Made In The Image of God: Sex, Identity and Creation

Genesis 2:19-24

“Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” ¹⁹ Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. ²⁰ The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. ²¹ So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. ²² And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. ²³ Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
because she was taken out of Man.”

²⁴ Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. ²⁵ And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

[starting after welcome comments at timestamp 2:00]

Opening Prayer

Let’s pray together.

Father, as we sit here this morning and we’ve heard what Blaque has shared with us, we are once again reminded that we are in a spiritual warfare. And the evil one is most definitely there – to destroy the work of God and God’s world and God’s creation. He’s there to bring sin and suffering and death.

And Father we thank you that you have given us your word. We thank you that you have given us the gospel. We thank you that you have given us your son, who rescues us from all these things. Who gives us freedom, who gives us grace, and who gives us hope.

Lord, we pray now as we start this new series dealing with sex and particularly the pressures we have in our culture that you will help us to understand your word, and what you want us to believe, and what is best for us. So we do ask for your hand upon us as we look at your word. And we pray this for Christ’s sake. Amen.

Ideas Have Consequences

Well I think that there’s no doubt in our minds that we are are right in the middle of a sexual and a social revolution. It doesn’t only go back to the 1960s (most of you weren’t even born). It actually goes back to the Enlightenment. So let me give you a little bit of philosophy. Because ideas have consequences.

We are are right in the middle of a sexual and a social revolution

Immanuel Kant

The Enlightenment, you will remember from your school days, happened in the 17th and 18th century. Primarily in Europe. One of the great leaders of the Enlightenment was a man called Immanuel Kant. And in 1784 this is what he said:

He said “Each person invents or creates himself over time. We make ourselves.” So that’s not 2017, that’s 1784.

Germaine Greer

More recently, you may remember Germaine Greer in 1986 she wrote a book called The Female Eunuch and she said, “Human beings have an absolute right to invent themselves.”

Zygmint Bauman

Zygmunt Bauman writing in 2003 in his book called Liquid Love – which gives you some idea – he argues that “our identity can be shifted and changed as we wish. We can construct and deconstruct ourselves by individual choices”. End of quote.

Our Culture Is Influenced By These Ideas Today

So ideas have consequences. The ideas of Emmanuel Kant in 1784 are here today. Words have consequences. And so these words of Emmanuel Kant have borne fruit, right now, here in Joburg, in our culture. Each person invents or creates himself. We make ourselves.

In our culture, each person invents or creates himself. We make ourselves.

Christian Ideas Are Often Condemned

So here in Joburg 2017 if you were to publicly say – perhaps to some of your colleagues, or perhaps to some of the Moms in the car park – that a certain sexual preference is wrong, or is improper – if you were to say that to one of your friends in the car park, they will probably think that you are intolerant.

They may even think that you are immoral. That you are denying the human rights of certain people. In fact why don’t you try this one day. Try it out. Prove me wrong. When your colleagues, your friends, your extended family – you’re standing at a braai – and they’re starting to talk about the whole transgender movement. They’re starting to talk about LGBT movement.

Try saying something like this: that God’s pattern for sex is that sex is for marriage and marriage is between one man and one woman. Why don’t you try that? See what kind of response you get. I’d be most surprised if it’s not anger; if you are not condemned, if you are not called a bigot, if you are not called that you are speaking hate speech; that you are homophobic.

The Social Revolution in the Church

Most of you know that many churches in the Western world – especially the Western world – have actually embraced the ideas of Emmanuel Kant. They’ve embraced the ideas. The autonomous man and woman. Each person invents or creates himself; we make ourselves.

So let me give you three examples. You can check them up for yourselves.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada accepts gay, lesbian and bi-sexual clergy in sexually active relationships.

As we speak, there is a motion which will be presented to the Synod of the Church of England, in England, in July this year [2017]. Which will recommend a special change in the liturgy of the church. That we not only have baptisms, but there is a special baptism for people who have changed their gender. So the idea is that you were baptised as a child as John (in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit). But now, since your transgender change, we now baptise you as Joan. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

That motion will be discussed at the Synod in July this year in England.

