10/24/2026
WHEN DARKNESS BECOMES ENTERTAINMENT
Ephesians 5:8–11
“For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;
Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”
OPENING PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, we come before You in the precious name of Jesus Christ. Lord, we thank You for Your holy Word. We thank You that Your truth has not changed, even when the world around us changes every day. Give us hearts that are tender toward Your Spirit, minds that are governed by Scripture, and courage to obey what You have said. Guard us from fear, from pride, and from judging one another by mere opinion. But, Father, do not let us become comfortable with the sin from which Your Son came to save us. Speak to parents, grandparents, young people, and every child of God today. Convict the lost, strengthen the saved, and let Jesus Christ be exalted in this place. In His holy name we pray. Amen.
INTRODUCTION — WHEN THE WORLD LAUGHS AT WHAT GOD CALLS DARKNESS
Church, I want to preach today on a subject that may make some people uncomfortable. But my calling is not to make everybody comfortable. My calling is to open the Bible, tell the truth, and plead with souls to follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are living in a generation that knows how to make almost anything entertaining. We can put frightening music behind it, dress it up with decorations, put a price tag on it, and persuade people that what once disturbed the conscience should now make everybody smile. The world can put a friendly face on frightening things. It can turn death into a joke, evil into a costume, and darkness into a party.
And when the calendar turns toward Halloween, these questions become especially visible. Some families think only of candy, costumes, and neighbors greeting one another. Others encounter celebrations that deliberately feature witchcraft, occult practices, cruelty, demons, and the glorification of evil. Those are not all the same thing. The Bible does not mention Halloween by name. It does not give a command about pumpkins or trick-or-treating. We must not pretend that it does.
But make no mistake about this: the Bible does speak plainly about darkness, holiness, idolatry, witchcraft, the devil, and the calling of a Christian. And those truths do not lose their authority just because a practice becomes popular.
I am not here to tell you that putting on a harmless costume automatically makes a child a devil worshiper. I am here to ask a greater question: WHEN DOES DARKNESS BECOME SOMETHING WE LEARN TO ENJOY? When do we stop being offended by sin and start being amused by it? When do the people who ought to be shining the light begin borrowing the world's darkness for their entertainment?
Our subject is not merely one night on the calendar. Our subject is whether we belong to Jesus Christ on EVERY night of the year. Hear the Word of God.
1. GOD DID NOT SAVE US TO LEAVE US IN DARKNESS
Ephesians 5:8
“For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:”
Notice what Paul did not say. He did not merely say that we once walked around in darkness. He said, “ye were sometimes darkness.” Before the saving grace of God changed us, darkness was not simply something around us. Sin had marked our condition. We were separated from God, lost in our trespasses, and unable to rescue ourselves.
But bless God, there is a glorious word in that verse: NOW! “But now are ye light in the Lord.” The change was not accomplished by better manners, a religious label, or the turning over of a new leaf. The change came through the Lord Jesus Christ.
You may have once loved the very things that now grieve your heart. You may have laughed at sin, pursued things that dishonored God, or followed the crowd without asking where it was leading you. But when Jesus saves a soul, He changes its direction. A saved person is not sinless, but salvation creates a new allegiance. We are His.
Paul tells believers to WALK as children of light. He does not say to shine for one hour on Sunday and disappear into the darkness from Monday through Saturday. Your faith is meant to be seen in your home, in your speech, in your choices, on your television, on your telephone, and in the things you enjoy.
Church, you cannot manufacture the light of Christ by pretending to be holy. You must first belong to Christ. But if you belong to Him, you are called to live like you belong to Him. Grace is not permission to love what nailed our Savior to the cross.
2. THE LIGHT OF CHRIST PRODUCES A DIFFERENT KIND OF FRUIT
Ephesians 5:9
“For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;
When Paul describes the fruit of this changed life, he speaks of goodness, righteousness, and truth. These are not decorations you hang around your religious life. They are evidence of the work of God within it.
Goodness asks, Is this wholesome? Does it encourage mercy, purity, kindness, and respect for what God calls good? Righteousness asks, Is this consistent with God's character and commands? Truth asks, Are we seeing this honestly, or are we making excuses because we want to do what everybody else is doing?
