FLEETING PLEASURES AND EVERLASTING JOY

The Pursuit of Pleasure

Solomon pursued all sorts of pleasure, in hope that it would bring lasting joy. He sought pleasure from wine. With his vast resources, he was able to make many great works. He built houses and vineyards, gardens and parks. He planted beautiful fruit trees and made pools. He bought himself many slaves so that he could be waited on hand and foot. His possessions of herds and flocks were greater than any who had been before him in Jerusalem. He accumulated silver and gold beyond his wildest dreams. Kings and countries served him and gave him tribute. He got singers and many concubines. As a matter of fact, he had 700 wives and 300 concubines. His reputation of greatness surpassed all who were before him in Jerusalem. He got for himself anything that he desired. He thought that all of these things would give him pleasure but it was just vanity, or emptiness. How could that be? How can all forms of pleasure: possessions, hobbies, projects, wealth, beauty, relaxation, servants, relationships, sex, reputation, and more; leave you feeling empty and unsatisfied?

You were created for more than that!

You were created to worship and serve the Lord. You were created to have a relationship with Him. Romans 3:11 tells us that no one seeks for God. This is the great tragedy. Although we were created for Him, we are seeking everything but him. We are using the gifts He has given us for the wrong purpose. God’s good gifts were designed to make us realize this important truth: if the gifts we have been given are so wonderful, how much greater is the giver?!?

2. It is our own sin that blinds us to God’s great worth.

Romans 1:21–25 “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”

The Consequences of Our Sin

The wages of sin is death and hell. If left to our own devices, that is exactly what awaits each one of us. But God in His great love sent His dear Son to seek and save the lost. He lived the perfect life that each one of us have failed to live, He took the punishment that we deserve when he suffered and died on the cross, and He defeated death, hell, and the grave when He arose three days later. And even now, He is at the right hand of the Father interceding for His people. And in this very moment, He offers free forgiveness and salvation to anyone who would repent and believe in Christ as their only hope of salvation.

The Source of Everlasting Joy

Philippians 3:8–9 “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—”

Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Behold, today is the day of salvation!!!

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” — C.S. Lewis