Fighting for Love against Lust

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.'  But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.- Matthew 5:27‭-‬30 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Survey the terrain

There was no way to convince the original audience of Jewish people that adultery is wrong. That keeping sex inside of marriage is right and true. Jesus did not need to explain or defend the idea of marriage being the proper and only place for sex.

Firstly, sex is a good thing. It is not dirty or just necessary for babies. It is a gift from God. Song of songs is an entire book about the joy in sex within the parameters of marriage. Sex is designed by God for a specific purpose and context. If you take sex and use it outside of marriage, it will destroy both sex and hurt yourself.

Marriage is a permanent, exclusive, and complete promise to one another. This covenant is the bedrock that allows for true intimacy between people. The couple become one flesh. Sex is a reflection of how the couple is one in our ways. Spiritual & mental closeness is expressed in sex. You cannot divorce the two.

Our modern culture has a different point of view. It recognizes no God. We are just random bits. So we are no better than animals. What is the difference between eating and sex? It's just satisfying hunger of different types.

Sex causes bonding. There is a chemical reaction from sex that causes people to bond. Sex outside of marriage causes people to damage sex and marriage. They hookup and walk away. Eventually, sex loses the ability to cause bonding. So then there is no longer the commitment bonding from sex. Those who abuse sex in their lives will eventually find that sex no longer helps to bond spouses together. It results in commitment issues.

Sex is not self centered and something to be shared with anyone. It loses its beauty, joy, and the ultimate worth of sex when it is done outside of marriage. Boundaries make sex better not less.

Where the battle lies

God's standards are higher than we can possibly imagine. It is not just avoiding sex outside of marriage. To look at someone with lustful thoughts is sinful.

Sexual desire is not sinful. Noticing attractiveness in someone is not sinful. Wanting sex is not sinful. Jesus was a man, so he felt desire. He was tempted. But that is not sin. So then what is lust? It is what comes after noticing attractiveness. Lust is to desire something that you do not possess. It is imagining sexual intimacy with someone who is not your spouse. It is coveting sex with someone who we are not married to. The seed of lust in the heart, unchecked, results in adultery.

How to fight

Sexual immorality is not about sex. It is about what it represents. Masturbation can be about handling stress. No need for conversation or going on dates. Women can have sex to feel wanted and desired, if only for a moment.

Sexually immorality always pushes for more. You start with pictures, but soon that is not enough. From there you go to videos, then from there to people. Sexual sin cannot just stop, it is an addiction that just demands more and more. It cannot be a pet sin; it will devour you. 

Do whatever it takes to kill sin. Do not try to manage sin. Cut it out of your life. Be ruthless with it because it will be ruthless with you. Those who belong to the kingdom will have this attitude. Vigilant fighting against sin is one of the characteristics of a Christian. Not perfect fighting, but the heart and attitude.

1) The true standard of God's law drives us into the arms of Jesus. Do not fight sin in our power, but with the Holy Spirit. The God of David the giant slayer is also the God of David the adulterer and murderer of Uriah.

2) Our true and ultimate love, comfort, and ecstacy is in God and Jesus. Sex and marriage point to Jesus. Sex and marriage will not exist in heaven because they are shadows and signs pointing to God, the one in whom we will find the greatest satisfaction and contentment.

3) Know yourself and be known. Have fellow Christians know when you will struggle with sin. Have others know what you struggle with and walk with them. Sin flourishes in the dark. We are all struggling with this. We can all improve in this area. Have two close people who can ask you the tough questions and who you can ask hard questions.

Christ, the Law, and Anger

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.  Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.'  But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire.  So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,  leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.  Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.  Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.- Matthew 5:17‭-‬26 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Our relationship with the law

Jesus came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. He doesn't take anything away from the entirety of the law. This includes the prophecies about the Messiah. His birth, his life, and his death. He is the only one who fully lived out the law in his life. He also fulfilled the law by dying upon the cross. He fulfills the old testament by embodying all that those books eluded to. We saw the shadows in the old testament, but Jesus is the one who fills in all the blanks. Jesus is the one who illuminates the old testament.

