5 ways pornography has a devastating impact on our lives:
- It’s highly addictive
- Impairs ability to connect with a partner
- Can kill your marriage
- More likely to cheat on your spouse
- Leads to a feeling of shame and isolation
We may have never watched porn but it’s a big issue in our culture and as a church we have a mandate to preach the good news to everyone and meet people where they’re at without judgement.
Matthew 5:27-30
Your whole life matters to Jesus
- Not just what we do but also what we think, what we look at, Jesus is interested in everything.
- All of us have fallen short of God’s standard and rebelled against him.
- Jesus redefines holiness, it’s not just about actions it’s also thoughts.
- Jesus says there needs to be radical action on this, but the culture tells us that it’s a normal part of life.
Five practical things we can learn from Jesus
- Jesus was a man:
- Jesus was a single man in his 30s, which was very unusual in his culture, he was tempted in every way, Hebrews 4:15.
- Jesus was tempted but he did not sin.
- Jesus is God:
- Jesus created sex for us to enjoy in marriage and bring couples together, but anything that involves lust tears people apart.
- Jesus is passionate about marriage and porn leaves a partner frustrated.
- Jesus is God and knows best.
- Jesus is the sacrifice for your sin:
- Jesus died on the cross for all of our sins, including sexual sins.
- Romans 8:1
- Whatever we’ve done Jesus will always welcome us.
- Jesus delivers you from temptation:
- Jesus forgives us and on the cross set us free from the power of sin, but many aren’t free from the habits of sexual immorality.
- We’re set free but we have to make the right choices and a key choice is what will we look at with our eyes
- Matthew 6:22-23
- Many of us are careful about what we eat, but are less fussy on what we watch and read.
- We need to be practical and accountable
- Jesus is our deepest source of satisfaction:
- Whether old, young, married or single, often our main question is how do we rid sinful thoughts from our mind? We do this by filling our minds with thoughts of Jesus.
- You need to replace your thoughts and feed your heart with Jesus.
- A heart full of Jesus can’t have lust and porn in it.
Jesus is interested in our whole life.
Jesus forgives and takes away shame.
Jesus liberates and is a source of satisfaction.