There are things a Christian may be free to do that are still not wise for that particular family or that particular child. There are other things Scripture plainly forbids. We must learn to tell the difference. When God calls something evil, goodness will not celebrate it. When God calls something unclean, righteousness will not paint it with a cheerful color and announce that it is harmless. And when the Bible does not condemn a particular ordinary activity, truth will not invent a command God never gave.
We need the WHOLE counsel of God. Not a softer message to please the world, and not an exaggerated message to impress the church. The fruit of the Spirit includes TRUTH.
3. THE REAL QUESTION IS WHAT PLEASES THE LORD
Ephesians 5:10
“Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.”
That is a searching verse. Paul does not say, Prove what your friends approve of. He does not say, Find out what will keep you popular. He does not say, Ask what is legal, fashionable, or profitable. He says to find what is ACCEPTABLE UNTO THE LORD.
Somebody says, “Preacher, everybody does it.” That is not a Bible verse. Somebody says, “But it's tradition.” Tradition cannot wash sin clean. Somebody says, “It is only entertainment.” Entertainment is not beyond the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Before we make our choices, we ought to ask: Can I thank God for this? Can I take part without contradicting His Word? Will this feed a love for goodness, or will it train my heart to laugh at wickedness? What does this teach a child who is watching me? Do I have peace before God, or am I trying to drown out the conscience He gave me?
You might say, “I don't want to ask those questions every time I make a decision.” But that is exactly the point of walking with the Lord. Christian discipleship reaches beyond Sunday worship. He is Lord of the ordinary decisions, too.
1 Corinthians 10:31
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
WHATEVER YE DO. That includes the way we entertain ourselves. That includes the way we raise our children. That includes what we welcome into our homes. The question is not, “Can I get away with it?” The question is, “Can Jesus Christ be honored in it?”
4. GOD HAS NEVER TREATED THE OCCULT AS INNOCENT ENTERTAINMENT
Deuteronomy 18:10–12
“There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.
Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.”
Now understand the setting. Moses was speaking to Israel before they entered the land. God was forbidding His people from adopting the pagan practices of the nations around them. This passage is not a verse about candy or school costumes. It is a verse about REAL spiritual evil: divination, occult practices, and attempts to consult the dead.
The New Testament confirms that believers must turn away from practices of magic and spiritual deception. God does not change His mind and decide that the occult becomes holy if the right crowd makes it fashionable.
We are not to seek guidance from spirits. We are not to call upon the dead. We are not to dabble in sorcery as though spiritual rebellion were a harmless game. God has spoken. We have no reason to go searching in the darkness for knowledge that He has not given us.
And parents, be careful about anything that invites your children to treat actual occult practice as desirable. The issue is not whether a picture looks spooky. The issue is whether our participation involves or praises the very practices that Scripture condemns.
Some Christians choose to abstain from Halloween altogether, and there are serious, understandable reasons for that decision. Let us honor a conscience that wants to keep far away from occult associations. But let us also speak carefully: a child collecting candy is not, by that fact alone, practicing divination or summoning spirits. We must tell the truth in both directions.
5. WHEN PEOPLE MET CHRIST, THEY ABANDONED THEIR OCCULT PRACTICES
Acts 19:18–20
“And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.”
There is a scene worth remembering. In Ephesus, the gospel confronted people who had been involved in magic arts. And when the Word of God took hold of their hearts, they did not proudly display their former practices as treasures. They confessed what they had done and turned away from those things.
Why? Because repentance is more than saying, “I'm sorry.” Repentance is a change of mind that turns away from sin toward God. These believers understood that what belonged to the old life had no rightful claim on the new.
I am not commanding you to go home and burn a stack of ordinary books because a preacher said so. I am pointing to what these men and women actually did when their occult practices were exposed by the gospel. They turned from those practices, and the Word of God prevailed.
Do you see the difference between the church in Acts and the spirit of our age? When the gospel moved through Ephesus, the people stopped practicing occult arts. Today the temptation is to package those arts as harmless fun and sell them back to the next generation.
Church, we ought to be people who can say NO when the world says YES. We ought to be people who can walk away when the crowd is rushing in. There are pleasures too expensive for a soul that belongs to Jesus Christ.
6. DO NOT MAKE PEACE WITH THE WORKS OF DARKNESS
Ephesians 5:11
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”
Here is the command at the heart of this message. Paul does not command believers to hate the people living in darkness. Christ calls us to love them, preach the gospel to them, and point them toward the Savior. But he does command us to refuse fellowship with the unfruitful WORKS of darkness.
