It feels so good to be back in the beautiful city of Austin and to be able to physically go to the Austin Stone and listen to Matt preach in person. Not to mention the fact that worshipping with hundreds of others beats belting it out in my bedroom alone (although one of those two options saves me from side glances and stares!!) It is true that the Lord has blessed us all abundantly -- unfortunately, a good singing voice was not in my pre-planned package.
Today's sermon was from the book of Genesis. In verse 15, Moses writes that "The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it." This basic statement describes the purpose that was laid out for man, given as a reward and not as a punishment for sin, as Adam was still alone on the earth at this point. Verse 18 says "Then the Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.'" Matt stated that this verse is commonly preached to demonstrate the importance of community, but there are many more implications. The word "helper" describes the purpose of God's creating Eve - to help Adam fulfill the calling that the Lord has put in his life. Many people may dislike the use of the word "helper," as it tends to imply that women are solely a "sidekick" or that we are on a lower level than men. In reality, "helper" carries a very strong, positive connotation. Other "helpers" that are mentioned throughout the Bible include the Holy Spirit and God the Father. Psalm 121 reads "I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my Help come from? My Help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth" (verses 1 & 2).
After establishing the purpose of man and woman's relationship together, Matt then addresses a very serious issue -- adultery (referring to sex outside of marriage, not just in affairs). Apparently, 90% of affairs are birthed out of the workplace -- a staggering and sobering statistic, especially since most couples both hold work positions in our society. Knowing the purpose that God's had for our relationships, this fact makes sense. When man and woman labor together for a common cause, they are in essence simulating something that God designed for husband and wife. This does not mean that all coed work environments must necessarily be a breeding ground for adultery -- there are ways to avoid this sin. The most simplistic of these is to flee from sexual immorality, something that is so prevalent in our society today. Take for example, the Britney Spears song "3," in which she sings "Livin' in sin is the new thing." This clearly demonstrates the tolerance that our culture has for immorality -- as sad as that is.
Matt lists some simple rules that he follows in order to avoid any tension in the workplace. The first one that he mentions is to never be alone with a coworker of the opposite sex, in his case his administrative assistant. The second is to keep their conversation at a very surface level, as any more intimate or personal topics should be kept between her and her husband. Matt then quotes his mentor -- "It is better to be thought of as a little standoffish than as an adulterer." I love this quote. It is so true -- sometimes being kind and thoughtful can be misinterpreted as deeper feelings, which can act as a trigger for sinful thoughts and desires.
One important thing to keep in mind in a relationship is to guard one's heart, in order to protect oneself from Satan, who will do anything to lure us towards sin. Proverbs 4:20-27 speaks of this, with verse 23 which reads "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life." In order for a relationship to persevere through all hardships and trials, the foundation cannot be built on physical attraction of longing for companionship, but instead must be a mutual calling to live a life dedicated to God. Men need to look for a woman who loves Jesus Christ more than she loves him, and women need to look for a man who loves the Lord more than anyone else on the earth. In Proverbs 31:10, the Bible says, "Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies..." and in verse 30-31, "Charm is deceptive and beauty does not last. But a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised."
Matt closes the sermon by telling the singles and college students to fix our eyes on Jesus and run with all we've got - occasionally looking to the left and right to see if there is anyone running beside you.
I really loved this message, and it has caused me to dwell on some issues -- one of which being the platonic friendships that I have with close guy friends. I can be a very outgoing person, and I fear that my personality is sometimes misconstrued or interpreted differently. My good friend Andrew constantly laughs at me for my frequent use of the adjective "perfect." I also think that it is important to remember boundaries and what is appropriate behavior for friendships. While I know that I would never cross the line, I still think that Matt's tactics are a great set of guidelines to follow.
What a wonderful day -- and now I've got lots of verses to absorb and let cultivate in my head - I love sermons like that! I pray that the focus of fulfilling God's calling in our lives remains at the forefront of our thoughts.
In His name,
Ailee
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