Jesus and LGBTQ

The brilliant message of the good news of Jesus Christ is a God not only created you, but God loves you. God cares for you and has sent his son into this world to die on the cross for our sins and the God was so magnificent in his grace and his goodness is would be reflecting on that God has a plan for your life. So this means that every aspect of her life including our sexuality is to be brought under the Lordship of Jesus Christ day we continue the series as we been going through the Gospel of Matthew in the been looking at Matthew chapter 19 and we been reflecting on what Jesus is saying regarding marriage regarding divorce last week. We thought of the gay debate in today.

We think of Jesus and LGBT Q plus I was we approach the subject. Let's not forget what we've seen before and hard before I began speaking on Jesus's teaching on marriage and gender.

We reflected on the importance of the word of God that this book is the living word of God and what is important on this subject, and any other subject is not what you think. What I think are in the sense what Calgary church things, but what God has said a friend interesting as we approach the subject. But today people talk about a sexual orientation used to be. People talked about a sexual preference, which then was a choice, but the language has been change the semantics have been changed so that no people talk about a sexual orientation and that means this is the way I am.

And in this view, you must accept to me for who I am and for what I do.

This view, my main commitment in life is to myself as my own feelings. Canadian philosopher has called this philosophy which is prevalent today as expressive individualism. It's all about my view, my feelings and you cannot dispute what I feeling when I attended in the universities goblins. Many, many years ago as a follower of Christ and the seeking to witness on the companies that in the universe today.

I was tall I was confronted as were my Christian friends with a lot of opposition marches were very dominant and admitted that time with her studies of Herbert might choose. Interestingly, that they resurface and so we were taught that we had to defend our faith. Winter interact with people, but now it appears that on some university campuses.

Opposing views are being shut down. Have you noticed that and to disagree with someone to disagree with some 18 or 19-year-old who is presumably at the University to be to be educated that that view is shut down because it may call may cause psychological harm to this individual if he or she hears an opposing view is so people are posing themselves as victims and students have to go to a safe place with the have any say places in the University when we were shocked, but not a on that some university campuses.

There is a safe place where students can go not to be challenged not to be's confronted with another viewer which I would've thought as part of education for any student, but rather to be reassured what is happened in our culture for our very eyes south brains pretty and we ready establish from Scripture that are good God, you can argue with it, you can disputed whether they're good God that we been singing about unwise God Almighty God created two distinct human beings to sexually distinct human beings he created male and female. Therefore what's happening in our society. With the bloating of the differences between male and female, is contrary to God's design your sexual function has been defined by God, not as male male mothers female female but as male, female, and lastly we thought generally of the subject of Jesus and the gay debate but were going to look at some particular scriptures dealing with same-sex conduct as we think of the subject of Jesus and LGBT Q plus so let's open our Bibles and this one you can all find because it's the first book of the Bible and this Genesis were going to think of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19 Genesis 19 then verse one. The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom when Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the aft and said my Lords. Please come assigned to your servant's house and spend the night and wash your feet, then you may rise up early on going your way. They said no will spend the night in the Times Square when you press them strongly so they can decide to him and entered his house. He made them a feast of unleavened bread, and the eight but before they laid on the mend of the city. The men of Sodom with young men and old, all the people to the last man surrounded the house and the call to lot winner of the men who came to you tonight. Bring them out to us that we may know them, that we may know them as a euphemism that we may have sex with them. In fact, in fact, the new international version translates this that we may have sex man wanting to have sex with men in ancient Sodom. Verse 14, so the so Lot went out and said to sons-in-law what amount his dollars up get out of this place for the Lord is about to destroy the city, but he seemed to his son-in-law's to be jesting as morning dawns.

The Angels are lots sitting up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city, but he lingered so the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand of the Lord being merciful to him and they brought him out and said to him outside the city as they brought them out ones that escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley escape to the hills, lest you be swept away verse 23. The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to the door and the Lord. This is the Lord, the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord of heaven to surprise you a dozen or more than culture, doesn't it. To think of judgment people say well this is that hellfire stop.

People no longer believe it.

While you may not believe it but the reality is that God yes this God of love. This God of grace that were singing about that for those who diffuse his love for those who don't listen to his message.

Judgment comes in here is an example of it. Verse 25 you over through the cities and all the valley and all the inhabitants of the cities and what drew on the ground but lots wife looked behind Julie back and she became a pillar of salt.

