This is a very timely and practical sermon
series, something that we all need, because we all need to establish
guardrails, establish boundries in our walk with Jesus.
Just
so we’re all on the same page, we have come up with this definition of what a
guardrail is:
“A guardrail is
a system designed to keep vehicles from straying into dangerous off limit areas.”
A
guardrail is designed to keep you safe. That’s its only purpose. When you see a
guardrail, you are actually seeing your friend.
I'm
not sure if you have noticed or not, but a guardrail is placed a short distance
from a danger zone.
It’s not placed on top of a danger zone;
a guardrail is put in place to warn you about the upcoming danger zone.
Generally
we don’t think about guardrails, but when we need them, we are glad they are
there.
So repeat after
me: Guardrails are my
friend; Guardrails are designed to keep me safe.
I
believe—and this is the key thought for the entire series—I believe that followers of Jesus are to have a
system—guardrails- to prevent them from straying into dangerous off limit
zones.
Followers
of Jesus are to install guardrails to protect them from going into "off
limit areas".
When
we bump up against our guardrails, they will warn us of impending danger; they
will warn us of upcoming temptation, of upcoming sin, and we will change
course.
Believe
it or not, there are things that followers of Jesus shouldn’t do. There are things
in this world that will hurt---or severely maim-- followers of Jesus.
Thus the need
for guardrails. We all
need to set up boundary markers to prevent us from going AWOL.
Our main verse
for this series is taken from Proverbs 27:12: “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but
the simple keep going and suffer for it.” (NIV)
The New living
records the verse this way: “A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The
simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.” (NLT2)
Wise
people—prudent people--- see the guardrails and stay away from the dangerous
off limit zones; but the simple people ignore the guardrails and blow right
past them and will, eventually, suffer the consequences.
Followers of Jesus are to
establish a system to prevent them from straying into dangerous off limit areas.
We need to set
up guardrails to keep us from going down the road of sin, becasue followers of
Jesus are to be different from non-followers of Jesus.
This morning, we
are going to look at one specific area that we all need to establish, set up, and
reinforce guardrails.
While everyone
in this room is at a different stage in life, every one of us has been, is, or
will be affected by this one area.
This hazardous
area is all around us and try as you might, you can’t escape its deadly grip on
your own.
This danger zone
can be found in the corner store to the superstore.
This danger zone
can be found in the motel room to the penthouse suite.
This danger zone
can be found in the small town office, all the way up to cooperate Headquarters.
Everywhere a
person looks, we find a twisted, and a messed up view of sex.
The number one
problem with our culture today is sex. Money is a close second.
Andy Stanley
reminds us that: “Our culture totally dismisses what the Bible has to say
about sex and money; but the problem is sex and money.”
Our culture has
taken something that God created, something that God invented and something
that God intended for a married couple —not 2 consenting adults, but a married
couple--- and our culture has twisted it and made it perverted.
We’ve been led
to believe the lie that we can do what we want in respect to sex and it not affect
us, or our relationships.
We’ve been led
to believe that we can have “safe sex” and it not hurt anyone.
We’ve been led
to believe that pornography is good for you and will actually help your relationship.
We’ve been led
to believe that adultery is ok, as long as you don’t get caught.
Every one of us
is subjected to the wrong view of sex each and every day of the week.
ILLUSTRATION- When you went to the grocery
store this week, did you happen to notice the magazine articles promising you
“your best sex now”?
When
was the last time that you watched a movie, where the love scene featured 2
married adults? (I think it might have been Rocky 1)
You
can’t even follow sports without hearing about someone’s latest sexual misadventures.
ILLUSTRATION- I read this week that college
football coach Bobby Petrino was involved in a motorcycle accident.
It was first
reported that Coach was alone on the bike, and alcohol wasn’t a factor.
As
the story unfolded, it became apparent that Coach wasn’t alone, and the person
on the back of his bike wasn’t his wife, nor was she his daughter.
It
was a 25 year old woman whom he had hired to work for him. He then confessed to
having an “inappropriate relationship” with this woman.
(SI, April 16, 2012)
Dear
friends, a misguided and
twisted view of sex is all around us, leading us into dangerous off-limit zones.
Unless
we install a guardrail; unless we come up with a system to keep us from
straying into these danger zones, we will be misusing God’s gift to married
couples and committing sexual sin.
When we believe
the lie that we can do what we want, with whomever we want, when we want, and
it not affect us, we are travelling down a road we have no business going down.
Because
sex is more than physical, when I do something that is wrong sexually, it not
only affects me, it affects those around me. For a very long time.
ILLUSTRATION- My wife is still affected by
the poor sexual choices that I made years ago.
There are days that I am still affected by the poor sexual choices that
I made years ago.
That
is why Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 6 to: “flee from sexual immorality.” (1 Cor. 6:18a, NIV)
The
Greek word for immorality is “porneia”
and it means: “sexual
immorality, fornication, marital unfaithfulness, prostitution, adultery; (its)
a generic term for sexual sin of any kind” (Key word Bible)
Paul
is telling is to flee from sexual sin!
But
we don’t do that do we? No, we flirt with it.
We stay up late
and watch that questionable TV show (Dancing with the stars); we watch that
movie that we shouldn’t watch (American Wedding); we read that questionable
magazine (Maxium, People)
Paul
didn’t say: “Flirt with sexual immorality” Paul,
said “Flee from
Sexual immorality.” (1 Cor. 6:18a, NIV)
Why
would he say such a thing? Well, look at the rest of the verse: “No other sin so
clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against
your own body.” (1
Cor. 6:18b, NLT2)
We are
to avoid sexual immortality because it will affect our lives. It will cause the
greatest damage, and it will leave you—and everyone involved--- picking up the
pieces for years to come.
