MAIN POINT:

God’s institution of marriage and intimacy must be pure and free of defilement.

ICEBREAKER:

What is the biggest change you have observed in your lifetime in our culture with regard to sex? This could either be a positive or negative observation…

INTRODUCTION:

This weekend Pastor Chris continued in our series, Fast & Loose: The Unspoken Truth about Sex with a sermon entitled “Don’t Defile the Bed”. We were reminded that God designed and developed the first home and marriage bed in the Garden of Eden, where all was beautiful and perfect. Throughout Scripture, we are commanded to maintain purity in marriage, and this is the reason the Church stands for traditional marriage and upholds it in honor and esteems it highly. The purpose of this series is not to gut us in guilt or to shower us with shame. Remember that the past can be under the blood of Jesus! We are fully redeemed when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. He shed His blood and gave Himself for us so that OUR sins can be forgiven and we can walk in victory. BUT, walking as a Christ follower in this “sex soaked and saturated” society is not easy! This culture crams it down our throats and paints the wrong picture. Pastor took us through Scripture to summarize 5 ways that the marriage bed can be defiled: fornication, comparison, pornography, selfishness and adultery.

ENCOUNTERING GOD THROUGH BIBLE STUDY:

Read Hebrews 13:4
1. How are we to hold marriage? T/F The marriage bed is to be undefiled.
2. For clarification, sex outside of marriage for an unmarried person is called ___ and for a married person is called ___.
3. Discuss ways God can judge the sexually immoral person.

Read Gen. 2:24
4. How did the Lord design a husband and wife to be?
5. Discuss what He means by “What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate”.

Read 1 Corinthians 6:13-14
6. Sexual sin is always before us. We are bombarded by it in the in television and in the movies. Sex outside of marriage is seen as normal, while marriage is often seen as confining and joyless. The world looks down on sexual purity. In Corinth at that time, they justified sex as an appetite to be satisfied. Like gluttony, sexual sin can bring on disastrous consequences. Pastor underscores that Biblical boundaries ARE blessings. God understands the power and destructiveness of sexual sin. He desires to protect us and for our bodies to be for ___. How can our bodies be a living and holy sacrifice?

Read 1 Corinthians 6:15-17
7. In Corinth, where they worshipped Aphrodite, sex was part of the worship ritual. Paul clearly states that Christians are to have no part in sexual immorality, even if it is acceptable and popular in our culture. We were bought at a price! Our bodies belong to Him. How can you begin each day in dedication to Christ?

Read 1 Corinthians 6:18-20
8. Many people say they have the right to do whatever they want with their own bodies. Although they think this is freedom, they are really enslaved to their own desires. When we become Christians, the Holy Spirit fills and lives in us. Therefore, we no longer own our bodies. Christ’s death freed us from sin. We must die to ourselves and live for Him! Discuss with your group ways you can protect yourself from falling into lust and sexual sin. If in a co-ed group, consider separating genders for this discussion.

LEADER NOTES

Please be mindful that we do not all have the same life experiences. There may be people in your group who have experienced rape or abuse. There may be people who have gone through a divorce. Groups should be a place where people can share their experience without fear. God loves us no matter what and He can heal hurts and forgive sins.

1. In honor. True.
2. Fornication, adultery.
3. The sexually immoral can be judged within their own bodies (Romans 1:24-27) and at the final judgement. We, as believers, understand that sexual sin may be forgiven, but our rewards in heaven may be lost.
4. God instituted that we are to leave our parents, join together and be one flesh. In leaving our parents, we take responsibility for each other, loving our mate above all others. We become one flesh in the intimacy and commitment of sexual union that is reserved for marriage.
5. Marriage is a divinely appointed union, a physical union, and a permanent union between one man and one woman. God joins a husband and a wife together. Man cannot break this relationship by his laws; only God can break it. God gave concessions in the Mosaic law for divorce. He made no provision for it in His original plan for marriage before the Fall.
6. Him. Our bodies are to be yielded to him as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2)
7. Surrender daily in prayer. Have a daily quiet time for prayer and scripture reading.
8. Build strong barriers!