Participants:
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP210501S
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00:51 God, I'm on my knees again
00:54 God, I'm begging please again 00:57 I need You 01:00 Oh, I need You 01:04 Walking down these desert roads 01:08 Water for my thirsty soul 01:11 I need You 01:13 Oh, God, I need You 01:17 Your forgiveness 01:21 Is like sweet, sweet honey 01:24 On my lips 01:28 Like the sound of a symphony 01:31 To my ears 01:35 Like holy water on my skin 01:52 Dead man walking slave to sin 01:55 I wanna know About being born again 01:58 I need You 02:01 Oh, God, I need You 02:05 So take me to the riverside 02:08 Take me under baptize 02:11 God, I need You 02:14 Oh, God, I need You 02:17 'Cause God's forgiveness 02:21 Is like sweet, sweet honey 02:24 On my lips 02:28 Like the sound of a symphony 02:31 To my ears 02:35 Like holy water on my skin 02:45 I don't wanna abuse Your grace 02:48 God, I need it every day 02:51 It's the only thing 02:53 That ever really Makes me wanna change 02:58 I don't wanna abuse Your grace 03:02 God, I need it every day 03:04 It's the only thing 03:06 That ever really Makes me wanna change 03:11 Your forgiveness 03:14 Is like sweet, sweet honey 03:17 On my lips 03:21 Like the sound of a symphony 03:24 To my ears 03:28 Like holy water 03:30 Your forgiveness 03:34 Is like sweet, sweet honey 03:37 On my lips 03:40 Like the sound of a symphony 03:44 To my ears 03:47 Like holy water 03:50 on my skin 03:54 It's like holy water 03:57 on my skin 04:00 Like holy water 04:07 Your forgiveness 04:11 Is like sweet, sweet honey 04:15 On my lips 04:18 Like the sound of a symphony 04:22 To my ears 04:26 Like holy water 04:29 on my skin 04:58 Father of kindness You have poured out grace 05:03 You brought me out of darkness You have filled me with peace 05:08 Giver of mercy 05:10 You're my help in time of need 05:15 Lord, I can't help but sing 05:21 Faithful You are 05:26 Faithful forever You will be 05:31 Faithful You are 05:36 All Your promises are Yes and Amen 05:42 All Your promises are Yes and Amen 06:06 Beautiful Savior You have brought me near 06:11 You pulled me from the ashes You have broken every curse 06:17 Blessed Redeemer 06:19 You have set this captive free 06:24 Lord, I can't help but sing 06:30 Faithful You are 06:35 Faithful forever You will be 06:40 Faithful You are 06:46 All Your promises are Yes and Amen 06:51 All Your promises are Yes and Amen 07:16 I will rest 07:19 In Your promises 07:21 My confidence 07:24 Is Your faithfulness 07:27 I will rest 07:30 In Your promises 07:32 My confidence 07:35 Is Your faithfulness 07:38 Faithful You are 07:43 Faithful forever You will be 07:49 Faithful You are 07:54 All Your promises are Yes and Amen 07:59 Faithful You are 08:04 Faithful forever You will be 08:09 Faithful You are 08:15 All Your promises are Yes and Amen 08:21 All Your promises are Yes and Amen 08:26 All Your promises are Yes and Amen 09:12 Falling in love 09:16 With Jesus 09:22 Falling in love 09:25 With Jesus 09:32 Falling in love 09:34 With Jesus 09:39 Was the best thing I've ever, ever done 09:50 Falling in love 09:53 With Jesus 10:00 Falling in love 10:03 With Jesus 10:09 Falling in love 10:12 With Jesus 10:16 Was the best thing I've ever, ever done 10:28 In His arms 10:31 I feel protected 10:37 In His arms 10:40 Never disconnected 10:46 In His arms 10:49 I feel protected 10:54 There's no place I'd rather, rather be 11:05 Falling in love 11:08 With Jesus 11:14 Falling in love 11:17 With Jesus 11:23 Falling in love 11:26 With Jesus 11:30 Was the best thing I've ever, ever done 11:41 In Your arms 11:44 I feel protected 11:50 In Your arms 11:53 Never disconnected 11:59 In Your arms 12:02 I feel protected 12:06 There's no place I'd rather, rather be 12:15 There's no place I'd rather, rather be 12:24 There's no place 12:26 I'd rather, rather be 12:46 So I went down to my study to pray this morning, 12:48 as I do every day and every Sabbath. 12:52 I got a few paces into my prayer 12:56 and God said, 12:57 "Boy, I need a change in plans." 13:02 Said to Him, "What are you talking about?" 13:05 He said, 13:07 "You need to write another sermon." 13:10 I said, "Another sermon." 13:11 I looked at my watch and I'm getting. 13:13 I said, "I have an hour." 13:16 He said, "Don't worry about the time. 13:19 I need you to write another sermon." 13:22 I said, all right, "Lord, You're boss." 13:24 And when you work for God, 13:25 there isn't a whole lot of argument you can do. 13:27 It's just like, okay. 13:30 So I sat down for an hour 13:33 notes that I'm still getting familiar with, 13:35 came rolling off the computer, 13:38 the end of that hour, five minutes or whatever. 13:42 So it wasn't what we were going to have on this last Sabbath 13:47 of the school year. 13:50 We'll get to that sermon. 13:51 There's another, Sabbath coming up in May. 13:52 Well, we'll have it then. 13:54 And if you're a student and moved away, 13:56 just watch us on live stream, 13:57 we'll wrap up that marriage series. 13:59 But it occurred to me as I was praying, 14:02 you know, Dwight, 14:05 that little 11 year old asked you a question. 14:09 It's true. 14:10 You were going to go into same sex marriage 14:12 and the pope. 14:13 And you're going to deal with a broad 14:15 and kind of a global theme. 14:16 But that 11 year old asked you a question. 14:21 I think you owe it to her 14:24 to answer the question. 