four, five, SEX part 3: The gospel according to Luke the 'sexpert'.

Hey kids, Luke here. I'm a buddy of Sammy and a fellow pastor. When he decided to blog an entire week on sex, the first person he thought of to ask for help was me.

Okay, that’s not really true but I’ve got two kids so that means I’m a self proclaimed "sexpert" (that’s a real word).

I once read that “sex is like nitroglycerin, it can be used either to blow up bridges or heal hearts.”

Ever heard the story of Alfred Nobel? He was a Swedish chemist and inventor who became absurdly wealthy patenting dynamite...

In 1888 his brother Ludvig died while visiting Cannes and a French newspaper erroneously published an obituary on Alfred. It said (among other things) “The merchant of death is dead.”

Not wanting to be remembered primarily for a tool that killed thousands, Alfred invested the modern day equivalent of 250 million dollars to a society that would recognize achievements in science, chemistry, and medicine towards peace.

The main ingredient in dynamite, which has indeed killed thousands, is nitroglycerin. Much like Alfred Nobel, nitroglycerin has something of an image problem.

But did you know that the same stuff is used every day in hospitals across America to help heal hearts? It belongs to a group of medicines called nitrates, which help to regulate oxygen and blood flow to the heart.

I know this not just because I am a 'sexpert' (joke) but because I failed out of nursing school (no joke).

Sex is amazing. Sex is not a sin. Sex is designed by God. Sex is dangerous. Sex is taboo. Sex is everywhere. Sex is more than making babies. Sex can destroy families. Sex feels spectacular. Sex can kill.

Is there a more polarizing topic in our world today? You can’t talk about it with your mom, yet it is plastered all over billboards.

God wired us as sexual creatures. True, he did this so we would have kids and get married. But God also created sex for our enjoyment… as a reward to us. Before sin entered the world, Adam and Eve had sex and felt no shame. Sex wasn’t dirty at all.

Then the fall happened and one of the first things the first couple did was cover their nakedness and hide. Scriptures tell us that when a man and woman come together sexually, they become one flesh.

So what happens when we join ourselves to someone else and then sever the relationship? Like licking a frozen pole during arctic temperatures, we can’t yank ourselves free without leaving bits of flesh and blood behind.

Sex is not just a physical act… it is emotional and spiritual… or at least it should be.

As a culture, we are over-sexed… and at the same time we have no idea how to be intimate with each other.

I could write for ten pages but I don’t have the time and actually want you to read to the end of this post... so here is what the Bible says in a nutshell:

Single? Don’t have sex… even if you have screwed up in the past. God can make you clean right now. He has forgiven you and loves you too much to want you to destroy yourself with bad or improper sex.
Control your urges and temptations… unlike the animals, you can find self control through Christ.

Married? Have sex with your spouse. Become one flesh so that you won’t be tempted and Satan won’t get a foothold.

Married men, be respectful of your wives and don’t force yourself on her. Give her a reason to want you physically. Take her on dates and give her lots of non-sexual touch.

Married women, be respectful of your husband as a sexual creature. Desiring your body is a gift from God… it is how God has wired him. If your husband is thinking about you naked, he is being as pure as a choir boy.

Don’t settle for a cheap imitation of God’s plan for sexual satisfaction (pornography, homosexuality, sex outside of marriage).

If we go outside of God’s plan for sex we hurt ourselves and others… every single time.

Sex is powerful. Will you let it destroy you or heal your heart?

What’s your story? How have you seen sex destroy or heal hearts inside or outside of marriage?

Also, what are some common ways culture lies to us about sex? [i.e packaging lit stick of dynamite in a gift box]

Yesterday we championed stories of people who chose Gods idea of sex and it was incredible but I also know there are a lot of people who have been severely hurt by sex. I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to leave comment as anonymous if you want. But please share your story.
Also, if anyone has tough/personal questions, email me anonymously here. They will be answered later by panel of older godly 'sexperts'. Get email reminder here.