There is a difference between loving a sinner and endorsing sin. Jesus ate with sinners, but He did not give His approval to sin. He came to seek and to save that which was lost. And if we are His disciples, we should care enough to speak the truth with love.
“Rather reprove them.” That means darkness must be exposed for what it is by the light of God's truth. Not through cruelty. Not through invented accusations. Not through mocking our neighbors. But through a life and a witness that make clear which Master we serve.
Church, there comes a dangerous moment when the conscience stops objecting. The first time somebody encounters a wicked thing, it may trouble them. After repeated exposure, they may tolerate it. Eventually they may begin to applaud it. What once broke the heart becomes a punch line. What once frightened the conscience becomes a favorite pastime.
That is when darkness has become entertainment. And the problem is larger than one holiday. It can happen in the music we celebrate, the cruelty we laugh at, the dishonesty we excuse, the impurity we watch, and the bitterness we hold onto.
Do not misunderstand me: seeing a fictional villain in a story is not the same as worshiping evil. But if our entertainment teaches us to admire actual wickedness, then the Bible tells us to examine what is happening to our hearts.
7. DO NOT CALL EVIL GOOD — AND DO NOT CALL GOOD EVIL
Isaiah 5:20
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
That verse was spoken in a prophetic judgment against moral corruption. Isaiah was not writing about a modern holiday. But the moral principle is unmistakable. We must not reverse God's standards simply because society has changed its vocabulary.
There is a world of difference between explaining that a costume is make-believe and telling a child that actual witchcraft is an admirable source of power. There is a difference between remembering that death is real and making cruelty something to celebrate. There is a difference between a neighborly gathering and a gathering devoted to spiritual practices God forbids.
Let me say something else, and I want every Christian to hear it. We must not call a brother or sister wicked merely because their family makes a different judgment about an ordinary activity Scripture does not directly address. That also confuses human opinion with divine authority.
1 Peter 4:11
“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God;”
We have been commanded to speak according to the Word of God. I want to preach hard against what God condemns. And I want to be just as careful not to put words in God's mouth. Scripture is strong enough without our exaggeration. Scripture is clear enough without a rumor. Scripture is holy enough without turning personal preference into a commandment.
If we are going to stand for the truth, then we must be truthful in the way we stand.
8. HOLINESS IS NOT AN OLD-FASHIONED IDEA
1 Peter 1:15–16
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
The word “conversation” in this passage concerns our manner of life, our conduct. God's call to holiness reaches into the things we choose when nobody from church is standing nearby.
Holiness is not a long face and a list of things to boast about. It is belonging to a holy God. It is wanting His will more than our own. It is grieving over sin, confessing it, turning from it, and learning to love what He loves.
If someone tells you, “You're taking this too seriously,” remember what it cost to redeem you. The Lord Jesus Christ was betrayed, mocked, scourged, and crucified. The Son of God did not pour out His blood so that we would feel comfortable flirting with the very sins for which He suffered.
We are not saved because we successfully avoid certain festivities. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. But the grace that saves us also teaches us to turn away from ungodliness. A holy life is not the price of salvation; it is the response of someone who has been brought out of darkness into God's marvelous light.
Romans 12:2
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Do not let the world do all your thinking for you. Do not let an advertisement decide your theology. Do not let a crowd settle what Scripture calls right and wrong. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind through the Word of God.
9. PARENTS, YOUR CHILDREN ARE WATCHING WHAT YOU CELEBRATE
Deuteronomy 6:6–7
“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”
Moses taught Israel that the truth of God was to be carried into everyday family life. The application for Christian parents is plain: the home ought to be a place where God's Word is discussed, taught, and lived.
Our children learn from more than our Sunday-school answers. They watch our habits. They notice what makes us laugh, what makes us angry, what gets our attention, and what we will spend money to enjoy. They are learning what matters to us even when we have not called a family meeting.
That is why parents should think carefully about Halloween activities. Not because a date on the calendar has magical power, but because decisions shape the heart. If you decide your family should not participate, explain your reasons with Scripture, not frightening tales and unproven claims. If you choose a neighborly activity that does not glorify occult practices or cruelty, be intentional about what it teaches. And if your family offers a church gathering or a wholesome alternative, let it be truly wholesome and full of love.
Teach a child that our confidence is in Jesus Christ, not in superstition. Teach a child the difference between pretending to be a character and actually seeking spiritual power apart from God. Teach a child that frightening pictures do not have the final word, because the risen Christ does.