14:28 So as humble as it is, 14:33 she may be watching right now, 14:34 she may be here, I don't know. 14:38 I'm going to do my best to answer that question. 14:42 So Dwight, but what question are you talking about? 14:44 Well, a bunch of you weren't here, 14:47 I'm sure last week. 14:48 So let me just read the letter. 14:50 It came to me just few days ago. 14:52 It says, "Dear Pastor, that's my name. 14:56 The Bible says things against being LGBTQ plus. 15:02 I am bisexual. 15:04 Does that mean I won't go to heaven? 15:08 I don't want to put anything before the Trinity, 15:11 but I also don't want to give up my feelings. 15:14 Could you do a sermon on God and the LGBTQ plus community? 15:20 It will help a lot. 15:21 Thank you very much. God bless, happy Sabbath. 15:25 "And then a signature that I can't read. 15:29 Some of us have that problem. 15:31 "PS, please forgive any grammar, spelling 15:36 or punctuation mistakes. 15:40 I'm only 11." 15:46 I gulped at 11, 15:51 you gotta be kidding me. 15:55 Who told her she was bisexual at 11? 16:01 You know how that stuff happens? 16:04 Kids at school. 16:07 Hey, you like boys, don't you? 16:10 Yeah. 16:12 You like girls too, don't you? 16:15 Yeah. 16:16 You know what that makes you? 16:18 You are bisexual. 16:21 Never heard of that before. 16:23 No, that's what you are. 16:25 By the way that's how social media works. 16:28 Bisexual. 16:30 That's what you are. 16:34 An 11 year old believes it. 16:39 I'm bisexual. Can I go to heaven? 16:43 Wow. 16:45 What a question for an 11 year old 16:47 to have to be asking. 16:51 That was a tender letter. 16:55 And I want to answer that as best I know how, 16:58 but I dare not move into this answer 17:00 on pages that are hardly dry yet 17:03 without talking to Jesus that we just sang about. 17:08 In His arms 17:10 we need to be and stay, 17:12 dear Jesus. 17:16 Eleven years old, 17:19 if you're not the only one asking that question? 17:24 So what's the answer? 17:27 We have just a few moments together. 17:29 And as we think out loud together, 17:31 think with us 17:34 the mighty third person of the Godhead 17:39 interject his thoughts as well. 17:42 We humbly pray in Jesus' name. 17:46 Amen. 17:53 Can you go to heaven if you are bisexual? 17:57 Yes, you can. 18:01 Why? 18:03 Because Jesus loves you. 18:04 That's why, and if you accept Him 18:05 as your personal savior 18:07 and you offer Him your life, 18:10 you can trust Him 18:11 to fulfill the greatest promise in the Bible. 18:15 Let's just put a text we can all week. 18:18 The greatest text in all the Bible, John 3:16, 18:20 come on, let's read it out loud together. 18:21 "For God so loved the world 18:24 that He gave His one and only Son, 18:27 that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, 18:31 but have eternal life." 18:33 That's a powerful promise. 18:34 There's not one caveat attached to it. 18:37 There's not one... There's not one... 18:41 Well, one condition, 18:45 except if you believe in Jesus. 18:52 That's it. 18:53 You will not perish. 18:55 You believe in Jesus, you will live forever and ever. 18:58 Amen. 18:59 That's it. That's the gospel. We all know it. 19:02 Now the same writer John 19:04 puts it even more simply in 1 John 5:12," 19:08 Whoever has the Son has life, 19:12 whoever does not have the Son of God 19:15 does not have life." 19:18 The only precondition here 19:21 is you have Jesus, that's it. 19:24 You have Jesus, you have life. 19:25 You don't have Jesus, you don't have life. 19:27 You got a problem with that. 19:29 Is it too simple? 19:30 No, it's the gospel. 19:31 It's what we, 19:33 that's what we have to keep reminding ourselves 19:34 is what we grew up with. 19:36 Of course, Jesus loves me. 19:38 And if I invite Jesus into my life, 19:39 He will come in and He will offer me 19:41 a very personal friendship with Him. 19:43 Eleven year old, 19:45 I'm telling you, Jesus loves you. 19:46 If you invite Him into your life, 19:48 you got the best days of your life, 19:50 straight in front of you, 19:52 because there's a lot more that comes beyond being 11. 19:55 And you're going to love it. 19:59 The maker of all things loves and wants me. 20:02 We've been reminding ourselves all this year. 20:04 He is our forever friend. 20:05 Yes, girl, wherever you are, whoever you are. 20:10 Jesus loves you and me whoever we are, 20:14 wherever we are from 20:15 and whatever orientation we identify with, 20:18 He loves me. 20:20 The Bible does not speak 20:21 about sexual orientation at all. 20:23 The Bible has no knowledge of sexual orientation. 20:25 We invented that in our culture, 20:28 in our world today. 20:30 In the Bible, there are only two orientations. 20:33 Orientation one, sinner, orientation two, saved. 20:38 Those are the only orientations the Bible knows. 20:41 You're either a sinner or you're saved. 20:43 There's not a third, not fourth. 20:45 They're just two. 20:48 And we are all guess what? 20:49 We're all born 20:51 into the orientation of sinners. 20:54 Every single one of us. 20:57 Don't stare at the person beside you, 20:58 but you're sitting beside a sinner. 21:00 Don't look just, just kinda understand that. 21:04 That's the orientation we were born with. 21:05 And guess what? 21:06 Our savior Jesus came down to this earth 21:08 to become one who was born with our orientation of sinner. 