Touching Base - Part 227

TB 227
Update
26 Jan 14

(You can find a recording of this sermon here.)

This Touching Base is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside of the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build healthy community because God's Word needs to be discussed in community.

If you attend Bethel Church then you need to read this. Why? We believe that every person that attends Bethel needs to be “in the know”, aware of what is happening. That way you can know where to jump in, how you can prayerfully support the ministry and you can see the progress (and sometimes the lack of progress) we are making as we move forward into the emerging vision. Being part of Bethel means caring about the vision, and contributing to make it happen. My prayer is that this brief update will do just that!

SPIRITUAL LIFE SURVEY

As you now know, 178 willing participants (we did not have to hold anyone at gunpoint to do this) filled out the survey. We are now in the process of interpreting the data. How is this happening?
1. The Elders’ team has met and has begun to review the feedback and compile a list of observations.
2. The staff team met this past week and reviewed the feedback, adding to the elders’ observations.
3. A team of people from Bethel are in the process of being recruited to do a 2-hour round table as we review the feedback. If you would like to be on this team please contact me at markkotchapaw@gmail.com

Once we have assessed the feedback, we will begin the process of asking ourselves two key questions, “ Now what?” and “So what?” The data will be used to shape our ministries, identify new priorities, and evaluate existing ministries. There is no sacred stone at Bethel that cannot be turned over and examined. Please pray for this process.

You can download and see the full survey reports by going to the Admin Page on the Bethel website.

THE ELDERS

The elders continue to meet monthly for the purpose of prayer and strategic planning that is addressing the emerging vision at Bethel. One of our key objectives this year has been to drill down deep in the area of understanding discipleship. We have done this through watching video segments at several of our Fall meetings, discussing discipleship, praying into this issue and conducting the Spiritual Life Survey at Bethel. At our January meeting we were thrilled to be able to review the data from the survey and talk about how discipleship is unfolding at Bethel, road blocks and key areas to address. Often when assessing if a church is successful, leaders fall back on the three b’s- Bucks, Bodies and Buildings. While all three are necessary they can serve as faulty means to identify if a church is really making disciples. We are delighted that as a leadership team we can see more deeply into the true health of the church.

We also have been addressing our own issues of spiritual growth. We as a team have filled out the Tracking Spiritual Growth tool and at various meetings take time to discuss our own progress as disciples.

STAFF HIRE

One issue percolating at Bethel Church is the issue of a staff hire. As many of you know, Bethel needs to hire to address issues of current growth and envisioned growth. We have enlisted the skillset of Brian Marchant who has been working with us (elders) to put together a comprehensive job description. This position comes out of our Vision Pathway (see back of this document) and our S.W.O.T (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) exercise. Once we have finalized the job description we will be going to the congregating for their input and approval to post and hire. Ideally we would love to have someone in place by August 1, 2014.

BREATHE

This year we are engaging in our second prayer focus leading up to Easter. It starts on Sunday, March 2nd and will culminate with a Seder meal on the eve of Good Friday. Last year we called our prayer focus Move, this year we are going with the theme of Breathe, based on Acts 17:28, “For in Him we live and move, and have our being,” Our life is in God and we so desire for Him to Breathe His life into our city, nation and world! Join us. More details to come.

THINKING ABOUT WHAT MATTERS

The colorful picture below is what we call the Vision Pathway (click on it if you'd like to see a larger version). You will note our vision statement at the center, which is based on Matthew 28:19,20. You will also note four key words that surround our vision. They answer key questions.

Strategy: How are we organized? These are the key directions that we want our people to grow in. Each ministry can be seen as facilitating one or all three of these directions.

Mission: What is important? Our mission succinctly states the simplicity of all that we are trying to do.

Marks: What does a disciple look like? These are broad statements that capture what we believe is at the heart of a disciple.

Values: What does relational integrity look like in this organization? Values help define our culture and clarify what we value in relationships.

Vision: Where are we going?

Why is it important that you know this? You need to know what matters at Bethel. There are lots of things to talk about in the church, lots that can get churches sidelined and tripped up. We want to stay focused, strategic, on our knees and moving into all God has for us.

Pray for your church and feel free to ask questions. Your insight and observations matter.

Mark Kotchapaw
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact bethelcommunitygroups@gmail.com

Touching Base - Part 226

TB 226
Hot Topics 2014
PART 1: Same-Sex Marriage
12 Jan 14

(You can find a recording of this sermon here.)

Main Hot Topics page: http://bethelkingston.com/hot-topics-for-a-cold-month/

This Touching Base is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside of the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build healthy community because God's Word needs to be discussed in community.



As a small group discuss the following images:

Jesus:

Rambo:

In what way do these two images contrast each other?

What adjectives come to mind to describe these two pictures?

Is it fair and balanced to only see Jesus through the filter of this scene? Why or why not?

When it comes to the gay issue in our culture has the church tended to have a servant model approach or a Rambo model approach?

What characterizes a servant model approach?

Check out 1 Peter 3:15,16. Note key words and phrases like, “set apart Christ as Lord”, “be prepared,” “ gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience”…

What are words and phrases that might characterize a “Rambo” approach?

What makes it hard to be gracious, kind and respectful on issues we may disagree on?

When it comes to the issue of same sex marriage what image best defines your response?

The same-sex marriage issue which is the focus of this Touching Base is hot for several reasons.

It is hot because at times the Church has been guilty of being hateful, armed with bible verses, locked, loaded and ready to fire. Rambo!!

However, it is also hot because those on the other side have also been guilty, at times, of using inflammatory language, stereotyping and painting all Christians with a broad brush. Rambo!!! Two Rambos make a rumble! No one is squeaky clean!

It is also hot because we have changed the definition of “tolerance”. The result is that if you disagree on this issue, you can get labeled with some pretty nasty titles - bigot, hateful, angry, narrow minded. But tolerance does not mean we agree with every idea. The classical definition of tolerance is in keeping with what Voltaire said,

“I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.”

We tolerate people, we discriminate against ideas. What we have today is that we discriminate against people and ideas. This approach inflames the conversation.

Have you seen the discrimination (attacking, name calling) of the person in our culture because they disagree with his or her idea? When is this ever justified?

Q. So how do we approach this issue as Christ followers who want to engage with people from the LGBT community? Many of us have friends who are gay, or are who heterosexual and endorse same-sex marriage.

For the sake of this message I am assuming that we are supporting the position that the Bible teaches that marriage is between a man and a woman.

Sometimes, however, our starting point might not always be Scripture. Now don’t get me wrong - I believe the Word of God is clear on this issue and has authority. However, what do you do when talking to someone who has no regard for the Scriptures? Like Bill Maher, comedian, television host, and political commentator, they say,
“I think that people who think God wrote a book called the Bible are just childish.”

