Pastor Elio Marrocco's "Pleasure Does Not Equal Happiness" sermon at New Life Christian Church on August 8, 2014. You can learn more about New Life Christian Church here: http://www.newlifecc.ca

1. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS

2. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
Ecclesiastes 2:1-10 (NLT)
1 I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s
look for the ‘good things’ in life.” But I found that this,
too, was meaningless. 2 So I said, “Laughter is silly.
What good does it do to seek pleasure?” 3 After much
thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. And
while still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In
this way, I tried to experience the only happiness most
people find during their brief life in this world…

3. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
Ecclesiastes 2:1-10 (NLT)
… 4 I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes
for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. 5 I made
gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit
trees. 6 I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate
my many flourishing groves. 7 I bought slaves, both men
and women, and others were born into my household. I
also owned large herds and flocks, more than any of the
kings who had lived in Jerusalem before me…

4. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
Ecclesiastes 2:1-10 (NLT)
…8 I collected great sums of silver and gold, the
treasure of many kings and provinces. I hired
wonderful singers, both men and women, and
had many beautiful concubines. I had
everything a man could desire! 9 So I became
greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem
before me, and my wisdom never failed me…

5. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
Ecclesiastes 2:1-10 (NLT)
… 10 Anything I wanted, I would take. I
denied myself no pleasure. I even found
great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all
my labors.

6. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
1 Timothy 6:17
17 Command those who are rich in this
present world not to be arrogant nor to put
their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain,
but to put their hope in God, who richly
provides us with everything for our
enjoyment.

7. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
The problem is
when we live only for pleasure
that we find our lives empty.

8. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
1. BREAK THE CONNECTION BETWEEN
TEMPORARY PLEASURE AND LASTING
HAPPINESS.

9. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
1. BREAK THE CONNECTION BETWEEN TEMPORARY
PLEASURE AND LASTING HAPPINESS.
Hebrews 11:24-25 (NAS)
“By faith Moses when he had grown up refused to
be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter choosing
rather to endue ill treatment with the people of
God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.”

10. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
‘Faith is hanging your whole life
and your whole future on Jesus
Christ.’

11. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
1. BREAK THE CONNECTION BETWEEN TEMPORARY
PLEASURE AND LASTING HAPPINESS.
Hebrews 11:24-25 (NAS)
“By faith Moses when he had grown up refused to
be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter choosing
rather to endue ill treatment with the people of
God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.”

12. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
1. BREAK THE CONNECTION BETWEEN
TEMPORARY PLEASURE AND LASTING
HAPPINESS.
2. BREAK THE CONNECTION BETWEEN
WHAT YOU DO AND WHO YOU ARE.

13. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
1. BREAK THE CONNECTION BETWEEN TEMPORARY
PLEASURE AND LASTING HAPPINESS.
2. BREAK THE CONNECTION BETWEEN WHAT YOU DO
AND WHO YOU ARE.
Ecclesiastes 2:11 (MSG)
“Then I took a good look at everything I’d done. Looked at
all the sweat and hard work and when I looked I saw
nothing but smoke – smoke and spitting into the wind.
There was nothing to any of it. Nothing.”

14. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
1. BREAK THE CONNECTION BETWEEN
TEMPORARY PLEASURE AND LASTING
HAPPINESS.
2. BREAK THE CONNECTION BETWEEN
WHAT YOU DO AND WHO YOU ARE.
3. BREAK THE CONNECTION BETWEEN
YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES AND YOUR
CHARACTER.

15. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
1. BREAK THE CONNECTION BETWEEN TEMPORARY PLEASURE AND
LASTING HAPPINESS.
2. BREAK THE CONNECTION BETWEEN WHAT YOU DO AND WHO YOU
ARE.
3. BREAK THE CONNECTION BETWEEN YOUR
CIRCUMSTANCES AND YOUR CHARACTER.
Luke 6:22
“Happy are you when men hate you and exclude you
and insult you and reject your name as evil because of
the Son of man.”

16. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
1. BREAK THE CONNECTION BETWEEN TEMPORARY PLEASURE AND
LASTING HAPPINESS.
2. BREAK THE CONNECTION BETWEEN WHAT YOU DO AND WHO YOU
ARE.
3. BREAK THE CONNECTION BETWEEN YOUR
CIRCUMSTANCES AND YOUR CHARACTER.
1 Peter 3:14
“Even if you should suffer for what is right you are
blessed.”

17. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
A humble spirit, a tender heart,
craving for righteousness, a
merciful spirit, purity of heart,
peaceful.

18. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
Habakkuk 3: 17-18 (NIV)
“The fig tree does not bud. There are no
grapes on the vine. The olive crop fails and
the fields produce no fruit. There are no sheep
in the pen and no cattle in the stalls. [That
means there’s going to be famine.] Yet I will
rejoice in the Lord. I will be joyful in God my
Savior.”

19. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
HOW TO FIND HAPPINESS AND JOY:
1. FIRST YOU MUST RECEIVE GOD’S
FORGIVENESS.

20. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
Psalm 32 (MSG)
“Count yourself lucky. How happy you must
be. You get a fresh start. Your slate’s wiped
clean. Count yourself lucky. God holds
nothing against you and you’re holding
nothing back from Him. When I kept it all
inside my bones turned to powder...

21. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
Psalm 32 (MSG)
... My words became very day long groans.
The pressure never let up. All the juices of
my life dried up. Then I let it all out. I said,
I’ll make a clean breast of my failures to
God. Suddenly the pressure was gone. My
guilt dissolved. My sin disappeared.”

22. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
HOW TO FIND HAPPINESS AND JOY:
1. FIRST YOU MUST RECEIVE GOD’S
FORGIVENESS.
2. SUBMIT TO GOD’S DISCIPLINE, HIS WAY
OF LIFE.

23. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
It’s discipline that says, ‘Why don’t you take
a momentary pass on pleasure so you can
have lasting happiness later.’
Discipline equals love because discipline
equals correction and protection.

24. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
Job 5:17
“Happy is the man whom God corrects. So
do not despise the discipline of the
almighty.”

25. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
Luke 11:28 (MSG)
“Happy are those who hear the word of God
and obey it.”
Proverbs 8:34 (NLT)
“Happy is the person who listens to God.”

26. PLEASURE DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS
Psalm 119:35 (NLT)
“God, make me walk along the path of Your
commands for that is where my happiness is
found.”