139 --> 00:04:49.379 we have to really carefully think about how we get involved. 00:04:50.600 --> 00:04:56.579 If you think that it's the government's job to define marriage for you, 00:04:56.860 --> 00:04:58.079 you are sorely wrong. 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:04.139 The church, under the Holy Scripture, defines what marriage is. 00:05:04.139 --> 00:05:07.919 If you think that your marriage or your future marriage 00:05:07.919 --> 00:05:12.899 will be in any way affected by how our government defines marriage, 00:05:13.379 --> 00:05:16.360 then your marriage has so many issues, 00:05:16.939 --> 00:05:20.759 I couldn't possibly address them in a summer of preaching on the topic. 00:05:22.659 --> 00:05:27.399 You depending on God to fulfill your God-given role to your spouse, 00:05:27.399 --> 00:05:30.599 that forms a healthy marriage, 00:05:30.679 --> 00:05:35.079 not what somebody else says it is or says that it isn't. 00:05:36.819 --> 00:05:37.719 That's out of my system. 00:05:38.259 --> 00:05:38.919 Let's move on. 00:05:39.739 --> 00:05:41.719 Before we talk about homosexuality, though, 00:05:41.819 --> 00:05:44.639 we need to talk about sexuality just generally. 00:05:46.819 --> 00:05:49.939 Certainly God created us as sexual beings with sexual desire. 00:05:50.579 --> 00:05:53.219 What is sex ultimately for? 00:05:53.359 --> 00:05:57.120 There's purposes, and there's the great purpose. 00:05:57.120 --> 00:06:01.120 There's purposes being procreation, the companionship, 00:06:01.420 --> 00:06:07.920 but the great purpose is to serve as a shadow of what will someday become. 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:10.120 So we see that to be the case of marriage. 00:06:10.220 --> 00:06:13.620 Marriage is meant to represent the beautiful union between Christ and the church. 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:18.100 We know that our marriages as Christians are supposed to show the world 00:06:18.100 --> 00:06:22.879 this process that God is in of buying the church. 00:06:22.879 --> 00:06:32.639 And sex within the confines of marriage is meant to show the surpassing eternal joy we will one day have. 00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:38.019 Now, I'm not saying that we will have a sexual relationship with God. 00:06:38.259 --> 00:06:38.939 We won't. 00:06:38.939 --> 00:06:45.939 But it's a picture of the joy that will one day be. 00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:48.600 Let me show you that in the scripture. 00:06:49.459 --> 00:06:53.300 Let me start reading in Ezekiel chapter 16, verse 4. 00:06:53.360 --> 00:06:56.659 I want you to see the language used here. 00:06:56.660 --> 00:07:00.300 And I hope this makes none of you uncomfortable. 00:07:01.380 --> 00:07:08.340 This is God speaking through Ezekiel to Israel, to his bride. 00:07:08.339 --> 00:07:13.339 And as for your birth, on the day you were born, your cord was not cut, 00:07:13.759 --> 00:07:18.879 nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, nor rubbed with salt, nor wrapped in swaddling clothes. 00:07:19.619 --> 00:07:23.519 No, I pitied you, to do any of these things to you out of compassion for you, 00:07:23.779 --> 00:07:28.539 but you were cast out on the open field, for you were abhorred on the day that you were born. 00:07:28.540 --> 00:07:33.660 And when I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you in your blood, 00:07:34.040 --> 00:07:34.439 Live. 00:07:34.700 --> 00:07:36.960 I said to you in your blood, Live. 00:07:37.600 --> 00:07:43.580 I made you flourish like a plant of the field, and you grew up and became tall and arrived at full adornment. 00:07:44.040 --> 00:07:48.420 Your breasts were formed and your hair had grown, yet you were naked and bare. 00:07:49.160 --> 00:07:53.100 When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, 00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:57.040 and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. 00:07:57.040 --> 00:08:03.860 I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declared the Lord God, and you became mine. 00:08:04.680 --> 00:08:09.920 Then I bathed you with water and washed off your blood from me and anointed you with oil. 00:08:10.620 --> 00:08:12.220 Let's skip down to verse 15. 00:08:13.460 --> 00:08:20.840 But you trusted in your beauty and played the whore because of your renown and lavished your whorings on any passerby. 00:08:21.220 --> 00:08:22.700 Your beauty became his. 00:08:22.699 --> 00:08:28.060 You took some of your garments and made for yourself colorful shrines, and on them played the whore. 