Verse 29 so it was when God destroyed the cities of the valley double points when you do know this is the judgment of God. The judgment comes from heaven is not that Abraham and Lot were angry and brought some punishment themselves of the judgment came from the Lord and the judgment was on wickedness. This was his historical event. You say you don't believe it will, is referred to by Jesus in Luke chapter 17 verse 29 Jesus says, but on that day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. God destroyed these cities is it will why did God destroy the cities that pretty harsh of God will both Jews and Christians about was Rick Gardner. Genesis 19 is dealing with the judgment of God on homosexuality because of the repeated immorality and perversion in the practice of homosexuality. God judge the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah affect the very word Sodom. Another is another word for homosexuality and it derives its meaning from Sodom so Sodom might is someone who practiced what the man of Sodom did, namely homosexuality is clearly contrary to the word of God, is it well that was written a long time ago. What did the Mosaic law say about this, but treated over a few pages to Leviticus Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Leviticus 18 and were coming into what is called the Mosaic law. Many years after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Moses you will recall, received the law from God and here it is on the subject. Leviticus 18 verse 22. You shall not lie with a male as with a woman.

It is an abomination. Some translations say it is detestable. It is something repugnant to God goes directly against God's created order. The previous messages I've emphasized what Jesus says in Matthew chapter 19 that from the beginning right from creation. This is God's order, God created male and female.

Chapter 20 Leviticus 20 verse 13 if a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination that it is is a detestable thing. They shall surely be put to death.

Their blood is upon them by these commands but no qualifications or exceptions that are not ceremonial prohibitions but their reflection of God's moral standards they are consistent with what God does in the beginning when he made us in his image.

He made us mail and female and Leviticus 18 is in the chapter in the Bible prohibiting incest adulterate child sacrifice and best reality. All commands which applied not only to ancient Israel but to all nations, serious breaches of God's law.

Serious violations of God's created order. So God is say a man must not take on the role of a woman in sexual intercourse because God created distinct sexes, male and female homosexual conduct, then this country God's created order all but you say John, you're in the Old Testament. Things have moved on my I'm a believer in the New Testament.

Well, let's look at the New Testament over to Romans thousands of years later after the law here is Paul I would emphasize writing under the inspiration of the holy Scripture is writing about the subject. In Romans chapter 1 rose that the biblical condemnation of homosexuality of same-sex relationships is not confined to the Old Testament. It is in fact also in the New Testament Romans 112 read verses 26 and 27 a few years ago I preached to Romans, so if you want to get the full by going to Romans chapter 1 can go online. Cultures.com and you'll get the message or messages on Romans one, the Member how many I preached verse 26 notice. For this reason God gave them up to this Hon. passions. For their women exchanged naturally relations for those that are contrary to nature this Paul's words and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another man committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. Not Paul's argument in Romans chapter 1 was it on time to develop his argument in Romans chapter 1 is that homosexuality, lesbianism are acts of unbelief.

They stem from a rejection of God's truth. They stem from a rejection of God's good design for those he created. God created us, he could have created us anyway wanted, but in his infinite wisdom in his sovereign purposes. He made us male and female to distinct sexes. Paul is saying that in the breakdown of society as he describes in Romans chapter 1 as God gives them over to their sins. One of the characteristics of the brick dying of a society is this the distinction and male-female relationships is blurred and confused not you think. But here in the United States. We think of Western Europe the same.

Do you think if you're thinking as a follower of Jesus Christ as our society getting better or worse are we more godly people than we were 10 years ago. 20 years ago. 30 years ago for the usual 50 years ago. I don't know how old you are right I think of my native Scotland.

It is decidedly worse than it was when I was a boy in the time I've been here in the United States.

In fact, in the 15 years I've been as a pastor of Calvary church. It seems to me in a moment I am not making a political point. Please hear me.

The problem is not so much a political problem. It's a spiritual problem that we as a nation as a city as families as individuals, we can point the pink thing with others can lead that we are tightening God that we are forgetting God and one of the results when people turn from God when people close this book throw the book away or in some churches give lip service to it from the word of God is not Brad and proclaimed and followed as is happening in our society.