21:13 You see, that's what I'm going to be 21:14 because that's who you are. 21:16 And I'm going to live life like you live it, 21:17 and I'm going to face life like you face it. 21:19 And I'm going to, I'm going to, by the grace 21:21 of my Almighty Father, 21:24 I'm going to be victorious for you, 21:26 so that my victory will be your victory. 21:28 My triumph will be your triumph. 21:31 And I'm going to move you from the orientation of sinner. 21:33 And I'm going to move you into the orientation of saved. 21:40 Wow. 21:41 Look at this, 21:43 that's what the Book of Hebrews 21:44 is trying to tell us. 21:45 And these are two beautiful lines, 21:47 don't ever forget these, 21:48 whether you're 11 years old or not. 21:49 Don't forget these words, 21:51 "For this reason, Jesus had to be made 21:52 like you and me, 21:53 fully human in every way." 21:55 What does that, how many ways was He fully human? 21:57 Help me out here. What does it say? 21:59 Fully human in every way. 22:01 Fully human in every way 22:02 in order that He might become 22:04 a merciful and faithful high priest 22:06 in service to God, 22:08 and that he might make atonement, 22:10 it's talking about Calvary. 22:12 He might make a atonement for the sins of the people. 22:14 How many here are sinners? 22:16 Every hand goes up. 22:17 How many times have you sinned? 22:18 I lost count. 22:20 But does Jesus' death cover my sins? 22:22 The answer is absolutely. 22:24 Which sins? 22:26 All sins. 22:29 If you were born with the orientation of sinner, 22:31 I have good news for you. 22:33 Somebody left heaven and came down to this earth 22:35 and became just like you and just like me, 22:39 and then beat the devil, 22:44 beat the devil at his game, 22:47 and gave His life as a sacrifice, 22:49 an atoning sacrifice 22:52 for the sins of the people. 22:53 That's why I go two pages over to Hebrews 4, 22:56 "For we do not have a high priest 22:58 who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses. 23:00 It's good news. 23:02 Good news. 23:04 But we have one 23:05 who has been tempted in every way, 23:06 just as we are yet He did not sin. 23:10 A better news 23:12 because He's been tempted like us, 23:14 but even better news, 23:15 He didn't fall like I keep falling. 23:17 He did not fall. 23:21 Yeah, He did not sin 23:22 so let us then, oh, I love this. 23:23 Let us approach God's throne of grace 23:25 as we've been doing this morning at worship 23:27 with confidence, they just sang about that confidence, 23:31 with confidence so that we may receive mercy 23:33 and find grace to help us in our time of need. 23:38 And because Jesus faced all our temptations, 23:42 but was victorious over the devil. 23:44 We can go to Him and we can ask Him 23:45 to give us the same power and the same victory. 23:50 I'm asking you, is that good news or what? 23:53 Come on, tell me, is that good news or what? 23:56 Of course, it is. 23:59 Did Jesus experience sexual temptations like we do? 24:04 The answer is, but of course. 24:08 Of course He did. 24:11 Did Jesus experience same gender attraction? 24:15 We cannot answer that specific question, 24:18 but I believe it is fair to say 24:20 that Jesus experienced sexual attraction as we do. 24:23 Or these Bible assurances are really quite meaningless. 24:27 You're just playing word games with us. 24:35 Our sexuality 24:39 is an explosive power within us. 24:41 And we were created with that explosive power. 24:44 Is sexual attraction a sin. 24:49 Can't be. 24:51 Can't be. 24:53 I had somebody write me and say, well, you know what? 24:55 I wouldn't, I wouldn't push that one too hard. 24:58 It could be a sin. 25:00 No, no, no. 25:01 It cannot be a sin. 25:03 Jesus experienced attraction. Guess what? 25:06 He's in the wilderness, 40 days and 40 nights. 25:08 Guess what? 25:09 The devil shows up at his weakest moment 25:10 and says, I got three temptations, boy, 25:13 you're going to love these three. 25:14 Were they attractive? 25:16 Yes or no. Of course. 25:18 If they were not attractive, 25:19 they would not have been a temptation. 25:22 We call them temptations because they were attractive, 25:25 hugely attractive to him. 25:28 Don't tell me that 25:30 Jesus did not face the full force of attraction. 25:38 Did Jesus experience attraction? 25:39 Absolutely. 25:42 That's why when it comes to sin and sinning, 25:44 we really need a lot of help from 25:47 and power from our Lord Jesus. 25:50 Our minds, our hormones, our chemistry 25:53 in that, in that wild cocktail 25:55 that we've been created with explode inside of us, 26:02 particularly when you're young. 26:06 They can get real old, there's no problem. 26:12 There's no explosion and no fire. 26:15 When you're young, 26:18 I'll just get back at some of you that's all. 26:21 But when you're young, 26:23 about 11 or so or 21 or so or 41 or so, 26:28 doesn't matter what your orientation is, 26:29 if your orientation is sinning, 26:31 you've got explosions inside of you. 26:34 You don't think Jesus was touched 26:35 by the infirmity of our attractions. 26:38 Of course, He was. 26:45 Jeremiah asked a question. 26:47 It's a good question to ask. 26:49 Jeremiah, 13:23, 26:50 "Can an Ethiopian change his skin 26:52 or a leopard its spots." 26:53 Is that a sin to have skin changes? 26:55 Is that a sin for the leopard to change its spots? 26:57 Of course not. 26:59 But this is asking a rhetorical question. 27:00 Can an Ethiopian change his skin 27:02 or a leopard its spots? 