The social revolution is both outside and inside the Church

The Church of Scotland – you thought the Scottish would be a little bit wiser, but they’re not. They have apologised for any discrimination against gay people. In particular, any statement from the Church that says homosexuality, and homosexual acts are sin.

And they are proposing at the Synod, in about two months’ time, that they as a church accept gay, lesbian, homosexual, transgender marriages.

My dear friends, the social revolution is both outside and inside the Church.

Approaching Sex From The Scriptures

So what we’re going to be doing over the next four weeks, we’re going to be talking about pure sex. But particularly, not exclusively, but particularly look at this whole tidal wave that’s here. And it will keep growing. Of this LGBT Transgender movement. And we’re going to look at from the scriptures. To see what the Bible says.

Starting A Counter-Revolution

And actually what we’ll be doing – and what I’ll be asking – is that we actually start a counter-revolution. Because we’re actually in the minority. We’re in the very small minority. So we wanna start a counter-revolution that says it’s not us, it’s God who invented sex. It’s God who knows best how sex works.

It’s not us, it’s God who invented sex. It’s God who knows best how sex works.

God Invented Sex!

We are not plastic people. We are not lego people. We are not liquid people. You can’t just willy-nilly change yourself. No. God has created you. God, far from being a spoil sport, God knows more about sex than what we do. Or perhaps a sexual therapist. Or a pornographic movie, or a sex fair.

Far from being a spoil sport, God knows more about sex that what we do. Or a sex therapist.

And God actually says – God invented sex by the way, it was his idea. And he says the best sex, the safest sex, in fact the most enjoyable sex, is in the context of marriage. And it’s marriage between one man and one woman. And when we deviate from God’s plan – God’s template – we will only damage ourselves, and other people.

Deviating From God’s Plan Damages Us

My dear friends there is no better illustration of that deviation from God’s word, than what we see in our culture today. The abuse, the misuse, the exploitation of women. Some are raped, some are murdered. Isn’t that just an obvious example of a society, of a culture – fed by the media, by music, by politicians, by all kinds of things – a culture which says that it’s OK to misuse women. It’s OK to abuse people.

Well what’s happened?

Why Are We Surprised?

People have deviated from God’s plan. So it’s not rocket science. The reason why we’re having all these problems – dreadful problems, tragic problems – breaks our heart when your read these stories. “Where does it come from?” you say. Well it comes from the fact turn that people have turned away from God’s word, God’s template, God’s loving framework. And consequently you have brokenness. And now we’re surprised.

You see anyone who says that God’s plan for sex is out-dated, I mean obviously they haven’t opened a newspaper for two years. I mean obviously they haven’t listened to the news for three years. Haven’t read #menaretrash.

We Need To Understand What’s Happening in Our Culture

In fact, there are countless books and articles which can help us to understand what is happening in our culture – which we need to understand. So just two recent books that I’ve recently read over the last year or so. The one is by Redi Tlhabi called Endings And Beginnings. I think that’s a great book. It’s a haunting book. But it gives you some idea of the culture in which we live.

If you think God is old fashioned, out-dated, when it comes to sex, just look at the alternative.

There’s another book called Rape, A South African Nightmare by Dr Pumla Gqola. It’s not a pretty book. But it’s a pretty good picture of our society.

The Alternative To God’s Plan Is Brokenness

If you think God is old fashioned, out-dated, when it comes to sex, just look at the alternative. It’s brokenness; it’s tragedy.

Alright, two quick comments. Folks this is not a feel good sermon. OK? This is not what you call a motivational sermon. In fact I never have those – I’m sorry!

But we do need to understand what is happening in our world, in our culture. We do need to understand God’s plan. Because if we don’t, we can be drawn into these things. Our children could be drawn into these things.

So it’s critical that we understand the truth, and the truth sets you free.

Alright, just two quick comments before we get to our text.