One of the results is that God's order God's created order in marriage in our sexuality is blurred confused and receipt right in front of so that next week I'm going to preach on the subject. I would never have thought of preaching on even this when I came here 15 years ago that Jesus and transgender is we are living out my view. Romans chapter 1 breakdown of society and the one of the results. Is this the confusion between male and female, but was also saying as we read that these acts are contrary to nature. We forgotten that we have a very skillful a very devious enemy with access he attacks what God has said, God gives us manage Hittites marriage God gives our sexuality attacks the sexuality God gives us the church he attacks the church you know that you want to be a faithful follower of Jesus Christ you know that the devil harasses you and tempts you and seeks to divert Romans one, incidentally, is the only place in the Bible where lesbianism is mentioned as described did you reach please hear me. Students singles married woman sisters in Christ was. It is this Hon. passions is described as contrary to nature. Here is a breakdown of the biblically defined instruction of male female relationships. The mentor also said to do this. Paul's times to be concerned with compassion for one another. They are committing shameless acts receipt on the screens receipt on the television, things that would never have been even spoken about our now not only practice but are applauded not only applauded but there put right in front of us. Shameless acts you see. Sin distorts the good desires that God gives us.

God makes us as sexual beings that could wonderful gift of God, the devil comes in sin comes in distorts that an God made us in the beginning, to say the obvious in such a way that out and that you may face male to female not female to female, but male to male in the sexual act to be male is the initiator in the female is the receiver only male to female can create is not true is not obvious. Same-sex relationships than not just a violation of some cultural norms. People say well it's time we grew up. People ones believe that but with no changing what I sophisticated no is against God's created order over a few pages to first Corinthians 6 you say John, this is kind of tough to hear and maybe as I prayed by this message. I thought I society our schools, our educational system or media or politicians or courts. They are very strong in their view on day, why are we so silent when we have the truth. Why should I apologize I don't for proclaiming God's it needs to be heard on the subject. First Corinthians were kind of city was: it was just like Charlotte agent: was like Charlotte in Tober 2021 the wicked city is in the models and then the church at Corinth was all kinds of people with a lot of problems of the church at Corinth was a lot of problem people and there were those who prior to their conversion had committed the very sins that were going to. This is a wonderful passage. First Corinthians 6 is in verse nine do not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. Don't be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards or violators nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

But notice verse 11 is a wonderful person's and such where precedents such where some of you but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. Here is wicked, Corinth I did to that wicked corners. God sends a man well this is the kind of man God is calling you to be. Paul goes that we could Corinth. This is only one message another debate you got into the flow survey. Although I could do that. You may think it's foolishness.

The Greek and if you're a Jew you're going to think of scandal is going to be nonsense. But here's white. My one message I determined to preach to you Christ crucified, so Paul can you picture them by the apostle of God, who believe that the gospel was the pilot of God unto salvation to everyone who believed hear all these wicked people he names them, the sexually immoral and that swindlers under the drunkards and the homosexuals and all of the paradigms that were in ancient Corinth, and to that wicked city comes Paul preaches Christ crucified, and then the grace of God than than the mercy of God.

Some of these people with all of their sins is of red come to Christ and the washed and there sanctified and are justified, and they are totally change wonderful to know incidentally a couple weeks and go back to this verse explained that little little more business wonderful before I move on to know this that people are not trapped in their sin and that the gospel is so powerful that it can penetrate the hardest heart and whatever sin your end. As we were singing God's grace is greater, and however much sin that is in you that is more grace in our Lord Jesus Christ so that whoever you are. Don't believe the lie of the devil that you're trapped in your panelized and this is just the way you are and you can change yes by your own efforts and by the efforts of a therapist. You may not change, but the power of God is so great that whoever you are young men and young women. Whoever you are, God knows you love you since Christ to come and you can say is, some of these ancient Corinthians can say this is what I once was. I once was.

This now I'm washed and justified and sanctified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Do you know any greater message than that the power of God unto patient so that Paul is going to say in the second epistle to that if anyone is in Christ nobody is your sometimes you can get. You can buy a car and that it was an old car in the kind of tuned it up a little bit but is still the same old car when God in his grace saves you. It doesn't just chew you up a little bit. If anyone is in Christ is what he is a new creation. The old has passed, the new has come that you are not trapped in that lifestyle that you're not trapped in that particular sin. What ever it is God's power.

The power of the gospel forgives that sin brings these chains that were singing about that we are no is a new identity.