I think the words of 1 Peter – be prepared, gentle, respectful are words and attributes that help me to think deeply about the person I am talking to. Be prepared to address… who? Be gentle towards…who? Be respectful of….who?
Perhaps as I think about them I need to do what I can to remove the perception that my view is rooted in hate, bigotry and close-mindedness. That is a major relational hurdle.
Perhaps as I think about them I need to realize that the starting point of the conversation cannot be based in Scripture - a text they might give no validity to - but on more common ground like history, science, logic and observation. I am not minimizing Scripture, but respecting the proper starting point with a particular audience.

Note:
We are not talking this morning about the legitimacy or illegitimacy of same-sex orientation. Christopher Yuan helped us address that.
We are not talking about a gay person’s right to a civil union, their rights and protections.
We are not endorsing that being gay is the worst sin in the Bible.
We are not saying that heterosexuality is the perfect model. Just check out those who are in the heterosexual community and you will see brokenness.
This is not about winning an argument, but about removing negative stereotypes - sometimes deserved by the church - in order to build bridges.

What might be your talking points? My definition of a talking point is a line of logic that is not bulletproof but gets the conversation started.

1. We hold a position that is rooted in widely-held observations made throughout all of history.

“There is simple and decisive evidence that the conjugal view is not particular to religion, or to any religious tradition. Ancient thinkers who had no contact with religions such as Judaism or Christianity - including Xenophanes, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Musonius Rufus, and Plutarch - reached remarkably similar views of marriage.” (What Is Marriage? Pg10)

In C.S. Lewis’ Abolition of Man, he lists moral codes of many cultures across the ages. They are strikingly similar at key points: honoring parents, being faithful in (heterosexual) marriage, not stealing, not murdering, not lying and so on – a moral awareness, an internal guidance system.

An overarching theme of history demonstrates that when the institution of marriage is compromised, societies suffer.

“British anthropologist J.D. Unwin studied eighty-six civilized and uncivilized cultures spanning five thousand years and found that the most prosperous cultures were those that maintained a strong marriage ethic. Every civilization that abandoned this ethic, including the Roman, Babylonian and Sumerian empires, experienced demise soon after liberalizing their sexual practices.” Joseph Daniel Unwin, Sex and Culture (London: Oxford University Press, 1934).

Someone might say, “but correlation doesn’t always indicate causation.” Yes, but it often does, and when you take eighty-six civilized and uncivilized cultures spanning 5000 years and see similar patterns, conclusions about causation are well founded.

“As a group, as a rule and by nature men and women produce the next generation.”

So marriage is not something that was defined, like green means go and red means stop (these are social constructs), but rather described, not a social construct but the observation of how things work.

Many governments have seen what is observable through history and set up certain protections for the institution of marriage. Marriage has been a uniquely-protected institution because of its direct connection with the health, wealth and sustainability of a culture.

So would it be bigotry to hold to a view that marriage is between a man and a woman based on observations of our history? Does this make us bigots?
Does our observation of history make this position correct? Not necessarily. Past cultures have come to a number of conclusions that were wrong – a flat earth, the role of women, racism, donuts are good for you… but past cultures have come to some astonishing sound, true conclusions.

2. What do we understand about uniqueness and thus influence in the family structure?

Are moms and dads interchangeable?
Does it matter if a child is raised by her mom and dad or two moms and two dads?
Does it matter if a child is lacking one of their biological parents?
We need to understand that believing that there are differences between a mom and a dad, and that a child benefits from both parents is not rooted in bigotry, or closed mindedness.

There is great debate these days about what the evidence is showing regarding the importance of a mom and dad. There are those that hold to the “no difference” position. They believe that two mommies or two daddies are just as good as a mom and dad. See below for the data on this research.

The American Psychological Association, in an official publication in 2005 which was intended to influence the legal debate, claimed that “the evidence to date suggests that home environments provided by lesbian and gay parents are as likely as those provided by heterosexual parents to support and enable children’s psychosocial growth.”

The issue, they say, is a loving home not sexual orientation.

However because there is a debate, that means there is data on the other side. See below for resources. You can (gently and respectfully) push back with academic integrity.

“The best available social sciences suggest that children tend to do best when reared by their married mother and father. Studies that control for other factors, including poverty and even genetics, suggest that children reared in intact homes do best on the following indices:
Educational achievement: literacy and graduation rates
Emotional health: rates of anxiety, depression, substance abuse and suicide
Familial and sexual development: strong sense of identity, timing of onset of puberty, rates of teen and out of wedlock pregnancy, and rates of sexual abuse
Child and adult behavior: rates of aggression, attention deficit disorder, delinquency, and incarceration
(What Is Marriage? Page 42)

A mom and a dad bring something unique to the family equation. Two flesh produce one flesh and that one flesh is best nurtured by his/her biological parents.

“As absentee fathers and out-of-wedlock births become common, a train of social pathologies follows, and with it greater demand for policing and state- provided social services. Sociologists David Popenoe and Alan Wolfe’s research on Scandinavian countries shows that as a marriage culture declines, the size and scope of state power and spending grow.” (What is Marriage? Page 46)
Dr Popenoe goes on to say….
“We should disavow the notion that “mommies can make good “daddies” just as we should disavow the popular notion that “daddies can make good mommies.… The two sexes are different to the core, and each is necessary - culturally and biologically - for the optimal development of a human being.”
(When It Comes To Raising Kids, Same-Sex Marriage Isn’t the Same,” Boston Globe, January 23, 2004)

University of Virginia sociologist W. Bradford Wilcox finds much the same:
“Let me now conclude our review of the social scientific literature on sex and parenting by spelling out what should be obvious to all. The best psychological, sociological, and biological research to date now suggests that on average men and women bring different gifts to the parenting enterprise, that children benefit from having parents with distinct parenting styles, and that family breakdown poses a serious threat to children and to the societies in which they live.”
(What is Marriage? Page 60)

Does what I have just written win the argument? I don’t think so. What it does demonstrate is that you can hold the position that marriage is between a man and a woman and that position is not founded and rooted in bigotry and hate but science, research, observation and careful study. If I am hateful and bigoted then that is a sin I need to confess.

Is it wise and founded on unquestionable scientific data to state that there is no difference between a same sex marriage and a heterosexual marriage?
Is it wise to promote same-sex marriage as on equal footing with heterosexual marriage?
Is it bigoted, hateful to support and promote heterosexual marriage?
What about equal rights? Good question. What about the rights of a child to be raised in the best possible context for his or her wellbeing? Is it wise to promote a definition of marriage where the rights of a child to his or her biological mom and dad are, at times, ignored?

