“Pleasing You Pleases Me” Eccles. 2:24-26; Romans 12:2 5/20/07
On the Sunday after Mother’s Day I am reminded of the saying, “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” What this implies is we need to try to please mother. In a similar vein, if God isn’t happy, nobody else will be happy either. There is a need in our souls to please God.
I. WHEN WE SEEK TO PLEASE GOD, IT PLEASES HIM. This is a no-brainer. But today, it should not be assumed. Most people believe in God, but too many believe you cannot please God- A) because He is too high above us to care what we do or B) because He is impossible to please. But Jesus blows that argument out of the water. Jesus came to earth to show God cares for us, and He taught us that God cares for the lilies of the field, the sparrows in the air, and even the hairs on your head. God cares far more than we are willing to believe. If we really believe God saw all we do, and cares about all we do—if we kept that consciousness in our minds, I believe it would change the world for better. Jesus also came to show us that it is possible to live a life that pleases God. Jesus pleased God the Father because He did what He said, and He was in constant communication, seeking His will. When we seek to please God, it pleases Him.
You who are graduating, and going on to a new adventure now or in the next few months, do not forget to seek God wherever you go. Seek Him in the hard times, and in the good times. Seek Him in school, and on the football field. Seek Him in your relationships with others, and when you are in the room by yourself. If you seek to please God, you will please Him.
II. WHEN WE SEEK TO PLEASE GOD, IT PLEASES US.
A) MANY DO NOT BELIEVE THIS- Many believe that if we go our own way, if we seek to please only ourselves, then we are likely to please ourselves. The Epicurean philosophers said this, the hedonists said this, the followers of Timothy Leary whose motto was, “If it feels good do it” held to this as well. But of course, the problem comes when two adulterers want the same person for a relationship. Psychologists have talked about the “hedonistic paradox” which is that the tone of pleasure fades. Pleasure can be like drug abuse, the more you have on a regular basis, the higher dose you crave in order to get that same “high.” Sometimes I hear something like, “If I really get serious about following Christ, then I will have to give up too much that I like to do.” What they are really saying is, “I’ll have to quit trying to please myself and try to please God, and I’m not willing to do that.” But in the end selfishness is not a great ideal, but a destructive ideal. If we believe the world is all about me, then we end up alone, and often in trouble.
B) WE WERE CREATED TO PLEASE GOD- We were not created to please only ourselves. We were designed to love God, and we were designed to love others.
If you believe in God, then doubtless you believe that God made us to work in a certain way. The watchmaker does not design the watch to run backwards. We are not made to run away from God, to ignore God, or to not experience God.
If you have ever seen a couple in love—really in head over heals in love. He cannot do enough for her, and she cannot do enough for him. He pulls out the chair, she bakes him a cake in the shape of a heart. They are wrapped up in pleasing the other, listening to the other, making efforts for the other. Notes are passed (or today e-mails and text messages). Phone calls are made. Misunderstandings are had and straightened out. I would say our relationship with God is to be in a similar vein. We are, after all, called to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. (Mt. 22:37; Mk. 12; Lk. 10:27). Loving God in part means you want to hear what God has to say. You are attuned to His voice, and you are eager to hear what He has to say in scripture, in Bible study, in SS, church, and in helping and witnessing to others. Jesus said this, “whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me” (John 14:21). One sign of someone who loves Jesus is his/her willingness to do what he says.
On the other hand, there are people who are cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. God is jealous. The Bible makes no bones about it- He’s a jealous God. He does not want us to give our love that is due Him to another. Frankly, his jealousy is also out of love—because it is better, healthier for us to be in love with God and not be in love with the temporary idols (like money, selfishness, even hobbies) that fade with time.
III. PLEASING GOD IS NOT THE SAME AS MANIPULATION- We rightly abhor manipulation. There have been many instances in which people manipulate others- politicians, doctors, lawyers, and yes, even preachers. There was a fad a few years ago talking about church abuse. Do not let those who have hurt you, keep you from doing right. A bad doctor doesn’t mean all doctors are bad and we shouldn’t go to a doctor for health care. I know some lawyers I do not trust, but that doesn’t mean I give up on the need for law. Yet many have given up on God because of a church member or a minister. Whenever the truth is known, it should be held with a great deal of humility, but often it is held with pride. Frankly, I find some scholars get kicks out of manipulating the minds of young people… turning them away from a trust in scripture to follow their own scholarship. I went to school for 24 years because I believe in using our minds, but not every scholar is trustworthy. I have always believed that scholarship needs to submit to God. True scholarship studies the world God has made, but does not turn people away from God. Test what scholars say by God’s Word and by God’s world. Romans 12:2 says, “Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Graduates, remember your teachers are not God.
If we do not believe in the blessing of God, often we take something else and put it in its place. The idea of luck or fortune can replace the blessing of God. I remember meeting a family in Spartanburg who played every coupon, lotto gambling game they could play. I saw them take a rabbits foot and brush each coupon letter before they mailed it back. They had won a car, and made their living off of this. However, the last time I heard, they had lost their house, car, and moved away. There are people I know who live by the horoscope- hoping for a lucky day, or a lucky boyfriend or girlfriend. Seeking after luck, fortune, or the stars can manipulate us as well. There was a guy in Chapin a couple of weeks ago spreading the philosophy of L. Ron Hubbard who founded Scientology (which is a westernize Hinduism). Hubbard believes if you follow his principles to a T then you will be wealthy. It is a form of manipulation, and works on people’s greed.
I am not one who believes in the health and wealth gospel. I heard one preacher say that if you gave one dollar to his church, God would bless you with ten. Jim Bakker of the PTL Club spoke like that, and fleeced hundreds of people, and I believe he suffered for his poor theology. I do not believe that God guarantees such a blessing when we give. But it is a blessing to give. It blesses our heart, and there are verses that speak of God blessing those who give. There are good Christian people I know who are poor, including Jesus Christ and Paul. But there are also people like King David, Solomon, Nicodemus, and some of the early church leaders like Lydia who were fairly well off. Wealth in this life is not always an equivocal sign of God’s blessing, otherwise, what would you say of Jesus? Sometimes the wicked prosper (but it never eternal prosperity). On the other hand, I do not believe the Bible says that all of God’s blessing are spiritual or in the next life. That is an over-reaction to the health and wealth gospel. There was a king who did a search for the best subject in his kingdom. Three people were brought to him. One was a doctor who was known for going the extra mile- a true servant who cared for people not in order to get wealthy. Another was a judge who had unusual wisdom to discern and treat people with great fairness and justice. The third person was not famous, nor was she dressed properly. The king looked at her and thought the other two surely should get the prize. But then he was told she was the doctor’s and judge’s teacher. She was chosen. Blessing does not always come to the famous.
IV. THERE IS A BLESSING TO PLEASING GOD- Psalm 1 (which was our call to worship) talks about the blessing in the next life, but also the blessing in this life- that the life of the godly shall be fruitful and prosperous. I believe God blesses us, and I believe God blesses us in this life for a reason. It is not to make our name great, or to be extra comfortable, or to flaunt our wealth in front of others. If God blesses us, it is in order to be a blessing to others. We are greedy when we take the blessing as if we earned it all by ourselves, and forget God and others.
Today I invite you to be in love with God, by seeking to please Him. I invite you to seek to make God happy with the way you live. I believe in seeking to please God you will indeed be pleased yourself.