00:08:28.879 --> 00:08:31.240 The light has never been nor ever shall be. 00:08:31.599 --> 00:08:36.039 You also took your beautiful jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given you, 00:08:36.259 --> 00:08:41.059 and made for yourself images of men, and with them played the whore. 00:08:41.059 --> 00:08:48.979 You see the sexual language here, that God came along to his people and married her. 00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:53.379 Yet, people betrayed him. 00:08:54.059 --> 00:08:54.879 Played the whore. 00:08:55.299 --> 00:08:56.199 Not my language. 00:08:56.379 --> 00:08:57.259 The language of Scripture. 00:08:57.979 --> 00:08:59.159 Became an adulterer. 00:08:59.439 --> 00:09:01.319 We see it in the book of Hosea. 00:09:01.619 --> 00:09:05.639 Hosea was commanded by God to take a life of whoredom. 00:09:05.639 --> 00:09:12.059 His life was meant to be a picture of what Israel was doing as they betrayed God. 00:09:12.819 --> 00:09:20.000 His wife, Gomer, never named their daughters with this name, ran around on him as a picture. 00:09:20.980 --> 00:09:27.899 And praise God, in chapter 3, toward the end, we see Hosea go to the marketplace and buy his wife out of slavery. 00:09:28.039 --> 00:09:29.759 It's a great picture of the gospel. 00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:32.399 You see the language. 00:09:33.240 --> 00:09:35.439 Song of Solomon, chapter 4. 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:39.899 I'm going to read to you verses 9 and 10, because it's the only thing out of chapter 4 I can read without blushing. 00:09:41.399 --> 00:09:45.600 Song of Solomon being a great allegory of Christ's love for the church. 00:09:46.200 --> 00:09:46.840 Verse 9. 00:09:47.179 --> 00:09:50.439 You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride. 00:09:50.700 --> 00:09:55.179 You have captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace. 00:09:55.519 --> 00:09:58.620 How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride. 00:09:58.620 --> 00:10:04.440 How much better is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your oils, than any spice. 00:10:06.259 --> 00:10:14.440 So, sex within the confines of marriage, as it was designed to be, is meant to be a shadow of what's to come. 00:10:14.980 --> 00:10:15.860 John Piper said, 00:10:15.860 --> 00:10:20.379 God made us powerfully sexual, so that he would be more deeply knowable. 00:10:20.800 --> 00:10:28.840 We were given the power to know each other sexually, so that we might have some hint of what it would be like to know Christ supremely. 00:10:30.200 --> 00:10:33.200 So that's what it's made for, chiefly. 00:10:33.480 --> 00:10:34.820 Obviously there are other purposes. 00:10:34.820 --> 00:10:37.120 But chiefly, for that reason. 00:10:38.180 --> 00:10:42.060 Therefore, all misuses of our sexuality. 00:10:42.500 --> 00:10:43.160 All of them. 00:10:43.460 --> 00:10:45.220 Not just homosexuality. 00:10:45.480 --> 00:10:46.400 But all misuses. 00:10:47.080 --> 00:10:47.580 Adultery. 00:10:48.440 --> 00:10:50.000 Sex outside of the bounds of marriage. 00:10:50.720 --> 00:10:51.900 Illicit fantasies. 00:10:52.120 --> 00:10:53.020 Self-gratification. 00:10:53.780 --> 00:10:54.379 Pornography. 00:10:55.100 --> 00:10:55.840 Homosexuality. 00:10:55.840 --> 00:10:56.360 Rape. 00:10:57.980 --> 00:10:58.420 Bestiality. 00:10:58.540 --> 00:10:59.060 Exhibition. 00:10:59.720 --> 00:11:00.759 On and on and on. 00:11:00.759 --> 00:11:01.200 I don't even know. 00:11:01.240 --> 00:11:04.580 I'm glad I don't even know all the things that could be in a list like that. 00:11:04.800 --> 00:11:07.240 All of these things distort the true knowledge of God. 00:11:08.259 --> 00:11:14.120 God means for human sexual life to be a pointer and a foretaste of our relationship with Him. 00:11:15.080 --> 00:11:24.540 So if not done properly, all of these misuses, all of these things, are perversions of what should be. 00:11:24.539 --> 00:11:29.419 So now our main text for today. 00:11:29.919 --> 00:11:30.919 Titus chapter 3. 00:11:31.879 --> 00:11:32.799 Please turn that with me. 00:11:32.879 --> 00:11:33.679 Titus chapter 3. 00:11:40.219 --> 00:11:47.159 I hope that I've drawn your mind to the sexual misconduct of our culture. 00:11:47.879 --> 00:11:50.219 Which we are a part of as a church. 00:11:50.220 --> 00:11:57.620 Very few of us are free of not in some way misusing our sexuality. 00:11:58.379 --> 00:12:05.560 On a grand scale, look at the great controversies, the great scandals in the church. 