Rise Community Church

This message takes us deep into Jesus' revolutionary teaching on sexuality, desire, and the protection of the vulnerable. We discover that Jesus isn't simply repeating the command against adultery—he's dismantling an entire system of double standards that existed in first-century culture. The sermon reveals how coveting differs from normal, healthy desire: it's the movement from seeing to desiring to taking what doesn't belong to us. This pattern, traced back to Genesis, shows us how unchecked desire leads to destruction. What makes this teaching so radical is that Jesus addresses men directly, holding them accountable for their own hearts rather than blaming women for temptation. In a world where women were considered property and religious leaders taught that female beauty was dangerous, Jesus declares that His kingdom will be a place where women are safe. The hyperbolic language about cutting off hands and gouging out eyes isn't literal—it's Jesus using the teaching style of his day to emphasize how seriou