Are We Playing Church Games?

DO WE LOVE TO PLAY GAMES WITH THE FLESH?

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

GOSPEL COMEDIANS make good incomes, entertaining and making

people laugh...

WE ALL LOVE A GOOD JOKE... makes me laugh, humorous... funny...

We have gotten so good at games...

1. We want to play at work...

2. We WORK at play...

3. We love to worship worship, and praise praise, and forget about a

HOLY GOD.

4. ENTERTAIN HAS BECOME A GOAL... I want to be happy...

IN WW II a man named WINSTON CHURCHHILL was on the battle field.

Germany was bombing all around, soldiers were running and hiding...

Winston said: I REFUSE TO TAKE THE COWARDLY PATH,

I WILL STAND AT MY POST OF DUTY...

What do you do when everyone else is running?

I. WE TEND TO DESIRE THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE... EASY...

WE LOVE GAMES...

1 Corinthians 10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should

not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat

down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

A. Water will always take the PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE...

Water will never take the pathway up hill, it will never climb...

Water will always seek a lower level.

B. EASY: not hard to do or get, not difficult, free from pain, no trouble,

no worry, never in a hurry, nothing steep or abrupt, slow, leisurely...

C. EASYGOING: carefree, take life easily, light hearted, no concerns,

never faithful, not very serious...

D. history is full of people that HAD A RUN AWAY SPIRIT, and took life at

the easy... CAIN TOOK THE EASY... HE GAVE OF HIS FRUIT...

ABEL TOOK THE BEST...

II. LIFE AND DEATH ARE NOT ALWAYS FUNNY...

Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man

soweth, that shall he also reap.

A. I have never seen the TV on when a person is dying...

I HAVE NOT SEEN COMEDIANS DOING FUNERALS...

B. PEOPLE WILL FACE 3 SOLEMN DAYS, no matter where they live:

1. Solemn day of SICKNESS

2. Solemn day of DEATH

3. Solemn day of JUDGMENT...

III. TODAY MANY TRY TO REDUCE LIFE TO A GAME...

REMEMBER THE SHOW QUEEN FOR A DAY?

2 Timothy 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters,

proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

2 Timothy 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers

of God;

A. GAME: amusement, fun, diversion, spirited contest, animal pursued in

hunting...

B. Terms:

PLAY: recreational activity, gamble, child behavior...

PLAY HOOKY: unexcused absence...

C. WE HAVE WHOLE AREAS BUILD ON THE IDEA OF FUN AND GAMES...

1. Las Vegas

2. ATLANTIC CITY

3. Disney Land, Kings Island, Six Flags...

D. GOD PLEASER? MEN PLEASER?

Ephesians 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ,

doing the will of God from the heart;

1. FIRST GAME IN THE BIBLE... HIDE AND SEEK...

Genesis 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the

cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the

LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

A. ADAM and EVE play HIDE and SEEK with God...

B. Cain hides his brothers body:

AM I MY BROTHERS KEEPER?

C. MAN THINKS HE CAN HIDE HIS SIN... love darkness...

2. GAMBLING... TAKE A CHANCE...

A. GAMBLE: to play a game for money, property, TO TAKE A RISK...

Uncertain outcome... to give a pledge by result of action, to BET,

TO RISK OR VENTURE ON A FINAL OUTCOME...

Matthew 27:35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that

it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments

among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

B. LOOK AT PETE ROSE...

AROD... MICHEAL VICK...

Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose

his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

C. I WILL BUILD GREATER... ??? Take it easy...

Luke 12:18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater;

and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years;

take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

3. THERE IS ANOTHER SPIRITUAL GAME WE PLAY CALLED:

LET'S MAKE A DEAL...

A. A popular TV show trades... UP or may DOWN...

Acts 8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast

thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.