00:12:05.639 --> 00:12:15.220 As I did some research this week, I came across five prominent pastors who were very anti-gay. 00:12:15.220 --> 00:12:19.660 Who were in fact participating in homosexual relationships. 00:12:20.860 --> 00:12:27.300 I think all of you could probably think right now of some pastor along the way that's been accused of sexual misconduct. 00:12:27.720 --> 00:12:28.980 Stepped down from the pulpit. 00:12:29.060 --> 00:12:31.720 Or possibly not as a result. 00:12:31.720 --> 00:12:40.620 The statistics, which I didn't bring today, but the statistics are staggering how many pastors have pornography infections. 00:12:40.779 --> 00:12:46.220 This is not an issue removed from the church, although it should be. 00:12:46.980 --> 00:12:48.580 Let's read, starting in verse 1. 00:12:49.480 --> 00:12:50.340 Titus chapter 3. 00:12:50.340 --> 00:12:53.460 Paul writing to Titus says, 00:12:53.460 --> 00:12:56.180 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities. 00:12:56.340 --> 00:12:56.879 To be obedient. 00:12:57.019 --> 00:12:58.740 To be ready for every good work. 00:12:59.060 --> 00:13:00.420 To speak evil of no one. 00:13:00.740 --> 00:13:01.759 To avoid quarreling. 00:13:01.860 --> 00:13:02.480 To be gentle. 00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:05.300 And to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 00:13:06.780 --> 00:13:08.399 For we ourselves are once foolish. 00:13:08.980 --> 00:13:09.460 Disobedient. 00:13:09.920 --> 00:13:10.540 Led astray. 00:13:11.100 --> 00:13:13.120 Slaves to various passions and pleasures. 00:13:14.060 --> 00:13:16.400 Passing our days in malice and envy. 00:13:16.840 --> 00:13:19.320 Hated by others and hating one another. 00:13:20.340 --> 00:13:23.879 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared. 00:13:24.440 --> 00:13:25.460 He saved us. 00:13:26.060 --> 00:13:28.040 Not because of works done by us in righteousness. 00:13:28.320 --> 00:13:30.000 But according to his own mercy. 00:13:30.440 --> 00:13:33.139 By the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. 00:13:33.500 --> 00:13:36.060 We need poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior. 00:13:36.399 --> 00:13:38.399 So that being justified by his grace. 00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:41.300 We might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 00:13:42.200 --> 00:13:43.160 The saying is trustworthy. 00:13:43.500 --> 00:13:45.220 And I want you to insist on these things. 00:13:45.220 --> 00:13:50.240 So that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. 00:13:50.340 --> 00:13:54.379 These things are excellent and profitable for people. 00:13:55.500 --> 00:14:00.019 The theme of Titus is the inseparable link between faith and practice. 00:14:00.220 --> 00:14:02.340 Between belief and behavior. 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:09.519 The encouragement of Paul to Titus is to begin to work out some erroneous teaching that had worked its way in to the church. 00:14:09.519 --> 00:14:12.100 We don't know exactly what that was. 00:14:12.379 --> 00:14:15.620 But we know of lots of varying erroneous teaching. 00:14:16.059 --> 00:14:18.939 He mentions in chapter 1 verse 10. 00:14:19.319 --> 00:14:20.740 The circumcision party. 00:14:20.879 --> 00:14:21.860 The Judaizers. 00:14:22.079 --> 00:14:25.039 Those who had claimed to believe in Christ. 00:14:25.379 --> 00:14:28.259 Yet said you still had to keep the Old Testament law. 00:14:28.259 --> 00:14:33.539 I hope that seems familiar to you as you think about American Christianity. 00:14:34.899 --> 00:14:39.539 Most people who would claim to be Christians in this country are really moralists. 00:14:40.259 --> 00:14:42.059 And they have added to that. 00:14:42.460 --> 00:14:44.460 They've said, yeah, I am Christ. 00:14:44.559 --> 00:14:46.279 I think that's probably the way. 00:14:46.379 --> 00:14:52.559 I think probably I'm going to place my faith in him so that I can one day be assured of heaven. 00:14:52.559 --> 00:14:56.099 And his teaching seems to line up with what I think is good. 00:14:57.000 --> 00:15:00.379 The really moralists, which is what the Judaizers were. 00:15:01.099 --> 00:15:03.079 They said, yeah, the law of God, we agree with that. 00:15:03.139 --> 00:15:03.619 That's good. 00:15:03.699 --> 00:15:05.859 And this Christ thing seems also attractive. 00:15:05.959 --> 00:15:08.779 But let's not ignore these things still. 00:15:09.539 --> 00:15:13.919 And they don't believe they actually have been liberated by the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:15:14.219 --> 00:15:17.759 Actually set free from the law. 00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:25.379 So the circumcision party, I think, is who is primarily being addressed as Paul writes to Titus. 