We’ve Got To Be Revolutionaries

William Taylor, who has a book on sex, which I found very helpful, says this. I quote: “I’m hoping that this book is going to generate in us a proper Christian sense that we are now revolutionaries who will not conform.” End of quote.

We’ve got to be revolutionaries who will not conform to the idea that people are liquid people.

We are in the minority. The total minority. So we’ve got to be revolutionaries who will not conform to the idea that people are liquid people. That you can just make up your own identity; we are just lego.

We will not conform to our world, which says that each person can just invent themselves. They can just create themselves. It’s kind of a pick-n-mix identity mentality.

Why Will We Not Conform? Love.

And the reason we will not conform – the reason we won’t keep quiet, the reason we won’t stand back – is because we love people. That’s why.

We know, and it’s pretty obvious, that if you take on the philosophy, the worldview, of Immanuel Kant, of The Lutheran Church of Canada, of free love, it destroys people.

Once the novelty of sin has worn off – and it may take a while that, by the way. There’s a novelty in sin. There’s a pleasure, theres a thrill in sin. Once the novelty of sin has worn off – may take two, three, four years, who knows – what it does is it brings absolute destruction of people. Of their identity. It drives people, as Blaque said, to suicide.

Because we love them, we warn them. If we didn’t love them we’d keep quiet.

So we need to be godly revolutionaries. Who want to lovingly warn people that what they think is the light at the end of the tunnel is a train. Because we love them, we warn them. If we didn’t love them we’d keep quiet. Far easier.

We Are All Flawed When It Comes To Sex

Second comment, is that I assume that every single one of us here this morning knows that we are flawed when it comes to sex. Myself included.

None of us have got it right. Isn’t that right? None of us is perfect. None of us can stand in judgement of anybody else. In word, thought, or deed we have all blown it. We are all sinners, we are all flawed when it comes to sex.

God’s Grace & God’s Command

All of us, myself included, have things which we are ashamed of. Yes? In word, thought or deed. All of us know that we can only be redeemed, we can only be restored, because of God’s offer of grace and forgiveness. And God’s command to believe and repent. You can’t divorce the two. There is grace and forgiveness – and it’s immeasurable. But there’s also God’s command to believe and to repent.

Making A Stand With Wisdom

And please remember that when we are talking about being revolutionaries, we are not obnoxious. So we need wisdom.

It’s very difficult – around a braai or at a coffee shop when you’re with close friends – it’s very difficult. It’s not easy to stand up and to speak out. And so we need wisdom. And we pray to God for wisdom – that we do it in the right way and not the wrong way.

That when we do it we understand that, “I’m a sinner. I’m no less a sinner than anybody else.” But we are to be revolutionaries of love. Who love our world. Who love our colleagues. Who love our family. Because if we don’t warn them, they’ll be hit by a train.

Speaking Truth In Love

As Paul said we are to speak the truth in love. I mean that’s a great phrase isn’t it. Speak the truth in love. But oooh is that tough. I don’t always get that right. I mostly get it wrong. You sort of kind of get it unbalanced. You speak too much truth and too little love, or too much love and too little truth. And so we need to ask God for his spirit, and for wisdom. That we can speak the truth in love.

Alright, let’s dig into our passage. Finally!

We Are Made For God

Alright, three principles. Number one: we are made for God. The key to Genesis 1:1, right up to Genesis 2:3 which you can’t miss, is a kind of a rhythm; there’s a pattern here.

So we’ve got to do a bit of work in the passage to understand this principle and it’s a key principle.

It’s God’s Creation

The rhythm and pattern we have from Genesis 1:1-2:3 is this. God said. God made. It was so. It was good. God said. God made. It was so. It was good. Six times over.

The point is simple, that it’s God’s creation. God doesn’t tell us how he created everything. But it’s quite clear that God is the creator. He made everything. He’s the source, he’s the origin. Only those who are blind enough cannot see that. It is so obvious.

And the goal of God’s creation is actually stated to us in Genesis 2:1-3. And you may never have thought about these verses in this way. But it’s actually the goal of creation from which we get our identity.