Final Thoughts
The heart of Jesus is first and foremost to take care of our own back yard (The Church). Ever noted who Jesus got really ticked off with? It was the religious leaders - it was the insiders. Perhaps if there was more integrity in the Church there would be more credibility with onlookers so we could have these difficult conversations.

I think the heart of Jesus is to build relationships with people who are very different from us. To build relationships that the establishment has long shunned. We might not agree but we can listen, learn and love. We might disagree but this topic is best addressed in the context of trust and friendship, not pulpits, bullying points and arrogance.

Lets come back to 1 Peter 3:15,16- What is our hope?
Their hope and ours is in Christ.
Jesus is the trophy of our message. In the end we want to give people Jesus. He is the foundation of faith, change, hope and transformation. There are tough issues to talk about, but there is one message that stands out above all - Jesus Christ - our hope.
Mark Kotchapaw
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact bethelcommunitygroups@gmail.com

Helpful books as you dig in.
The End of Sexual Identity, Jenell Williams Paris (Ph.D., American University)
What is Marriage? (Originally published in the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy) Sherif Girgis, Ryan T. Anderson, Robert P. George
Smart Sex, Jennifer Roback Morse
Helpful websites as you dig in.
Stand To Reason – Greg Koukl – http://www.str.org
J. Warner Wallace – http://www.pleaseconvinceme.com
Dr William Lane Craig – http://www.reasonablefaith.org
Helpful on line articles as you dig in.
A. Research that supports the “no difference” position.
i. http://www.nllfs.org/publications/
ii. http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2013/summer/suspect-science
iii. http://www.asanet.org/documents/ASA/pdfs/12-144_307_Amicus_%20%28C_%20Gottlieb%29_ASA_Same-Sex_Marriage.pdf

B. Research that refutes the “no difference” position.
i. http://www.redstate.com/2013/03/28/same-sex-marriage-is-not-the-same-as-opposite-sex-marriage/
ii. http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2013/10/10996/
iii. http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2013/10/11115/
iv. http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2012/06/5634/

Touching Base - Part 225

“CASTING CALL” – PART 2:
MARY – A LIFE INTERRUPTED
Jamie Stinson
15 Dec13

(You can find a recording of this sermon here.)

This Touching Base is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside of the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build healthy community because God's Word needs to be discussed in community.

Where does your first interruption with God find you… in 15 words or less describe your first interruption from God.

BIG IDEA: ”A divine interruption postures us for a faith eruption.”

The last book of the Old Testament is Malachi. At the close of that book, God… goes silent… God says nothing. There are no more prophets... there are no scriptures written by God… just 400 years of silent nights…God had simply quit speaking.

Two probable reasons why the Lord God instituted this kind of ‘famine’:
• Amos 2:11-12 says that God’s people commanded His prophets “not to prophecy”
• Zechariah 7:11-12 says that the hearts of God’s people became as hard as flint and they would not listen.

Israel stopped listening, so God stopped interrupting them.

1. DIVINE INTERRUPTIONS ARE OFTEN UNEXPECTED (LUKE 1:26-28)

‘the angel went to her’... after 400 years of silence…in the fullness of God’s appointed time…an angel just showed up in an otherwise everyday experience to an ordinary Jewish girl… which leads us to the first characteristic of an interrupted life.

You fill in your own blanks…:________years ago, I was ______________and God unexpectedly interrupted my life when ________________________.

The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.”

The phrase ‘greetings you who are highly favoured’ simply meant that Mary had been given much grace or "unmerited favour" from God.

There is a slogan that I’ve seen that says “Jesus loves you, but I’m His favorite.” Do you struggle thinking of yourself as ‘favoured?’ It’s one thing to be humble, but we have to be careful that we don’t wade too deeply into the waters of “undeserved grace.”

2. DIVINE INTERRUPTIONS CAN BE HUMBLING

Notice the connection between his favour and his presence. In the next sentence Gabriel says, “Greetings you are highly favored…The Lord is with you.” So often the two concepts go hand-in-hand and that leads us to another characteristic of these interruptions.

Throughout the Bible, this phrase "the Lord is with you" was not applied to people in ordinary situations in life, but the term was used to address people who were given unique vocations that would impact all of Israel.

Mary would have been familiar with:
• God appearing to Jacob and confirming him as the covenant leader when He said, "Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go" (Gen. 28:15).
• God calling Moses at the burning bush to lead His people out of Egypt, He said, "I will be with you" (Ex. 3:12).
• Joshua leading the people into battle in the Promised Land when God said, "I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you" (Josh. 1:5).
• The story of when an angel called Gideon to defend the people from a foreign invasion, he greeted Gideon saying, "The Lord is with you" (Judg. 6:12).
• The story of David when God put him at the head of an everlasting kingdom, God reminded David of His faithfulness to him, saying, "I have been with you wherever you went" (2 Sam. 7:9)
• And maybe she was even familiar with the story of when God called Jeremiah to be a prophet to the nations, He said, "Be not afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you" (Jer. 1:8).

No doubt that Mary knew, when the words "The Lord is with you" are spoken…she was thinking about these great men, for it is a signal that someone is being called to a great mission that will be difficult and demanding. And the future of Israel will be dependent on how well that person plays his part.

As one commentator explained, "In all these texts, the destiny of Israel is at stake. The person to whom the words are addressed is summoned by God to a high vocation, and entrusted with a momentous mission, and . . . the religious history of Israel (and therefore of the world) depended, at that moment, on his response to the call." (J. McHugh, The Mother of Jesus in the New Testament. London: Darton, Longman & Todd, 1975, p. 49.)

Can you think of an interruption in your life when you felt the weight of the words “I will be with you”?

3. DIVINE INTERRUPTIONS CAN BE TROUBLING (LUKE 1:29-33)

Mary is not the first to be troubled by God’s words….I’m sure many of us can relate! Have you ever been troubled by God’s words and what He has asked you to do?

Gabriel assures her that she has found favor with God. What does it mean for Mary to "find favor with God"?

"To find favor" can describe a higher ranking person bestowing kindness and favor upon an inferior and putting him in an important role of leadership.

• Joseph was a slave under Potiphar in Egypt, Genesis tells us that Joseph "found favour" in Potiphar’s sight, and was put in charge of all Potiphar’s household (Gen. 39:4–6).
• Noah was the first person in the Bible to be described this way. In the midst of a corrupt world, Noah was the one man who "found favour" with God and, as a result, was protected from the flood and established as the head of the renewed human family (Gen. 6:8).
• Abraham "found favour" with God and became the instrument God would use to bring blessing to the whole world (Gen. 18:2–3).
• Moses also "found favour" with God as the covenant mediator who helped to reconcile the sinful people with the Lord at Mount Sinai (Ex. 33:12–17).