00:15:25.460 --> 00:15:29.740 And he focuses us in on good works. 00:15:30.379 --> 00:15:37.600 If we believe what we say we believe, we're going to be motivated to live it out in this world. 00:15:38.439 --> 00:15:40.539 And in what way are we going to do that? 00:15:41.220 --> 00:15:44.159 In verse 1 he says, be ready for every good work. 00:15:44.159 --> 00:15:48.980 We ought to have the knowledge necessary to be every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, 00:15:49.219 --> 00:15:53.819 to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 00:15:55.319 --> 00:15:57.719 All includes everyone, right? 00:15:58.319 --> 00:15:59.939 To all people. 00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:04.459 Other translations might say mankind or all men. 00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:08.379 It's a general thing we should do as Christians. 00:16:08.379 --> 00:16:22.620 And he roots the reason for that, the motivation, the fuel we need to live that way in verse 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. 00:16:23.439 --> 00:16:24.519 The gospel. 00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:29.980 Remembering and knowing who we are. 00:16:29.980 --> 00:16:36.320 We were once foolish, disobedient, led astray. 00:16:36.740 --> 00:16:37.639 What were we after that? 00:16:37.980 --> 00:16:38.860 Slaves. 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:45.920 In bondage to various passions and pleasures. 00:16:47.820 --> 00:16:51.320 The sexual misconduct would be included in this. 00:16:51.879 --> 00:16:56.680 Passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 00:16:56.679 --> 00:17:02.759 One of the most precious words to me in English translation, verse 4, 00:17:03.379 --> 00:17:04.700 But when. 00:17:05.799 --> 00:17:06.779 But when. 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:11.940 The goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared when Christ came and saved us. 00:17:12.179 --> 00:17:13.740 Not because of our works. 00:17:15.179 --> 00:17:16.500 Not because of our works. 00:17:17.139 --> 00:17:20.599 You can do nothing righteous on your own. 00:17:21.899 --> 00:17:24.679 Sin has utterly spoiled humanity. 00:17:24.680 --> 00:17:25.320 Humanity. 00:17:26.259 --> 00:17:32.100 And it's in Christ that we're liberated, that we're set free and able to live again for Him. 00:17:32.539 --> 00:17:36.660 We didn't have the ability to do good things to earn salvation. 00:17:37.620 --> 00:17:39.519 It was according to His mercy. 00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:42.820 By the regeneration, He made us new. 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:46.779 He took parts of stone and put in us parts of flesh. 00:17:46.779 --> 00:17:50.039 By the work of the Holy Spirit. 00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:52.000 The gospel. 00:17:53.339 --> 00:17:58.000 Remembering who we were and now who we are because of the work of Christ. 00:17:58.639 --> 00:18:03.519 Is what motivates proper interaction with the world. 00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:08.899 Particularly today, around the topic of homosexuality. 00:18:08.900 --> 00:18:13.680 Do you love people? 00:18:17.000 --> 00:18:19.220 The quick and easy answer is, sure. 00:18:19.480 --> 00:18:19.960 Do you love people? 00:18:21.160 --> 00:18:21.960 Do you? 00:18:23.040 --> 00:18:26.360 Do you love people who throw things in your face? 00:18:26.440 --> 00:18:29.480 Do you love people who have varying opinions than you do? 00:18:29.480 --> 00:18:34.940 Do you love people who seem to reject all the things you hold valuable? 00:18:37.019 --> 00:18:38.059 I hope you do. 00:18:38.299 --> 00:18:38.740 Paul did. 00:18:40.039 --> 00:18:43.400 Paul was willing to become all things to all people. 00:18:43.799 --> 00:18:48.900 That he might share with them in the blessing of coming to know Christ. 00:18:48.900 --> 00:19:01.560 And if we are to properly devote ourselves to good works, we can see the promise of Scripture that these things are excellent and profitable for people. 00:19:03.320 --> 00:19:06.080 Now is homosexuality sin? 00:19:06.340 --> 00:19:07.960 It absolutely is. 00:19:08.740 --> 00:19:09.960 There's no doubt about it. 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:14.480 If I've left any room in your mind to think I think otherwise, I'm setting it straight now. 00:19:14.740 --> 00:19:16.259 Homosexuality is absolutely a sin. 00:19:16.259 --> 00:19:21.720 It's a perversion of what God meant to be, along with all the other perversions of that. 00:19:22.379 --> 00:19:26.059 Ultimately, though, it's an issue of our heart. 