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Four Points Church in Acworth, Georgia.
Episodes
Monday Oct 28, 2019
Monday Oct 28, 2019
We now see the bride take her own advice. Solomon comes to her. She sees him on the other side of the wall and peering through the lattice to get her attention. He calls out to her. His words are sweet poetry that would melt the heart of any young maiden (vs. 10-13). His intention is clear. He wants her to come to him. The time is right he proclaims. “The spring is here and everything is in blossom and so should our love also bloom,” he says. He longs for her and he is ready for her. We know from chapter one that the bride shares the same desires to be with her groom. However, she answers him, “Not yet.” Her response is not a harsh rejection. She reminds him that she is his as he belongs to her (vs. 16).
Monday Oct 21, 2019
Monday Oct 21, 2019
The scene begins with a response from Solomon to his future bride, who is seeking out the one she loves in the heat of the day. Penned in this passage of Scripture are the words of these two future lovers to each other that paint a beautiful picture of intimacy within marriage. As this passage reveals, intimacy is far more than sexual desires or strong emotions. It is a deep longing for another individual that is rooted in a selfless desire to serve and to sacrifice for the good of another. Unfortunately, we live in a culture that has devalued and degraded marriage and emphasized personal gain and contentment at all cost. Self is often at the center of our decisions, emotions, and actions. Combine this with the stain of sin that still dwells in us, and we are forced to admit that we tend to seek for intimacy outside of the means that God has graciously provided. God has uniquely designed marriage between a husband and a wife as an avenue for gracious intimacy that our souls desperately need.
Monday Oct 14, 2019
Monday Oct 14, 2019
Song of Solomon is part of the wisdom literature within the Old Testament. While many mistake it as a book, it is actually a song—and not just any song. The opening line of this song is a superlative that declares it to be the “song of songs.” We find examples of other superlatives throughout the Scripture, such as “holy of holies” and “King of kings” (Exodus 26:33; Revelation 19:16). These superlatives suggest something is the greatest of the great. In the case of this song we are about to study, it is the greatest song of any songs. Songs are poems written to be accompanied by music and because of this, a great deal of imagery and literary devices commonly associated with poetry should be expected as we move forward.
Monday Oct 07, 2019
Monday Oct 07, 2019
Our text begins quite symbolically with the dawn of a new day. This first day of the week would come to be known as the “Lord’s Day” where Christians would gather in the name of Jesus for the next two thousand years and counting (John 20:1; Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 16:2; Revelation 1:10). This new day of worship is significant in at least two ways. First, death has always been an enemy to humanity. Second, there is incredible hope for the believer, not only for eternity, but also in this life now. It does not matter what trials or sufferings you face. What matters is that you know Jesus will bring you through them and you will be stronger on the other side. This is our hope in this life, as well as in eternity.
Monday Sep 30, 2019
Monday Sep 30, 2019
This text is the pinnacle of Matthew’s gospel. In fact, the crucifixion (and resurrection) of Jesus is the apex of the Bible and all of Human History. Jesus came to lay his life down in the place of guilty sinners. All of Matthew has been building to this point and the events found in this passage. Jesus demonstrates to us how His death satisfies the tension between God’s Holiness and steadfast love towards His sinful people. Jesus traded places with us to satisfy the debt that we owe but cannot pay. Everything that Jesus endured during these dark moments in history should have been given to us. But praise be to God that Jesus took our place!
Monday Sep 23, 2019
Monday Sep 23, 2019
During the time of Jesus, Israel was under Roman control. When Rome conquered a territory, they would always send a Roman official to serve as governor of that area. Pontius Pilate was that official. However, Israel was not a prestigious appointment. History tells us that Pilate served there for 11 years, which was much longer than any of the governors before or after him. This means that Pilate wasn’t that great of a governor and couldn’t get promoted to a better post. He provoked the Jews in numerous ways that led to numerous insurrections and a great deal of social unrest. He would steal from the temple treasury to pay for his building projects and even allowed the Romans to worship Caesar in front of the temple. Pilate’s career ended when he was eventually fired and banned from government work by the Roman Emperor Caligula.
Monday Sep 16, 2019
Monday Sep 16, 2019
Jesus and His disciples end their final Passover meal with singing. This was common practice in Judaism during the first century. The Jewish hymnbook was the Psalms. Psalms 113-118 were known as the “Hallel” or “praise psalms” and traditionally sung at Passover. If Jesus followed the custom, Psalm 118 would be the hymn that was sung in this text. Jesus then took His disciples to the Mount of Olives. Once there He laid another bitter truth on the disciples. He told them, “they would all fall away this very night” (vs. 31). Peter becomes the focus of their prophesied failure, but “all” the disciples claim their loyalty, and they “all” fail their Lord (vs. 56). Jesus took His inner circle, Peter, James, and John, into a garden to pray.
Tuesday Sep 10, 2019
Tuesday Sep 10, 2019
It is the time of the Passover celebration. This is a significant festival within Judaism that lasts an entire week and consists of two meaningful events. The first is the Passover meal. This meal occurs in one evening and commemorates God’s provision of the paschal lamb. The blood of the lamb was placed on the doorposts of the Israelite homes. The death angel saw the blood and then “passed over” their homes thereby saving their families from God’s wrath (Exodus 12:1-13). Next, the feast of unleavened bread begins and lasts the remainder of the week. This extended celebration commemorates the Israelites freedom from their slavery in Egypt (Exodus 13:1-10). It is very significant that the betrayal, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus begins during the onset of these feasts. It will be made known throughout the entire church age that the blood of Jesus saves us from the wrath of God (Romans 5:9-11) and also frees us from the bondage of our sin (Romans 6:18).
Monday Sep 02, 2019
Monday Sep 02, 2019
Last week we finished the Olivet Discourse, the final section of Jesus’ teaching in the book of Matthew. This week, we begin the Passion Narrative, the story of how Jesus willingly offers Himself for those he came to save. In this passage, Matthew gives us four brief scenes which build on one another towards the crucifixion, which is to come.
Monday Aug 26, 2019
Monday Aug 26, 2019
Chapter 25 begins with two parables. Parables are an ancient way of making one or two points, but are not meant to be taken literally line or line. This final section of the last sermon of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew is sometimes presented in a way that promotes worldwide evangelization. However, this view is only one hundred years old. Worldwide evangelization is seen in Matthew 28 and is clearly realized as making disciples of all the nations. This last parable shows us the way we should act toward fellow believers.