“Intimacy Is A Song” #1 in Series June 9, 2013 Pastor Dave Lynden The Freedom of Passionate Intimacy The Freedom of Passionate Intimacy The Freedom of Passionate Intimacy The Freedom of Passionate Intimacy Bibles are available in the back of the Worship Center. If you do not own a Bible, please feel free to take one home with you. We’re Glad You’re Here! We’d like to get to know you. There is a Connection Card in the seat in front of you to get you started. Please use the card to communicate your interests, praise and prayer requests, or contact information (especially if you’re new here). Drop it in the offering basket, hand it to an usher, or bring it by the Connection Corner. The Connection Corner is in the Atrium, on the right of the Atrium as you leave; an Elder and his wife are available there to meet you, pray with you, and/or answer your questions. We encourage families to do what best meets the spiritual needs of both parents and children. Our main service deals honestly with all kinds of topics; some of them may not be deemed age-appropriate for younger children. We look to you, the parent, to make that call. You are welcome at any time to slip out with your child and register them in the children’s ministry where the ministry is specifically age-appropriate. We respect the decision each family makes for themselves and are glad that you have come to worship with us in spirit and truth. To access our wireless internet, open your device and search for available wireless networks. Our unsecured network is called “FBC”. Select it and connect. Devices to help the hearing impaired are available at the sound booth in the back of the Worship Center. Dear Church Family, I am reminded again, now that summer is almost upon us (and the weather is getting warmer and walk-friendlier) of the necessity of prayer. I pray best while walking in the woods (and warmer weather certainly makes that more conducive). But prayer is more than simply finding opportune times. It is about learning the mind of God. Indeed, as Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in his little book on the Psalms: “The phrase ‘learning to pray’ sounds strange to us. If the heart does not overflow and begin to pray by itself, we say, it will never ‘learn’ to pray. But it is a dangerous error, surely widespread among Christians to think that the heart can pray by itself. For then we confuse wishes, hopes, sighs, laments, rejoicings - all of which the heart can do by itself - with prayer. And we confuse earth and heaven, man and God. Prayer does not mean simply to pour out one’s heart. It means rather to find the way to God and to speak with Him, whether the heart is full or empty. No man can do that by himself. For that he needs Jesus Christ.” Let us remind ourselves of this discipline beyond feelings or opportunities and learn the language of true prayer. For More Information… We are online at www.fellowshipcleveland.com. You can access message archives, ministry information, what we believe, and learn about opportunities to help you grow deeper and stronger. Faith that unleashes love will change the world. 16391 Chillicothe Rd • Chagrin Falls OH 44023 440.543.5643 • www.fellowshipcleveland.com Song of Songs 1:1-2:7 I. So what is the Song of Songs ________________ _____________? A. What the Song of Songs is not: an allegory of _________ and the _______________. • Reason #1 - Such an interpretation ______ _______________. • Reason #2 - _________________ in the New Testament is there an attempt to allegorize the Song of Songs into the relationship between ____________ and the ______________. • Reason #3 - The plain sense is __________, __________ _____________! B. What the Song of Songs is: a song about _______________ _____________________. C. What the Song of Songs follows: a story of two lovers and ______________________ ______________________ into their romance! II. In what way is the Song of Songs going to __________ ______? A. It will help us revive the __________________ of intimacy. B. It will confront our ____________________ and offer a path forward. C. It will teach us how and why to ____________ _________ _____________ of sexual intimacy within the bonds of marriage. III. The freedom of passionate intimacy allows for us to _____________ pleasure! A. The freedom of _________________! B. The freedom to feel ______________________! C. The freedom of intimacy’s ____________________________! So much in our world has led us to believe that sex is either dirty (and thus needs to be repressed) or value- free (and thus anything goes). The truth of the matter is that God has given sex to humanity as a gift. He has given us instructions for its proper use, but He has also given us an entire book in the Bible celebrating this wonderful gift. In fact, it is not just a book of the Bible, it is a song. Please join us for this five-week series intended to strengthen your marriage through this fascinating study beginning Sunday, June 9. Sunday, June 16 The Impediments of Passionate Intimacy (Song of Songs 2:8-3:5) Sunday, June 23 The Safeguards of Passionate Intimacy (Song of Songs 3:6-5:1) Sunday, June 30 The Bond of Passionate Intimacy (Song of Songs 5:2-8:4) Sunday, July 7 The Presence of God Amidst Passionate Intimacy (Song of Songs 8:5-14) celebrating the God-given gift of passion within marriage through the Song of Songs Family Week Monday, June 24—Thursday, June 27 Mark your calendar for Family Week! Sign up in the Atrium. Come celebrate family with us June 24-27. Listed below are the activities for each night of summer family fun. Be thinking about what to do with your family and who in your neighborhood you can invite to come with you. Watch for more specific information about each night’s event. MONDAY, JUNE 24, 7PM Ice Cream & Cornhole TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 6:30PM Family Roller Skating at Chagrin Roller Rink WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 7PM Captains’ Game Discounted tickets will be available The deadline for purchase is June 20 THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 7PM Movie Night: “Wreck-It Ralph”
Transcript
“Intimacy Is A Song” #1 in Series
June 9, 2013 Pastor Dave Lynden
The Freedom of Passionate IntimacyThe Freedom of Passionate IntimacyThe Freedom of Passionate IntimacyThe Freedom of Passionate Intimacy
Bibles are available in the back of the Worship Center. If you do not own a Bible, please feel free to take one home with you.