These are just a few examples of how the one who finds favor with God is specifically chosen by the Lord for a particular mission in His saving plan.

We don’t have to do what Mary did in order to feel troubled by what God is asking us to do. Maybe you’ve had conversations with God that went something like this:

Really? You want me to move… THERE?
I have to forgive… THAT PERSON?
You want me to give… THAT much?
You want me to… LEAD that?
You want me to start… WHAT?

What’s been a troubling question that God interrupted your life with?

4. INTERRUPTIONS TAKE US TO THE DEEP END

Then Gabriel goes on to say…You will conceive and give birth to a son ... Sometimes we sign up for what we believe God is calling us to and sometimes like Mary, we are drafted.

Have you ever felted drafted by God? He really didn’t give you an option? Or can you relate more to being a draft dodger? Explain.

I’m sure Mary thought she was in over her head. Let’s look at what Gabriel actually said to Mary about her child:

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.
(Luke 1:32–33)

The words in 2 Samuel 7 would have been very familiar to many Jews in the first century, for they echo one of the most important Old Testament passages related to the Davidic Kingdom.

I will make for you a great name . . . When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. . . . And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established forever.
(2 Sam. 7:9, 12–14, 16)

Notice the many striking parallels between what was promised to David in this verse and what Gabriel says about Mary’s child in Luke 1.

Sometimes when God interrupts your life, and calls you to a big assignment…you can feel like He is putting you in over your head…And again don’t interpret your deep end through Mary’s deep end assignment…. you don’t have to be giving birth to a Messiah to feel this way.
Do you have an experience that seemed like a ‘deep end’ move that God called you

5. DIVINE INTERRUPTIONS OFTEN FIND US ASKING “HOW?” (LUKE 1:34-37)

“How can this be?” We know that she was not unwilling to be an instrument (1:38) but she was honestly perplexed about how it was all going to be accomplished. Gabriel explained the Holy Spirit would make this happen and the holiness of the Christ child is declared. He reveals to her that the Word was indeed becoming flesh (John 1:1-5,14)

The angel Gabriel stated a great theological truth that “no word from God can ever fail”, a statement that is often mentioned in the Bible. See Genesis 18:14, Isaiah 40:26-29, Jeremiah 32:17, 27; Matthew 19:26, Mark 14:36

God is sovereign, the Creator of ‘heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them (Acts 14:15)
And he is in charge of the world and everything in it (Psalm 24:1-2, 89:11, Acts 4:24)
God is able to make the barren woman conceive (Gen 18:14; 1 Sam 1-19-20)

Mary’s question was the how question, maybe your question is… “When…?”, “Why…?”, “Where…?”
Talk about this in your group.

6. DIVINE INTERRUPTIONS CHALLENGE US TO SURRENDER (LUKE 1:38)

Mary responds with a willing heart.

Scott McKnight in his book, “The Real Mary” elaborates on what Mary instantaneously knew from once she spoke those words…

He proposes that Mary instantly knew that:

• Villagers would taunt and ostracize her son
• Jesus would hear the accusation that he was an illegitimate child and he would be prohibited from special assemblies (Deuteronomy 23:2)
• Joseph’s reputation as an observant Jew would be called into question
• Joseph was legally required to divorce her
• Joseph could leave her stranded with a son without a father.

She must have wondered if there was an easier way. But because she trusted God…and she said yes to this divine interruption… she was postured for a faith eruption.

Surrender and obedience to the interruptions God places in our paths always costs… but the faith-erupting results are always worth it. It’s not always easy… but it’s always worth it.

Mary just couldn't have known… she began the journey by becoming the mother of Jesus… and had to stumble her way to becoming a follower of Jesus. Her interpretation of what Jesus came to do was so unlike the Davidic kingdom that Israel was hoping for. She never anticipated the kind of Messiah Jesus would become.

Would you say your life is postured for a divine interruption?
Why or why not?

Jamie
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact bethelcommunitygroups@gmail.com

Touching Base, Part 224

“CASTING CALL” – PART 1:
REFLECTIONS OF HEROD
Eric Prost
08 Dec13

(You can find a recording of this sermon here.)

This Touching Base is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside of the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build healthy community because God's Word needs to be discussed in community.

Good theology takes the original context of a Biblical text into consideration. This TB tells the Christmas Story in some of its original 1st-century BC context.

Imagine standing on an island in the sky, 1300 feet up with steep cliffs on every side. On your elevated island is a palace with Roman baths, a swimming pool, and other luxuries. Because it is so high and so remote, it is secure, with only three narrow winding paths making their way up to you. You are on the inside of the strong gates at which the paths end.

You might reasonably look around at the view of the Dead Sea and your kingdom with satisfaction and a sense of security. You commissioned this fortress as well as other ones around Judaea; you built a city by the sea – Caesarea Maritima – that became a major port, itself a feat of ancient engineering, along with many other public works.

You played your hand well with the conquering Romans. You and your family were first loyal to Pompey the Great, then Julius Caesar, then Marc Anthony, then the Emperor Augustus, all the while avoiding the wiles of Cleopatra. You killed off rivals (hence the need for the strong fortresses). And you are wealthy.

You are a client-king of the Romans but, nevertheless, King of the Jews.

Does this sound familiar? A man on a high mountain viewing the kingdoms of the world? Read Matthew 4:1-11. There, Jesus is in a showdown with the devil.

Our fortress in the sky is Masada, south of Jerusalem. You are Herod the Great surveying your kingdom. You have managed to hang onto power through successive Roman leaders, all of them powerful, and all commanding legions of well-trained Roman soldiers. Your family rose from obscurity, but your father allied himself with Pompey the Great, who actually stormed Jerusalem and (sacrilegiously) entered the Holy of Holies. During these early struggles you were sent away for safekeeping to another part of the country. Julius Caesar then threatened Pompey, who fled to Egypt and was summarily stabbed to death upon arrival. To keep you safe, your father again sent you away from the threats.

Brilliantly, your father helped Julius Caesar, putting Caesar in his debt and hanging onto power in Judaea when it was otherwise likely that the new strongman would punish your father for his past loyalty to the enemy. You were awarded Roman citizenship and later made governor of Galilee. Then, when Caesar was murdered in Rome, you allied yourself with Marc Antony. With his support, you travelled to Rome and were confirmed King of the Jews by the Roman Senate when you were 33-years-old. With Roman military support you stormed Jerusalem yourself to realize your title. When Antony faded and the first emperor, Augustus, rose up, you in turn gained his favour, remaining king and consolidating power in Roman Judaea.