27:03 No. 27:04 "Neither can you do good 27:06 who are accustomed to doing evil." 27:07 Guess what? We need help. 27:09 That's the deal, we need help. 27:10 We cannot change our sinner orientation. 27:14 It just, we just cannot do it. 27:17 No possibly. 27:22 So Jesus, by the way, who defeated our same enemy 27:25 while He was here and by His death on the cross 27:27 died to deliver us. 27:29 Only Jesus has the power to save from that sin, any sin. 27:34 And that's why Jesus, 27:35 when he said, Hey, boys and girls, 27:36 I want to teach you how to pray. 27:38 Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name, 27:39 lead us not into temptation, 27:41 but deliver us from evil or the evil one. 27:43 That's why Jesus said, I need you to pray that 27:46 because you're going to face the evil one. 27:48 You're going to face attractions 27:49 that could pull you in 27:51 where you never want to go. 27:53 So pray every day. 27:54 Lord, lead me not into temptation today. 27:56 Deliver me from the evil, deliver me from the evil one. 28:01 But is it a sin? 28:02 Come on, Dwight, answer the question? 28:04 Is it a sin 28:05 that this 11 year old says, listen, 28:06 tell me, is it a sin to be bisexual? 28:11 Is it a sin to be straight? 28:14 Is it a sin to be gay? 28:17 Is it a sin to feel the attractions 28:19 of a lesbian? 28:22 Is it a sin to be transgender? 28:26 If I have those attractions, am I automatically now lost? 28:32 No, you are not. 28:34 The attractions are not sin. 28:38 Jesus felt the fury of three withering assaults. 28:44 Don't you dare tell me it was nothing to Him. 28:46 It was everything to Him. 28:49 And He fell to the ground dying. 28:52 That's how bad it was. 28:56 I don't resist sin to that degree. 28:59 Now, when we pray that prayer every day, 29:01 Jesus is able to do just that, deliver us from evil. 29:04 He honors our free choice. 29:05 He doesn't kick the door down. 29:07 I'm here now, you will do what I tell you. 29:09 No, you want to do that girl, boy, you want to do that? 29:13 Okay. 29:14 You're playing with dynamite and it'll kill you. 29:18 If you don't come to me, it'll kill you. 29:21 But we have to take the Bible at its word. 29:24 And what does Jude 24 declare? 29:26 A tiny little book just before Revelation, 29:28 now to him 29:30 who was able to keep you from stumbling 29:32 and to present you before his glorious presence, 29:36 without," what? 29:37 What's that word, 29:38 "Without fault. 29:40 He can keep you from stumbling." 29:41 You do not have to yield to those attractions. 29:44 He can keep you. 29:46 Dwight, He can keep you from stumbling. 29:49 This isn't just good news for an 11 year old. 29:52 This is good news for every human being 29:53 on this planet. 29:55 He can keep us from stumbling without fall. 29:57 And by the way, with great joy 29:58 to the only God, our Savior be glory, 30:01 and majesty and power and authority 30:03 through Jesus Christ Our Lord, 30:04 before all ages now and forevermore, 30:07 that all the people say amen, amen. 30:14 Yeah, but is it a sin? 30:17 No, no sexual orientation, 30:22 no sexual attraction is a sin. 30:27 Okay. 30:28 Let me follow it up with, with this question. 30:30 Then is it a sin to act on our sexual attractions? 30:35 Well, that depends. 30:39 The Bible is clear 30:41 that our creator has chosen for us 30:43 to live out our sexual attractions 30:45 inside the protective walls of a one flesh marriage 30:49 between a man and a woman. 30:53 The command from the maker of all things 30:55 who loves and wants me and loves and wants you 30:58 is a command 31:00 because he knows exactly how you and I are wired. 31:05 I had this great iPhone in my hip pocket. 31:07 It always is with me everywhere. 31:09 Don't ask me to explain to you an iPhone. 31:11 Don't ask me to defend you the circuitry of an iPhone. 31:14 Don't ask me to repair an iPhone. 31:16 I know diddly-squat. 31:17 I just know this thing works. 31:19 And do you know why? 31:21 Somebody designed it. 31:23 There's somebody on this planet who says, 31:27 "Hey, that's nothing to me. I designed it. 31:28 It's supposed to work that way. 31:30 And when it doesn't work, I can fix it." 31:32 Somebody designed it. 31:34 I'm not the designer. 31:35 If the designer says 31:37 you don't do this with an iPhone, 31:38 I don't do this with an iPhone. 31:40 Why? Because the designer knows. 31:42 Our creator, the maker of all things 31:43 who loves and wants us 31:45 knows exactly how we've been designed. 31:47 It's not His fault. 31:49 He knows it. 31:51 That's a good thing. He knows it. 31:52 And given the post-fall world 31:55 where all has been scrambled 31:58 by this dark fallen prince rebel, 32:03 the old serpent named devil, the devil and Satan. 32:06 Thanks to this scrambled up world, 32:08 everything is in confusion now. 32:11 That doesn't mean the creator doesn't know 32:13 how to fix an iPhone. 32:14 That doesn't mean the creator doesn't know how to handle sex. 32:16 He knows how to handle sex. I made sex. 32:18 I made you to be attracted 32:23 and I know that it will kill you 32:26 if you don't come to me. 32:28 If you do not give me your sex, 32:31 it will kill you. 32:33 I promise you. 32:34 I will not kill you. 32:36 I will let you kill yourself. 32:39 I have to, it's free choice. 