The Goal of Creation

Genesis 2:1-3 “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. ² And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. ³ So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.”

Shalom

So the ultimate purpose of the universe, the ultimate purpose of creation, our ultimate purpose, is rest. Verse 3. But it’s not a resting on deck chairs. It’s not a rest of snoozing in front of the TV. It’s not as if God collapsed on a couch and said, “Thank goodness! I can now have a break!” No. It’s the rest of the Hebrew word shalom. Which means wholeness, which means peace, which means unity, which means healing.

That is the goal of creation; that is the goal of our lives. That we have a perfect relationship with God.

So the purpose of creation, the purpose of the creatures, is to reach that point of rest, where we live in peace – in harmony – with our creator and with other people. That’s the purpose of life. That’s the purpose of creation. In fact, that’s a picture of heaven – ultimately.

A Picture of Heaven

Where we are with God in perfect harmony, in perfect relationship. No more struggle, no more sin, no more temptation, no more abuse, no more rape, no more brokenness. We are with him in a perfect relationship, and a perfect relationship with one another. That is where our fundamental identity is.

That is the goal of creation; that is the goal of our lives. That we have a perfect relationship with God.

The Purpose of God’s Image Bearers

Now it’s true, and we’ll see this in a moment, that God made us male and female. God made us two genders. God made us as sexual creatures. But more importantly, our identity is found in the fact that we are made in the image of God. We are God’s image bearers.

And the purpose of our lives as God’s image bearers, is to find our fulfilment, our joy, in God and one another.

Our True Identity and True Purpose

That means, in our present culture, that your human identity – your personal identity – is not found in your sexuality. Important as that may be. But that’s not where it’s found. It’s not found in sex.

It’s not found in saying I can’t deny my feelings. No, your human identity – Genesis 1:27 – is found in who you are. Someone made in the image of God.

And your human purpose – Genesis 2:1-3 – is to find rest for your yearning soul in God. God is enough.

False Sunshine

So, in one of Blaque’s songs he talks about false sunshine. We are trying to find the answer to the yearning of our souls in false sunshine.

It is sunshine. There’s a thrill, there’s a pleasure. Sin is pleasurable. But it’s false. And you will not find the answer to the yearning of your soul in any of these things. You’ll only find it in God. I am made in the image of God. I’m a child of God. My purpose in life is to know God and know that perfect rest.

Our Sexuality Doesn’t Define Us

William Taylor in his book says he once boarded a plane – some years ago. And as he went to sit down, there was a middle-aged lady right next to him. And as he sat down she introduced herself to him and she said, “Hi, I’m Mary, and I’m gay.”

And William says, well he didn’t know what to answer, and he certainly didn’t say, “Well I’m William, and I’m heterosexual.” Because we’re actually not defined, our true heart identity is not based on our sex or sexuality.

Jesus – who never had sex – and Paul who very probably was single – were no less men, or human beings, than anyone else.

Sex is a precious gift from God which is to be enjoyed. But it doesn’t define us. It’s not at the heart of who you are. That’s why Jesus – who never had sex – and Paul who very probably was single – were no less men, or human beings than anyone else. It’s not the thing that defines you. It’s not the heart and guts of who you are.

No. The purpose of life is to know God.

True Sunshine

To know that I am precious, I have worth, I have dignity – because I am made in God’s image. And the ultimate purpose of my life – I can enjoy all his blessings and his gifts – and I thank him for them – but the ultimate purpose of my life is to find true sunshine. To find true rest.

I am precious, I have worth, I have dignity – because I am made in God’s image.

A friend of mine and Jean’s, who backslid from her faith sadly into drink, into drugs, into lesbian sex, she finally came back to God. Which was wonderful! Her Christian friends just kept praying for her. It was wonderful. He Christian friends for a number of years just kept praying for her; kept loving her.

And she finally came back to God. She turned from her destructive habits, and she discovered – which she often says – she says, “God is enough. God is enough.” Isn’t that lovely?

Alright there’s the first principle. We are made for God. And any false sunshine will not satisfy the longing of your hearts.

