Following Up on my Sermon

So, this past Sunday, I was preaching on how seeking God first in everything affects how we approach love, sex, and relationships.

Ultimately, we concluded on three guiding norms:

1. Look to God first for love


2. Look to God first for relationship


3. Look to God first for pleasure

As part of the sermon, we considered a few of my “friends” who were dealing with various issues regarding love, sex, and relationships. I solicited some help from the congregation as to how we could help them, given the three things we just learned. However, I didn’t really get much of a response. Part of it might have been that I wasn’t very clear, and also, they didn’t have much time.

Nonetheless, I think my sermon would be unfinished without helping my “friends”. So I wanna put my “friends” out there again and ask you guys to ask yourself, “If I were either or both of these people, how would I apply those three norms to help me navigate through this difficulty?”

Here are my “friends”:

Josh and Jessica – looking for an “significant other”

• Josh – looking to have some fun, not looking for anything serious


• Jessica – not getting any younger, wants to find a man to marry

Mark and Maggie – struggling with lust

• Mark – thinks marriage isn’t for a while; looks at internet porn and lingerie ads and sometimes masturbates


• Maggie – reads romance novels and Cosmo; fantasizes romance with both imaginary and real men

Dave and Dina – are dating

• Just started dating a few months ago; in puppy love stage even though they insist that they’re not


• Spend a lot of time going out, talking on the phone, writing letters, etc.


• Are physically intimate, heavy petting, no sexual intercourse

Allen and Alyssa – are engaged

• Allen – nervous about getting married


• Alyssa – nervous about wedding plans

Bob and Brenda – are married

• Lead busy lives, either working, socializing, or attending to chores