Pleasures Of Sin For A Season

Pleasures of Sin for a Season

Romans 12:2

Everything in this world revolves in seasons; some seasons long, some short, some exciting, some boring. Seasons seem so hard to keep up with and many times expensive. Take a look at clothing, the style of clothing changes every year; short pants, long pants, tight pants, baggy. We have four seasons a year, winter, spring, summer and fall. Within these four seasons we have a season of football, basketball, and baseball. In football we had a season when the Dallas cowboys were in the Superbowl every year, in baseball it was the Yankees in the World Series and who can forget Jordan and the Bulls? We could even go back to Muhammud Ali. So many people in this world have got caught up in a season with the world, falling into its pleasures, buying huge homes, expensive cars and designer clothing. We have gotten so caught up with being in season with the world that we are missing all that God has in store for us. You?re so pleasured by the things of this world - drinking, smoking, sex before marriage, that you?re missing God.

A man who knew about seasons was a man you may have heard of?his name is Paul. When Paul was first introduced in the Bible he was called Saul, and was a man that hated and persecuted Christians. He was living a very prosperous life as a Pharisee, and in that role he received favoritism and perks. Thinking about this in today?s terms, he was in the right place at the right time, he was hanging with the head honcho, the chief, the big cheese. He got to go to all the sporting events: baseball, sitting on the third baseline; football, on the fifty-yard line; and boxing, sitting ringside. He had his schooling paid for, extended vacations, and a sizable Christmas bonus every year. But one day while he was busy doing what he thought was right, at an all time high in self-righteousness, God got a hold of him and made a change. A new season just began in his willingness to follow God. God began to transform Paul because of his willingness to give up the things of the world, all of those benefits that he once received.

From tonight?s text I only have two points:

1.Are you being conformed by the world?

Or 2. Are you being transformed by God?

Now, before you kick back in your chair, get comfortable, and say that this sermon is not for you because you think that there is nothing wrong with being in the world Monday through Saturday, then showing up for church on Sunday and thinking everything?s okay. Be assured that this is NOT the case, because sinful pleasure is a result of being conformed by the world. So before you get that smile on your face and that gleam in your eye, let me share with you what God?s relationship is to the world. 1 John 2:15, ?Love not the world neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him.? Let me ask you here tonight; is your pursuit after sinful pleasure? That is ? lust, hatred, pride, cursing, lying, stealing, and adultery. Have these sinful pleasures led you to be conformed by the world? You see, when Paul was doing everything right in the eyes of the world, he was wrong with God. And the same with us, God is clear ? He says ?You adulterers! Don?t you realize that friendship with this world makes you an enemy of God? I?ll say it again, if your aim is to enjoy this world, you can?t be a friend of God.? It is clear you cannot have a relationship with the world and a relationship with God. In Mathew, Jesus says you can?t serve two masters.

Further separation takes place when you no longer seek God. 2Chronicles 15:2 says, ? the Lord be with you while you are with Him, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.? Now let me ask you a question, if you only come to church on Sunday and are of the world Monday through Saturday, how much are you with Him and how much have you forsaken Him? Let me read that verse to you again (slowly) ?the Lord be with you while you are with him, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.?

Now my first point was: Are you being conformed by the world?

and now, My second point is: Are you being transformed by God?

Let me tell you the results of chasing after the world or in other words the results of being involved in worldly pleasures:

False security ? Isaiah 47:8,9