Four Oaks Midtown Podcast

Sermon | The Message of Miracles

Jesus’s miracles preach a message — that he is Lord of all creation. This message provokes crowds in both the first and the twenty-first century to consider the claims of Jesus on their lives. Each healing demonstrates Jesus’s authority as the Son of David to bring healing, restoration, and resurrection into this present world.

Sermon | The Call to Follow

We continue learning about the life of Christ in the Gospel of Matthew as Jesus calls Matthew to follow him and summarizes the purpose of his ministry.

Sermon | Come to Him All You Spiritually Lame

We continue learning about the life of Christ in the Gospel of Matthew as Jesus returns to his hometown, Capernaum, and responds to a desperate act of faithfulness by healing a man from his paralysis while reminding us that he came to save his people from their sins.

Sermon | The Cost of Following Jesus

Jesus speaks about the cost of following Him and how urgent it is, and He also tells us how fear impacts our faith through the story of Jesus calming the storm.

Sermon | Three Vignettes of Jesus’s Healing

Jesus heals three different people. Each healing has a different theme, but all the healings show Jesus's authority.

Teaching | Understanding Zechariah: Yahweh Reigns (Zechariah 14)

Zechariah 14 features many mysteries that even the brightest Christian minds stumble over. We need to tread with humility as we attempt to interpret these verses. One helpful north star to help us interpret these passages is to see them in light of the New Testament. Jesus sees himself as the center of a New Israel. He takes along twelve disciples which equals the twelve tribes of Israel. He leaves Egypt as a child like Israel’s Exodus, fights temptation in the wilderness for 40 days which equals the 40 years of Israel’s wanderings, gets baptized in the Jordan like Israel got “baptized” as they crossed the parted Jordan sea into the promised land, and cleansed the holy land of occupying demons like Israel cleansed the holy land of Canaanites. Jesus gets “exiled” at the cross, but then rises again much like Israel experienced exile in Babylon only to be “reborn” into the land during Zechariah’s day. This close parallel indicates that the promises of Israel’s restoration finds its ultimate fulfillment not in a building or a city, but Jesus Christ himself. So when we read these restorative promises we need to understand them in light of Jesus and how he fulfills the story of Israel. This is Understanding Zechariah.

Check out the rest of the Understanding series here

Teaching | Understanding Zechariah: Yahweh Cleanses (Zechariah 12-13)

The Holy Spirit plays a central role in Zechariah. The Old Testament does not name the third member of the Trinity, but references his activity as the engine that brings about restoration and revival. Old Testament prophecy gives the outline that the New Testament fills in. In Zechariah 12-13:6 we see the Spirit’s activity as a major sign that God will do a new thing in the future that brings about repentance, revival, and restoration. His power will cause those who “pierced” their shepherd to mourn over their sin. A pierced shepherd and a poured out Spirit outlines in shadowy form the substance of what we see in the New Testament on Good Friday and Pentecost. Zechariah gives these visions in order to exhort God’s people to continue their Temple rebuilding project after a disappointing return from exile. But by the Spirit his words resonate to our generation as we await the completion of the work begun by Christ and the Spirit. The exhortation remains the same: stay faithful and trust that by the Spirit’s power God’s purposes in Christ will be accomplished. This is Understanding Zechariah.

Check out the rest of the Understanding series here

Sermon | On the Solid Rock

Jesus tells us that Christians are marked by good fruit and endurance as they are building their foundation on the solid rock.

Teaching | Understanding Zechariah: Yahweh Shepherds (Zechariah 10-11)

The story of the Old Testament is the story of Israel repeating the same history over and over again. God blesses them with prosperity and they take that blessing and use it to chase after other gods. If the OT have one message it’s this: learn from history and repent. Zechariah 10-11 continues that prophetic tradition by contrasting God the good shepherd with the wicked shepherds of Israel’s leaders. All of this comes together in a live-action sign performed by Zechariah to remind Israel of their true source of peace and provision: Yahweh. This is Understanding Zechariah.

Check out the rest of the Understanding series here

Stand Alone Sermon | God’s Powerful Presence

This sermon goes through Psalm 125 - God's presence and power and how it gives us a sturdy hope.