32:41 The moment I put my hand, oh, you can't touch her. 32:44 She's chosen this way. 32:46 Moment I reach out, Dwight, you can't touch him. 32:48 He wants it this way. 32:51 We play by the same rules. 32:54 He can't touch you either when I have you. 32:59 No. 33:02 This is like Joseph. 33:05 Joseph, who, by the way, is a powerful symbol 33:09 of the Lord Jesus. 33:14 Now the maker of all things 33:15 knew he would need to be protected 33:17 of this explosive power. 33:20 One flesh union between partners. 33:21 He said that inside that, 33:22 inside those walls you'll be just fine. 33:24 Which by the way, speaking of one flesh is why... 33:28 We'll get to Joseph in a second, 33:29 is why Paul writes this in 1 Corinthians. 33:33 Now he's writing to a people 33:34 who live in a port of sea, a sea port city. 33:37 Oh man, seaport cities tend to be cities 33:40 that attract about everything on the planet. 33:42 Corinth was no, no exception. 33:45 I mean, promiscuous now to, for my 11 year old friend, 33:48 promiscuous means that which is, 33:51 that which is commonly agreed is, 33:54 is living way outside the bounds of morality. 33:59 Corinth was promiscuous. 34:01 And so Paul goes and plants a church in Corinth, 34:03 and then he writes this letter to them. 34:05 He says, guys, I've been thinking about you, 34:06 how you doing? 34:08 And here's what he says in this letter. 34:09 Watch this. 34:10 Do you not know? 34:12 Yo, you guys don't understand this 34:13 'cause it's been just a little while 34:16 since you've turned from pagan to the believer in Christ. 34:18 Don't you know that 34:19 your bodies are members of Christ himself? 34:21 Shall I then... 34:23 See this body belongs to Jesus. 34:24 He bought it at the cross. 34:25 Shall I then take the members of Christ 34:28 and unite them with a prostitute? 34:30 Never. 34:32 Now what part of my body 34:33 is the member that Paul's talking about? 34:34 It doesn't take rocket science to figure that out. 34:37 And Paul is saying, you don't do that. 34:40 You don't couple to her. 34:45 Outside the protective walls of a marriage 34:48 between a man and a woman, you don't couple with people. 34:53 You know, hook up. 34:57 You got to give your body to become one flesh 35:00 because one flesh still works. 35:02 Do you want to be one flesh with a prostitute? 35:03 No. I only wanted to have an evening. 35:05 Well guess what? 35:06 You're one flesh there for the rest of your life. 35:08 Do you like that thought? 35:09 No. 35:11 Well, that's what I'm telling you. 35:12 Paul writes to the Corinthians, 35:14 knock off this hooking up stuff. 35:16 You don't, you keep your body pure. 35:20 Why? 35:21 Because as he says here in verse 19, 35:23 don't you know that your bodies are the temple, 35:24 the temples of the Holy Spirit. 35:26 Every one of you is a little mini temple. 35:27 Why does the Holy Spirit need a temple? 35:29 Because The Holy Spirit has no form. 35:31 If he were standing right here and he is. 35:34 He said, Dwight, you can't touch me? 35:37 I'm talking to you right now, boy, you cannot touch me, 35:40 but I need your body to be my temple. 35:44 I need a heck. 35:45 I need headquarters on this, 35:46 this, this fallen culture and world. 35:49 You'd be my headquarters. 35:50 I'm going to live in you. 35:52 That's what Paul is saying. 35:53 Don't you know that 35:54 your bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, 35:56 who is in you, whom you have received from God? 35:58 You are not your own. 35:59 You were bought at a price. 36:01 Let's talk about Calvary. 36:03 I'm standing here at the foot of the cross. 36:05 They just sang about a Jesus. 36:07 I'm falling in love with you. 36:08 Why? Because He emptied Himself. 36:10 He took on my orientation to the max and he said, 36:14 in your strength I defeated the enemy, 36:20 and then I died as a substitute for you, 36:22 so you will never die, not forever. 36:27 Come to me. 36:28 She who has me has life. 36:30 He who has me has life. 36:32 Come to me. 36:34 Therefore, honor God with your bodies. 36:37 No, we're all under that. 36:39 In fact, when Mrs. Potiphar comes to Joseph 36:41 and she said, boy, let's sleep together 36:42 because you are a handsome. 36:44 And it says he was very handsome. 36:45 So she says, you are attractive to me. 36:47 I hope I'm attracted to you. 36:49 When she says, sleep with me. 36:51 Then Joseph has one answer. 36:52 How then could I do such a thing, 36:54 such a wicked thing 36:56 and sin against you, Mrs. Potiphar's 36:58 that what he says? 36:59 I'm sinning against you. 37:01 How could I sin against Mr. Potiphar 37:02 who is not even in the house right now? 37:03 How can I sin against me? 37:05 No, he doesn't say any of that. 37:06 He says, how can I do this great wickedness 37:07 and sin against God. 37:09 Once you have a friendship with Jesus, 37:12 you belong to somebody. 37:13 Paul says, don't give your body to a prostitute. 37:16 What are you thinking? 37:18 You want to be one flesh with her, with him. 37:21 You don't want to be one flesh with him. 37:22 I'm telling you, it may be fine tonight, 37:25 but you going to feel bad in the morning 37:28 and all the showers you take won't wash it away. 37:32 You don't need to be hooked up. 37:35 You stay with me. 37:38 Wow. 37:40 Joseph has given us a little example here. 37:42 Yeah, but Dwight, you know what, okay, okay. 37:44 Thank you. Thank God for Joseph. 37:45 But I'm going to tell you something. 