Four Oaks Midtown Podcast

Sermon | Turning Toward Our Creator (Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:14)

In our fallen world, we feel the tension and restlessness in our souls, that this isn't our home, this isn't our final destination. But in rejoicing, remembering, and fearing the Lord, we are able to turn toward our Creator where our hearts and souls will find the the true rest we seek.

Teaching | Understanding Philippians: The Secret to Contentment (Philippians 4:10-23)

It is a common sight at any high school football game to find “Phil 4:13” etched onto the eye black of a player — “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” The desire to honor Christ in public is a noble one, but honest biblical interpretation requires that we understand texts in their proper contexts. The Apostle Paul writes these famous words not under glowing lights surrounded by adoring fans, but alone under house arrest as he faces an uncertain future. What keeps him joyful, content, and full of hope? The truth that he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him. And that is a promise that extends to us. This is Understanding Philippians.

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

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Sermon | Investment of Words and Gifts (Ecclesiastes 10:12-11:6)

Have you ever sought out investment advice? Ecclesiastes offers direction on how to steward the good gifts God has given us - speaking and living with intentionality and wisdom.

Teaching | Understanding Philippians: Finding Peace (Philippians 4:1-9)

There’s a cynicism that permeates our culture that looks at the idea of “prayers” as an ignorant kind of wish-fulfillment in the face of life’s anxieties. Maybe you asked somebody if they’ve prayed about a particular circumstance only to be met by ridicule. Stop giving me those trite Christian cliches. But we need to be honest — do we pray? G.K. Chesterton once wrote, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.” Do we lay our anxieties and fears before God continually in prayer? God makes a radical promise to his people: when you ask me for help I will give it. I will give you peace in the midst of your uncertainties — one that surpasses understanding. We practice turning to God in prayer with our anxieties and he changes us into people of peace. Do you actually pray? If not, then Philippians 4:1-9 will be an encouragement to you. The Lord is near. Tell him what you need. 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 Battle Between Wisdom and Folly (Ecclesiastes 10:1-20)

In this chapter, we read illustrations of folly and wisdom, revealing both their strengths and weaknesses, and as we intentionally fight the uphill battle of pursuing wisdom daily, we will find that the trajectory of seeking wisdom will lead you to Jesus.

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

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