Last week we finished the last half of chapter 5 where Jesus defended himself to the unbelieving Jews who accused him of blasphemy because he claimed God for his Father. Jesus pointed to the fact that he does the same work the Father does including raising and restoring life to the dead. He spoke of both spiritually and physically dead people hearing his voice and receiving life.
Outline Available Here
Last week we went through chapter 4 which is a conversation between the Shulamite and the Shepherd. The Shepherd describes the Shulamite in poetic symbolism, both her physical and personal features in the highest degree of affection. The Shulamite closes out the chapter with this statement: Song of Solomon 4:16 Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits. She means that all of her belongs to him.
Here in the text, we read about a family from Bethlehem who during a famine went to sojourn in the land of Moab. These people were not leaving Israel because they wanted to leave God or they didn’t like the culture there anymore, they left because they thought that’s what they had to do to survive. They spent ten years in Moab and their sons married to Moabite sisters. Naomi’s husband died and so did her two sons leaving the three women widowed. Naomi hears that the Lord has visited his people in the land where she came from in giving them bread and is going back. Her two daughters-in-law at first are of a mind to go with her but after much urging, Orpah kisses her mother-in-law goodbye and turns back to Moab. Ruth on the hand, turns her back on her heritage, her people, and her gods to be with Noami and accept her God as her own.
Outline Available Here
Last week we went through the first half of chapter 6. Paul wrote that children
should obey and honor their parents and that fathers shouldn’t provoke them to wrath (bring them to resentment). He also wrote that servants should serve their masters as
though they were serving Christ and masters should treat their servants with kindness and respect because they have a master that sees all. Paul then admonishes the readers to put on the whole armor of God. The armor of God is spiritual because the warfare is spiritual. He writes that our enemy is not flesh and blood, but that we wrestle with principalities and powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and with spiritual wickedness in high
places.
Last time we went through chapter 5 where Paul spells out the works of the flesh and contrasts it with the fruit of the Spirit. He then admonishes the Galatians to walk in the Spirit or they will fulfill the lusts of the flesh. The way of law works won’t produce the fruit of the Spirit but will cause divisions and strife. Walking with Christ is the only way that the Spirit produces His fruit through us.
Last week I preached a message about the person of the Holy Spirit, today I want to preach about the purpose of the Holy Spirit. In these verses Jesus is explaining what the Holy Spirit is sent to do. Again I say to you today that this is His time. He is the presence of God in the world today since Jesus Christ ascended back to the Father. His work is to make Jesus Christ known in the world and carry on His ministry. When Jesus was on earth, He glorified the Father…now the Holy Spirit glorifies Him. He is essential in God’s work of redemption in mankind. Let me highlight a few of His works:
Last Sunday evening we were watching the movie The Greatest Story Ever Told since it was Easter and we had never seen the movie before. As a person who has taught Sunday school for years and been a preacher for over 20 years, I can’t help but notice the things that don’t line up with the scriptures. I’m not trying to be critical, I enjoyed the movie but there was something that got my attention. It was the relationship between Herod and John the Baptist.
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