During this reign you rebuilt the temple, the grandest since Solomon’s. It is from the pinnacle of this building that Satan himself took Jesus to suggest he jump off to see if angels would rescue him. You built cities and public works to the benefit of your people, and managed food supplies during lean times. Being somewhat paranoid, you built strongholds throughout your realm where you would be safe, and had many informers reporting to you. You also executed two of your sons, one of your wives, and the High Priest.

And then, in the year you likely died, you ordered that the babies of Bethlehem be killed because another rival was among them. And so the lives of Herod and Jesus converge at Christmas.

What glorifies God more – contrasting Him with Satan or contrasting Him with us? I think the latter, since we are multi-dimensional beings, rich in contradictions, steeped in sin, and beings who know a whole lot more about ourselves (from scripture and from experience) than we do about Satan.

Herod was not a one-dimensional evil king, but a multi-faceted human leader. We can understand his actions, his pursuit of power, wealth, fame, security, and a dynasty. His motives and behaviour are only too familiar to fellow human beings.

What are inexplicable to us are the actions of Jesus.

His journey is parallel but reversed. Rather than going from obscurity to kingship, Jesus, “who, being in the form of God,” then “made Himself of no reputation” (Philippians 2:6-7). He, too, was then sent by his Father to Egypt for safekeeping for greater things and later was, by the Roman procurator of Judea, confirmed King of the Jews at 33-years-old. A storming of the capital with soldiers did not follow his getting that title, though. It was first displayed above his head on a cross.

In Romans 2, Paul writes about God's righteousness and how this means that God has put us in a right relationship with him. God, in effect, says to us, “Are we okay?”, meaning, “is our relationship alright, are we on speaking terms, is the relationship stable?” The answer, of course, is no – until Jesus. Herod, throughout his career, also asked each rival Roman general/leader, “Are we okay?, hoping that they would overlook his past loyalties and keep him on as a client-king of Judaea. He managed this. And we can understand his tactics because we are similar and would have likely governed the same way. Jesus, rather than saying to the powerful of the world, “Are we okay?”, asked that of humans – rhetorically – and lost the kingship of Judaea to gain the world.

May we prepare our hearts for Christmas during this second week of Advent.

Eric Prost
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact bethelcommunitygroups@gmail.com

Touching Base, Part 223

Bloom Where You Are Planted
24 Nov 13

(You can find a recording of this sermon here.)

This Touching Base is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside of the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build healthy community because God's Word needs to be discussed in community.

Ever had the thought, “I want out of here!” Ever looked at a situation and just wanted to move on, move out, or find a trap door somewhere and get a thousand miles away from the “problem?”

What is it about some situations that exasperate us? Have you ever known that God wanted you to stay faithful yet you just felt like your timetable and God’s were VERY different? I say “go”, God says “stay”. I say “I am done”, God says “no you are not!”

Today we are looking at four scenarios (in the Corinthian Church) that represented places they would rather not be. Places that they would rather just have in their rear-view mirror. But here was the problem: God (through the pen of Paul) was reminding them that living out the Kingdom where they were, was more important than looking for the trap door.

I realize that there are times where we have complete freedom to move on, where we have done all we can do in a particular situation. However there are times where God wants us to stay faithful to a situation and live out his Kingdom purposes.

Let’s look at four unique scenarios in our text and four lies that some Corinthians possibly believed to justify a departure.

Text: 1 Corinthians 7:10-24
Big Idea: Bloom Where You Are Planted

SCENARIO #1 (V.10-11)

v.10 “not I but the Lord” As you read the larger context it makes perfect sense for Paul to say this. In v.6-7. he has just stated what his preference was regarding marriage because of the present crisis (v.26). Now what he is talking about is something Jesus talked about.

What was the background for Paul to say this?
Some Christians had gotten the idea that being single and celibate was more “spiritual” than being married, and they disparaged marriage entirely - some Gentiles, in reacting to the sexual sins of their past, came to look on celibacy not only as the ideal state, but the only truly “godly” state.

Note the “bloom where you are planted” language: “wife must not separate”, “husband must not divorce his wife.”

This is one of those “what about?” verses. What about adultery that Jesus talked about, what about abuse, what about…? He is not talking about “what about”; he is speaking into a very particular situation, answering questions that require specific answers. In light of the situation, Paul reminds them of Jesus’ teaching- there are no grounds here for divorce.

Here is the first lie that can cause us to take up our roots when in fact God might want us to deepen our roots.

Lie: “I can grow if I go!”
This situation represented a boat anchor and they thought “if I can ditch this situation I can soar to new heights.” Ever butted heads with God when it comes to where you think you would thrive, versus where God knows you will thrive?

SCENARIO #2 (V.12-16)

Note again Paul’s opening remarks. He was very aware that this specific scenario was something on which Jesus never commented. However, Paul realizes that the Spirit of God is leading him (v.25, 40) and he knows that the Old Testament (of which Jesus approved) held the marital covenant in very high esteem.

What is very clear in this text? What needs some explaining?
I think v.14 is the most difficult to understand. From the context we know that “sanctify” does not refer to salvation. Paul (in v.16) is referring to the spouse as a non-believer so just living with a non-believing spouse doesn’t save them. This word “sanctify” can have the idea of blessing and being set apart. I think Paul is getting at the idea that if you are a Christ follower, living with a non-believer, then your life, values, testimony, and the Spirit in you should be a blessing to that home. Your presence graces that home. Again, the same could be said of the reference to the children. There is a protection and blessing by having a Christian parent in the home (yes, I know that much more could be said here. If you are in a small group go for it, drill down deeper).

The key section that introduces us to the possible lie is v.16.

Lie: “God can’t work here!”

Ever felt like that? Perhaps as a parent or a friend, the situation is so tough, the push-back is so intense, others’ hearts are so hard that you begin to believe that God has left the building.

SCENARIO #3 (v.17-20)

Why would someone be uncircumcised? Well in that day it was an embarrassment among the gentile population to be circumcised, so some were going out and getting “uncircumcised”. However, there were also gentiles that were getting circumcised, because some of the Jews that said it was what they must do to fit in. Either way there was immense peer pressure to fit in, to embrace the “markings” of a culture that said “I fit in.”

They key verse in identifying the lie is v.19.

Lie: “The marks of success are more important than the heart of success.”

This is how it can play out: I can find myself in the right place, where God wants me. I can be where God has called me but my heart can disconnect from God’s and I can become more inclined to do what people think. I become more aware of what people think… than what God thinks.

Blooming where I am planted, at times, requires me to reject what the culture says I must do to fit in, and instead walk in obedience to God.

