Four Oaks East Podcast

Pastor Joshua Hughes Text: Ecclesiastes 1:12-18 Big idea: Wisdom under the sun won't give us what we want, so we must seek the wisdom that is the gift of God. 1. Qoheleth's quest #1 - the Way of Wisdom 2. Qoheleth's quest #2 - the Manner of Madness Two Invitations: 1. Learn to lament life under the sun 2. Learn to receive the wisdom God gives

Pastor Joshua Hughes Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 1. Who is the Preacher? 1 Kings 11:1-10 2. What is this book?  3. What can this book do for us? Romans 8:18-25

Pastor Funmi Ojetayo Text: Titus 2:11-14 Big Idea: stop striving and start resting—in the grace that transforms today and the glory that secures tomorrow. The Epiphany of Grace (vv. 11-12) 1. The Person of Grace (v. 11) 2. The Power of Grace (v. 12) The Epiphany of Glory (vv. 13-14) 1. The Beatitude of Glory (v. 13)     Fact One: Jesus is coming back.     Fact Two: Jesus is God. 2. The Blueprint o...

Preacher: Kyle Kraeft Text: Isaiah 26:3-4 Big Idea: A Fixed Frame is a Fortress of Flourishing 1. A Full Flourishing - Isaiah 24:1, 3-6  - Isaiah 25:6-9 - Exodus 24:9-11 - Psalm 84:5-7 2. A Fixed Frame Remember the Plot Recognize the Paradox Rest in the Person 3. A Fortress Through Faith - Let desert discomforts deepen dependence - Let people help you with practices - Let promises pull you to pres...

Pastor Joshua Hughes Text: Matthew 1:18-25 Big Idea: We can trust and follow Jesus because he came to rescue us and will come to rescue us so we can be with him forever. I. Jesus came to dwell among us to save us from sin’s power II. Jesus will come to save us from sin’s presence so we can dwell with him

Pastor Funmi Ojetayo Text: Matthew 8:1-17 Big Idea: Jesus' healing restores the joy that sickness steals by restoring our fellowship, reviving our confidence, and renewing our ministry. I. Sickness isolates, but Jesus’ healing restores fellowship. II. Sickness challenges control, but Jesus’ healing revives confidence in His authority. III. Sickness hinders service, but Jesus’ healing renews minist...

Pastor Joshua Hughes Text: Matthew 5:1-20 Big Idea: In the darkness and disintegration of sin, we can come to Jesus who came and is coming to make us whole. 1. Jesus came to make you a whole, redeemed human 2. Jesus will come to make you a whole, resurrected human

Text: Matthew 4:12-17 I. Darkness II. Danger “I don’t have any phobias, but I do feel afraid…There are the usual racing thoughts: love, squandered potential, unlikely vanities, loss of income. Injustices committed against me; chores. Will I get cancer? Knowing that everyone worries they have cancer helps only a little bit. My ultimate anxiety is not that a certain fear will come true. Rather, I ex...

Pastor Joshua Hughes Text: Matthew 28:11-20 Big Idea: The resurrection rule of Christ supplies and sends his church into its disciple-making delegation. 1. Jesus is authorizing Ephesians 1:20-23 2. Jesus is advancing 3. Jesus is abiding Two ways to live: 1. Be a denial-maintainer 2. Be a disciple maker

Pastor Joshua Hughes Text: Matthew 28:1-10 Big idea: Jesus defeated death to remake reality. 1. The resurrection is an end - for servile fear - for sad futility - for sorrowing fatalism 2. The resurrection is a beginning - of a new witness - of a new worship

Pastor Joshua Hughes Text: Matthew 27:57-66 Heidelberg Catechism Q41 “Why was he ‘buried?'"  Answer. "To confirm the fact that he was really dead.” “One reason for God wishing his Son to be buried was to give better testimony that He had died a real death, on our account.” - John Calvin Big Idea: Jesus really died and was buried, so we can be assured that in coming to him we can really live. 1. Th...

Pastor Funmi Ojetayo Text: Matthew 27:45-56 Big Idea: Jesus’ undeserving death creates undeserving life for us. I. The Darkness of God's Judgment (v. 45) II. The Separation Wrought by Sin (v. 46-49) III. The Choice to Die (v. 50) IV. Everything Changes (v. 51-54) V. Faithful Women Ministering (vv. 55-56) Two Takeaways from the King's Death: 1. In the death of Jesus, we see the seriousness of sin....