We’re Glad You’re Here! We’d like to get to know you. There is a Connection Card in the seat in front of you to get you started. Please use the card to communicate your interests, praise and prayer requests, or contact information (especially if you’re new here). Drop it in the offering basket, hand it to an usher, or bring it by the Connection Corner. The Connection Corner is in the Atrium, on the right of the Atrium as you leave; an Elder and his wife are available there to meet you, pray with you, and/or answer your questions. We encourage families to do what best meets the spiritual needs of both parents and children. Our main service deals honestly with all kinds of topics; some of them may not be deemed age-appropriate for younger children. We look to you, the parent, to make that call. You are welcome at any time to slip out with your child and register them in the children’s ministry where the ministry is specifically age-appropriate. We respect the decision each family makes for themselves and are glad that you have come to worship with us in spirit and truth. To access our wireless internet, open your device and search for available wireless networks. Our unsecured network is called “FBC”. Select it and connect. Devices to help the hearing impaired are available at the sound booth in the back of the Worship Center.
Dear Church Family, I am reminded again, now that summer is almost upon us (and the weather is getting warmer and walk-friendlier) of the necessity of prayer. I pray best while walking in the woods (and warmer weather certainly makes that more conducive). But prayer is more than simply finding opportune times. It is about learning the mind of God. Indeed, as Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in his little book on the Psalms:
“The phrase ‘learning to pray’ sounds strange to us. If the heart does not overflow and begin to pray by itself, we say, it will never ‘learn’ to pray. But it is a dangerous error, surely widespread among Christians to think that the heart can pray by itself. For then we confuse wishes, hopes, sighs, laments, rejoicings - all of which the heart can do by itself - with prayer. And we confuse earth and heaven, man and God. Prayer does not mean simply to pour out one’s heart. It means rather to find the way to God and to speak with Him, whether the heart is full or empty. No man can do that by himself. For that he needs Jesus Christ.”
Let us remind ourselves of this discipline beyond feelings or opportunities and learn the language of true prayer.
For More Information… We are online at www.fellowshipcleveland.com. You can access message archives, ministry information, what we believe, and learn about opportunities to help you grow deeper and stronger.
I. So what is the Song of Songs ________________ _____________?
A. What the Song of Songs is not: an allegory of _________ and
the _______________.
• Reason #1 - Such an interpretation ______ _______________.
• Reason #2 - _________________ in the New Testament is there
an attempt to allegorize the Song of Songs into the relationship
between ____________ and the ______________.
• Reason #3 - The plain sense is __________, __________
_____________!
B. What the Song of Songs is: a song about _______________
_____________________.
C. What the Song of Songs follows: a story of two lovers and
______________________ ______________________ into their
romance!
II. In what way is the Song of Songs going to __________ ______?
A. It will help us revive the __________________ of intimacy.
B. It will confront our ____________________ and offer a path
forward.
C. It will teach us how and why to ____________ _________
_____________ of sexual intimacy within the bonds of marriage.
III. The freedom of passionate intimacy allows for us to
_____________ pleasure!
A. The freedom of _________________!
B. The freedom to feel ______________________!
C. The freedom of intimacy’s ____________________________!
So much in our world has led us to believe that sex is either dirty (and thus needs to be repressed) or value-free (and thus anything goes). The truth of the matter is that God has given sex to humanity as a gift. He has given us instructions for its proper use, but He has also given us an entire book in the Bible celebrating this
wonderful gift. In fact, it is not just a book of the Bible, it is a song. Please join us for this five-week series intended to strengthen your marriage through this fascinating study beginning Sunday, June 9.
