Text: 2 Sam 11:1-17; Matt 5:27-30; Rom 8:12-14; Eph 5:3-5; Philp 4:8; Col 3:1-8; James 1:13-15
Key Verse: Rom 13:14
Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (NIV)
Focus
In today’s society, the temptation to lust is everywhere. Television, movies, the Internet, and music contain images and messages that not only promote lust, but encourage it as a natural and inevitable part of life.
Never before has pornography and sexually explicit material been so readily available to so many people. It is important for you as a teacher to know that the students in your class are constantly bombarded with filthy images and situations that can spark lustful thoughts.
To many teens, lust can seem like a harmless pastime. But what they may not realize is that lust damages a person’s relationship with God and others. It can lead to destructive behavior and unhealthy view of the opposite sex.
Little wonder the Bible sternly warns us not to lust. As you prepare for this lesson, evaluate how you handle lust in your own life. Ask God to help you not only show the students the importance of keeping their minds pure but to be a worthy model- one who can give them practical steps they can take to keep their minds and lives pure.
The Basic Message: Explain to students..
WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA?
God gives us the power to Overcome lust.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Lust can damage and even destroy our relationship with God and others.
HOW DO I LIVE IT?
Recognize the dangers of lust, avoid activities and thoughts that spark lust, and ask God to help you overcome lustful thoughts.
Activity Option: LOVE OR LUST
Write the words love and lust on the board. Ask students to explain what each word means. (Write answers under the words.) Strike a match and hold it up for your class to see. Ask how the match is like lust. (Answers might include: it can burn you, it lights up quickly and burns out quickly, doesn’t last.) Then hold up a flashlight and ask what it is like to love. (Answers might include: long lasting, doesn’t harm you.) Discuss how lust affects people’s lives in comparison to love.
Study Overview: Explain that today’s study considers…
• How David’s lust damaged his relationship with God and others.
• Why God warns us against lust.
• Spiritual and practical ways we can deal with the temptation of lust.
Inform and Discuss
a). The Downward Spiral of Lust
1. Read or ask a volunteer to read 2 Sam 11:1-3. When does a casual thought become a sin? [Hint: It’s one thing to accidentally view something inappropriate or for inappropriate thoughts to flash across our minds. But sin happens when we choose to dwell on what we saw, instead of walking away, or when we choose to entertain inappropriate thoughts.]
Note: God gives us the power to overcome lust, but we must choose to utilize that power for it to do us any good.
Teacher Hint: Modesty Option
The Bible clearly shows that Bathsheba was a victim of David’s choice, even as we studied on July 30, 2017. But what might have happened if Bathsheba had chosen to take her bath somewhere more private? When a person acts or dresses immodestly, he or she creates an opportunity for someone else to lust. As Christians, it should be our goal to help others live holy lives. One way we can do that is through modesty.
2. Read or ask volunteers to read 2 Sam 11:4-17. Mention some of the ripple effects David’s choice created. [Note: David chose a path that damaged his relationship with God, his reputation with others, his family, and ultimately his kingdom.
b). Biblical Warnings against Lust
1. Read or ask a volunteer to read Matt 5:27-30. What impact do the things you see have on your body and mind? [Hint: The things we see shape our thoughts and can even cause a physical reaction. E.g., people jump when they see startling things, people get aroused when they see provocative image. When a person sees something provocative and chooses to dwell on that thing, it leads to lust and that lust can lead to inappropriate action.
2. Read or ask a volunteer to read James 1:13-15. Can we blame our sins on other people? Why or why not? [Hint: Temptation comes from our own desires. That means we are each responsible for our own actions. We can’t blame our sins on others. The responsibility and consequences of those actions belong to us.]
3. Read or ask a volunteer to read Eph 5:3-5. Why do you think God included warnings against lust in the Bible? [Hint: God did it to protect us from the harm that lust can cause. Lust hurts a person’s relationship with God and can hurt relationships with others. Lust can lead to even more dangerous behaviours such as promiscuity and addiction.
c. The Antidote for Lust
>>Guide: Explain that overcoming lust is something we must all work at every day. The Bible gives us guidelines to live by, the Holy Spirit gives us wisdom and conviction, and godly friends give us accountability to help us win this battle of the mind
1. Read or ask a volunteer to read Rom 8:12-14. What does it mean to be “led by the Spirit”? [Hint: The Bible is filled with the clues we need to avoid sin and choose what is right, but we may not always be able to recognize or understand those clues. The Holy Spirit helps us do that. He can also lead us by conviction. Being led by the Spirit is when we follow the directions of the Holy Spirit.
2. Read or ask a volunteer to read Col 3:1-8. What are some ways we can overcome lust in our lives? [Hint: First, we must surrender ourselves to the Holy Spirit, letting Him guide our choices and decisions. Then we must set our minds on things above or things that bring honour to God.
3. Name the kinds of thoughts and activities that fit the description given in Philp 4:8. [Guide: Explain that it’s easy to see that some activities do not measure up to God’s standards. But some activities might seem okay or harmless when they are actually harmful and dangerous to our relationship with God and others. We need the Holy Spirit to help us with that.
Involve Them: RULES TO LIVE BY
Ask students to come up with a list of rules they can implement in their lives to help them avoid situations that could spark lust. Examples include: stay with people in a group rather than spending a lot of time alone with a person of the opposite sex, only getting on a computer where other people can see, when someone is dressed inappropriately, just looking away, not reading a book or magazines or watch movies with inappropriate content.
Guide: Explain that it is important for the students to have a plan for how they will handle lust before temptation arises.
Inspire Them: Remind students of THE BASIC MESSAGE of this study (pg 36), explaining WHAT the Big Idea behind the study is; WHY it matters; and HOW we can live the lesson captured in this study.
Ministry Activity: ACCOUNTABILITY PEOPLE
Give each student a small sheet of paper and a pen or pencil. Ask each student to write down the names of three people (two friends and one trusted adult) to whom they can be accountable about their thought lives. Lead the students in prayer, asking God to help them withstand the temptation to lust in their everyday lives.
Conclude the study by reminding the students that with all the pressure in the world, it is very hard to withstand the temptation of lust alone. That is why it is important that they surround themselves with people who can help them and keep them accountable and seek God’s help and guidance.
Teacher Hint: Ask Yourself…
1. Can students recognize the dangers of lust?
2. Do students understand that God can help them overcome lustful thoughts?
3. Were students challenged to avoid situations that could cause them to lust?
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