God's Design for Sex | Keep Talking

In this message, Pastors Todd, Julie, and Ryan shared God’s plan and design for sex, and how we can approach this topic with both truth and grace. We believe church should be the safest place to have the hardest conversations, so use this guide to keep talking about the message.

SERMON HIGHLIGHTS

• Sex was God’s idea. He designed it and then He defined it. 
• God’s design for sex is that it would be fearless, fun, and frequent inside the context of marriage. 
• Science is showing that pornography isn’t an innocent pastime — it’s a perilous pathway to a place you don’t want to be. 
• God’s truth is timeless. His standards don’t change with culture. 
• Boundaries are for our protection.

KEY SCRIPTURES

• Genesis 2:24-25
• Genesis 1:28
• Proverbs 28:13
• 1 Corinthians 6:16-20
• James 5:16
• 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4

START TALKING 

• What’s the last dupe or counterfeit item you bought (e.g., purse, jewelry, clothing, etc.)?

KEEP TALKING

• What was your biggest takeaway from this message? 
• How does knowing sex was God’s idea, change your view of it? 
• Our enemy has told us several lies about sex (e.g., we can make our own rules, married sex is boring, sex isn’t a big deal, etc.). Which lie have you been tempted to buy into and what shaped that belief for you? 
• Pastor Julie said, “If we buy the fake now, we will pay a higher price later.” How have you found this to be true (either in your own life or in the life of someone you know)? 
• Read 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4. God’s Word is clear – we are to flee sexual immorality. What have you been flirting with that God has called you to flee from? 
• What would it look like for you to begin honoring God with your body this week? Are there shows you need to stop watching, sites you need to stop visiting, music you need to stop listening to, or numbers you need to block?

KEEP IT GOING

• The most powerful sin is the one we haven’t confessed yet, because God can’t heal what we hide. If you’ve been struggling with a sexual sin, find someone in your small group to open up to this week. James 5:16 says we are healed when we confess our sins to each other. Don’t conceal your struggle anymore — confess it to a trusted friend or mentor so you can begin walking in freedom.

PRAYER

Father, open our eyes to where we’re settling for counterfeits instead of the masterpiece you’ve planned for our lives. We don’t want to walk in shame and regret — we want to walk in your truth so we can live the full life you promised us. Holy Spirit, make us sensitive to sin. We are your temple. Help us honor you with our bodies. Give us the courage to confess when we fall short so we can be healed. Amen.