Church Retreat - Talk 3: The Presence of God in the Face of Hedonism

Church Retreat  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  1:25:23
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Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles Second level Third level Fourth level Fifth level 6/5/2017 ‹#› Talk 3 第三讲 : The Presence of God in the Face of Hedonism 享乐主义下的神同在 There will be terrible times in the last days.  2  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,  boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,  3  without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,  4  treacherous, rash, conceited,  lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—   5  having a form of godliness but denying its power. Challenge of Ageism Challenge of Virtuality Challenge of Sexuality = Challenge God’s presence Evicts God’s presence & replaces him with our idolatries Hedonism Extreme self-pleasure at the expense of God & neighbor Hedonism Hedonism Upsized Two-thirds of children age 11 to 14 now use perfume or after-shave According to a study in the March 2005 British Journal of Development Psychology, 71.4% of 7 year olds wanted to be thinner and most thought it would make them more popular A Generational Change In the study of the diaries of adolescent girls in the U.S. over a period of 100 years, Joan Jacobs Brumberg found that girls of earlier eras focused on “good works ” as the key to getting on in life whereas today’s focus is far more on “ good looks ”. The Sexualisation or Maturation of our children? Psychologists’ View emotional distress & depression. More major problems: Eating disorders. “ Suicide among tweens more than doubled between 1979 and 1995. Therapists say they are seeing a growth in eating disorders — anorexia and obsessive dieting—even among girls in late elementary school, doubtless an outgrowth of a premature fashion-consciousness .” – Wall Street Journal Between 1988 and 1995, the proportion of girls saying they had sexual intercourse before 15 rose to 19% from 11 %. May ironically result in girls having less of a chance of a healthy and happy sex life in the future Boys end up with an emphasized belief that girls are sexual objects and jeopardize their ability to form and maintain intimate relationships in the future. Michael Thompson, co-author of "Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys," says he hears from seventh- and eighth- graders a lot of talk about oral sex, which they, don't think of as sex. "For them, it's just fooling around” Philosophy of Sexualization? Sexuality is humanity. Humanity is sexuality. = Sexuality is my destiny. Endgoal of Sexualization? Sexual plasticity or fluidity = Is anything you want it to be Richard Huckle Authority or Sexuality? Sin inverts our priorities Our Sexuality I choose my own sexuality 2. Our Identity I choose my own identity 3. Our Authority I am my own authority 1. The gospel according to the Revisionist View is “the inclusion of sinners” not the “salvation of sinners”. “ Blessed are those who mourn” (Matthew 5:1-10) is no longer mourning our ”spiritual poverty before God” but mourning our “social exclusion by society” . So, Jesus ’ main mission is to include those whom mainstream society has excluded. Revisionist Sexuality “Coming out” is more important than “coming back to God” Revisionist Sexuality We need Jesus not as “Saviour of my life” but as “Endorser of my alternative lifestyle” The authentic gospel The gospel Jesus preached is the “gospel of inclusion” but only after the “exclusion of Satan and sin”. Heaven is the “inclusion of former sinners saved by God’s grace” not the “inclusion practising sinners who reject God’s grace in Christ”. 3 . Conversations & Conversions Know your Christ Know your Child Know your Conversations Firm in our Biblical Position Flexible in our Ministry Posture 2. Firm in our Biblical Position Glorifying God with our Bodies 18  Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.  19  Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;  20  you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your bodies. = We help one another to glorify God Flexible in our Posture 2 Ways to Glorify God “The opposite of homosexuality is not heterosexuality but holiness” - Christopher Yuen Change in orientation No change Single Single Married Celibate Contented Contented = HOLY HOLY “It is important to recognise that very often God’s power is seen, not by him removing our temptations and difficult circumstances, but by giving us the strength to persevere and live for him in the midst of them. We will then be able to see our struggles, including the experience of living with same-sex attraction, not just negatively, but also positively.” (Vaughan Roberts on Same-Sex Attraction in  Evangelicals Now ) Wesley Hill: 'In so doing, they may find, as I have, by grace, that being known is spiritually healthier than remaining behind closed doors, that the light is better than the darkness.' ARPC Provide safe & secure spiritual family for us to “ come out” and “come to glorify God” Know your Child 1.Your child/friend may have been struggling with homosexual attractions, behaviors and identity for years. 2. Pray for Godly sensitivity about “where, when & how” you come into a person’s journey. 3. The car analogy: They have been on this journey for years. Have you come in to be a driver, co-driver or fellow traveller ? Know your Vulnerabilities “Triggers” & “Coping Mechanisms” 1.What are your “triggers” to same-sex attraction, infatuation and love? a. Beware Escapism from reality = when I am tired b. Beware Fantasy to unreality = when I am bored c. Is it about ”the object” or “about me”? = when I am lost d. Beware “echo chambers” = when I am unwise (Isaiah 5:20 & 2 Tim 4:1-3) Isaiah 5:20 Woe  to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. 21   Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight . 2 Timothy 4:3 3  For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear . = Beware “Echo Chambers” w here we hear what WE want to hear Know your Vulnerabilities “Triggers” & “Coping Mechanisms” 2. What are your “coping mechanisms” to same sex attraction, infatuation and love? Closet: Gay Shame = Public denial, Private indulgence Coming Out: Gay Pride = Self-sufficient coping mechanisms 2 Ways to Vulnerabilities Jesus & Rich Young Ruler (Luke 18:22-23) When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth . = His vulnerability was money 2 Ways to Vulnerabilities Jesus & Zacchaeus (Luke 19:8-9) 8  But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything,I will pay back four times the amount.” 9  Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.  10  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost .” = His vulnerability was also money 2 Ways to Vulnerabilities & Coping Mechanisms Lessons 1. Our “triggers” reveal our “vulnerabilities”. 2. Our “vulnerabilities” expose our “idolatries” 3. Idolatry = The ONE thing I “must have” & “won’t give up 4. The rich ruler remained lost in his idolatry. 5. Zacchaeus was found in Jesus = Christ is his new coping mechanism! Know your Conversations a. To confront? Focus is on “Exposing, then Shaming” b. To change? Focus is on “Controlling” To comfort? Focus is on “Consenting” To chaperon? Focus is on “Accompanying” Know your Conversations Confronting conversations “ How long have you had this?” “How come you didn ’ t tell me?” Controlling Conversations “You know how wrong this is?” “You know how much shameful it is?” “Consenting Conversations” “I know how you feel. Go where you heart goes.” “Chaperoning Conversations” “God knows you. God loves you despite this. God is able to love and empower you through this.” Know your Conversations Confronting, Controlling & Consenting Conversations: a. puts you or your child in the centre. b. Exposes & leaves us in the same position. “Chaperoning Conversations” a. puts God in the centre. b. Accompanies a person from “who they are” now to “who they can be in Christ”. Pray to travel in God’s direction: 1. From “condemning, controlling & consenting” to “chaperoning conversations” 2. From “Prescriptive conversations” (what you “should” think, feel and do) to “descriptive conversations” (how/what are you feeling, “why” and what can WE do about it?) 3. From “One-off” to “one-going” conversations   Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction.  God’s Way of Salvation 1. At times, we “correct” = point out right doctrine/living. At times, we “rebuke” = we admonish wrong doctrine/living. At times, we “ encourage” = strengthen feeble hearts. 2. At ALL times, we are to be PATIENT teachers & CAREFUL instructors = It takes time to detox us from wrong thinking & living   A Choice: Make life to be about … My Sexuality 2. My Identity 3. My Glory Make Life to be about … God’s Glory 2. God’s Saviour 3. God’s Salvation
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