37:47 Pastor, I hope you're listening to me 37:49 this 11 year old is saying to me, 37:50 I hope you're listening to me 37:51 because I want to tell you something, 37:53 that is not fair. 37:58 God created me with my attractions 38:00 and I should have the right 38:01 to live out those attractions the way that is natural for me. 38:05 Girl, I want to tell you something. 38:07 You are absolutely right. 38:09 It is not fair. 38:14 It is not fair at all that a powerful rebel angel 38:17 has come down to this earth. 38:18 And because Adam and Eve 38:20 surrendered their rulership to him, 38:23 this planet is now under his dominion, 38:25 this old serpent called the devil and Satan. 38:28 No, you are right, girl, it is not fair. 38:33 But the devil now plays havoc with our emotions 38:36 and our chemistries and our attractions 38:37 and our behaviors. 38:39 He is a terrible task master. 38:40 And once he gets a hold of us, 38:42 now I'm telling you with all the fangs 38:44 and the claws he has, 38:46 he will not let go unless somebody intervenes. 38:52 Of course, it's not fair. 38:55 You are absolutely right. 38:57 The devil is for one dark passion, 38:58 and that is to force, to deceive every creature, 39:01 the intelligent creation of God 39:03 into a life under the devil's control, 39:05 far away from living in control of our own attractions. 39:09 He said, ah, you're going to listen to me. 39:11 You understand me? 39:13 I am your Lord. 39:14 You didn't tell me that. 39:16 But I'm telling you, you have accepted my rulership. 39:20 You behave now as I tell you, 39:22 and the more you behave, the more I hold you tight. 39:28 Of course, it's not fair. 39:30 It wasn't fair for Jesus as single. 39:33 Was He heterosexual? 39:34 Let's just assume He was, He was a Jew, 39:36 red blooded Jewish male. 39:37 It was not fair for Jesus to have to come down here 39:39 and to hold it, 39:41 to resist the powerful attractions 39:44 that the human is created with and never to be married. 39:47 That was not fair either. 39:49 You want to talk about fairness. 39:51 It hasn't been fair for anybody since we fell. 39:54 There's no way 39:55 we can play that card in front of God. 39:57 It's not fair. 39:58 And you have to let me do it. 40:01 He says, I don't play that card. 40:04 It's illogical. 40:06 This isn't about fairness now. 40:09 This is about getting out of here. 40:12 You're either going to be a sinner orientation, 40:15 or you're going to be a saved orientation. 40:17 And I'm begging you 40:19 while we have time 40:20 move from here to here. 40:25 But the Bible is very clear about this. 40:28 And if we act out our sexual attractions 40:30 outside of marriage, between a man and a woman, 40:34 the creator says, 40:35 listen, listen, you got to trust me. 40:36 I invented the iPhone. 40:38 I invented your beautiful, beautiful system. 40:40 Even though it's out of whack, 40:42 it's still under my power 40:45 to sustain and to nourish. 40:48 If you disobeyed, 40:50 what I've told you is a deadly danger, 40:54 you are sinning. 40:57 You are sinning 40:59 and you are staying in the sinner orientation 41:01 when I'm trying to get you out, girl. 41:04 I'm trying to get you out, boy. 41:05 I'm trying to get you out of that orientation. 41:08 Oh, I'll just wait. 41:10 I'll have a little bit of fun. 41:11 And then when I get older, I'll just switch. 41:14 No, you won't. 41:16 You will not switch. 41:17 I don't care what you mean by switch. 41:18 You will not switch. 41:20 The longer you live 41:22 under the dominion of the dark rebel, 41:25 the deeper his claws go in your mind and your body. 41:30 And he says, I have you. 41:32 Don't believe him. 41:34 He doesn't have you. 41:36 Jesus died for the right 41:38 to say, she's mine, he is mine, 41:42 don't touch him. 41:49 It's a sin. 41:50 In fact, a very bright New Testament scholar 41:53 who teaches at a rather Ivy league school 41:56 called Duke University. 41:59 He wrote the book, 42:00 The Moral Vision of the New Testament. 42:01 His name is Richard Hays. 42:05 He has a big chapter in the middle of that book, 42:07 dealing with ethics. 42:08 He's an ethicist. 42:10 And to the 11 year old, I'm saying, 42:11 an ethicist is somebody 42:13 who studies the behavior 42:14 that flows from being a follower of Christ. 42:16 So he has a whole chapter on what he calls homosexuality. 42:21 It's very interesting. 42:24 He grew up with the gay friend. 42:26 They went to Yale together. 42:27 This friend did not believe that, 42:29 that he needed her holding 42:32 on his same gender attractions. 42:35 And so the friend lived his life 42:37 and he's still friends with Richard Hays. 42:40 And then along the way, the friend became a Christian. 42:46 The friend started reading literature 42:47 that says, hey, the Bible actually allows you 42:49 to have this attraction, you're okay. 42:51 The friend read that literature. 42:53 And he's a bright mind, went to Yale, 42:54 and he says, you know what? 42:55 This is disingenuous. 42:57 This kind of logic is just bonk. 43:00 However it impinges on my life. 43:02 I will accept the authority of this word. 43:06 He died of AIDS, 43:08 But he died a believer in the Lord Jesus. 43:11 So Richard Hays is not describing something 43:14 he has not experienced with a friend. 43:16 Anyway, Richard Hays said, 43:18 "Hey guys, there are only five or six passages 43:20 in all the scripture." 