3.
Use an accurate but contemporary Bible translation.
Don’t
use a Bible translation that has lots of unknown, antiquated, and strange sexual
words that you’ll surely have to explain sooner or later on in your sermon.
The more you have to explain sexual terms, the greater chance you’ll hang yourself.
Compare Genesis 26:8 in the King James Version (“Isaac was sporting with Rebekah
his wife”) to Genesis 26:8 in the New International Version (“Isaac was caressing
his wife Rebekah”). Why take the time to try and explain what “sporting” really
means in our language when you don’t have to? Compare the KJV of Deuteronomy
25:12 describing a woman “who putteth forth her hand and taketh him by the secrets”
to the NIV translation where “she reaches out and seizes him by his private
parts.” Compare the wordings of these two translations for Genesis 39, especially.
There are many other examples in the Bible that could be given. You see my point.
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Why
should you become an easy pulpit target when you don’t have to? Let the accurate
modern translations do the work for you here and make your job easier. Use
the exact same words that God uses so that you won’t be wrongfully accused of
using dirty language from the pulpit. You do want to keep your job, right?
4.
Brevity and quality are so much better than quantity.
Be
wise but not wordy when it comes to your sexual language from the pulpit. Rarely
do you ever need to preach a whole sermon addressing any sexual topic; instead,
target certain sermon sections where you can insert appropriate sentences!
Use a pause or change your voice to reinforce your point and let it truly sink
in.
When
it comes to sex, you don’t have to say a lot but you do have to plan a lot.
Believe me, people DO REMEMBER those few words or sentences mentioning sex.
You said something that your people have probably never heard from the pulpit.
You tenderly touched them in their most painful, sexual, and vulnerable spot.
A wound that is deep or fresh only needs a gentle touch and pain is quickly
felt. You will be amazed that the Holy Spirit will use your few but wise words
to do His work.
Another
reason to say little is because God does. You don’t have to go into a lot
of sexual detail because God doesn’t! Even the most famous sex scene in the
Bible has very little detail! In describing David and Bathsheba, 2 Samuel 11:4
says that “she came to him and he slept with her” (NIV). That’s it, no more
facts were given! He also left out all the details about King David’s sexual
sin in Psalms 32 and 51.