Sweet Relationships Wrap Up

Hey families!

Last night we finished our series on Sweet Relationships with a talk about Sex and why students should choose purity now so they can experience the fullness of intimacy later.

Here's some of the things we covered...

1. Sex was created by God - when I was in youth group as a teenager we were taught that sex was bad and wrong and we should stay away from it. After we grew up a little bit and started experiencing relationships for ourselves half of us still though sex was bad and wrong and the other half wondered why our youth pastor had lied to us. Sex is biblical. Sex is good. Sex was created by God for a specific purpose - within the context of marriage. Why...

2. Sex is extraordinarily powerful - did you know that married people that have sex are much more satisfied in their sex life than singles that have sex? Sex is powerful. Sex can bring two people full circle in their love for one another and it can also destroy lives. If you don't believe that sex is extraordinarily powerful just ask someone who has been sexually abused...someone who has had sex with multiple partners...or someone who is madly in love and struggling to reign in their emotions and hormones to figure out how to wait until marriage. Sex is powerful and that can be a great thing if we wait to experience it in a marriage or it can be a really devastating thing if we try and take it out of the context that God intended for it.

3. Sex is more than physical. It just is. In fact, sexual sin is set apart from every kind of sin. Just look at 1 Corinthians 6 that says, "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself...it is said, "The two will become one flesh"...Flee from sexual immorality (or sex outside of God's design). All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body..." Wow, this passage is telling us that sexual sin is unlike any other sin because we're not just sinning against God. When we sin sexually we sin against ourselves! We take away the good things that God wants to give us through a committed marriage sex relationship and settle for something that doesn't even compare!

4. Sex was created to enhance oneness. Sex is the icing on the marriage cake. It is the one experience God created for you to experience with one other person so that you and your spouse can know each other more intimately than anyone else in this world. Sex cannot be experienced to its fullness until it is reserved to enhance the oneness of a committed marriage relationship.

So what does all this mean for you and your student? First, an ongoing conversation needs to be happening at home about sex and healthy relationships.

Second, pray. Pray for your student as they begin to sort out issues of sexuality and emotions and relationships. Pray that you'll have the confidence and courage it takes to have healthy conversations with them...even when its awkward.

Third, let us know how we can help. The next gen department at Cypress is committed to partnering with you as you mentor your student toward their greatest spiritual potential.

We're hear for you.

HT: Andy Stanley for the Sex Talk outline from BigStuf 2009

pic by Shanissinha