Four Oaks Midtown Podcast

Teaching | Understanding Philippians: Pressing Forward (Philippians 3:12-21)

The enemy of every coach is complacency — the belief that past success guarantees future victory. As the saying goes, NFL means “Not for long”. Paul shares this mindset in Philippians, urging believers not to rest on spiritual achievements but to press forward toward the prize: At the finish line — new creation, resurrection, and eternal glory. Along the way: divisions, distractions, and discouragements. But the mind of Christ, who gave up the distractions of earthly vanity to gain the glory of the resurrection, becomes our model. No longer do we chase the lesser glories of this fading existence, but rather through faith we seek the highest calling of all — the glory of God, which, by the way, is the purpose for which we were made. Which means that seeking the glory of God is simultaneously the fulfillment of our purpose and the fountain of all true and lasting satisfaction. This is Understanding Philippians. 

Check out the rest of our Understanding Series: https://www.fouroaksmidtown.com/teachings

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@fouroakschurchmidtown1962

Sermon | Time and Timelessness (Ecclesiastes 9:1-18)

Scripture frequently draws on the inevitability and reality of death and while we reflect on how death frames the way we view life under the sun, we can turn to the Lord with open hearts and hands to receive what He has for us now, today.

Teaching | Understanding Philippians: Rejoicing in Christ (Philippians 3:1-11)

In Good Will Hunting, a math professor watches in anguish as Will Hunting burns a page of groundbreaking equations—his life’s passion reduced to ashes. Will, however, is unfazed. This clash of values mirrors Paul’s perspective. He takes everything his opponents prize—status, heritage, achievement—and sets it ablaze. Circumcision, Pharisaic righteousness, and zeal for God are mere ash heaps compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. True status isn’t found in human credentials but in being united with Christ, conformed to His death and resurrection. Any boasting apart from Him not only misses the point but insults God Himself. This is the scandal of grace—the radical message that righteousness comes not by human effort but by the resurrecting power of God. This is Understanding Philippians

Check out the rest of our Understanding Series: https://www.fouroaksmidtown.com/teachings

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@fouroakschurchmidtown1962

Sermon | Making Sense of a Senseless World (Ecclesiastes 8:1-17)

God created the world with complexities that we come up against every day, whether it be authority, justice, or wisdom, and as we enter into a state of fully understanding these things, we must turn our eyes to the Creator who holds all the answers and with whom we will dwell for eternity.

Sermon | Navigating Sorrow & God's Sovereignty (Ecclesiastes 7:1-29)

In Ecclesiastes 7, we read of Solomon wrestling with darkness and reconciling this with God's sovereignty, which requires us to consider how we too can rightly view God amidst our adversities, pressing into humility and recognizing God as the orchestrator of everything under the sun.

Teaching | Understanding Philippians: Faithful Friends (Philippians 2:19-30)

There’s a saying in media and communications that “the medium is the message,” meaning the way content is delivered often has more impact than the content itself. If this is true, then the fact that much of the New Testament consists of letters holds great significance. Letters represent personal connections between individuals and communities. Paul’s epistles, in particular, are deeply personal, filled with specific greetings, appeals, and applications. They are messages from friends to friends, and the numerous names mentioned are not just foreign terms to us, but representations of men and women Paul loved—those with whom he shared suffering, meals, and ministry. Often, the deepest pains in the church stem from the breaking of such bonds of friendship. Paul’s emphasis on unity and love within the body of Christ is rooted in this. Philippians 2:19-30 offers insight into Paul’s friendships with Timothy and Epaphroditus, showing how these relationships enabled him to endure immense suffering for Christ. The need for deep, genuine friendships in the Christian life is as vital now as it was two thousand years ago. This is Understanding Philippians.

Check out the rest of our Understanding Series: https://www.fouroaksmidtown.com/teachings

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@fouroakschurchmidtown1962

Teaching | Understanding Philippians: Working and Willing (Philippians 2:12-18)

The Christian life requires effort. While some may be accustomed to the phrase, “Let go and let God,” suggesting that passivity in obedience magnifies God’s grace, nothing could be further from the truth. As J.I. Packer aptly stated, “The Christian’s motto should not be ‘Let go and let God’ but ‘Trust God and get going.’” Grace is opposed to works, not action. Just as an adopted child dishonors their status by rejecting their family’s ways, so too does a Christian who neglects obedience. It is precisely because God has saved us and adopted us into his family that we obey him—not to earn his love, but out of gratitude and trust.

Philippians 2:12-18 challenges the notion that salvation is merely a one-time decision for Christ. Instead, salvation is an ongoing transformation, a process empowered and fueled by God himself. This divine work does not negate human effort but demands it, as we live out what God has worked within us. True faith does not lead to passivity but to Spirit-empowered action, shaping us into the image of Christ. This is Understanding Philippians.

Check out the rest of our Understanding Series: https://www.fouroaksmidtown.com/teachings

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@fouroakschurchmidtown1962

Sermon | The Purpose of Darkness (Ecclesiastes 6:1-12)

The illustrations in Ecclesiastes reveal the darkness we experience in this life and require us to pause and consider if how we handle suffering allows us to realize and better appreciate seeing the true Light. 

Teaching | Understanding Philippians: The Humility of Jesus (Philippians 2:1-11)

Humility, central to our faith, defied Roman ideals of virtue and honor, where it was seen as weakness—reserved for slaves, women, and children. Yet, Scripture repeatedly elevates these very groups as models of faith. This is the scandal of Christianity: at its core is a God who humbles Himself. How can we follow Him while clinging to pride? True humility isn’t mere niceness—Jesus feared no man, and it led Him to the cross. Genuine humility seeks the good of others at any cost, just as Christ, though equal with God, emptied Himself to become a servant. Because He humbled Himself, even to the point of death on a cross, God exalted Him—and He will do the same for us. In the kingdom of God, the way up is down. This is Understanding Philippians.

Check out the rest of our Understanding Series: https://www.fouroaksmidtown.com/teachings

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@fouroakschurchmidtown1962

Sermon | Guarding Your Soul (Ecclesiastes 5:1-20)

Through Ecclesiastes, we consider guarding how we live so that we may remain on the path of righteousness and receive the gifts God gives us in this life.