Have you ever found yourself to be where God wants you, but your heart is not keeping in step with His truth? The “voices” of where God has called us can sometimes be loud, brash and controlling.

SCENARIO #4 (v.21-24)

Some wonder why Paul is not coming out and condemning slavery here. We need to remember that slavery in Paul’s day was very different than American slavery:

“In urban Corinth he addresses neither the most repressed slaves in mines, gladiatorial shows, or to a lesser extent, in the fields, but household slaves. Many household slaves enjoyed economic and social conditions superior to peasants (who constituted the majority of the Empire’s free population). A small minority who worked for powerful people even wielded more wealth and power than most aristocrats - some noble women married into slavery to improve their social station! Such observations are not intended to condone slavery of any sort, nor to deny its frequent dramatic abuse (e.g. beatings) especially for women. But it is important for modern readers to understand that on average, Roman household slavery proved quite different from slavery, even household slavery in America.” Bernard Lewis, Race and Slavery in the Middle East: A Historical Inquiry (New York: Oxford, 1990)

V.21 Many slaves could gain their freedom and Paul is certainly encouraging that if possible
V.22 Socially they may be slaves, but they are now Christ’s freedman and His slave. The Lord has freed the Christian from the penalty of sin (2 Cor. 5:21) and from Satan and his kingdom (Col. 1:13) and bound us as "slaves" to himself (Rom 1:1).
V23 Some interpret this metaphorically - because of the context – v.21- “don’t let it trouble you”. In other words, perhaps God wants you to stay where you are. Paul is saying, “regardless of your social standing realize your higher calling as slaves to Christ.” They had become slaves to the ways of the world, the ways of men - hence the strife, divisions, immorality and immaturity.

I think v.21 “don’t let it trouble you” is key in identifying our final lie. For some, their calling was to remain a slave, to live out the Kingdom of God in that context. No doubt for some in that audience, slavery was not the best option. However, God might be saying “stay, don’t let it trouble you, be faithful where you are.”

Lie: “I deserve better than this.”

Some of them had developed an arrogant theology, an “I am a King’s kid” theology on steroids. Remember what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4:8-10. Being a slave didn’t jive with being a so-called king, honoured and strong. But Paul says, “Don’t let it trouble you…” In other words, ditch the weird theology and serve faithfully where God has called you.

Sometimes we move on instead of deepening our roots because we are looking to validate ourselves way too much. Feeding a hungry ego that is supported by a arrogant theology is a full-time job!

The theology of the cross reminds us all that we should be willing to go really low and remain faithful and serve in those places.

Bloom where you are planted. Looking for a trap door, an easy out? Perhaps God is saying, “stay, be faithful, work hard, keep your eyes on Me.” Don’t let the lies rob you of hearing God’s voice.

Mark
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact bethelcommunitygroups@gmail.com

Touching Base, Part 222

The Marriage Box
17 Nov 13

This Touching Base is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside of the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build healthy community because God's Word needs to be discussed in community.

Answer the following:
How has your life been positively impacted by a healthy marriage?
How has your life been negatively impacted by an unhealthy marriage?
Would you agree that marriage is no private affair? The health or sickness of a marriage can impact a family, community, church and beyond.

Today we are looking at marriage. The reason this issue comes up in our text is because the Corinthians raised it. This is important to note. Paul is addressing a specific scenario, at a specific time in history with unique nuanced issues that will shape what Paul says and does not say. I say this so you don’t think that what Paul says is biased or unfair; remember he is speaking into a specific situation. He is not saying everything but only what needs to be said for this situation at this time.

Text: 1 Corinthians 7:1-9 (supporting texts 29-31, 36-38; see comments below)
Big Idea: One Flesh Means Both Invest!

V.1 Note that they raised the issue. Also note what Paul says about what is good for a man. Now why might he say such a thing? Remember he is speaking into a specific situation. Check out v.25-29.

Note this practical advice (v.25) in light of the unique situation - the Neronian persecution was just around the corner. The winds were blowing, and he knew the climate of Rome was not believer-friendly. There had even been a beating in the synagogue (see Act 18).

He also believes that it is also good for a man to marry (v.7b, 28). He is endorsing both singleness and marriage that are ultimately determined by gifting and calling. Yet he also shows his hand on what he would prefer (v.7a, 38).

V.2 Wow… is anyone aghast at what he has just said? Does it sound like he has just reduced marriage to some kind of relief valve?

If you want to take Paul out of context you could make Paul sound like a pig. But if you want to be fair with Paul, read Ephesians 5, where he likens marriage to our union with Christ (v.25), or read what he just wrote in chapter 6 showing his high regard for marriage. I like Paul because he is perhaps being more honest than the church has been – he knows we have sexual appetites, drives, passions and that marriage is the safe, healthy place for that to be expressed- if your gift is not celibacy, that is. The Corinthians’ alternative was prostitutes!

So how does Paul develop the big idea? Remember this idea of “one flesh” was raised earlier in 6:16.

He raises the issue of duty in marriage on both spouses’ parts (v.32-35). Note the various aspects of this word. Note that he uses the word “duty” because some were neglecting their duty (v.5a) in marriage so he is wanting to strongly make his point.

1. Duty is a work word (v.3)

One writer has said “Love is hard work. I would carry it one step further. It is the hardest work I know of, work from which you are never entitled to take a vacation. You take on burdens and cares. You inherit problems. You have to feel beyond yourself. You have to think of things other than yourself. Your responsibilities are now multiplied, and you are trusted with greater commitments. You see the easiest part of marriage is the wedding day.” (Ravi Zacharias)
Discuss if you are doing this in a small group.

2. Duty is an other-centered word (v.3)

As a group, discuss the marriage box above:
- How full is your Marriage Box?
- Would your spouse see the box as being more or less full than you would see it?
- What are some great ways your spouse invests in the Marriage Box?
- Denis de Rougemont said “Why should neurotic, selfish, immature people suddenly become angels when they fall in love…?” How does this truth affect the marriage box?

3. Duty is an intimacy word (v.4)

Here’s the bottom line - the wife has the duty to provide sexual satisfaction to the husband AND the husband has the duty to provide sexual pleasure to the wife. Men in that culture needed to hear this loud and clear - One Flesh Means Both Invest!!!

Paul is putting sexuality on a higher plane than one may find in most cultures, including the church, where sex is often seen as the husband’s privilege and the wife’s obligation. However, Paul is saying something radical and very biblical (one flesh). There is mutual authority, privilege and responsibility in the sexual aspect of the relationship. One flesh means both invest.