Pastor Joshua Hughes Text: Matthew 27:32-44 Big idea: Behold and believe that Jesus' suffering is our salvation.  Perspective 1 - the cross-carrying witness Perspective 2 - the contempt-hurling crowd Perspective 3 - the curse-bearing Savior

Pastor Greg Hutchins Text: Matt 27:11-31 I. Marvel at the Meek Messiah He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,     yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,     and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,     so he opened not his mouth. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,     yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,     and li...

Pastor Joshua Hughes Text: Matthew 27:3-10 Big idea: Seeing to our sin ourselves is death, but coming to the Savior in our sin is life. 1. What repentance is Westminster Shorter Catechism Q87. What is repentance unto life? A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace, by which a sinner, being truly aware of his sinfulness, understands the mercy of God in Christ, grieves for and hates his sins, and tu...

Pastor Funmi Ojetayo Text: Matthew 26:57-27:2 Big Idea: Because of Jesus' suffering of personal and formal injustice, we can know justice and know peace. Sham Trial at the Sanhedrin: 1. The proceedings took place in Caiaphas’ home, not the temple area.  2. The trial happened at night and not during the day.  3. Jesus was not offered a defense attorney. 4. They allowed (even encouraged - Acts 6:11)...

Pastor Joshua Hughes Text: Matthew 26:47-56 Big idea: Friends may fail me, foes assail me, he my savior makes me whole. 1. Friends may fail me 2. Foes assail me 3. He, my Savior, makes me whole

Pastor Joshua Hughes Text: Matthew 26:30-46 Big idea - To endure the darkness like Jesus did, appropriate what Jesus accomplished and pray like Jesus prayed. 1. Jesus Crosses the Kidron as the rejected sovereign and the silent lamb 2. Jesus laments like a sorrowing psalmist 3. Jesus suffers with us and without us  

Pastor Joshua Hughes Text: Matthew 26:17-35 Big Idea: By instituting the Lord's Supper, Jesus invites us to remember and receive his power to redeem us and his promise to receive us.  1. Look back at the context 2. Listen to the conversation 3. Live in the covenant 4. Look forward to the consummation Communion is for... - Spiritual Nourishment - Confession - The Church - The World 

Pastor Greg Hutchins Matthew 26:1-16 Big Idea: We will respond to the Messiah with lethal opposition or lavish honor. One is pointless; the other precious. I. The Willing Sacrifice vs. The Treacherous Schemer II. Precious Praise vs. Bargain Betrayal

Pastor Funmi Ojetayo Text: Matt. 25:31-46 1. The Reality of Judgment Day – vv. 31-33               (i) The glory of Jesus (v. 31)               (ii) The scope of judgment (v. 32a)               (iii) The clarity of justice (v. 32b-33) 2. The Rationale of Judgment Day - vv. 34-45                   Hungry →  gave food                   Thirsty → gave drink                   Stranger → welcomed      ...

Pastor Joshua Hughes Text: Matthew 25:14-30 Big idea: Because the master has entrusted us with responsibility over his resources until his return, we must labor faithfully to steward fruitfully. 1. God gives us stewardship responsibility over what belongs to him.  Romans 12:6-8 1 Peter 4:10 2. There are two ways to steward 3. There will be an accounting for our stewardship Colossians 3:5-6

Pastor Joshua Hughes Text: Matthew 24:36-25:13 Big idea: Since the day of the Lord will come with shocking suddenness and severity, we must make it our daily business to be watchful and faithful. 1. The destination is certain, the arrival time is unknown. 2. We must stay watchful Luke 21:34-35

Pastor Joshua Hughes Text: Matthew 24:15-35 Big idea: Jesus frames our story as suffering then glory so that we might endure with our eyes on eternity. 1. The Sign of the Abomination of Desolation Luke 21:20 2. The Promise of Tribulation Mark 13:23 Luke 21:24 3. The Hope of Consummation Application: Stay Situated in the Story

Pastor Joshua Hughes Text: Matthew 24:3-14 Big Idea: Jesus wants to make durable disciples who see and sturdy themselves in light of his rule and his return, even and especially in times of tribulation.  1. Be suspicious about signs - Pretenders - Wars - Famine - Earthquakes 2. Be prepared for persecution Luke 6:22 3. Play the long game with perspective Appllication: 1. Don't lose your mind 2. Don...