00:19:26.779 --> 00:19:28.400 It's not an issue of the activity. 00:19:28.619 --> 00:19:30.420 It's an issue of our heart. 00:19:30.700 --> 00:19:33.579 A heart that worships the created and not the creator. 00:19:34.740 --> 00:19:36.299 It's called an abomination in Scripture. 00:19:36.740 --> 00:19:37.819 You hear that quite often. 00:19:38.519 --> 00:19:39.720 Leviticus 18.22. 00:19:40.279 --> 00:19:42.940 God commands you shall not lie with a male as with a woman. 00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:44.740 It is an abomination. 00:19:44.740 --> 00:19:47.839 Abomination is just something that's hated, something that's abhorred. 00:19:49.640 --> 00:19:53.079 Let's not ignore that other places in Scripture are the same language as used. 00:19:54.299 --> 00:19:55.180 Proverbs 6. 00:19:55.640 --> 00:19:56.920 I want you to turn to this. 00:19:57.039 --> 00:19:57.960 Proverbs 6. 00:19:59.160 --> 00:20:00.640 You should see the words for yourself. 00:20:11.480 --> 00:20:13.079 Proverbs 6.16-19. 00:20:13.079 --> 00:20:37.379 We're all guilty of abominations. 00:20:37.380 --> 00:20:38.380 Proverbs 6.16-19. 00:20:38.380 --> 00:20:39.380 Proverbs 6.16-19. 00:20:39.380 --> 00:20:41.820 If you don't think so, you're guilty of the first one. 00:20:42.100 --> 00:20:42.560 Pride. 00:20:43.740 --> 00:20:47.360 And if you told yourself that you're not guilty of them, you're guilty of the second, which 00:20:47.360 --> 00:20:47.920 is lying. 00:20:49.800 --> 00:20:51.600 Your heart is absolutely wicked. 00:20:52.180 --> 00:20:53.580 Your feet run to evil. 00:20:53.900 --> 00:20:55.120 We're through the fourth one now. 00:20:56.200 --> 00:20:58.720 You haven't committed murder yet at this point. 00:20:58.720 --> 00:21:04.339 You've lied against me because you're lying against my own nature. 00:21:05.700 --> 00:21:11.620 And you're creating disunity because you're breaking the narrative, the meta-narrative 00:21:11.620 --> 00:21:12.500 of this world. 00:21:13.500 --> 00:21:13.660 Right? 00:21:14.079 --> 00:21:17.860 We're all guilty of abominations. 00:21:18.380 --> 00:21:19.339 Every one of us. 00:21:19.339 --> 00:21:25.619 And the problem is that as Christians, it becomes easier to point at the sinfulness of other people 00:21:25.619 --> 00:21:28.279 than to admit our own sinfulness. 00:21:28.279 --> 00:21:32.599 It's so easy to point at things that we know everyone's going to agree with. 00:21:33.240 --> 00:21:36.200 It's so simple to go, well, at least I'm not gay. 00:21:39.480 --> 00:21:40.879 Set up strong. 00:21:41.539 --> 00:21:52.779 We make suits of figlies for ourselves to put off the blame of who we are. 00:21:52.779 --> 00:21:55.200 Praise God we're set free in Christ. 00:21:55.299 --> 00:21:57.819 We've been made perfect, but we're still being made perfect. 00:21:58.180 --> 00:21:59.420 I haven't arrived there yet. 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:02.160 I can't say to the world, you should look like me. 00:22:03.680 --> 00:22:04.779 How dare I? 00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:06.220 You shouldn't look like me. 00:22:07.180 --> 00:22:09.019 You should look like Christ. 00:22:10.200 --> 00:22:12.440 He's the great high example. 00:22:12.740 --> 00:22:14.019 He's the pole position. 00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:16.660 That's what we're trying to be like. 00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:20.399 I think our culture has kind of lost idealism. 00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:23.500 I get blamed for being idealistic all the time. 00:22:24.340 --> 00:22:27.940 Talking about the Christian life all the time, people accuse me of being idealistic. 00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:31.140 And I say, we're trying to be like God. 00:22:31.440 --> 00:22:32.440 He's the ideal. 00:22:33.300 --> 00:22:39.620 If we set up any other example for ourselves, we're going to fall drastically short. 00:22:40.700 --> 00:22:42.519 You shouldn't tell people to look like us. 00:22:43.220 --> 00:22:45.000 You should tell people they should look like Christ. 00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:47.259 They'll fail. 00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:49.160 They'll know they're failing. 