43:21 That's it? 43:23 This is not a huge conversation in scripture at all. 43:25 But he says, "If you take those five or six passages," 43:28 and he carefully examines all of them, 43:31 he says, the Bible speaks with a... 43:36 The Bible's command is univocal. 43:39 Now I'm talking to my 11 year old friend 43:40 and we don't use those, 43:42 that kind of wording when we're 11, 43:44 but univocal means, speaks with one voice. 43:47 All right? 43:48 So he says, I've looked at all these, 43:50 these five or six passages very carefully. 43:52 And I can tell you that the Bible is univocal. 43:55 It speaks with one voice 43:57 in its condemnation of same gender sex, 44:01 what Richard Hays calls homoerotic behavior. 44:05 Now those are two big words 44:06 that 11 year old doesn't have to worry about. 44:08 But that's what he's saying is you're acting it out 44:11 same gender sex. 44:12 The Bible is univocal in condemning it. 44:16 There's no question. 44:17 I don't care how many books get written 44:19 in a desperate effort to change but you can't change it. 44:22 The brightest minds on earth know. 44:28 And the Bible refers to such activity as sin, 44:31 but the very good news is 44:33 that Jesus offers us the power 44:35 to live above any and all sin. 44:38 That's why Paul is teaching his friends in Corinth. 44:41 Yo, guys, I'm telling you, I got some good news for you. 44:45 I know your lifestyle. 44:46 I know what your orientation was before, 44:49 but I got good news for you. 44:50 Watch this. This is 1 Corinthians 6:9. 44:53 Same chapter we were just in a moment ago. 44:54 Hey guys, I'm writing to you, followers of Jesus Christ now. 44:57 "Do you not know 44:59 that wrongdoers will not inherit 45:01 the kingdom of God?" 45:03 Well, I think we knew that. 45:05 "Do not be deceived: 45:06 Neither the sexually immoral..." 45:08 Ooh, that just kind of takes in the whole human race on it. 45:12 "Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters," 45:15 well, that's that fits for us. 45:17 We can do say yep. 45:18 "Nor adulterers." 45:20 Ooh, it doesn't matter your orientation. 45:23 It's just adultery. 45:25 You're doing sex 45:26 outside of the protective walls of marriage. 45:28 Oh man, 45:29 "Nor men who have sex with men," 45:32 oh that's pretty clear now, 45:36 but it didn't stop there, 45:37 "nor thieves, nor the greedy, 45:42 nor drunkards, 45:43 people who had their appetites out of control, 45:45 nor slanderers," 45:47 that would be gossipers. 45:48 Fortunately they're no gossipers 45:50 in our little faith community here, 45:53 but he's going after them. 45:56 That's good news, nor slanderers, nor swindlers. 46:01 Thank you for that great children's story. 46:05 None of these will inherit the kingdom of God. 46:08 Now what we do, 46:10 some people who like to go to this text, 46:12 they take only one line, men having sex with men. 46:15 Ha-ha. 46:16 This is what I'm here to champion. 46:18 Why? 46:20 If you're Paul, that's not what you were championing. 46:23 You gave a laundry list of dirty clothes. 46:26 And you said, this is all of us 46:30 describing himself I'm sure. 46:35 Now, watch this. 46:36 There's that laundry with list. 46:38 None of these will inherit the kingdom of God. 46:40 But that is what some of you were. 46:46 You were that. 46:48 Do you know what it means when it says you were? 46:51 That means you are no longer that. 46:54 Do you see that? 46:55 He didn't say you are that, he says you were that. 46:59 Well, hey, run me, 47:00 run that list by me again, Dwight. 47:02 No, you run through yourself. 47:04 You already saw the list. 47:06 He says you were that, but you were washed. 47:10 Somebody cleaned you up. 47:12 You were sanctified. 47:14 That means you were set aside for God's exclusive use. 47:17 You were justified 47:18 that mean somebody took your place. 47:20 And if you believe in Him, 47:22 all your sins, your entire past is washed away. 47:24 Your sins are forgiven. 47:26 You are justified in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ 47:28 and by the spirit of our God. 47:31 Man, this is not bad news 47:35 because every one of us 47:36 has been born in the sinner orientation. 47:38 This is good news. 47:39 He's just reminding us that because of Jesus' death, 47:41 we can move from sinner orientation 47:43 to saved orientation. 47:44 Is that bad? 47:46 No, that's good. 47:48 That's the only orientation that counts 47:53 for Paul. 47:56 Wow. 47:58 That's a powerful promise 48:00 that though we are all tempted 48:01 to act out our sexual attractions 48:03 outside of God's plan for marriage. 48:06 And though we have all fallen 48:07 in acting out those forbidden, same gender 48:10 or opposite gender sexual attractions. 48:14 This cuts both ways. 48:15 There is no ISO here. 48:17 This is a, you see the list. 48:19 It's all of us. 48:25 And Paul mentions the Holy Spirit 48:27 right there at the end. 48:31 That's it. 48:32 That's the goal that God has for you. 48:35 Hey, listen, that's the vision God has for you and me. 48:38 Jesus says, I want to move you 48:39 from sinner orientation to saved orientation. 48:43 Would you be willing to move? 48:45 If I do it, would you be willing to go with me? 48:48 But, of course, my Lord, my body, mi casa es tu casa. 48:53 My house is your house. My body is your body. 48:56 Come on in. 48:58 I'll treat it the way you help me treat it. 49:02 I'm not asking you to take away my attractions. 