October 26, 2017

 

Genesis 2:18-25 1And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 19 And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. 21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

After the six days of creation, God said His work was very good. He planted a garden for Adam and placed him in a perfect environment. Adam’s first homework assignment was to name all of the animals. It was through this sorting Adam recognized something profound. He was alone. There were two dogs, elephants and monkeys etc., but there was only one Adam. God had one more creative act special and unique only for human kind. Eve would not be molded from the dirt of the earth but taken from Adam and formed from Adam’s rib. Woman – a gift to man as a helper and companion. God said it is not good for man to be alone. Man is not complete in his being or purpose without a woman. God has a plan for Adam and it is Eve. God establishes the foundation for the first family. A man shall leave his father and mother and they shall become one flesh.

Now in this sacred bonding there is no shame. It is created by God for man and woman for the purpose of intimacy and procreation. It is also a tangible earthly demonstration of Christ’s abiding love for His Bride the Church. One of the amazing gifts given to mankind is the ability for a man and a woman to come together and produce a child. I have been in the delivery room of all six of my children and cried each time at the miracle of birth. I have had the privilege of rearing six children and have been able to hold 11 of my 12 grandchildren. Lord willing, I will get to hold the 12th grandchild over Thanksgiving.

God has a purpose and a plan for men and woman in regards to the creative power resident in their bodies:                                                                  

Psalm 127

A Song of degrees for Solomon.

Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up elate, To eat the bread of sorrows: For so he giveth his beloved sleep.

Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: And the fruit of the womb is his reward.

As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man: So are children of the youth.

Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them:They shall not be ashamed,But they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

But today, this wonderful gift has been degraded and perverted. It seems all the world can look at is the shameful exhibition of man’s failure to contain and conserve the gift of God for its intended purpose. How are the mighty fallen, from the reported exploits of our presidents, Hollywood stars and executives, politicians, preachers, to the man glued to his TV or computer screen addicted to the improper expression of God’s gift!

How many millions of children in this world are ravaged and exploited through the failure of men and woman to take seriously the power resident in their bodies to produce a child? How many children are simply murdered in the womb because they are considered inconvenient or are neglected or abused because they are unwanted? There is a terrible judgment coming to people who ignore the sacredness of life attached to the procreative gift.

God has a purpose and plan for human sexuality. It is a wonderful blessing and powerful gift if exercised within the parameters God has given to us. Outside of these rules of engagement, the gift becomes a curse riddled with disease, pain and suffering, and death.

God has one and only one legitimate way for sexual expression: Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” May God help us take seriously His command not to commit adultery in thought, word or deed.

I thank God for my parents who gave me the gift of life and nurtured me to adulthood. I thank God for the gift of children and grandchildren He has given to me and my wife, and I thank God for his long-suffering, kindness and willingness to help deliver people who have become ensnared by the perversion of this gift either as perpetrators or victims.

Only by the Grace of God,

Pastor John Schofield