Unchangeable Sexuality
1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
Connect:
Share how you have seen God in the Highs and Lows of your week.
Prayer:
Pray that God would lead your discussion time and bring fresh insight, conviction, and hope through your time together.
Review:
We are moving into a series on 1 Thessalonians where Paul’s basic purpose was to encourage followers of Jesus to live ‘unstoppable’ lives in anticipation of the Lord’s return. Last week we looked at how faith works itself out in love, and this week we are looking at sexuality as a way we can honor and acknowledge God.
The Grand Tour of the message: Thinking back on what you heard this Sunday…
o What did you learn about God?
o What did you learn about people?
o What did you learn about yourself?
o What do you want to commit to putting into practice?
Reflect:
Experience:
If someone asked you, “What is the difference between struggling with sexual sin and claiming it as your identity?” what would you say?
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:1-2:
Paul is clearly amping up his stand here before he gets to holiness in the area of sexuality. Why do you think he takes intentional time to establish the authority of what he’s about to say?
What does it mean that Paul is speaking “by the authority of Jesus Christ”?
Read 4:3-5
The word “sanctified” literally means “set apart”. Why does Paul use that language here— set apart from what for what?
Discuss other areas of Scripture that talk about Self control. How does that happen? According to Scripture, what aspect of us is supposed to be controlling the desires of our physical body?
Paul makes it explicit that the pagans who are driven by their passions “don’t know God”. Why would that make a difference, since the physical desires of pagans and believers are pretty much the same.
Read 4:6-8
It’s pretty clear by now that this Scripture makes even our sexuality a matter of self-expression that is under God’s authority. How would you talk about that with someone who does not believe in God but really wants to know why you don’t just follow your passions wherever they lead?
Read 1 Corinthians 6:13-15, 18-20. How does this help us with dealing with temptation in this area of our lives?
Read 4:9-12
Their love for each other and those in the region is already known; why urge them to “do so more and more”? What is the purpose of saying that?
The point in this section of “…so that you are not dependent on anyone” seems to be part of the exhortation to pursue godliness with everything they’ve got, urgently! What part does reducing dependency have in this?
Respond:
Mark closed the message with a reminder that it is both a matter of identity and authority that we make this aspect of our lives, our sexuality, itself an area where we acknowledge God’s reign and experience His joy. Spend some time this evening acknowledging together that “you are not your own, you were bought at a price. Therefore [we can] honor God with our bodies” ….and every other aspect of ourselves!
Resources: Check out the IdentityProject from the Colson Group as well as some great resources on RightNow Media!.
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