Sermon on the Mount: Dealing with Lust

Our sexuality, bestowed upon us by God, is not a source of shame but rather a gift. However, its proper expression within the bounds of marriage can bring fulfillment, while its misuse can lead to destructive consequences.

Genesis 1:27-28 tells us that we are created in God’s image and that we are to be fruitful and multiply.

The world want us to believe that who we are and how we identify sexually is our identity. But it is only part, not the whole.

Traditional Righteousness

Matthew 5:27 “You have heard it said, you shall not commit adultery”

Jesus’s words come from the 10 Commandments found in Exodus 20:14.

Diagnosis of The Vicious Cycle
Matthew 5:28 “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

• Jesus calls out everyone

• epithymeō - Greek word for lust meaning to have a desire for, long for, covet.

“We are created with desires; desire comes naturally. Jesus does not say, ‘Everyone with a momentary flash of lust in his mind’, but ‘everyone looking with an aim to desire her’. Looking is an ongoing action and practice.” - Glen H. Stassen “Living the Sermon on the Mount”

Our Vicious Cycle

• Lust and desire starts in the areas of deficit and feelings of un-fulfillment in our lives.
  
  

Better Righteousness

• Jesus demanded you should not “want” to commit adultery.
  
  

Transforming Initiative

• Jesus is not being literal when he says to pluck your eye out or cut off your hand, he is trying to make the point that lust is such a devastating sin that left unchecked can lead us into dark places in our soul. So for such a devastating and dangerous sin, we must take radical action to do whatever we must to evade destruction.

• 1 Corinthians 6:18 - Paul writes that we are to flee from sexual immorality.

• Genesis 39 - Story of Joseph fleeing from Potiphar’s wife.

• We must take radical action to do whatever we must to evade destruction

• A radical action could be defined as any extreme measure or decisive step taken to remove or mitigate sources of temptation and sin related to impure thoughts and desires.

• This may include intentional practices such as avoiding environments or stimuli that trigger lustful thoughts, practicing accountability with trusted individuals, implementing strict boundaries in personal relationships, and actively seeking spiritual disciplines like prayer, meditation, and Scripture study to cultivate purity of heart and mind.
  
  

Life Group Questions

1. How does Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:27-30 challenge your understanding of lust and the importance of controlling one’s thoughts and desires?

2. Reflecting on areas of un-fulfillment in life or marriage, how might these feelings of discontentment potentially lead us into temptation, as described in Matthew 5:27-30? How can we proactively address these areas of un-fulfillment to guard against such temptations?

3. Consider the broader implications of Jesus’ words about lust and the seriousness of sin. How can cultivating a deeper awareness of our thoughts and desires impact our relationships with others and our spiritual well-being?