SHIFT - Week 3

“They said sex was inevitable. I always assumed that high school was the best time to have sex.”

“My friends said sex was okay and bragged like it was a touchdown… there was a lot of pressure to do it.”

“They told me to do it at least once so it wouldn’t hurt on my wedding night, because that would suck. If you do it, you’ll get good at it for your husband.”

“I was told that if it was with someone that you really loved, then it was okay.”

22 percent of radio contains sexual content. On average, a sexual scene occurs on TV 6.7 times per hour during the regular family viewing hours. On MTV there are 3,000 sexual references each week. 76% of teens said that one reason teens have sex is because TV shows and movies make it seem “normal”. They say sex is just what people do… especially young people with raging hormones. Research shows that students who look and listen to regular doses of these messages are twice as likely to get involved sexually before marriage.

In light of all this mess, check out God's Word... Eph. 4:17-24 - With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles (world/culture) do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes (be made new in the attitude of your mind). 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.In this series we have been moving from being hopelessly confused, darken thinking, wandering from God, hardened hearts, lustful thinking TO being made new in the attitude of our minds. Putting on our new nature, created to be like God - holy and righteous!

The truth about sex is that God created it and created it to be awesome! He wants us to enjoy sex and have lots of it… wait for it... in marriage. Outside marriage (God’s design), sex has consequences. The media doesn’t tell you this.

“I felt so dirty and unworthy. I cried so much, because I knew I had disappointed my parents and had given in to my stupid culture that said “they will love you more if you do it.” I regret it so much.” (female age 16)

“I felt disgusted, stupid, trapped, ugly… like I was a plaything.” (female age 19)

“It was mostly for pleasure, and also for laughs, but it was really to bury our mediocrity, loneliness, and godless lives.” (male age 18)

Just because something is common or accepted doesn’t mean it’s good for us. How does it line up with the Word? We got to learn how to see the world through a biblical viewpoint. Sex is much more than just a physical act of pleasure… it’s a deep emotional and spiritual act as well.

A major problem is that young people don’t know the purpose of sex… so it gets abused. What if I didn’t know the purpose of a guitar? I would destroy it by using it as a baseball bat. But a guitar makes beautiful music in the hands of someone who knows and understands it purpose. Sex is the same way. Know and understand it’s purpose and place… it’s awesome!

Purpose of sex: It’s a passionate expression of sacrificial love to a wife or husband.

It has to include all three things below to be God’s original design. He created it!

• Passion (pleasure, excitement, thrill, fun)
• Sacrifice (serving your wife or husband - not about you)
• Husband & Wife (commitment, man & woman, marriage, nobody else gets to experience it, exclusive)

It’s a glimpse of how much God loves us! (His passion, His sacrifice, His commitment). It’s a beautiful thing! But outside marriage it not beautiful… it destroys… it hurts. It’s like using a guitar as a baseball bat.

So what do you do now? What do you do with the emotions, the sex drive, the media, the culture, the friends, the pressure?? We have to fight... everyday!

2 Tim. 2:22 - Flee the evil desires of youth… run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts… run from temptations that capture young people... and pursue (run swiftly, to press on – like one who is running a race to reach a goal, so seek after eagerly) righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Can you imagine what it would be like if you had some friends over and one of them just took off running out the door? The next day at school you ask them what’s going on… they say they felt some youthful cravings coming on. Crazy right? But will we obey God’s word at all cost? Will we capture our vision and God’s plan for our lives at all cost? In other words, anytime you feel some youthful cravings coming on… you run.

It’s a good thing 2 Tim. 2:22 doesn’t end with the word “flee.” If it did we would all be running around randomly, finding ourselves in the same situations over and over again. Scripture says to flee AND pursue… when you flee you have to know where you are going. The best fleeing is good pursuing. In other words, the best defense is a good offense. Flee sin and pursue God. Period.

Finally, you can’t do this on your own. 2 Tim. 2:22 says to “flee” and “pursue” WITH those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. You’ve got to find a peer who shares your passion for purity (for fleeing and pursuing) AND you’ve got to find a mentor (leader, parent, coach) who will pour into you, lead you, and invest in you.