I know in Christ's. So what am I saying I'm saying that human sexuality is expressed in marriage that marriage is a divine institution. As we have said that otherwise God made everything he made you and he made me. I did choose to be a man. I think I would of effective demand and the women for obvious reasons. Forgot had been a terrible woman when I am in no desire in my my gender is in no way flu that will need to know that. But seriously, God made a mistake with you. Start. He made us mail and female in God's wonderful plan, then you will never ever improve on this is to take a man and a woman to join them together in holy matrimony, in a monogamous permanent relationship is not what Jesus is saying in Matthew chapter 19 rescinded over and over again let me remind you that you chapter 19 verse four he answered them, do not read, you should know your Bible, Mr. Pharisee, I do not read that he who created them from the beginning was right back to creation, not to the law, not to Abraham the right to creation. He made them male and female, and said that for a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife and the two shall become one flesh marriage then between a man and the woman is the most important and most intimate of all human relationships that will become one your sexuality man is a beautiful gift from God is a treasure is a powerful gift so that only the means of production within the goodness of God is also pleasurable, not just a functional gift from God, but the delightful one from a good gardener kind God source sexuality finds its fulfillment and joy in this expression of unity and intimacy and communion of love and the marriage of one man and one woman. So please, please, I plead with you, do not be brainwashed into thinking that homosexual and lesbian behavior unacceptable for your protection, yes for your enjoyment for the good of society for the good of children. God has ordained marriage a man and woman and in the opening chapters of Genesis we make and is very good and those of us who are properly buried say yes it is very good, therefore, follow God's plan. Think of your Huygens and going against God's plan. This is your wise creators plan who loves you was the best for your or the devil will tend to in all kinds of ways regarding your sexuality, but listen to the word of God. Don't oppose God but people say, what really matters in business. What Jesus taught that love is all that matters in Jesus as the Jimmy of love surely he would never stop to two people to women to men who love each other from expressing their love for me. Jesus was all about love. Why should people who love each other not live together, and that they wanted to marry each other, let them out each other you to stop them is all about love. You had that your loving someone doesn't mean that wills affirm what they do say you know that his opinions love that little boy you love doesn't stop using no that's wrong. Don't do that Johnny loving and approving very different as followers of Christ. We do love those who pursue same-sex relationships as followers of Christ. We do love those who adopt clear lifestyles of course were to love them. Scripture is very, very clear, but that is different from affirming what they do and the issue is not what you think about why I think I go back to the basic issue is what does the Bible say and if you're talking about Jesus. What did Jesus say because being an authentic follower of Jesus means I follow Christ teaching, and if you're talking about love.

Remember, Jesus says if you love me you will keep my commandments. And that love, the most important love is the love that we have for God first loved us and sent his son and as if I say I'm following Jesus Christ. If I say I love Jesus Christ. Jesus says, then obey my commandments, and loving God and loving others means humbly obeying God seeking the best for them.

And Jesus calls us into the society to become a countercultural to be light illuminating the darkness with a dark world you're called as a follower of Jesus to be salt permeating the corruption around us as our society becomes darker and darker how important it is that you and I shine as lights for Jesus Christ not conform to the world but transform is the teaching of Scripture very very clearly what would Jesus teach some of the homosexual activists, some who claim to be Christians. They say that nowhere in the Gospels is that an explicit condemnation of homosexuality. Jesus was loving this routed the Gospels, Jesus loves sinners. It hee hee with them and the Pharisees criticized him for that. We don't read that Jesus went around condemning homosexuals and lesbians hee hee love the sinners and Jesus condemned the hypocrisy and the self-righteousness of the Pharisees and all of that is very true and will get to that later in the study of Matthew will get to the condemnation of of the Pharisees with her self-righteousness.

What is the biblical evidence did Jesus know the Mosaic law to Matthew chapter 5 I covered this in detail some time ago, but most of your forgotten about it.

Jesus did not come to abolish the law of the profits but to fulfill it. Matthew chapter 5 do not think that I've come to the abolish the law of the profits I've not come to abolish them but to fulfill them for truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota another.not a jot article was the old King James will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

Did Jesus know the Mosaic law. Absolutely he said I can come to abolish the egg. I came to fulfill it. In the silence by Jesus on the subject of homosexuality would have been understood by everyone as an acceptance of Jesus of the Mosaic teaching rejection of the Jewish law on homosexuality was clear reflection of God's moral law, and is accepted as such by Jesus. Jesus himself says in Matthew 10 and John 10 verse 35. A very important verse that Scripture cannot be broken.