Whoever takes a cavalier attitude to the old testament is considered the least in God's kingdom. Relaxing any of the commands makes you the worse in God's kingdom. But the Christian ignores many commands from the old testament. How do we make sense of this? There's civil laws that apply to Israel during that time and place. We are not bound by civil laws. The kingdom is not bound to a time or place. There are ceremonial laws. How do we relate to God? But Christ has changed how we related to God the Father. We are no longer bound by ceremonial law. But there is a third law, the moral law. The ten commandments are a prime example of the moral law. There is still a need to obey the need to love our neighbor. We still need to read and understand the first two types of laws. They illuminate sin and how much God cares and loves us.

We look at this position on the law and it will steer us to avoid two pitfalls, legalism and licentiousness. Obedience and self control are required for a well-lived Christian life. Maturity in following Jesus requires obedience and self denial. This obedience does not come from fear, but from love and treasuring Jesus. Jesus is Savior and Lord. Jesus calls the shots in our lives, not us.

The righteousness God requires

The righteousness must supercede the scribes and Pharisees. These people were not slouches. We vilify them. These people were experts in the law. They followed the law of God, all 613 rules and regulations. When God called for fasting, they did the number of days required and more. They tithed everything, down to their spices. But the experts in the law did not take the God of law seriously enough. External obedience was insufficient. They obeyed the letter of the law, but completely missed the spirit of the law.

Reframing anger

So what does true righteousness look like? What kind of righteousness is acceptable to God? Jesus uses anger to demonstrate true righteousness. The commandment is "one shall not murder." But Jesus goes further. Murder is liable to judgement before the courts. But everyone who is angry with others should receive the same punishment, hell. So murder and anger both deserve judgement. How can insulting others in anger be placed in the same category as murder?! Because they both come from the same heart... one that treats others with contempt and anger. Most murders don't come out of nowhere, it starts with a heart of anger. The difference between one who murders and one who is angry and treating others with contempt is simply external actions. The seed of murder is in both hearts. It is only a difference of circumstances and upbringing. So obedience calls us to reconcile and make peace rather just avoiding anger and not murdering. It is more than not breaking the law. The law illuminates how far we are from righteousness.  It gives us the feeling of helplessness. But it is meant to show us our need for Jesus and empowering by the Spirit.

Run, John, run, the law commands, 
But gives us neither feet nor hands. 
Far better news the gospel brings: 
It bids us fly and gives us wings.

Poem attributed to John Bunyan (1628-1688) by Corrie ten Boom

Devotion 2.0

What are we trying to do?

Find and implement hyper practical ways of improving our devotional life over the next 4 weeks.

Understanding devotion

Most of us have a negative view of our devotional life. What does a positive view look like? How do we change from a negative view to a positive one?

What is the purpose of a devotional life?
To genuinely connect with God and know him more and more
To let that connection impact every aspect of our lives

Need to see devotional life as:
An invitation - God is more eager than you are
Pointed at the Future - this progresses into the future, eternity.

What is a devotional?
3 focuses: read, pray, & reflect

Reflection: contemplation of God, His character, His past actions, and a honest application of the gospel to our selves

Vision for Devotional Life this year

How do we actually improve our devotional life?
Start with a vision for where we want to end up.

What kind of life with God do you want? What energizes you? How do you want to connect with God? Set aside what we ought to do and consider what we want to do.

Here's a possible vision: being salt and light to our world.

To be a person and a church whose words and actions are "saltier and brighter once a day, each day by 2020"

We going to:

1. Find our starting point
2. Find our destination
3. Charting our course

1. Spotty reading, praying, and contemplation
2. Focus on contemplating God's grace, patience, and faithfulness every evening in order reflect this to my children/family and to be less anxious about work/identity

Finding bright spots
What days/time of day/moments are most likely to success?
When you read/pray/reflect, what helps you do those things?

