Been there, done that. Now what?: Pleasure

Series: Been there. Done that. Now what?
Pleasure by Ted Beasley - September 23, 2007

This week we continue to look at the meaning of life from the book of Ecclesiastes focusing on the pursuit of pleasure. It seems to be common to think of enjoying something pleasurable in one of two ways: as either something we should aim for or something we should feel guilty about. Which of those is God’s view? Neither one. Whew. As Ted told us – God wants us to enjoy this life. Let’s use the things we enjoy as the starting point for dicussion.

1. Think for a moment about all the things that give you pleasure. If you’re in a group, go around the group and list as many things as you can in a couple of minutes. If you are by yourself, just make the list on your own. I bet it’s a big list… or I sure hope it is. (Ted quoted John Eldridge saying Christianity is "an invitation to desire".) Now, stop and go back through the list and talk about which of those pleasures are gifts from God and which aren't. (10 minutes)

2. Ted talked about Solomon getting to the end of the book of Ecclesiastes (which is really the diary of his personal quest for understanding), and concluding that a life lived in search of pleasure was "meaningless". So what about this? What makes a pleasure “good” – a gift from God, and what makes it “meaningless”? Spend some time talking this through. If you have any examples of a pleasure that has been both of these things… either at different time in your life or for two different people in the group, explore that as a way to better understand the role of pleasure in God’s plan. (10 - 15 minutes)

3. In the message Ted reconciled the two different ways of thinking about pleasure by explaining that pleasures are good if they point us to God, as the source of their goodness. Let’s explore some of this on a personal basis. If you are in a group, pair off and spend some sharing something wonderful that has happened to you in your life. Can you identify one or two times or things that were/are incredibly special to you. Share those things with each other. Then pause moment and pray together. Each of you take time to thank God for what He made and what He gave you in whatever words feel most natural to you. (10 minutes)

4. One of the things that Ted urges us to do, is to not let God’s enjoyable gifts take inappropriate control of our life or our motivations. We need to be responding to the Giver, not the gifts. So, as you think about the list of pleasures your group generated, and you reflect about the things you enjoy, is there anything there that feels like it could be too important to you… something that makes you put that before other things that you know would be more in-line with God’s will, or even God Himself? If so, or if you are not really sure, try sorting it through out loud with your partner (if you feel comfortable sharing, of course). Then pray for each other for insight and or grace to make changes. (And if neither of you have anything to talk about in your life now, maybe you have had something like this in the past that you can talk about, and then thank God for the realignment of the role of that pleasure). (10 minutes)

5. Next, in the larger group, take some time to brainstorm with each other about different ways to make sure God’s gifts stay in the right “place” in our lives… or different ways to get them to the right place if they become too important to us. (10 minutes)

6. Conclude the time with some personal reflections. Is there something that you feel God wants you to reconsider about your relationship to something you enjoy? Also, think about the week ahead, are there pleasures in your life you can plan to “share” with God , inviting Him to be part of the enjoyment and thanking Him for putting that thing in your life as you enjoy it. Write down at least one thing that you will “enjoy” with God in the coming week – and a first step you will take if you think change is needed. (5 minutes)


Bible verses from the message:

I thought in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless. "Laughter," I said, "is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?" I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives. I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well—the delights of the heart of man. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.
Ecclesiastes 2:1-9

I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve…everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 2:10-11


He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray.
1 Kings 11:3

The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.
Psalm 145:15-17

I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.
John 10:10

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.
James 4:1-2

(God is telling his people to bring 1/10th of their crops or flocks to a predetermined spot to offer them as a gift to God.) But if that place is too distant and you . . . cannot carry your tithe . . . then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD your God will choose. Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice.
Deuteronomy 14:24-26

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.
Ecclesiastes 9:10

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
Proverbs 13:12

Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.
John 7:38

Related Next-Step Resources:

Check out the following books and others that are relevant at Gateway's on-line Bookstore (and in the Gateway "Garage")

• The Purpose Driven Life and God's Answers to Life's Difficult Questions by Rick Warren
• S.H.A.P.E.: Finding and Fulfilling Your Unique Purpose for Life by Erik Rees
• Breaking the Idols of Your Heart by Dan Allender
• Search for Significance by Robert McGee

Take a look at Gateway activities, lots of different ways to get involved at Gateway, along with a test to gauge your talents and spiritual gifts at the One Body Gateway website.

Check out spiritual growth resources at Gateway's Way of Christ Next-Steps Website

Prior Sunday message are now available by 5 PM on the day of the message (listen or download MP3at Gateway's Sunday Message Archive) . CD recordings of the messages will be available at Gateway the following Sunday.