24 Jun Hot Topics | Part 1: “Human Sexuality”
15 for 15 – If you group would like to nominate a ‘miracle’ please go to waterschurch.org/15for15 and fill out the application. Deadline for submissions in June 30!
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Chick – Fil-A – Elevate Fundraiser #2 – Come out for dinner and a portion of what you spend goes to Elevate Youth to send kids to Camp Manadnock this summer! This will be held at the Attleboro Chick-Fil-A only from 5 – 8 on Tuesday, June 26! Spread the Word!
Key Verse Romans 1
The world today struggles with sexual expression, sexual orientation and gender identity. For too many years the Church has been belligerent about what we believe and now we are silent about what we believe. And for the benefit of God’s people we need to speak up and say this is God’s Word and it’s okay to believe it and to share it. It is a different world today than when we grew up as there is a huge cultural shift when it comes to homosexuality and transgender issues.
Q. From your experience, what differences do you see in the world around you today regarding human sexuality as opposed to when you were growing up?
Pastor Tim alluded to something that happened recently where, in a public facility, a person stated that she was ‘offended’ by another person’s religion after prodding that person for an answer to a question. A conversation like that never would have happened five years ago, but the Church has gone silent. Even though this is happening, ultimately we need to be people who love and are good to everyone whether or not they agree with us.
Q. Have you encountered anything like this situation and how were you able to show love to this person or people?
In the book of Romans, Paul is talking about the Gospel. The book of Romans is the enunciation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout human history: What has God been doing since creation to save us from our sin. In the first three chapters, Paul shows us that we are all a big mess and God has done something to help us. By faith in Jesus we can have peace in our hearts and a relationship with our creator that transforms us into the person he wants us to be. The wrath of God is not God getting grumpy but it is his steady and firm opposition to anything that is evil. He is unchanging. He does not need to change. The wrath of God is God being Holy and intolerable at things that hurt his creation.
Q. Have you ever thought God was out to get you and why? How and when did you realize that he only had your best interest in mind?
Anyone can know God through his creation (Psalm 19:1 ESV).
FUNDAMENTALLY:
MANKIND HAS A WORSHIP PROBLEM.
We tend worship anything or anyone other than what we were made to worship. Worship is not just about singing and raising hands, worship is wherever we derive joy from because we find value in it.
1: MAN IS NOT MADE TO WORSHIP WHAT IS MADE.
We are made to worship our Creator. However, we tend to put our worth in our possessions.
Q. In what are you placing your value? Are you finding joy in someone or something other than God and why?
Some people are originators or our own reality, which is a form of idolatry. They believe that how they feel makes them who they are and deny facts based on what they feel. They deny facts based on what they feel. They reject the truth about homosexuality and transgender because their religion is themselves.
Q. What is your experience with someone who has made themselves their religion by acting on feelings and refusing to believe what God says about who they are?
2: MAN WORSHIPPING SELF LEADS TO SELF-DEMISE.
God gave them up because they rejected their Creator and God says ‘ok’. He does not force us to worship him and therefore he lets us go for what we want. If there is a lie, then there must be a liar. When we reject the Truth for a lie then he gives us over to the liar. Hell is not really fire and brimstone and the Devil poking us with a three-pitched fork. ‘HELL IS US ETERNALLY UN-SATISFYINGLY CONSUMED WITH OURSELVES’.
Q. What has been an experience in your life where you refused to believe God and he let you go to do what you wanted? How and what made you come back to him?
What Judaism introduced to the ancient world was the concept that the Creator is distinct, different and separate than His creation. Every other ancient culture does not believe this. In the beginning God said and it was so! When creation stops loving Creator and worshipping Creator and starts turning in on itself to worship creation it is same loving same. Homosexuality is the physical manifestation of a spiritual condition that is already resident in an idolatrous country because we have rejected the opposite of us. Every time the Bible talks about us in relationship to God, it talks about marriage – one man and one woman. The Bible begins with a marriage, the Bible ends with a marriage. Jesus is the Bridegroom and we, His Church, are the bride and we come together in intimacy. That is what we, as Christians are headed toward, the Wedding supper of the Lamb.
We are all guilty of sin. Is there anyone who has never done any of these things mentioned? No.
3: MAN NEEDS TO BE SAVED BY HIS MAKER
Whatever our issues are, we need to be saved. We need to be saved from ourselves. We are the problem with us. We don’t need therapy or counseling to save us, only Jesus can save us.
Romans 8:1 ESV; 1 Corinthians ESV; 1:18 ESV; Matthew 12:33 ESV
Interview Notes:
Stephen Bennette was a homosexual who is no longer a homosexual. He was one of three children and his father did not like him. At the age of 11 he was molested and never told his parents.
Nature vs. Nurture:
Stephen explained that being gay is a self-centered lifestyle n is very tragic. He had believed the lie that he was born gay but came to know the truth and has now been married 26 years and has his own children.
What should parents do when their child says they are gay or thinks they are gay? Pray and love your children. Let them talk and explain. Don’t be angry or yell and throw Bible verses at them. Love them, you are their most important place.
What is the gay community really looking for?
They want our unfiltered acceptance, approval and affirmation. We all are looking for those things, but those things are only found in Christ.
How can we reach our gay friends?
Understand sin is sin. If we are guilty of one sin, we are guilty of all.
PRAY FOR EACH OTHER, THE LOST, THE CHURCH, WOONSOCKET, NEW CHURCH PLANTS, NEW ENGLAND CHURCHES AND PASTORS, LEADERS AND GOVERNMENT.
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