We Are Made in The Image Of God

Second Principle. We are made in the image of God. Now, we’ve touched on this, but have a look at Genesis 1:26: “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Genesis 1:27: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

You will never understand life, you will never understand the world, you will never understand people, you will never understand yourself, unless you understand this principle: that human beings are image bearers.

Whether they are Christians or not. Whether they are believers or not. Whether they are into alternative lifestyles or not. Whether they are into other religions or not. Every human being is made in the image of God. They have dignity, they have worth.

What Makes Us Different From Animals?

Not it’s interesting that we are made of the same stuff as the animals, that’s why some time ago I heard of someone having a heart transplant and they put in a pig’s valve into the heart. I’m not sure if they do this anymore. But we are made of the same stuff as animals.

We eat, we sleep, we reproduce, we have children, we do all kinds of things. We are much the same as the animals. In fact we share the same biblical day of creation as the animals.

I’m told that we share 98% of the same DNA as Chimpanzees. Did you know that? 98%. And when I look at my extended family, I think it’s a lot more!

And yet, my dear friends we are totally different. We are totally distinct.

Have you ever heard of Chimpanzees building a hospital? Flying a plane? Opening a hospice? No. The difference is we are made in the image of God. We have a unique identity. And both male and female are made in the image of God.

Isn’t This All Out-Dated?

Now there are some who will argue, “Oh come on Martin, this is ridiculous! We are looking at Genesis 1. Times have changed. We are living in a new age. Moses – who wrote the first 5 books of the Old Testament – was culturally captured. He is of the pre-historic Hebrew culture that he comes from.”

Well turn with me quickly to Matthew 19. And you’ll find that it wasn’t just Moses, it was Jesus. And Jesus actually quotes from Genesis 1 and 2. You may not know that. Jesus quotes from Genesis 1 and 2. Have a look at Matthew 19:4. Moses was not culturally captured. Nor was Jesus.

Jesus says in Matthew 19:4, he says “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female”.

Now it’s obvious, he’s quoting from Genesis 1. He made, God made us male and female. Not male and male, not female and female, no. Male and female.

Matthew 19:5 – notice what he says: “‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” So once again it’s quite clear. Sexual one flesh, physical one flesh, is between one man and one woman. Sex is for marriage and marriage is for one man and one woman.

3 Indispensable Characteristics of Marriage

Just quickly notice, and it’s good for us to notice this, the three indispensable characteristics of marriage.

Marriage Is Public

The first is it’s public. A man publicly leaves his biological family – his father and mother. It’s public. Everyone knows, everyone is there. It’s not just fat and sit. It’s not just shacking up. It’s not just moving over your toiletries and your wardrobe.

Marriage is public. It’s not just shacking up. It’s not just moving over your toiletries.

I’ve heard people say to me, “We are actually married. We don’t need to have a court case or a church service. We have committed ourselves to each other.” Well my dear friend, you can un-commit yourself in two minutes. Just move our your toiletries and your clothes! That’s all you have to do. It’s finished.

That’s not marriage! That isn’t marriage. It’s public. Everyone knows. Everyone is there. Everyone agrees. The parents, the family are involved. There are public witnesses.

Marriage Is Permanent

Secondly, it’s permanent. Matthew 19:5 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife.” It’s the idea of permanence. For better or worse.

Sometimes it’s better, sometimes it’s worse. It’s life. But we’re gonna stick together. Because it’s permanent, and the alternative is worse. In fact the best sex is actually found in an emotionally safe and permanent relationship. That’s where the best sex is found. And it’s called marriage.

the best sex is actually found in an emotionally safe and permanent relationship called marriage.

One man, one woman, for one life.

Some years ago Gallup in America did a survey amongst thousands of people. Thousands and thousands of people. They did a survey because they wanted to find what group of people, what slice of society has the best sex. And the most frequent sex.

And to their great shock and horror, they discovered that married women, who came from a Protestant, theologically conservative background, had the best and the most sex.