So when we come to Matthew chapter 19. What did Jesus do that arguing about marriage and arguing about divorce. What does our Lord Jesus to have you not read he goes right back to the creation ordinance.

Jesus clearly accepted that from from creation.

This is so important, I want you to grasp it from creation there was only one type of sexual union permitted by God and as we saw on the subject of divorce rather than broaden the grounds of divorce and remarriage as the Pharisees were doing. What does Jesus do narrows them is hardly consistent with the position of those who say that Jesus was tolerant of all kinds of sexual behavior, absolutely not. Jesus teaching on sexuality. If you study the Gospels was stricter than the Judaism of his day. For example, Jesus not only prohibited the act of adultery said that in the 10 Commandments. Remember that one. Man, I shall not commit adultery. Not only did he repeat that he widened the definition of adultery to include less than the heart. He widened the definition of adultery to include the remarriage of divorced men and women therefore to argue that Jesus would be tolerant of homosexuality and lesbianism really means you'll notice that the Bible doesn't conform to the biblical evidence and is certainly not consistent with our Lord Jesus Christ, who is God and you in the beginning, created male and female, to suggest that Jesus because Jesus didn't prohibit a particular conduct.

He must've approved of it is a very unfunded argument.

Jesus made it clear as we've seen over and over again that human sexual relationships are to be monogamous are to be lifelong to be heterosexual as ordained by God from the beginning the Jesus welcome centers of corseted is welcomed me which of the substance are welcome. Of course he will.

But Jesus in welcoming the sin that he never ever ever compromises his holy son member. The woman taken in adultery by the pharmacies is the Triton trap Jesus and in John eight with the Jesus said to her, yet he forgets her witnesses that he says go and sin as we come to the Lord Jesus Christ. Whoever we are in our sin Lord Jesus Christ will certainly forgive us, will certainly welcome us, but if there's true repentance we will sin no more. With every one of us is made in the image of God which you treat others with dignity and respect and followers of Jesus should never use the derogatory names of labels when talking to her about the LGBT Q plus community Christ commands us to love others. Some of you have part of this community your own home, son, daughter, apparent some of you work with people in this community. Whether you to do to label them absolutely no to love them to share the truth of God with the member must always be careful that we do not commit the sin of self-righteousness like the pharisaic member. The Pharisees standing in the temple. He thanked God that he was. Not like other assistant of the fantasy. Remember that you also. I also sin Jesus without compromising his holiness and righteousness loves the sinner and what to do that in Jesus there is a perfect combination of grace and truth of peace unrighteous of compassion and conviction that is out example, the reminders, but all of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God in their fallen and broken world. Your sexuality may be confused may be mixed up. Someone here struggling with same-sex attractions conduct.

Thank you for coming to call the church in a single here during sex with your boyfriend or girlfriend pneumatic people struggling with lust having an affair.

Praise God in Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of Olson's including sexual sins with the gospel of Jesus comes repent and believe in the gospel. Uzziah says come now and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, shall be as white as snow. Though to be red like crimson shall be as will the Dixons you here today to fall into sin. I pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ, the perfect Lamb of God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world will completely cleanse one hundred percent totally clean all of the sins gone and gone forever under the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not only the Lord Jesus Christ forgive you and cleanse you, he will indwell you, so that now you have a new power. The power of the Holy Spirit to live a life for the glory of God. I want you today for your surrender to Jesus with a single for Jesus easy to say whatever you want you to do that. Never yet come to Christ. I invite you to come to the Savior or a follower of Christ, and sin has come in July.

Whatever this U-turn from that we ask God for forgiveness in Jesus there is hope for you in Jesus. There is a new beginning. There is always more grace in our Lord Jesus Christ, than there is sin in your father we come move her to work is convicted us a pretty separate I learned that we will humble yourselves under some never come to Christ. They believe the Lord Jesus Christ be saved somewhat dabbling in sin, pray that we may be clear-cut testimony for Jesus Christ that we truly will say all for Jesus and our greatest joy. Our greatest fulfillment is in doing your will it be so for his name