Tag Archives: Christ and the Church

Nov 20 2008

Storyline #30: Numbers 25 “ISRAELITES GONE WILD: Sex, Cheaters, and the Purity of Christ”

30 - Numbers 25 - Sex (jpg)Free files for youth pastors:

30 – Numbers 25 – Sex (ppt)

30 – Numbers 25 – Sex (fillout sheet)

30 – Numbers 25 – Sex (mp3)

30 – Numbers 25 – Sex (Sermon Notes)

My friend just told her, “SHUT UP! You’re all lies. You’ve been cheating on me. You’ve been cheating on our daughter. I’m so sick of your lies!” This was really hard to hear from one of my best friends who married a very poor girl who grew up in a trailer park and didn’t grow up in a loving or very Christian family. He married her, he gave her all he had, he loved her, and he showed her the love of Christ. In return, as a nurse she allowed herself to be wooed by the compliments of a doctor, engaged herself in conversation with him, and eventually found herself meeting him in the private doctor’s lounge for several sexual episodes together. How sick, gross, and nasty is that?

Here’s the truth. Whenever we engage ourselves in continuous sin, we are cheating on God with Satan. Why does that seem to lose its sickness, its grossness, and its nasty effect? Continue reading →

Nov 19 2008

Holy Matrimony, Batman!: Focusing Students onto Marriage more than Dating

caution_wedding_sign_watermarkFree file for youth pastors:

Aspects of Marriage in view of Christ and the Church (doc)

I was just talking with a new friend tonight and telling them that I like to talk to students more about marriage than dating.  No no, I haven’t “kissed dating goodbye” or anything like that.  But I just want to make sure to use their teenage years to prepare them to be godly men, women, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, and church members.

When I was in seminary, God really taught me so much that marriage is the God-drawn picture of Christ and the church.  Why did God create Adam and Eve as husband and wife?  Paul said God did it because He had Christ and the chruch as the big and final picture in His mind.  Why did God create the man as the head and the woman as the helpmeet?  Its because they are to picture the loving authority-submission roles of Christ and the church.  Why did God create sex?  Just for pleasure and procreation?  No, not just those.  He did so to picture the mysterious, intimate, and one-flesh union between Christ and the church. Continue reading →

Sep 23 2008

Know Your Role: Gender Roles, Relationships, and the Gospel

 

Every Tuesday morning I go to a high school for a First Priority meeting.  First Priority is kind of like FCA.  It is a Bible study, worship session, time of prayer, etc for students at their high school.  When I walked into the high school this morning, I quickly noticed that today would be a very different day for the students.  Apparently, they coined today as “opposite sex day” as a special dress-up day to conjure up school spirit for their Homecoming week.  So literally, many of the guys in the school were wearing skirts, dresses, high-heels, blouses, jewelry, and even make-up.  To be honest, it was very hard to look at some of them.  Many of the girls were wearing guys clothes, but it just wasn’t as appauling.  I do have to be honest and say that I’m very proud of my students who did not get involved in this little “special occasion.”  Continue reading →