Now if you’re new to our church, and you’re thinking about joining our church, we are a Protestant church and we are a theologically conservative church. I think that is a good enough reason to join our church!

Marriage Is Physical

So, marriage is public, marriage is permanent, and thirdly marriage is physical. “And they shall become one flesh.” The one flesh includes socio-emotional one flesh, but certainly, physical. Marriage is consummated by the sexual act.

God knows that sex doesn’t mean nothing.

God who created us male and female – it’s God who created sex for our enjoyment. It was his idea. And God knows that sex doesn’t mean nothing. You can’t just say “Oh, it’s just nothing.” You’ve read about this hook-up culture. Where you just, on your iPhone hook up with someone and have sex. No emotional binds at all. You are just having sex. Sex is nothing.

Sex is not nothing. And some of you who’ve been there, you know that! It’s an act of intimacy. It’s an act of self-exposure. And the only safe place where you can really enjoy it is in marriage. It’s permanent.

May of you will know from personal experience – or perhaps from friends or family – you will know, you all know, that if you go from self-exposure, to another self-exposure, to another self-exposure, to another self-exposure, the damage can be devastating.

And some of you have been there. So you know what I’m talking about. And some people never recover.

Just a quick aside before we look at our last principle.

The Basis Of Human Rights

Let’s take a look at Genesis 1:27. It’s so critical because the whole basis of human rights in the Western world is based upon this verse.

Because we are made in the image of God, we should oppose any kind of racism, any kind of xenophobia. We should oppose euthanasia. We should oppose abortion. We should oppose any exploitation of women – rape of women, murder of women. Why? Because they are made in the image of God. They have value, they have dignity in and of themselves

This is the basis of all of the human rights that we have in the Western world. You throw this out, my dear friends, and you open the newspapers and see the consequences.

You Have Dignity. You Are Precious.

The mess we are in in the world is not difficult to understand. Is it? People have turned away from God, turned away from his word. They think they are more clever. Immanuel Kant says you can reinvent yourself, you can make yourself, well look where we are.

My dear friends you have value. You have dignity. You are precious. Not because you have money, not because you have achieved certain things. Not because you are successful, not because you are fast, not because you are beautiful, not because of any thing else – but you are made in the image of God.

Kim Is Precious

My brother and his wife – eldest brother John and his wife – they were warned that their baby – this is now many years ago – would not be normal. They were encouraged to have an abortion. They decided not to. And they had a Down’s syndrome baby called Kim.

And you know what? Kim is the most loved person in our extended family. Because she is a person. She has her own sense of humour. She has her own way of doing things. And she’s the most loved person. And she’s changed the lives of many people. She’s precious. Why? Because she’s made in the image of God.

We Are Made Male & Female in the Image of God

Alright, last principle. We are made male and female in the image of God. Again, Genesis 1:27:

“So God created man in his own image,
    in the image of God he created him;
    male and female he created them.”

Genesis 1:27 & The Transgender Movement

Now, there’s a great deal in this verse. We won’t be able to get to all of it. But I want to apply it to the whole transgender movement.

You will notice that both male and female are made in God’s image. You will notice that both male and female together, make up the image of God.

Men and Women: Equal But Different

Now, we’ve seen before that both men and women are different. God has made us different. We are male, we are female. We have different roles; we have different strengths; we have different weaknesses. Nonetheless, we all equally bear the image of God. We all are precious.

We all equally bear the image of God. We all are precious.

And therefore, let me repeat, there should be zero, zero tolerance for any abuse or mis-use of children or women. Why? Because we are equally made in the image of God.

Once again, what that means, when we say that God made us male and female, is that we cannot as Kant says, invent or create ourselves. We are not liquid self-inventing individuals. We can’t invent our own sexual identities or choices.

No, we find our true identity in who God made us.

Two Sets of Chromosomes

Even God’s creation, when you take science or biology, will tell us what Genesis 1 tells us. There are only two sets of chromosomes. There’s male XY chromosomes, there’s female XX chromosomes. I mean isn’t that interesting? How science and biology agree with what the Bible says. We shouldn’t be surprised of course. It’s XX and it’s XY.

