Crave: Intimacy

Minister: Rev. Olon M. Lindemood

CRAVE: Intimacy

Scriptures:

1 Corinthians 16: 17-20

“I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence; for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. So give recognition to such persons.

The churches of Asia send greetings, Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, greet you warmly in the Lord.  All the brothers and sisters send greetings.  Greet one another with a holy kiss.”

Two parts of today’s message:

First,  Why Crave?

Second,  Why do we crave intimacy?

Have you been with us these past four weeks,  we have been studying biblical principles of living the human life with Enough!  God provides enough… we need not be wanting more and more and more… Live into the Love of God that is sufficient… God’s love is enough!

Now… welcome to a new set of biblical principles that will assist us in the authentic ways that our souls crave for certain things … The Bible is alive with testimony of faithful people striving to be more faithful and some … failing miserably as they confront cravings / human cravings … In these next four weeks: 

1. Intimacy
2. Destiny
3. Meaning
4. Eternity

This initial spark of awakening biblical truths in these areas comes from Matt and Amber Lurz and a book they recommended:  Soul Cravings written by Erwin Raphael McManus.

From Faithful people living with Enough to Christian Soul Cravings …

Soul Cravings … Think about that for a moment … What do you crave … ?

Flowing milk chocolate?  … sniff… yeah baby!  Doesn’t that become a wonderful aroma of WOW!

Do you crave other items of this world?  ….

Soul Cravings is intended to be a title that can prompt us into unleashing the best of what God created us to crave… And to let go of the cravings that cause harm …

So … here is the disclaimer:  Be careful what you crave!

Biblical people craved security when they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years… God provided daily bread / and living water from springs that nurtured them and their flocks… but they craved more and would gather too much seek to much water … food was daily / the water when needed … when they began to hoard … there was nothing but trouble …

King David craved a married woman named Bathsheba … Solomn craved the wealthiest furnishings in the land… Herod craved political power … Judas craved control of God’s plans…

Biblical principles are sometimes expressed in negative ways…

As Christians in the modern world … what do you crave… be honest … Now … make a different choice … Let’s crave:  Intimacy / Destiny / Meaning / Eternity!

Today, let’s focus some on this Soul Craving for Intimacy …Here comes the second part of today’s message… ready!?!?!?

Be careful now … The craving is for the soul … not the body … not the carnal / sin filled exploitations of culture and the diminishment of God’s sacred beauty!  Careful … in the soul … not body craving of intimacy… Careful…

Soul Craving for Intimacy begins in Genesis chapter one!  … There it is … God created human beings … and said … We created him male and female in our own image….

God created human beings for companionship … God created human beings for intimacy … sharing the beautiful creation together…

And in Genesis chapter two … Adam and Eve … craved forbidden intimacy … God said … Love … enjoy / play and delight in the garden … but stay away from the forbidden tree in the center of the Garden … (to make the story short… ) Adam and Eve … did not stay away from the tree in the center of the garden … they ate the fruit / the forbidden fruit at the center of the garden that was only for God… In that act they destroyed human intimacy with God in the innocence of all creation being Good!  You see … it is true that we say, “God is Good! … and many are prompted to say… All the time!”  …

Well… The biblical journey is God restoring us / we human beings… You … You Kirsten … You Steve … me, Olon … and even Tarzan … and jane … the restoration of intimacy lost through the craving and acting on the forbidden… The whole of the Bible is now the restoration of God’s love to us human beings…

Three points…

1.Paul … the apostle … spoke of the intimacy he had with his great fellow Christians in the journey … did you hear their names?  “Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus.”   Aquila and Prisca”

Beloved friends in Christ who prayed / lived / supported / acted out their faith in a hostile world and proclaimed Jesus Christ as Lord! The loved!

2.Erwin McManus remembers a time when he was speaking to a class of  Muslims in Israel.  He was asked “Why Jesus?”  … And he answered cautiously:  He said … I once fell in love… I was captivated by her …  I asked the girl to be my mate … She said no… (ERWIN) watched the class.  The did not like the story so far… Erwin went on … I loved her so much that I asked again … again she said no…  my focus was so strong … I was not going to let go … I asked again … and finally she said yes!  … In the story … You like hearing that she said yes!  Well … God sent Jesus … God became human that we might say  yes again to his everlasting love.  The gospel writer John… “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life!”

God … through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit continues to ask us … will you … will you love me…

3.  That is the core of the Apostle paul’s message…

The hymn “the gift of Love”

Though I may speak with bravest fire,

And have the gift to all inspire,

And have not love, my words are vain,

As sounding brass, and hopeless gain.

 Come, Spirit, come, our hearts control,

Our spirits long to be made whole.

Let inward love guide every deed;

By this we worship, and are freed.

That is first Corinthians chapter 13 to song…

13:13 … the most intimate verse … “And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three, and the greatest of these is love…”

Please… Unleash your soul to crave the intimacy of God’s love … God’s love … as much as you know of any love here on earth … God loves you more!  You love your child… You love your spouse?  You love you mom … You love your dad… as much as you love and your capacity for love here and now …

God loves you more…

And the human quest is to Crave and act upon that most intimate love of God through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Tonight … THIS MORNING … crave … intimacy with Jesus!  Amen…