Last week we went through chapter 10 where Jesus put forth a parable about a sheepfold and a shepherd. He then drew the parallels to himself and his sheep. He said that he was “the door” meaning he is the way into eternal life. Then he said that he was the good shepherd of the sheep because he will lay his life down for them. He also revealed that he had power to take his life back up again. He then explained to the religious leaders their part in the parable, they were the thieves and robbers that tried to…

Last week I preached from the first parable of the sower, and how that parable reveals the different responses that people have to hearing the word of God. Jesus said that the seed in that parable is the word of God and the different soils are the different conditions of the hearts that hear. The parable we just read builds on that idea. When this parable is explained to his disciples, he plainly states the meaning of each item in the parable. This time he tells us who the sower of the good seed is…it’s himself. The good seed this time is not the word of God, but what the word of God has produced…children of the kingdom

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.