PRAISE INTERNATIONAL CONSPIRACY – CRAVING OR CONNECTION NT MARK 10:17-22

Good Morning Prayer Needs Record Last week we began a short series focused for Advent called Advent Conspiracy ( video? ) our them last week was Worship Fully - our assigned them this week is Spend Less - however I have titled the message this week Craving or Connection. Or we might say confronting Craving and finding Connection. Mark 10:17-22 - The Voice So I have noticed an tangible anticipation as it pertains to . Not only that the wholesale clubs got their Christmas displays up sooner - there just seems to be a passion to find something in the midst of what has been a very long season of disorientation - something that feels settled - connected and has continuity. Along with it I have noticed the noisy claims that this years version of products will give what last years version never could! Interestingly while everyone seems to acknowledge the treadmill of false claims and unmet cravings....we are on track to set new records of spending each year - around the world over 1 trillion dollars is spent each year on Christmas craving’s and so few find meaningful connection. Since the 1990‘s an anonymous street artist who is only known as Banksy has caught the worlds attention in his attempts to invite society to confront consumerism and the endless craving for more in graffiti that has later been sold in print form. • In pieces that reveal worship, shopping cart jail and then in a piece first seen in 2002 in London called Balloon Girl - the power of the piece is seen as a stenciled black and white girl is reaching but not catching a red balloon heart. Most in the art world felt it yet another one of Banksy’s social critiques on consumerism. • The print of that work certified to be a Banksy was sold at Sotheby’s in London for 1.3 million dollars. • The moment the gavel went down.....this is what happened (video - shred). Now it is believed that the intent of Banksy was to expose the consumption and consumerism formula has driven Art culture far from Connection and into forms of ridiculousness. in Mark 10 responds to a man living by another formula - do these things and you will inherit ‘the life to come’ is a direct reference to the life of the Kingdom of God - life of connection to God and others. • vs 21 The Voice - Then Jesus, looking at the young man, saw that he was sincere and responded out of His love for him. Son, there is still one thing you have not done. Go now. Sell everything you have and give the proceeds to the poor so that you will have treasure in heaven. After that, come, follow Me.

• In Jesus loving gaze He cuts through the formula and uncovers a heart ruled by Cravings. • This young man did not have a rules problem he had a worship problem....and problem revealed by the disconnection of his heart.

And the secret is simply this Christ in you! Yes, Christ in you bringing with Him the hope of all the glorious things to come. Col 1:27b JB Phillips 12/13/2020 Page 1 PRAISE INTERNATIONAL ADVENT CONSPIRACY – CRAVING OR CONNECTION NT MARK 10:17-22 The Good News we proclaim this Advent season - Jesus came not reveal a better method of doing Christmas but to restore and reconnect man to Life. Life as God intended from the beginning - Life with God. His name will be called Emmanuel God with us! Love has always been the invitation and destination. Advent Conspiracy - Worship Fully - Craving or Connection - but you see I believe the message is not a formula of ‘spending less’ as a method of finding peace, joy and rest in this advent season. • What if it is us who stood before Jesus and He in Love looked us in the eye? ◦ I submit that His invitation would be the same - not about counting your items like the checkout person at Costco.... ◦ His response would be an invitation to the true destination of our soul - Love. St Nicholas of - 3rd century Bishop who first gave his wealth to save 3 girls from a life of poverty. • You see the whole gift giving tradition that began with St Nicholas was never about cravings but about a man who gave what he had to bring freedom and connection into the lives of 3 girls who would surely have lived disconnected and destitute. • But that is what Love did - in Christ and what Love does in Christ! • When love that brings life and freedom is not the destination it quickly turns to cravings.

Lets look at this word Craving for moment - lets look at where it first shows up in the Scripture. Genesis 1 • Begins with the epic telling of how God comes over the Chaos and confusion and brings order goodness and beauty in Creation - Chapter 1 ends with the last verse 31 • Then God surveyed everything He had made, savoring its beauty and appreciating its goodness. Most translations say God saw and behold it was very good. • The point being from the original language is that God looks at all of His creation is feeling Delight ( picture of Cell?) • Here where there was darkness, confusion and chaos - comes order, beauty, goodness and rest .... • Now don’t miss this - Gods opinion - its Very Good - savoring and appreciating its goodness. by the way that includes man - did you catch that? Chapter 2:9 from the Voice He made the ground pregnant with life—bursting forth with nourishing food and luxuriant beauty This is a place of Connection - man is secure, significant and he belongs! I want to point out that in these two verses used to describe God’s opinion is; • ‘Chamad’ to delight or take pleasure in' that is the opinion and response of God about you and I.