00:22:49.160 --> 00:22:51.460 Let me just share the gospel with them. 00:22:52.620 --> 00:23:00.100 If we tell people that they should look like us, we're like some characters in the Bible, aren't we? 00:23:01.100 --> 00:23:05.680 A group of guys called the Pharisees, and Jesus speaks pretty bluntly to them. 00:23:06.540 --> 00:23:09.519 So, I hope he'll speak bluntly to us this morning as well. 00:23:10.740 --> 00:23:13.860 Luke chapter 18, verses 9 through 14. 00:23:13.859 --> 00:23:23.199 He, being Jesus, also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and treated others with contempt. 00:23:24.319 --> 00:23:28.039 Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 00:23:28.319 --> 00:23:30.899 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus, 00:23:30.900 --> 00:23:38.700 God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 00:23:39.360 --> 00:23:40.840 We can throw in the homosexuals. 00:23:41.840 --> 00:23:43.160 That category for us. 00:23:43.500 --> 00:23:44.759 I fast twice a week. 00:23:44.840 --> 00:23:46.960 I give tithes of all that I get. 00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:52.799 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 00:23:52.960 --> 00:23:55.559 God, be merciful to me, a sinner. 00:23:56.039 --> 00:23:59.799 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. 00:24:00.240 --> 00:24:05.620 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted. 00:24:05.619 --> 00:24:09.219 And what Jesus is teaching us is that the one who has placed their faith in Christ, 00:24:09.339 --> 00:24:17.419 the one who knows who they have been, foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves who buried his passions and pleasures, 00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:22.459 the one who has placed their faith in Christ because of who they were, will be humbled. 00:24:23.059 --> 00:24:27.619 We will approach God and the world in that way. 00:24:27.619 --> 00:24:39.739 And that's what the homosexual community needs to see, and that's what those surrounding that issue in favor of need to see. 00:24:40.179 --> 00:24:43.299 They need to see humility in the church. 00:24:43.679 --> 00:24:47.479 They need to see a broken people, the great Savior. 00:24:48.679 --> 00:24:50.639 We don't need to pretend like we have it all put together. 00:24:51.719 --> 00:24:57.139 Listen to what else Jesus said to the Pharisees, Matthew 23, 26, and 28. 00:24:57.619 --> 00:25:05.159 You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. 00:25:05.979 --> 00:25:08.399 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! 00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:16.859 For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanliness. 00:25:17.319 --> 00:25:24.399 For you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 00:25:24.400 --> 00:25:28.440 And I don't really know how well the Pharisees were pulling this off. 00:25:28.540 --> 00:25:32.060 Jesus said that they were, that they appeared righteous on the outside. 00:25:32.500 --> 00:25:37.519 But I can tell you in our world, if this is us, people see straight through us. 00:25:39.220 --> 00:25:42.440 The world knows how terribly flawed we are. 00:25:42.580 --> 00:25:43.420 Why don't we? 00:25:43.420 --> 00:25:52.779 Here's the narrative going on, the cultural trend about the issue of homosexuality. 00:25:53.580 --> 00:25:57.920 A confession, if you will, a cultural confession about homosexuality. 00:25:58.900 --> 00:26:01.680 Number one, God made me this way. 00:26:03.240 --> 00:26:07.840 Number two, he wouldn't deny me my natural desires. 00:26:07.839 --> 00:26:14.000 And number three, I don't have to explain myself to anyone. 00:26:15.439 --> 00:26:17.119 That's what we're dealing with. 00:26:18.939 --> 00:26:24.079 So how does everything I've said apply to this cultural confession about homosexuality? 00:26:24.139 --> 00:26:28.740 How do we respond to this type of narrative in our culture? 00:26:30.639 --> 00:26:33.819 Number one, God made me this way. 00:26:33.819 --> 00:26:39.879 Well, in a sense, yes, he has, is what I would say to a homosexual person. 00:26:41.539 --> 00:26:44.879 We have been corrupted by sin. 00:26:45.000 --> 00:26:47.779 You were born in sinfulness. 00:26:48.819 --> 00:26:50.019 Validate people's desire. 00:26:51.980 --> 00:26:58.000 But recognize, show them that it's sin and it's corrupted what we were intended to be. 00:26:58.000 --> 00:27:03.299 And as you do so, repent of your own self-righteousness. 00:27:03.579 --> 00:27:04.819 Apologize for the church. 00:27:05.619 --> 00:27:08.380 Kristen, did you know that you get lumped in with everybody else? 00:27:09.079 --> 00:27:14.019 That happens automatically to you, whether or not you agree with what some people may say. 00:27:14.819 --> 00:27:15.940 You get lumped in with them. 00:27:16.440 --> 00:27:18.180 Apologize for the church. 