The view of the Roman culture in which the Corinthians lived (remember that Paul is speaking to a heavily gentile populated audience) was that men were to take wives in order to have legal heirs, while sexual pleasure, if it was to be sought at all, would typically be found outside the marriage.

Now let me highlight three things that worked against what Paul was saying to them:


a. Consumer Sex

Consumer sex is self-seeking. The “duty” that Paul is talking about is self-giving.
The view of the day by men was, “Mistresses we keep for the sake of pleasure, concubines for the daily care of the body, but wives to bear us legitimate children.” Sounds kind of consumerist to me.

For many men in Paul’s day, and for many today, their first and very defining sexual encounter was, and is, consumer driven. Note the following quote from Alicia, a junior at Duke, who explained with sad honesty: “From the time I lost my virginity until now, it’s only been the guy getting pleasure…. More guys have had sex with me than I have sex with them…” The Ring Makes All The Difference - page 110

Note: When monogamy is not the rule - either in polygamous or in sexually-unrestrained cultures – “women become the objects to be collected and used by men.” The Ring Makes all the difference page 122
This was happening in Corinth like today.

What other evidences of consumer sex do you see in culture?

b. Outside, Inside

Some Christians had gotten the idea that being single and celibate was more “spiritual” than being married, and they disparaged marriage entirely. Some Gentiles, in reacting to the sexual sins of their past, came to look on celibacy not only as the ideal state, but the only truly Godly state. So married wives and husbands were depriving their partners of sexual intimacy (see v.5a). They had an “outside, inside” problem:
They had problems in bed because they had problems outside of the bed.

Sex is such a great and sensitive thing that you will not be able to sweep these problems under the rug.
What are outside-of-the-bed problems that can impact sexual intimacy? (unforgiveness, self-doubt, anger, fear…?)

c. Sexual History

In Corinth there were, possibly, people in the church who had been married up to 20 times. There were men who had slept with dozens of prostitutes. Now they are married and suppose to be monogamous and investing in each other. How might sexual history hinder the big idea, One Flesh Means Both Invest?
Think of Alicia from Duke, how might her sexual history make a healthy sex life with her future husband challenging?

Corinth had it all! They were three for three.

Oh, and just in case any are thinking, “this is why I want to test drive the vehicle before marriage”, think again.

Professor Jay Teachman of Western Washington University:
“One of the most clearly defined correlates of cohabitation is an increased risk of marital dissolution. ….he notes that cohabitation increases the possibility of divorce by as much as 50 percent. He even calls cohabitation one of the most ‘robust predictors of marital dissolution’- making living together first one of the worst things you can do for your marriage. Teachman also warns that even premarital sex by itself is associated with an increased risk of marital disruption, though at lower rates than living together before marriage.” The Ring Makes All The Difference
p. 63.

Finally…

4. Duty is a safety word (v.5, 6)

I am running out of trees so I will be short: Note there is to be mutual agreement on abstention. The woman is not a piece of chattel, which was the common view of the day in many circles.

Goliath was big, ugly and smelly, but it only took one well-placed stone to bring him down.
For some marriages that well-placed stone is in the marriage bed. Unresolved issues, unspoken hurts, the acceptance of unhealthy habits, patterns that are normalized in a marriage, all this the enemy sees and seizes upon. Unhealthy sexual relations can be the exact spot where the enemy throws the stone. One well-placed stone can fell a marriage. How safe is your marriage in the context of (v.5,6)?

If you are married I would challenge you to work through this TB as a couple.
If you are single but one day plan to be married, think about how you can best prepare now for a healthy vital sexual relationship with your marriage partner.
If you don`t fit into the above two categories, let this TB remind you of how important it is to pray for married people in the church. Healthy marriages are a labor of love that greatly benefit from a praying community.

Remember there is way more to marriage than sex, but Paul in answering their questions needed to address this key aspect of marriage.

Mark Kotchapaw
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact bethelcommunitygroups@gmail.com

Commentary on supporting texts for our main text (7:1-9)

7:29–31. The second reason Paul felt the single state was advantageous was the potential it offered for detachment from temporal situations. The phrase the time is short referred to the Lord’s return (cf. Rom. 13:11), but it was also a summary philosophy of life for Paul who lived not for the temporary but for the eternal (cf. 2 Cor. 4:18). This detachment from temporal matters should characterize all Christians but it was more complex for the married (cf. Mark 13:12) for whom, nonetheless, devotion to their Lord should occupy first place in life (Luke 14:26). Paul certainly was not recommending abandoning marital duties (cf. 1 Cor. 7:3–5).
Instead he was calling for a commitment to eternal matters and a corresponding detachment from the institutions, values, and substance of this world which was passing away (v. 31). Such a commitment was more easily made and enacted by a single person.


Lowery, D. K. (1985). 1 Corinthians. (J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck, Eds.)The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books


7:36–38. The interpretation and translation of this passage is difficult, as the alternate marginal translation indicates. The issue revolves around whether the indefinite pronoun anyone (v. 36) refers to a father or to a prospective bridegroom. The NIV translators, following most modern commentators, have adopted the latter point of view but have included the traditional interpretation in the margin. The strength of the bride groom view lies in the fact that it permits a consistent subject for the verbs used throughout the passage, a strength which the NIV translators forfeited by making the virgin the subject of the phrase getting along in years. This decision was possibly prompted by the need to explain why the bridegroom might be thought to act improperly (i.e., his delay in consummating the marriage may, with her advancing age, adversely affect her chance of ever getting married). The bridegroom view, however, faces a lexical difficulty in the meaning of two verbs (gameō and gamizō) for marriage. In order to sustain the bridegroom view it is necessary to understand the terms as virtual synonyms, meaning “to marry.” But gamizō usually means “give in marriage,” and gameō means simply “marry,” as these words do in the other New Testament passages where they occur together (Matt. 24:38; Mark 12:25). This distinction in meaning continued to be recognized even in the second century (Apollonius Dyscolus, Syntax 3. 153). So it seems that the marginal reading is to be preferred.
Paul, then, gave advice to a father who in the first-century culture exercised great decision-making authority in matters affecting his family. A father may have decided that his daughter should not marry, possibly due to reasons similar to those Paul had mentioned in 1 Corinthians 7:25–34. But in coming to this decision, the father had not reckoned with the fact that his daughter might not be able to remain single. She might not possess the gift of celibacy (v. 7). If so, Paul recommended that the father should not feel obligated to hold to his previous commitment but instead let his daughter marry. However, the father should feel free to follow through on his conviction to keep his daughter single (v. 37) if three conditions were met: (a) He had a settled and firm conviction about the propriety of her celibacy. (b) He was in a position where he was free to exercise his authority, that is, he was not a slave in which case the master could determine the daughter’s destiny. (c) He was under no compulsion from evidence which suggested that his daughter was not able to remain single but required marriage instead. If these conditions were met, then the father did well not to give her in marriage.