Chapter 3 - The fall • The drama unfolds - now we do not have a lot of verses in the Scripture that tell us about the fall of Satan but I am of the opinion that Genesis 3 is not only the fall of man but of Satan as well. And the secret is simply this Christ in you! Yes, Christ in you bringing with Him the hope of all the glorious things to come. Col 1:27b JB Phillips 12/13/2020 Page 2 PRAISE INTERNATIONAL ADVENT CONSPIRACY – CRAVING OR CONNECTION NT MARK 10:17-22 • Ezekiel 28:13 - in reference to Satan states that he was in the in Eden, the garden of God and was given a role there and then Isaiah 14 reveals his jealousy - specifically of man if you look at verses 12-13. • If I look at chapter 1:31 and God is feeling ‘Chamad’ in His image bearers..... Here is my point - The temptation of man was based in an invitation to ‘Chamad’ in something else! ◦ It was an invitation to Craving over Connection. ◦ Eve saw Genesis 3:9 the fruit was ‘Chamad’....oh my goodness - the last time that word was used it was describing Adam and Eve! ◦ At the center of Craving is an invitation to focus on what they did NOT have.... ◦ But from Gods viewpoint....the already possessed everything! See that? Jesus brother James - what causes fights and quarrels or as the Voice translates - 4:1 Where do you think your fighting and endless conflict come from? Don’t you think that they originate in the constant pursuit of gratification that rages inside each of you like an uncontrolled militia? • Endless conflicts? - Cravings! Jesus exposed the Rich Young Ruler’s Cravings. • Not to humiliate him! • To invite him to a place of connection. Beloved in this Advent Season we proclaim this Good news Jesus came into chaos, darkness and disconnection - Life, beauty, peace have restored in Christ. Our invitation is to live a life of connection over cravings. How do I do that? 1 - Ask Holy Spirit to Identify Beauty and Delight. • Most of us have already heard themes about confronting ‘craving’s’ in our culture. • Clarity does not come from identifying craving but rather from identifying beauty and delight. • Which by the way begins with Gods good opinion of you! • When we begin to have more clarity about delight it makes craving’s easier to spot. 2 - Spending less will not necessarily change heart motivations! • Jesus invites the rich young ruler to spend it all so that he can gain it all. • Part of the Good News is to allow the Holy Spirit to remind us.... • In Christ I already possess everything this season is not quantified by my pocketbook but by my heart! 3 - Jesus I want to be led by Love is to notice the places that God provides for connection. Luke 14 - Jesus is approached by a man suffering from Dropsy. • Dropsy is a condition of having to much fluid on the body. And the secret is simply this Christ in you! Yes, Christ in you bringing with Him the hope of all the glorious things to come. Col 1:27b JB Phillips 12/13/2020 Page 3 PRAISE INTERNATIONAL ADVENT CONSPIRACY – CRAVING OR CONNECTION NT MARK 10:17-22 • Now none of us can exist without fluid - but this man has too much of a good thing. • Luke does not record any verbal exchange between Jesus and this man and touch’s him and heals him. So when the man leaves Jesus he has less than what he had when he came - • Because what he had was killing him. • Its ok to come to Jesus and leave with less that what we came. Now to be clear - a life of connection is costly. • Jesus invitation was for this rich man to become poor. • Connection can be costly but so can Craving’s be every bit as costly. Love is our invitation and destination beloved. • As I think about what this looks like in this season I think of Matt Redman’s song ‘I’m coming back to heart of worship’. Maybe a possible way to surrender to Jesus invitation this season is to take our calendar our lists our budget and simply ask for a new Advent Imagination - what does love look like this year? It does not take much to find a consumer imagination but Advent Imagination that remains centered on Him may require us to be quiet or abandon our seasonal formula's. The Good News we proclaim this Advent season - Jesus came not reveal a better method of doing Christmas but to restore and reconnect man to Life. Life as God intended from the beginning - Life with God. His name will be called Immanuel God with us! Love has always been the invitation and destination. Closing Prayer God of everything I need- Thank you for being my provider. Thank You for all of the ways that You sustain me. Thank You for the food on my table and on my shelves. Thank You for the shelter over my head. Thank You for places to sit and recline. Thank You for the place I have to rest my head. Thank You for the friends and family around me. As I move through my world today, help me to be content. Remind me of all the ways You provide for me and my family. Help me to keep my eyes focused on You, the God who provides, not on my material possessions. Keep me from straying to the idol of ‘more’. Forgive me for the times where I have turned to my things instead of You. You alone are my salvation and my joy. You alone are my peace. And the secret is simply this Christ in you! Yes, Christ in you bringing with Him the hope of all the glorious things to come. Col 1:27b JB Phillips 12/13/2020 Page 4 PRAISE INTERNATIONAL ADVENT CONSPIRACY – CRAVING OR CONNECTION NT MARK 10:17-22

Forgive me for the times I’ve made an idol out of the blessings You have given me. You are enough for me As I plan for Christmas, help me to keep a careful eye on the things I buy, for myself and for others. Help me to scale back on material things and to invest in the relationships around me. Help me to be thoughtful in my giving. May the way I spend my resources reflect Your goodness. Help me to invest in relationships, and not just things. Thank You for showing me how. Thank You for modeling what it means to give Yourself sacrificially to those around you. Thank You for giving Yourself for me. Thank You for the gift of salvation. Communion.

And the secret is simply this Christ in you! Yes, Christ in you bringing with Him the hope of all the glorious things to come. Col 1:27b JB Phillips 12/13/2020 Page 5