00:27:18.599 --> 00:27:22.220 We see humility in verse 3, Titus chapter 3. 00:27:22.220 --> 00:27:28.200 He wouldn't deny me my natural desires. 00:27:29.819 --> 00:27:31.620 God call us to be holy. 00:27:33.380 --> 00:27:37.319 He would, in fact, ask us not to sin against Him. 00:27:38.100 --> 00:27:41.660 He would want us to live holy as He is holy. 00:27:41.660 --> 00:27:49.320 And if I'm to obey my natural desires, I would look the opposite of what God wants me to look like. 00:27:50.700 --> 00:27:52.100 Think about that for a moment. 00:27:53.040 --> 00:27:57.540 If God's not the standard, the holiness of God is no longer the standard for you, 00:27:57.620 --> 00:27:59.880 and you did whatever you wanted. 00:27:59.980 --> 00:28:01.560 What would your life look like? 00:28:01.559 --> 00:28:09.059 I would be cheap and smug and selfish. 00:28:10.019 --> 00:28:12.859 I would always be self-serving and prideful. 00:28:13.839 --> 00:28:18.240 I would amass things for myself and not give them away. 00:28:19.339 --> 00:28:20.619 I would be a pill. 00:28:21.720 --> 00:28:23.440 I would always want to be right. 00:28:24.599 --> 00:28:28.019 And I would fight you tooth and nail to prove it to you. 00:28:28.019 --> 00:28:36.400 If God weren't the standard, and my natural desires took me where they would, 00:28:37.359 --> 00:28:41.000 I would look nothing like God created me to look. 00:28:41.119 --> 00:28:44.460 I would not bear His image, as I should. 00:28:48.299 --> 00:28:54.119 So we should turn to God and Christ as the great giver of mercy. 00:28:54.119 --> 00:29:00.519 The world needs to hear us say that that's true. 00:29:01.419 --> 00:29:04.279 That my natural desires incline me towards evil. 00:29:04.939 --> 00:29:07.679 That I am corrupt apart from Christ. 00:29:07.899 --> 00:29:09.479 But He is the great giver of mercy. 00:29:10.719 --> 00:29:13.799 He has delivered me from me. 00:29:13.799 --> 00:29:17.740 Verses 4-7. 00:29:17.980 --> 00:29:20.980 This beautiful summary of the gospel. 00:29:21.299 --> 00:29:27.319 But when the goodness and love and kindness of God our Savior appears, 00:29:27.700 --> 00:29:33.519 the simplest way I can present the gospel to you is that I was a slave to sin. 00:29:33.740 --> 00:29:35.579 I was dead, and I was miserable. 00:29:35.919 --> 00:29:39.379 But because of Christ, my faith in Him, I have been set free, 00:29:39.500 --> 00:29:41.119 and I now have life and joy. 00:29:41.119 --> 00:29:44.639 The world needs to hear that. 00:29:44.719 --> 00:29:47.159 They won't always want to hear it. 00:29:47.599 --> 00:29:49.679 We won't always be popular saying those things. 00:29:49.779 --> 00:29:54.759 I'm not suggesting that the lesbian, gay, bisexual community is going to embrace us 00:29:54.759 --> 00:29:57.539 as the church, as we hold up God as the standard. 00:29:57.739 --> 00:30:00.879 And some people fall so short, they won't want to hear that. 00:30:02.459 --> 00:30:06.079 But I believe many will come to Him if we do so. 00:30:06.079 --> 00:30:11.899 We cannot mandate morality. 00:30:13.679 --> 00:30:14.939 Are you aware of that? 00:30:15.439 --> 00:30:18.839 We cannot mandate morality. 00:30:19.500 --> 00:30:24.139 Since the definition of marriage, the Defensive Marriage Act was passed in 1996, 00:30:24.359 --> 00:30:25.419 I'm going to go out on a limb here. 00:30:25.420 --> 00:30:32.539 But I'm pretty confident, safely say, that families have not gotten stronger 00:30:32.539 --> 00:30:39.160 because of the Defensive Marriage Act, that marriages aren't thriving because of a piece of legislation. 00:30:40.800 --> 00:30:46.240 I can spare confidence say that the homosexuality community, 00:30:46.460 --> 00:30:50.039 that community is not decreasing because of a piece of legislation. 00:30:50.039 --> 00:30:58.899 That community, the lost and dying world needs to see Christians living properly, 00:30:59.059 --> 00:31:01.799 putting away our sin, picking up holiness, 00:31:02.619 --> 00:31:09.399 having strong, healthy marriages that have vital sexual relationships that are done properly. 00:31:09.400 --> 00:31:17.000 The third one, I don't have to explain myself to anyone. 00:31:18.620 --> 00:31:23.019 One day, we will all answer to the highest authority. 00:31:25.460 --> 00:31:27.180 The world needs to know that. 00:31:28.860 --> 00:31:33.160 They won't want to hear it, but the world needs to know that. 00:31:33.160 --> 00:31:37.800 I, in younger, fitter days, did a lot of whitewater kayaking. 