Shrink the change
     5 minute plan.
Set a timer.
Do one of the RPR steps.
Stop when the time goes off.
Take advantage of spare moments. Instead of grabbing your phone, do the five minutes of your change.

     Do less and be more present
Instead of tracking your Facebook, Twitter, or other social feed... Turn off data and do your devotion.
Let your down moments be unspoken for.

Specific tools

Reading
  Don't read cover to cover in order
  Pick small chucks and read repetitively
Prayer
  Lord's prayer
  Thanksgiving & praise
  Confession, repentance & forgiveness
  The local and global church
Contemplation
  Confessions & Catechisms
    Westminster shorter, Heidelberg, Belgic Confession
  Preparation for/Ensuring suffering
  Who God is (Father, Redeemer, King) and what it means for your life/circumstances & our world/circumstances
  "Morning and evening" by Charles Surgeon

Plan: I will read the morning and evening devotional by spurgeon twice a day (with Megan) in order to be more patient, gracious, and less anxious with family and work.

Sermon on the Mount: The Beatitudes

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.  "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.  "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.  "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.  "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.  "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
- Matthew 5:1-12 ESV

Rev. Charles Han

Upside down kingdom

Blessed starts every verse in Jesus' sermon. This means that they are favored and happy. What do we think of when we hear the word blessed? Jesus defines some very odd people as blessed. The meek, those who mourn... Why are these people considered blessed? Jesus came from heaven... He had the authority to speak of who is blessed, he came from heaven after all. Why does Jesus repeat this so many times? Jesus is trying to get through to a deaf world.

Everyone seeks out happiness. Some may go to war; others avoid it. It is to this same end that drives both behaviors. Some even look to suicide. But not all these paths will end in happiness, many will end with misery and cursing. This path is the path to true happiness and fulfillment. These are all the qualifications for a true citizen of heaven. We are not fully embodying these qualities, but these are present and growing in a Christian's life and heart. To have these qualifications requires more than simply a religious life.

Inside out kingdom

The true kingdom citizen is spiritually poor. We acknowledge that we are spiritually bankrupt. We are humbled to the dust. How does this differ from your typical person? Most people consider themselves spiritually middle class. Not great, but not in need of help, in need of salvation. This is not something a Christian can hold in their heart. They need to know that they have no spiritual worth outside of the saving work of Jesus. They know of no other way to salvation other than utter dependence upon God.

Christians mourn over their sin. They see the darkness of their heart and the destructive results of their sin... And they mourn.

This is turn drives us into meekness. Not weakness, but meekness. It takes away our drive to glorify ourselves. We have an inner quietness because we know of our spiritual brokenness. But not only that, we are aware and secure of our standing before God. But this is not a coddled security. It makes us zealous for the kingdom of God.

Once we are accepted and adopted into God's kingdom, we want to extend and expand this great kingdom. We have a growing desire for personal piety. We have a heart for mercy. We do not emphasize one over the other.

The forward-back kingdom

How do we live this out? With the world constantly pushing back, trials, suffering, and even persecution... There is a coming kingdom. It will come and suddenly, the proud will be humbled. Those who are comfortable with their sin and evil, will find themselves in mourning. And those who mourn now over their sin, will be comforted. Persecution and reviling over this way of living is something that a Christian will rejoice in. It is a confirmation of our future destination. This is an attitude that cannot be counterfeited.

God's blueprint for His Church

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior; To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.- Titus 1:1-2:14 ESV

Rev. Charles Han

This is one of Paul's letters to Titus. Titus was one of Paul's proteges. Titus was to stay with the churches Paul had founded in Crete. He was to continue Paul's with there.