Lowery, D. K. (1985). 1 Corinthians. (J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck, Eds.)The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Touching Base, Part 221

TB 221
Lost in the City 2013 – PART 6
Sex Is Not Just Sex!
10 Nov 13

This Touching Base is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside of the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build healthy community because God's Word needs to be discussed in community.

Would anyone disagree that the mishandling of our sexuality can be the cause of so much brokenness in our culture? I am sure that all reading this could list many examples of the brokenness that tends to pile up when we don’t handle our sexuality in a proper way.

This past Sunday we continued our Lost in the City series. The Corinthian church was lost because they looked so much like their city when it came to sexual practices.

Text: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Big Idea: Sex is not just sex.

Culture (v.12-13)
The first couple of verses of our text provide us with some cultural clues. Notice in v.12 and v.13 that Paul is quoting them:
“ Everything is permissible for me” “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food”

The first quote in the Corinthian culture basically opened up the door for all kinds of so-called freedom in the sexual arena. The second quote essentially reduced the sexual appetite to something that was merely biological. Just as the stomach is for food, in the same was sexual appetites and the body go hand in hand. Crave it, go for it! Carpe Diem!

Note Paul’s first rebuttal. How has stepping beyond God’s boundaries hurt culture, hurt you? In other words, how has our so-called freedom not been beneficial to our culture, to our personal lives?

Note Paul’s second rebuttal to the same slogan. Is it possible to be mastered by this issue?

Do you think any wife has been hurt because of the sexual addiction of her husband that started long before they ever got married?

Note Paul’s third rebuttal to the second slogan. Now note what he says in the second part of v.13. Paul has just taken the body from being something that is purely biological and destined for destruction and elevated it to a status far higher than appetites, urges, food and desires.

Where do many of our slogans come from that dictate sexual practices in our culture? How determinative are they regarding how the church behaves?

In light of our big idea, let me list the four points that drive home that sex is not just sex. Remember that Paul’s audience is the church. People outside the church may think we are nuts to believe such things but I would suggest our cultural slogans regarding sexuality have been damming and have inflicted much pain and brokenness on our culture. There must be a better way.

1. Sex is not just sex because it either honors or dishonors something of great value (v.13b,14)

How does what Paul says redefine one’s body image?

When a person comes to Christ, He wants to redeem our distorted view of the body. It is not just a physical shell that we live in, but one that we can use to honor God (or dishonor Him) and one that God will restore in the end. This body is of great value in the eyes of God. See 1 Corinthians 15 for more commentary on Christ raising our bodies.
Bottom line - our bodies matter to God, they are of incredible value and not just mere throw-aways. Regardless of shape, size, functionality, the body matters.

One of the most popular young women’s magazines, Cosmopolitan, had the following headlines on its July 2010 cover: “8 Foods that Keep You Slim All Summer,” “The Sexy Secret to Making Smart Decisions,” and “What Men Find Hot”.

What do these kinds of headlines say about a woman’s body? How does one derive value based on these headlines?

Do you think there is, at times, a connection between sexual promiscuity and poor body image? Do you ever think that someone engages in sexual promiscuity to validate themselves, feel loved, wanted, accepted, alive and to find themselves? Why doesn’t it work?

2. Sex is not just sex because an improper union can rival your union with Christ. (v.15-17)

What is the rivalry mentioned in these verses?
See the following verses that talk about our unity with Christ. Ephesians 1:22-23, John 14:18-23, 15:4,7 17:20-23

Note the word that describes our unity or bonding with a prostitute.
“When first talking about this phrase (one flesh, unite) it appears to be talking only about physical, sexual union. But while the words do not mean less than that, they mean much more. When the Bible says that “all flesh” had corrupted their way on the earth (Gen 6:12) or that God would pour out his spirit on “all flesh” (Joel 2:28) , it did not mean that only bodies were sinning or that God was giving his spirit to all bodies. Rather, he was giving his Spirit to all people. “Flesh” is a synecdoche, a figure of speech in which a part of a thing is used to represent the whole (as in our phrase “counting noses”)” The Meaning of Marriage p.222

In other words there is no such thing as casual sex. Science will back that up, but Scripture gives us another dimension. Whether you fell into bed with some stranger totally drunk or engaged in sexual relations with your marriage partner - sex connects.

Note- The Corinthian church because of its sexual immorality was supporting the sex trafficking industry of its day. Many of the prostitutes of the day were abandoned female babies that were raised for the sex trade. Our so-called freedom can be another person’s nightmare. Does that still happen today?

3. Sex is not just sex because improper sexual relations actually sins against the body (v.18)

From our context we can see that sinning against the body is a,
- Moral issue- crossing God’s boundaries- sexual immorality was a term that referred to all forms of sexual sin that happened outside the marriage covenant
- Spiritual issue- dishonoring what God values- our body, and rivaling His relationship with us-
- Emotional issue- “one flesh” involves emotional bonding
- Physical - Just as in Corinth, we are experiencing as a culture the physical effects of sexual immorality.

“STI’S are very common among teens and young adults, and they have the potential to change a young person’s life forever. Just how common? In the US in the year 2000, an estimated 19 mill cases of sexually transmitted infections occurred. About half of these infections occurred in fifteen to twenty four year olds, even though they only represent about 25 percent of the sexually active population.” Girls Uncovered page 36

Many STI’S cause more problems for females than for males. ….pre-marital sex is sexist, placing a larger burden on women than on men.

4. Sex is not just sex because your body is a temple (v.19,20)

We have already touched on this issue of value but note the imagery changes to temple. Note who dwells within the believer. What in this text tells us whether He is the owner or the renter?

What are the implications regarding how we then should treat His temple?

Note what follows the “therefore” of v.20. In light of all that God has done for us, and whose we are, Paul says honor God with your body.

My guess is that this is not something we initially thought of when we came to Christ. Having a godly body is just as important as having a godly attitude, making godly choices, having godly relationships.
What are ways we can honor our body? Look to the text for some clues. “Flee” is one idea Paul mentions.

Our walk with Christ needs to affect our sex life. It can be the hardest part to surrender because of cultural slogans that brainwash us or because of well-worn paths that are hard to abandon.

One last point - perhaps God is prompting you to come to the rescue of the exploited. Paul, in telling men to clean up their act, was ultimately protecting women who were often victims of sex trafficking. Do you know of someone being exploited right here in Kingston? Someone’s so called freedom might be causing someone else’s nightmare.

God help us!

Mark Kotchapaw
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact bethelcommunitygroups@gmail.com