00:31:38.960 --> 00:31:42.680 And when you begin to paddle class four and five rapids, 00:31:43.019 --> 00:31:46.120 typically you get into areas that are what we call drop-in pools. 00:31:46.259 --> 00:31:50.580 So there will be a waterfall, then a pool of water to recover in, then another waterfall. 00:31:50.759 --> 00:31:55.019 And it's often at the bottom of the waterfall where the water gets bubbly and kind of aerated 00:31:55.019 --> 00:31:57.360 that things tend to happen that you don't want to happen. 00:31:57.500 --> 00:31:58.940 That's where you tend to get flipped over, 00:31:59.560 --> 00:32:02.580 and it can sometimes be hard to roll the kayak back up. 00:32:02.579 --> 00:32:04.199 But when you get into class four and five whitewater, 00:32:04.240 --> 00:32:06.599 it's really not a good thing to swim out of your boat. 00:32:06.679 --> 00:32:09.039 Your boat is big and buoyant. 00:32:09.159 --> 00:32:10.099 It's full of air. 00:32:10.299 --> 00:32:12.079 It kind of protects you in the water. 00:32:12.619 --> 00:32:15.720 Try really hard not to swim out of your boat. 00:32:18.179 --> 00:32:21.339 When you do, you're always trying to think about, 00:32:21.500 --> 00:32:22.480 where do I go? 00:32:22.599 --> 00:32:24.359 Where do I get to that's safe? 00:32:25.799 --> 00:32:27.779 What side of the river is going to be the best? 00:32:27.779 --> 00:32:29.639 Because oftentimes it's not really safe anywhere. 00:32:29.640 --> 00:32:34.580 There's undercut rocks and sieves, places that you can get pushed through and stuck and drowned. 00:32:34.640 --> 00:32:37.460 There's all kinds of dangers in water like this. 00:32:38.240 --> 00:32:40.140 So you're thinking about, where do I go? 00:32:40.240 --> 00:32:43.060 And so as soon as you come out of a boat, you begin to swim upstream. 00:32:43.380 --> 00:32:44.820 Because it slows you down a little bit. 00:32:44.940 --> 00:32:48.920 It slows your progress towards the next hazard you're going to be at. 00:32:48.960 --> 00:32:49.680 You swim upstream. 00:32:50.180 --> 00:32:51.080 And boy, you swim hard. 00:32:51.120 --> 00:32:55.740 I'm not a really hard swimmer, but I've done some hard swimming when I've come out of my boat on a river. 00:32:55.740 --> 00:32:58.180 You're wearing your little booties that slow you down. 00:32:58.259 --> 00:33:02.500 You kick them off and you just start going because you're trying to figure out where you need to go. 00:33:03.299 --> 00:33:04.880 We're all doing that. 00:33:07.500 --> 00:33:12.660 We don't know Christ, who's our safety, our safety line, our raft, 00:33:13.180 --> 00:33:15.099 the one who's going to pull us to the bank. 00:33:16.259 --> 00:33:18.500 This world is swimming desperately upstream. 00:33:18.980 --> 00:33:22.019 But they will go to their destruction. 00:33:22.019 --> 00:33:24.700 So imagine swimming above Niagara. 00:33:26.220 --> 00:33:28.460 You are going to get tired one day. 00:33:28.740 --> 00:33:31.519 You're going to answer the ultimate and highest authority. 00:33:31.920 --> 00:33:33.160 The world needs to hear that. 00:33:35.059 --> 00:33:37.240 Pray that they respond. 00:33:37.660 --> 00:33:46.299 And we should be then image bearers, pointing people to their great need of a great Savior. 00:33:46.299 --> 00:33:52.339 Do you believe this morning that your Savior is great? 00:33:54.399 --> 00:33:56.720 If your sin isn't great, your Savior will not be great. 00:33:58.000 --> 00:34:00.779 You may not have been delivered from a homosexual lifestyle, 00:34:01.119 --> 00:34:05.639 but you certainly have committed many abominations. 00:34:06.579 --> 00:34:09.000 You certainly were an idolater. 00:34:09.420 --> 00:34:10.519 You worshipped yourself. 00:34:10.659 --> 00:34:12.639 At very least, you worshipped yourself. 00:34:13.420 --> 00:34:14.500 You're not the most idolater. 00:34:14.500 --> 00:34:18.139 Has your Savior delivered you? 00:34:18.460 --> 00:34:22.199 When you read with me Titus chapter 3, verses 1 through 8, 00:34:22.519 --> 00:34:27.480 do you feel the weight of the glory contained within? 00:34:28.480 --> 00:34:32.500 Do you see your own deliverance from who you once were? 00:34:34.019 --> 00:34:35.280 I pray that you do. 00:34:35.280 --> 00:34:43.440 If you do, that will motivate a love for all people. 00:34:44.500 --> 00:34:48.300 Don't shoot the hostage. 00:34:49.900 --> 00:34:50.760 Are you with me? 00:34:51.599 --> 00:34:55.360 Let us love people for an advancement of the kingdom. 00:34:56.500 --> 00:34:57.440 In the glory of God. 00:34:57.960 --> 00:34:58.519 Let's pray together. 00:34:58.519 --> 00:34:58.960 Let us pray together. 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:58.960 00:34:58.960 --> 00:35:28.940 Thank you.