The gospel is vital for all peoples

Whether Christian or not, we all need the gospel of God. The gospel is of first importance. The message of the Gospel is life giving and life changing. It changes lawless, immoral people into upright, loving, and people zealous for God. Not only that, but for those who believe, the gospel is still vital. The gospel is still working in our lives to renounce ungodliness and add to our zeal for Jesus.

The church is vital for the gospel

For the gospel to come in fullness, we need a group of believers, i.e. the church. Missionaries are not sent out to bring some people to salvation. It is to plant a local church. The church is where older believers model and guide younger believers. It is where spiritual growth happens. We need a community of believers, a body of people investing in each other.

Make it your intention, your goal, this year to shape and invest in one younger believer. Or be shaped by an older believer. Maybe that's someone in your community group or that we minister alongside.

Elders are vital for the church

Elders must know sound doctrine in order to defend the church against false teaching. They must be above reproach. They must be trustworthy. They must be full of grace and full of truth.

The Gifts of Christmas

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."- Luke 2:8‭-‬12 ESV

Rev. Dan Whang

Is our Christianity truly joyful? Or are we faking it? Is it a struggle to have joy? The core of Christianity is joy.

The joy of Christmas comes from the Good News of the baby Jesus coming to a broken world.

The shepherds are outsiders. They are outcasts from society. But in a flash of light, angels appear and proclaim the birth of Christ. The first reaction is one of fear and anxiety. It had been a long time since Israel had heard from God whether prophet or judge. So the people were afraid. Hence the first words of the angel, fear not! And immediately followed by the proclamation of joy.

God has sent salvation in his son. God is working out redemption, salvation, and restoration. With a backdrop of suffering, sin, and pain, we see a great joy come. So it still is today. So in the midst of stress, anxiety, rushing, and pain, we still have this great joy. Jesus has lived the perfect life and died for our sins. So we have eternal life and a perfect restored relationship with God.

How can we increase our joy?
+ Learn how to delay your gratification this season
+ Get rid of unhealthy comparison and competition in your life

Advent: The gifts of Christmas: Hope

But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.- Isaiah 9:1‭-‬7 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Hope animates our lives. It helps us to persevere through trials and difficulties. It drives us to make goals. But losing hope can kill us. It can make us like walking dead. Not only that, but we must have hopes that are good. There are bad hopes. We can hope in things that can only disappoint. Like an abused woman who hopes their abuser doesn't leave them; there are harmful things to hope for.

The ultimate source of hope

Isiah gives these words of hope. However this will not come to pass for three hundred years. The prophecy was spoken in past tense to indicate the confidence that it would come to pass.

To those who hope for joy, Jesus comes to fill us with joy. The harvest is the last step of farming. After plowing, planting, guarding against pests, and waiting patiently, finally, time to taste the fruits of their labor. But more so than anything else we can hope in, whether careers, relationships, our spouse, sports teams, or any other goal or dream...

To those hoping for freedom, Jesus provides true freedom. Israel was under Assyrians and the Romans. There were times of freedom between the slavery and political oppression. But the freedom Jesus gives is freedom from sin. Humans enslave because there is something horribly wrong inside each of us. Jesus comes to conquer sin and death not by strength, but by God's power. The day of the Midianites was the story of Gideon. God calls for the smallest army of the most incompetent soldiers to battle thousands of Midianites.

To those who hope in peace, Jesus answers that as well. Not just the absence of war, but wholeness. Everything working as it should, with justice and properly restored. Can we hope that this world will work properly and be restored by human hands? Can we expect that we will deal with each other lovingly and justly? Does history tell us that we are moving away from war, oppression, neglect, slavery, and hatred? No, we repeat it time and again, different people and different contexts with the same problems.

Faith begets hope. Faith is trusting that what God promises will come to pass because God is trustworthy. Hope is the feeling of excitement and anticipation. Hope animates us. It drives us to make goals and push forward. It is what allows Christians to enter hopeless situations and being hope for more than what circumstances may dictate. God will move. People will be changed. The world will be restored.