RENEWAL, OR DIVERSION? “The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.” Luke 8:14

All pleasures are not good because sin also gives pleasure. Moses: “to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin” (Hebrews 11:25) “… that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness” (2 Thessalonians 2:12)

All pleasures are not good because sin also gives pleasure. “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19) “… we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures” (Titus 3:3)

Man needs rest and renewal. “And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest awhile.” (For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) They went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves.” (Mark 6:31-32) “So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well.” (John 4:6) “Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.” (Luke 5:16)

Man needs rest and renewal. “… your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things” (Matthew 6:32) God created woman: “it is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18) Solomon: “I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. . . . Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 3:22; 9:9)

Man needs rest and renewal. Too much rest is not good and even unhealthy. Proverbs 6:6-11 “Do not love sleep, or you will become poor; Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with food.” (Proverbs 20:13)

Refreshment of body and mind can become a diversion to spirituality. Recreation: refreshment in body or mind by some form of amusement or relaxation The danger is man becoming “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:4).

Refreshment of body and mind can become a diversion to spirituality. If we are to love God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind and all our strength (Mark 12:30), how much of our recreational pursuits cheat God? How intent are our minds set “on the things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2)? Life does not consist of the abundance of our amusements and recreations (cf. Luke 12:15)?

Our culture promotes the going to a house of feasting. Solomon: “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting. . . . The mind of fools is in the house of pleasure” (Ecclesiastes 7:2, 4) Our prosperity has bred a pleasure-oriented mindset. Everything has be fun and amusing – make us happy.

Our culture promotes the going to a house of feasting. How much labor, money and time goes into recreation, entertainment and sports in the U.S.A.? $100 billion on sports over past 12 months $56 billion on attending events $19 billion on gym memberships $887 billion in the outdoor recreational industry Average annual expenditure in American household: $2,827 on entertainment, recreation, etc. $1,717 on cash contributions

Our culture promotes the going to a house of feasting. How much labor, money and time goes into recreation, entertainment and sports in the U.S.A.? Do we ever tell ourselves that we don’t have time to assemble with Christians, to meditate on our Savior’s word, to teach another person or to minister to people’s needs?