Parents, don't hand the formation of your children's consciences over to television, advertising, or the crowd. Bring them back to the Scriptures. Pray with them. Speak with patience. Listen to their questions. And show them by your own choices that obeying Jesus is not a burden to resent, but a joy worth choosing.
10. CHRISTIAN LIBERTY MUST NEVER BECOME AN EXCUSE FOR SIN
Romans 14:23
“And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”
In Romans 14, Paul was dealing with disputes among believers over food and the observance of days. He was not writing directly about Halloween. Yet he gives a principle that matters here: do not violate your conscience before God, and do not treat every disputed matter as though your preference were the law of God.
If your conscience, informed by God's Word, tells you to abstain, then abstain. Do not do something merely because your neighbors expect you to. Do not quiet a conviction in order to fit in. But if another believer chooses a harmless activity that Scripture does not itself condemn, be slow to pronounce a verdict on that person's soul.
There is a boundary that conscience cannot move. No Christian can appeal to personal liberty in order to participate in genuine divination, spirit consultation, idolatry, or the glorification of wickedness. The Lord has already spoken about those things.
But there are circumstances where two sincere believers may choose differently without either one claiming that their choice is the only possible Christian choice. In those situations we need truth, humility, charity, and self-control.
1 Corinthians 10:23
“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”
Even where something is permitted, ask whether it is beneficial. Does it build up? Does it help your family honor Christ? Is it wise in your circumstances? Christian freedom is not the same thing as thoughtlessness. We are free to serve the Lord, not free to disregard Him.
11. THE DEVIL IS REAL, BUT JESUS CHRIST IS GREATER
Ephesians 6:12
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
The Bible does not present the devil as a cartoon character. Spiritual warfare is real. Temptation is real. Deception is real. Satan is not our friend, and sin is not our toy.
But I refuse to preach a message that makes Satan look bigger than the Savior. The center of the Christian message is not a haunted house, a mask, or a frightening decoration. The center of the Christian message is the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ!
Jesus was tempted, and He did not sin. Jesus faced the powers of darkness, and they did not conquer Him. Jesus carried our sin to the cross, died in the place of sinners, and rose again on the third day. The devil is real, but he is not equal to God. His power is limited. His defeat is certain in the purposes of God.
Colossians 1:13–14
“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”
You want good news today? There is deliverance from darkness! Not through a charm, not through a ritual, not through our own righteousness, but THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. A soul chained by sin can be forgiven. A heart ruled by fear can find peace with God. A person who has practiced things God forbids can repent and be welcomed by the Savior.
Church, we ought to preach against sin with tears in our eyes and hope in our hearts. If we warn people about darkness but never show them the Light of the world, we have not finished preaching the gospel.
12. THE WORST DARKNESS IS A HEART WITHOUT CHRIST
John 3:19
“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
Listen carefully. The most important question today is not whether you will attend a Halloween gathering. The most important question is whether you have received the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior.
A person can avoid every Halloween celebration of a lifetime and still die lost. A person can speak strongly against witchcraft and still be guilty of pride, unbelief, greed, hatred, or dishonesty. You cannot escape the judgment of God by winning an argument about a holiday. You must be reconciled to God through His Son.
And I would tremble to warn people about frightening decorations while saying nothing about eternal judgment. Jesus spoke about sin. Jesus spoke about judgment. Jesus called men and women to repent. The cross declares both the dreadful seriousness of our sin and the immeasurable mercy of God.
Romans 3:23
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
That includes the preacher. That includes the church member. That includes the person who never participated in Halloween and the person who has participated every year. We do not stand before God divided into people who observed one custom and people who did not. We stand before Him as sinners who need a Savior.
Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Sin has wages. Death is not a fairy tale. Judgment is not something to laugh about. There is a terrible difference between playing with darkness and standing before the holy God who judges in righteousness.
But don't miss the second half of that verse. THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD! Hallelujah! There is mercy for the repentant. There is forgiveness for the guilty. There is life for the one who comes to Christ in faith.
John 8:12
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
The answer to darkness is not merely another rule. The answer is JESUS CHRIST, the Light of the world. And the light He gives changes the way we live.
13. HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS WE MUST TAKE HOME
Before we leave this message, I want to give you some questions, not to shame you, but to help you stand before the Lord with a clear conscience.
