Some Scriptures on Sexuality

 

Some Scriptures on Sex.

 

I remember in the early seventies hearing about this wild and wonderful chaplain at Vassar College who had decided that the church had for too long not addressed one of life's most basic issues, namely human sexuality. So he boldly titled his sermon—It's Fun, Funny and Faithful. He was fired—just took a couple of weeks.

 

Bob was a middle aged man in my previous church who suffered severely from muscular dystrophy and had had over 20 operations as a child and adult in order to just be able to walk laboriously with crutches. He had very limited eyesight. One Sunday morning he was struggling up the seven steps to get into the Parish Hall. I said Good morning Bob. He replies Good morning Rev. Brooks—may the peace of Christ be with you today. He paused and then added—you are really going to need it. Wow—what did he know that I didn't know? Then with a smile I decided that Bob was right on about that day, that Sunday and in fact about everyday.

 

So in this spirit let us hear some of the Scriptures that speak to some of the issues of human sexuality. This sermon is mostly Scriptures—with a bite of commentary by the preacher—may the peace of Christ be with him, he is really going to need it.

 

I Corinthians 6.19-7.8. Paul speaks this powerful word to us that it is good to be single. Paul is single, celibate. Jesus is single. Mary Madgalene. There is holiness, a glory about living and standing before God as a single person. The Message translation says so beautifully God gives the gift of the single life to some, the gift of the married life to others.

 

And Paul proclaims sexual equality in marriage. Bring your mind back into the world of first century Roman Empire. In that context then, we hear Paul proclaim one more step in the Christian revolution.

 

John 8.1-11. When we hear this story, our inquiring minds are immediate fascinated by one question. Where's the dude—takes two to tango. So where is the guy? But we understand that the scribes and Pharisees have no real concern for this woman or the adulterous man, they are trying to trap Jesus. They are trying to squeeze Jesus between the rock of the law and the hard place of love and forgiveness. Jesus condemns there self righteousness—and ours.

 

And Jesus is both forgiving and firm. You have sinned. Go—repent—change—sin no more.

 

Matt.5.27-28 Famously, Jimmy Carter was asked by a reporter about this verse and whether he had ever lusted after someone other than his wife. Jimmy Carter took his religion seriously and told his truth by saying yes. Yes, he said, I have found other women very attractive and have always kept my marriage vows. Some people said O my God how he could say that. I say Thank God he had the honesty and courage to say that.

 

Song of Songs—To their surprise , the choir was asked to sing and has blessed us with an anthem from the Song. These loves poems are sometimes attributed to Solomon. Remember a little about Solomon. Wise—built the temple—rather heavy into slave labor—rich. The children were studying Solomon in Sunday school and a mom asked her son what they learned that day. Mom it's amazing—Solomon owned hundreds of porcupines.

 

Listen to parts of the Song of Songs. We hear powerfully the voice of a woman, a man and a chorus. We hear words of love and longing—we understand that the author celebrates the communion between human love and divine love. In the Song of Songs, they walk hand in hand.

 

2 Samuel 11.1-5 David the anointed one, the king, the great military hero is not in the field with the army. He is smitten by Bathsheba—is it lust, is it love, is it boredom, is it all of the above. We don't know but he has power and uses it to command Bathsheba to come to him and his bed. We cannot hear Bathsheba's voice in the story—did she come willingly or reluctantly. Was she terrified? The story tells us of power being used to control and abuse another person. David and Bathsheba do seem to grow into love for one another.

 

Ruth 3.1-10 Ruth remember is a foreigner, a woman of Moab, a refugee. She has returned to Israel with her mother in law, Naomi. Ruth has been gleaning the fields of Boaz, a well to do relative of Naomi. Boaz noticed Ruth and was kind to her. And Naomi says, Here is how you can seduce him. Go and lie down beside him at night and then say Marry me. Does is amuse you that Ruth has a blessed place in this sanctuary. Remember too—she is the great grandmother of David—and is one of only four women who are mentioned in Matthews's genealogy of Jesus. So Matthew thought she was a wild, wonderful woman of God.

 

Gen.17.9-11 Well, what can we say in response to this text. There is only one word—OUCH.

What does to mean to the world when you move from circumcision to baptism as the rite of initiation into your religious tradition. Revolution. Revolution.

 

Gen 1.27-28 the first creation story celebrates the mystery of us being created male and female, equally reflecting the image of God. We hear the command to be fruitful, to have children—and how good all of creation is.

 

Gen 2.24-25 This text is from the second creation story. Eve created from Adam says the text and therefore their coming back—cleaving to each other—is returning to a primal unity.