You will
deal with the guilt, with the shame, with the images, with the reminders for
years to come.
We are
told to flee from sexual sin, because it will destroy us.
We’re
also told to flee from sexual sin, because our bodies don’t belong to us:
“Don’t you realize
that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given
to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high
price. So you must honor God with your body.” (1 Cor. 6:19-20,
NLT2)
We are
to run from sexual sin because we belong to Almighty God.
He purchased
our freedom with His death on the Cross, and we’ve left the dominion of
darkness and we now are children of the light, and we are to walk in that
light.
The
Bible says: “The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the
Lord, and the Lord for the body.” (1Cor. 6:13b, NIV)
We have
been bought with a high price, and we are to honor God with our bodies, and
that means running from sexual sin, because sexual sin will ruin your life.
The old
saying is true: “Sin will take you further than you want to go, it will
keep you longer than you want to stay, and it will cost you more than you want
to pay.” (Unknown)
Sexual
sin will ruin your life.
But, I’m here to tell you that you can
formulate a plan to prevent you—and your family--from straying into dangerous
off limit zones.
In fact,
I want to give you some practical steps that will save you from disaster.
These are common sense things, but
what I’m finding out is common sense isn’t all that common; so I want to give
you a list to help you establish guardrails.
There are two lists; the first is for
MARRIED PEOPLE:
1) Don’t travel
alone with members of the opposite sex.
ILLUSTRATION- If Beth and I want to go
someplace without the kids, we have to find a babysitter. Generally this
babysitter is a female. Out of the
goodness of my heart, I let my wife take the babysitter home.
I don’t want to
be in a position where I travel alone with someone of the opposite sex
If you
want to prevent yourself from straying into a danger zone, make it a rule never
to travel alone with someone of the opposite sex.
2. Don’t eat
alone with members of the opposite sex.
Most of the time, this is how
extra-marital affairs begin, over coffee, over dessert, so make it a rule not
to eat alone with someone of the opposite sex-- if you have to, pick up the
phone and call your spouse.
3. Don’t
confide in members of the opposite sex.
If you have a deep dark secret, write
a letter to Dear Abby, but don’t confide in someone of the opposite sex,
because this is a danger zone.
4. If you feel
your heart drifting toward some specific person, tell someone you trust.
Paul said flee, not flirt.
If your twitterpated with someone who
isn’t your spouse, you’d better tell someone you trust.
These are just a few of the steps you
can take to install a guardrail in your life. There are more. There should be
more.
Followers
of Jesus are to have a system to keep them from straying into dangerous off
limit zones.
So: What’s your plan?
Unless you come up with a plan you won’t avoid areas that you aren’t
supposed to go down.
Just one more thing: Your spouse
should know what your guardrails are.
That way if you happen to be in a
situation where you come up against a guardrail that you have set, you can let
your spouse know about it and they can help you. (My wife knows what trips me
up, and she is helping me…)
That’s for married people, this next list is for SINGLE PEOPLE:
Gouge out your
eyes with a spoon.
Actually: apply the married people’s guidelines in
your relationships with married people.
I can tell you this, when you’re
married, you don’t want single, cute, sweet things tripping around your husband/wife
saying, “Hey,
let’s have coffee and dinner.” You’re just not going to want it, so don’t be that person.
Apply the rules for married people and
set up guardrails.
Another guardrail for Single people
is: Just wait.
Wait until your married to have sex.
It will probably kill you to wait, but please, Just wait.
Setting up a guardrail will save you
from a life of regret.
Because application makes all the difference, will you set up a guardrail
to keep you from straying into dangerous off limit zones?
Will
you take preventive measures now to prevent you from going down a road full of
trouble and pain and regret?
ILLUSTRATION- Our youngest daughter, Erica,
recently upgraded to a bigger bike.
The day after we got her bike, I was teaching her how to ride it, and I
noticed that she wanted to put her head down and watch her feet push the petals.
When
I saw her doing looking down, I reminded her that she needed to look straight ahead;
otherwise she would run into something.
When
she finally took my advice, she was able to move the bike forward, because she
was looking straight ahead.
The
Bible says: “Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
26 Mark out a
straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. 27 Don’t get sidetracked;
keep your feet from following evil.” (Prov. 4:25-27, NLT2)
If
we establish guardrails when it comes to sex, we will avoid an accident, but if
we fail to install guardrails when it comes to sex, we will suffer the
consequences.
If you have been affected by sexual
sin—either your own, or by someone else’s sexual sin--- I want you to know that
the grace of Jesus is available today.
If you have smashed through a guardrail
when it comes to sex, if you are dealing with the pain of making poor choices,
know that the grace of Jesus is available to you as well.
Jesus can help you, and Jesus can
restore a broken relationship, but it will involve you fleeing from sexual sin.
It will involve you installing some
guardrails to prevent you from making the same poor choices.
The Good news of Jesus Christ is that
you don’t have to be a slave to your past sexual sins, you can be set
free!!!!!!!!
You can install a guardrail to prevent
you from going into danger zones, but you have to make that choice.
I can’t do it for you; your spouse
can’t do it for you. You have to make the decision to set up and install and
live by a system that will keep you from straying into dangerous off limit
areas.
“The prudent see
danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.” (Pr.
27:12, NIV)
If you’ve been flirting with sexual
immorality, you need to be aware that you are hurting yourself and you are
hurting those you love and you will, one day, suffer the consequences of this
sin...
God wants His children to set up
guardrails to prevent them from straying into dangerous off-limit danger zones,
so what steps do you need to take to flee from sexual immorality?
As you sit and
think, and respond to this message, know that There is nothing Greater than THE
Grace of Jesus.
If you need God
to work on your heart this morning, please feel the freedom to come and pray...
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