In his series titled "Resolved: Getting to the Core of Change" Alex Kirk of Chatham Community Church provides startling, Spirit-directed insights into the core truth of who God is and the lie that we have believed about Him, that separates us from the relationship with God we are intended to have.
This sermon from that series, Pleasure, focuses on God's interest in pleasure, and how we can truly experience pleasure through holiness.
Below are a few notes from Alex's sermon, along with a link to the audio of it.
Core truth: No one experiences, seeks, and generates more pleasure than God.
Core lie: God's not good he's holding out on us & doesn't want us to be happy.
Temptation: the promise that we will be happier and experience more pleasure doing something outside of God's will than in it. sin: acting in faith on that promise.
God is: –the most pleasure-enjoying Person in the universe –Lord of pleasure: temporary & eternal •holiness: essential for permanent pleasure.
- God designed us for pleasure –his goal for us: pleasures forevermore (psalm 16)
- essence of temptation: more pleasure outside God's will than in it –key battle: immediate v. delayed gratification.
•sin is a faith-act, trusting in those promises over & against promises of God –whenever we abandon God's love & trust in promises of sin, we always affair down.
•Christian relationship with pleasure: –passionate pursuit of it –both temporary and permanent –trusting in God's commands & promises against promises of sin.