Sunday, June 16
The Impediments of Passionate Intimacy
(Song of Songs 2:8-3:5)
Sunday, June 23
The Safeguards of Passionate Intimacy
(Song of Songs 3:6-5:1)
Sunday, June 30
The Bond of Passionate Intimacy
(Song of Songs 5:2-8:4)
Sunday, July 7
The Presence of God Amidst
Passionate Intimacy
(Song of Songs 8:5-14)
celebrating the God-given gift of passion within marriage through the Song of Songs
Family Week Monday, June 24—Thursday, June 27
Mark your calendar for Family Week! Sign up in the Atrium.
Come celebrate family with us June 24-27. Listed below are the activities for each night of summer family fun. Be thinking about what to do with your family and who in your neighborhood you can invite to come with you. Watch for more specific information about each night’s event.
MONDAY, JUNE 24, 7PM Ice Cream & Cornhole
TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 6:30PM Family Roller Skating at Chagrin Roller Rink
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 7PM
Captains’ Game Discounted tickets will be available The deadline for purchase is June 20
If you would like to talk to or pray with someone, an Elder and his
wife will be at the Connection
Corner after the service.
General Fund Budgeted Through June 2 ......................................................................... $778,000
General Fund Actual Receipts Through June 2 ............................................................... $719,607
General Fund Receipts Last Year YTD ................................................................................. $789,740
Year-to-Date Facility Fund ....................................................................................................... $9,099
“The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it.”
Psalm 24:1
If you missed the offering basket this morning, offering boxes are in the Atrium.
For people of faith, living generously means allowing God to use every aspect of your life—your time and energy, your talents and influence, your priorities and possessions—for His purposes.
2013 INCOME REPORT
9:00AM-10:15AM
Worship Service
Nursery - 5th Grade
10:45AM-Noon
Worship Service
Nursery - 8th Grade
Engaging the Word
(Teaching Center)
SUNDAY SCHEDULE
6:00PM
High School COLLIDE
For many, listening to God is difficult because of distractions. Join Pastor Dave Lynden as
he leads a group on the practice of listening to God in the beauty of nature. Prayer
Walks are scheduled for the last Saturday of the month, 9AM-11AM, from June through
September. The first Prayer Walk is Saturday, June 29, at Virginia Kendall in
Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Meet at Kendall Lake. For those who have time after
the walk, plan to go to an area restaurant for an informal lunch.
Directions: Take 422 West to 271 South to 8 South. Take Exit 12 for Route 303
towards Peninsula/Hudson. Merge onto Akron Cleveland Rd/State Road. Turn
right onto Kendall Park Road, which turns into Truxell Road. The Kendall Lake
Parking Lot will be on the left. Maps are available in the Atrium.
Watch for details on upcoming walks (July 27, August 31, September 28).
Long wandering prayer involves leaving our normal environment for the express purpose of
spending several hours with God alone, but not secluded. It involves walking, or at least
moving, so that we can stop at any time and consider a lily for an unpredictable length of
time. Long wandering prayer uses the fact that our minds wander as an advantage to prayer
rather than as a disadvantage.
- David Hansen (Long Wandering Prayer: An Invitation to Walk with God)
PRAYER WALK
Study Questions for June 16
1. Read Song of Songs 2:8-3:5 five times this week.
2. From where is the lover coming according to 2:8-9? How does
this compare or contrast with 3:6-7? Does this seem like two
different individuals?
3. In 2:8-13, the winter season seems to have passed, opening the
door to a renewed time of love. How does the shepherd lover
describe this new season? What might this metaphor of “seasons”
be describing that has given “space” between the lovers (e.g.
extended time of separation, an argument, etc…)? What
“winter seasons” have you experienced that God has called you
to renew a call to intimacy?
4. What are the “little foxes” in 2:15, generally speaking
(assuming that the vineyard is a symbol of their intimacy)? What
are the primary impediments to intimacy? Are there
impediments that God would want you to proactively remove?
5. How does 3:1-5 describe longing? What is the primary activity
going on here (look at the verbs)? How is this longing balanced