49:06 That would be like saying, take me out of this world. 49:09 No, no, no. 49:10 He doesn't want to take you out of the world. 49:12 He wants to leave you in the world 49:14 because as a friend of his, 49:15 you're going to make a difference 49:17 wherever you go. 49:21 So yes, young lady, 49:24 it is possible that an 11 year old child 49:26 can begin to... 49:28 Who is beginning to wonder 49:29 whether she is bisexual or not. 49:31 It is possible for that 11 year old child to know 49:35 one that Jesus loves and wants her. 49:37 And two that HE'S promised to keep her living in a way 49:42 that will be faithful to His lordship in her life. 49:51 So I want to say to you, girl, 49:56 thank you for sending me your note. 49:59 It was helpful for me. 50:02 And I know that you probably guessed. 50:05 I've been praying for you. 50:08 Can't read your name, but I'm praying for you. 50:13 You're not too young 50:15 at 11 to decide to honor your maker and your savior 50:20 and offering Him, I love you back, Jesus. 50:25 Eleven's the perfect age to cry out to Him. 50:28 I love you back, 50:30 Lord, maker of all things. 50:36 That's true. 50:37 I've got to warn you. 50:40 Your friends may make fun of you. 50:44 Or they're the ones perhaps that even planted this seed 50:46 in your mind in the first place? 50:49 They may make fun of you. 50:51 And if you have friends 50:53 who are living out their same gender, 50:54 sexual attraction with others, 50:57 they may try hard to change your mind 51:00 and tell you, you can never go back 51:02 to what Jesus wants you to be 51:03 and how Jesus wants you to live. 51:05 You can't go back. This is it. 51:07 This is what you're stuck with. 51:08 You are this now for the rest of your life. 51:10 Do not believe them. 51:13 Do not believe them. 51:16 That's a lie. 51:20 That doesn't mean your attractions won't go away 51:22 if you're old enough to know what they are. 51:27 But it means you don't have to act on those attractions. 51:31 Jesus didn't. 51:35 You don't have to either. 51:40 That is what some of you were. 51:43 But now, you move from sinner orientation 51:47 to saved orientation. 51:50 Paul is saying, stay there. 51:54 This is his temple 51:57 up here, here all the way down is his temple. 52:03 Take good care of his house. 52:08 I'm proud of you 11 year old friend of mine. 52:13 And I'm praying for you real hard 52:16 because I happen to believe that 52:17 Jesus has some very special plans for your life. 52:19 I don't know who you are aware 52:20 or where I should be looking right now, 52:22 but I guess I could be just pretty much safe 52:24 in looking at you and saying, 52:25 I believe Jesus has some very special plans 52:28 for your life. 52:29 Don't sell yourself short. 52:33 You were bought with a price. 52:37 You belong to the King of the universe 52:41 who will take you on a trip 52:46 that you will never regret for as long as you live. 52:51 So listen. 52:53 Do you need somebody to talk to? 52:54 Give me a call. 52:56 You know where you can find me. 52:58 Give me a call. We can talk. 53:02 Maybe your parents don't know, 53:05 bring them along. 53:07 We can talk. 53:09 I'd be glad to visit with you 53:11 because this much I know, 53:14 Jesus dearly loves you 53:18 and so do I. 53:22 Let's pray. 53:24 Oh God. 53:26 Oh God, 53:29 thank You for Jesus. 53:32 What else can we say? 53:36 He's our only hope 53:38 He is our only help. 53:43 And we call out to You. 53:46 We are the orientation of sinner, 53:48 we call out to you, 53:53 move us Jesus 53:57 to your life 54:00 as you lived it 54:03 on this planet right now. 54:06 Oh, by the way, Jesus. 54:10 We love you back. 54:15 Amen. 55:11 O Love that will not let me go 55:16 I rest my weary soul in thee 55:22 I give thee back the life I owe 55:27 That in thine ocean depths Its flow 55:32 May richer, fuller be 55:41 O Light that follows all my way 55:46 I yield my flickering torch To thee 55:52 My heart restores Its borrowed ray 55:57 That in thy sunshine's blaze Its day 56:02 May brighter, fairer be 56:11 O Joy That seekest me through pain 56:17 I will not close my heart To thee 56:22 I trace the rainbow Through the rain 56:28 And feel the promise Is not vain 56:33 That morn shall tearless be 56:42 O Cross that liftest up my head 56:48 I dare not ask to fly from thee 56:54 I lay in dust life's glory dead 56:59 And from the ground There blossoms red 57:04 Life that shall endless be 57:17 I want to take an extra moment 57:19 to thank you for joining us in worship today. 57:20 It's by the continuous support from viewers like you 57:22 that we're able to bring you this program. 57:24 Today, I want to invite you though 57:26 to share with us 57:27 how this ministry has blessed you. 57:29 I get inspiring notes, emails from viewers, 57:31 literally all over the world 57:32 telling me, look, Dwight, 57:34 God has been blessing me this way. 57:35 He's been doing this. 57:37 I would love to hear from you as well. 57:38 Just visit our website, 57:39 you know it, newperceptions.tv 57:42 and click on the contact link at the top of the page. 57:44 Send me a note. 57:45 Let me know what God has been doing 57:47 right now in your life. 57:49 Once again, thank you for being with us today. 57:51 I hope you join us right here next time. 57:53 And until then, 57:55 may the God of grace journey with you 57:57 every step of the way. |
Revised 2021-05-29