FIRST: Is there anything in this activity that actually involves or honors practices God explicitly forbids? If there is, walk away. Do not bargain with disobedience.
SECOND: What is this teaching my heart and the hearts of my children? Are we learning to love goodness, righteousness, and truth, or to become comfortable with cruelty, spiritual deception, and sin?
THIRD: Can I participate with thanksgiving and a clear conscience before God? If you cannot, then you have your answer. You do not need the approval of the crowd.
FOURTH: Am I treating another Christian fairly where Scripture has not given an explicit command? Do not sacrifice biblical truth, but do not mistake your own inference for the voice of God.
FIFTH: Is my conduct making Jesus Christ more visible? If a lost neighbor watches the way I live, will they see bitterness and fear, or conviction joined to humility, mercy, and love?
And finally, have I made the gospel clear? Neighbors need more than our opinion of a holiday. They need to hear that Jesus Christ saves sinners.
Maybe you have decided that your home will have no part in Halloween. Then let that conviction lead to prayer, kindness, holiness, and a clear gospel witness. Maybe you will participate in some ordinary community activity. Then do it thoughtfully, without embracing what God condemns, and do not presume that every decision is wise merely because it is common.
But all of us must answer the same call: WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT.
CONCLUSION — THE LIGHT IS STILL SHINING
Church, the world does not need us to imitate the darkness in order to reach people who live in it. The world needs us to be faithful to Jesus Christ. We do not need to make evil attractive. We need to make the Savior known.
Our homes ought to be places of prayer. Our children ought to hear the Word of God. Our churches ought to shine with truth and love. Our conversations ought to make it plain that holiness is still right, sin is still serious, and the grace of God is still sufficient.
I am not asking you to be afraid of a calendar date. I am asking you to fear the Lord, love His truth, and examine what you allow to shape your heart. I am not asking you to condemn every neighbor who makes a different choice. I am asking you to stand against the darkness that God condemns and to point those neighbors toward Christ.
The world may laugh at sin. The world may decorate it. The world may rename it, market it, and applaud it. But when the bright light of the Word of God shines upon it, darkness is still darkness.
And let me tell you something glorious: DARKNESS DOES NOT GET THE LAST WORD! The tomb is empty. Christ is risen. The gospel is still the power of God unto salvation. The Light of the world still calls sinners out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Ephesians 5:14
“Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.”
AWAKE, CHURCH! Wake up from carelessness. Wake up from compromise. Wake up from the habit of doing things simply because everybody does them. Do not let entertainment make your conscience sleepy. Let God's Word awaken you to the glory of His Son.
And if you are lost today, awake to the danger of sin and the mercy of the Savior. Do not leave this place trusting in your own goodness. Do not leave thinking that avoiding a holiday can earn heaven. Come to Jesus Christ. Repent and believe the gospel. He is mighty to save.
WHEN DARKNESS BECOMES ENTERTAINMENT, LET THE CHURCH REMEMBER WHO SHE BELONGS TO. WE ARE CHILDREN OF LIGHT. LET US WALK IN THE LIGHT. AND LET ALL THE GLORY GO TO JESUS CHRIST!
INVITATION
With every head bowed and every heart attentive, I want to ask you to examine yourself before the Lord. Are you saved? Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, or have you only known about Him? The Bible declares that all have sinned, and that salvation is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn from your sin and trust in Him.
Christian, is there anything you have excused that God's Word tells you to forsake? Is there some choice, some habit, some secret attraction to sin that has been stealing your love for holiness? Confess it to the Lord. Do not harden your heart. The Savior who forgives also restores.
Parent, grandparent, young person: ask God for wisdom. Ask Him to make your home a place where truth is spoken with kindness and where Christ is honored without apology. Do not settle for a borrowed conviction. Study the Word. Pray. Obey.
If God has spoken to your heart, answer Him. The invitation is not to win a debate about Halloween. The invitation is to come to Jesus Christ and walk in His light.
CLOSING PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your truth. Forgive us where we have loved the approval of the world more than obedience to You. Forgive us where we have been careless with what enters our hearts and homes. Forgive us also where we have spoken beyond Scripture or treated others without love. Give us holy courage and humble hearts. Protect our children, deliver those involved in spiritual deception, save the lost, and awaken Your church. Let our words and actions glorify Jesus Christ, who has delivered His people from the power of darkness. In His name we pray. Amen.
