Everybody’s talking about sex.
From those who are getting it, to those who aren’t. From those who want to get it and to those who don’t. From those who see it as a painful subject, and to those who are enticed and exhilarated about it.
And it’s not just in private conversations! It’s filling our social media feeds, our magazine racks, our movies and Netflix history and our billboards to and from work. It’s even emblazoned across our Cape Town sky behind a plane every weekend. Whether it’s the #MeToo campaign, the latest story of a celebrity or political figure going down because of sexual infidelity or just our annual survey of the sexiest people in the world, sex and sexuality is a hot-topic!
Desiring God contributor Ben Patterson says, “It’s risky to talk about the goodness of sex these days, because ours is an age of sexual hyperbole. Never before in history has the goddess of sex offered so much with so little to give”
So the question is, with everyone talking about it, why shouldn’t the church speak up at this time?
Below are three reasons why we are speaking about it in our church at this time:
- To dispel ignorance
“My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge” (Hosea.4)
Sexuality is a good gift given by a great king for our thriving and joy, and ultimately for His glory. Dutch theologian and political figure of the early 1900’s Abraham Kuyper famously declared, “there is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence (including sex and sexuality) over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: ‘Mine!’” We want to reclaim and redeem the conversation about sex because we believe that how we think about sex and relationships will reflect on what we actually think about God. But probably more importantly, what we think about God will ultimately reflect on what we think about sex and our sexuality.
- Jesus came to bring freedom, life and joy
“The thief came to steal, kill and destroy, but I came to bring life and life to the fullest” (John.10:10)
With many angles to take in tackling such a potentially polarizing subject, we are praying that our Sunday conversations will lead to freedom from brokenness, a bigger future and ultimately push us to the greatest fulfillment in God and His design for our lives. Where the enemy has distorted, broken and hijacked people’s stories and identities because of sin in the realm of sex and sexuality, we believe that Jesus came to totally redefine our mess and pain. His cross is the answer to even our most deviant of thoughts and actions, and our most traumatic of moments.
- Bring a Kingdom of God normality to this great gift of sex and sexuality
“be transformed by the renewing/rewiring of your mind so that you will know the good pleasing and perfect will of God” (Romans.12)
To many who have been abused or felt the pain of sex and sexuality mishandled, sex becomes a shameful, hidden thing. For many others, sex has become a spiritual surrogate for God as money, emotions and devotion is poured out in the search for pleasure, happiness and fulfillment. On a typical week, google searches with the word “sex” out-number searches with the word “God” two hundred times to one. And unfortunately, sex has become something that when spoken of in a religious context, it is synonymous with a list of don’ts and heavy dose of a guilt trip! Sex is seen either as gross, god or guilt!
The bible tells a very different narrative. One of a good God who gave good gifts, one of them being sex!
Through our Sex on Sundays series, we want to bring truth and clarity to the way we view God and sex. Our freedom, futures and fulfillment depend on it!
Catch up with our Sex on Sunday sermons at www.lifechangers.org.za/sermons