But it’s Not XA and XB and XC and XD. No, there are two sets of chromosomes.

Now of course there will be anomalies. There will be exceptions. Possibly someone like Caster. And the reason is the fall has influenced every area of life – including chromosomes. It’s an exception. And we ought to love her and anyone else like that.

Gender Options On Facebook

However, you don’t build a principle on the exception. The rule is God made us male and female. Do you know that Facebook, I checked this out last night. Facebook, which has almost 2 Billion members…

Just by the way I’m not on Facebook because I don’t want any friends. So don’t look me up on Facebook. I’m not there!

But Facebook, 2 Billion members. Remember, there’s almost 7 Billion people on planet earth. 2 Billion are on Facebook. Facebook has 71 gender options. Let me read just a couple of them. I won’t go through all of them.

There’s a-gender, bi-gender, poly-gender, pan-gender, intersex, androgynous, gender-fluid, gender-queer, gender-neutral, gender-questioning, and on, and on, and on, and on.

And you thought there were only two!

Young Teens Choosing Their Gender

Do you know that school children in certain state schools in the UK fill out a form when they are 13 years old. And the form gives them 20, 30 options. And the question they have to answer – they are 13 years old – “Will you tell us what gender you are?” Decide what gender you are.

Can you imagine a 13 year old? Your hormones are all over the place. Psychologically you are all over the place. “The reason I’m struggling with this issue”, or whatever it is, “is because I’m in the wrong body. I have the wrong gender.”

Can you imagine? 13 year olds?

Research Around Transgender Operations

Paul McHugh, former Psychiatrist in Chief at Johns Hopkins hospital, in Baltimore. He’s Harvard trained. Johns Hopkins hospital was the top hospital in the USA for 21 years. He started gender surgery in 1960. He has now totally stopped.

I don’t know if he’s a Christian or not, but he’s totally stopped. Because he said research has found… So they researched everybody who had transgender operations, and research found that all the issues that were presented as a reason for having a transgender operation were still there long after the transgender operation.

In fact suicides are 20 times higher for that group of people.

The LGBT & Transgender Tidal Wave

Let me close and say the LGBT and Transgender movement is coming to our shores. It’s at our shores but it’s coming even stronger as a tidal wave. And we do need to be prepared. We do need to prepare our children.

We need to be prepared as a church. There may well come a time when I preach exactly the same sermon, and someone sitting here who is against me and this church, will charge me with hate speech. Which is a crime.

We may well be getting to that place. That’s the tidal wave we are fighting.

The Reason Is In Genesis 3

And the reason for all this confusion is actually not Genesis 1-2. It’s actually Genesis 3. Where Adam, and Eve, our fore-parents, followed Immanuel Kant. They said we will invent ourselves, we will create ourselves. We will make ourselves. We rebelled against God, and the consequence is brokenness.

And the only antidote – there is no other antidote – is Christ. Christ is the only one who can rescue us.

And we all need rescuing. Because we are all broken sinners. So let’s pray.

Closing Prayer

Let’s spend a few moments of quite as we reflect on God’s word.

Father, here we sit this morning, all of us, under your word. All of us sinners and flawed when it comes to sex. Lord we are no, no better than any other person. Lord, there’s some of us who need to repent of our sin. Whatever it is. In fact, Lord, all of us do.

Will you cleanse us and wash us, because of what Christ did for us on the cross. And Father will you help us in our thoughts, in our words, in our deeds, to continually strive to live godly lives.

Lord, even when we fall, help us to pick ourselves up quickly and confess and repent of our sins and follow Christ.

Father give us courage so that we could be loving revolutionaries, who will not conform to our culture. Who will fight for the fact that men and women have infinite eternal value, because they are made in the image of God.

And help us, Lord, as a church, never to wander from the truth, and the word, and to give in to our world and our culture.

Father, go with us this week. Help us to serve you and live for you wherever you have placed us. And we pray this for Christ’s sake. Amen.