Four Oaks Midtown Podcast

Sermon | Trials with the End in View (James 1:9-18)

James calls us to look both ways in our trials, honestly facing our present struggle while lifting our eyes to the end God has promised. Trials expose what our hearts are holding onto, but wisdom guards the soul with gratitude, remembering that every good gift comes from an unchanging God. 

Sermon | Count it All Joy (James 1:1-8)

In times of trial, we are called to active faith, strengthening our spiritual discipline rather than retreating or remaining passive. James urges us to turn our eyes to God, asking for His wisdom with confident faith and a humble willingness to receive what He gives. Through God’s Word and prayer, we choose to trust His sovereignty and endure faithfully until the end.

Sermon | Come and See (John 1:35-51)

In these verses, we see Jesus interact with the disciples, welcoming them with grace even in the midst of doubt and uncertainty. The disciples longed to be with Him, to dwell in His presence, and through His life, death, and resurrection, we too are invited into God’s presence and promises. No one comes to Him on their own, yet His invitation extends freely to the whole world. As we receive His welcome, we are called to share it, pointing others to the hope, life, and love found in Christ.

Sermon | Jesus as the True Light (John 1:5-13)

John 1:5–13 confronts us with Jesus as the true Light of the world and the darkness that resists Him. It raises questions about why unbelief persists and what it means to receive Christ, while also revealing a profound truth about Christ’s identity and who we become through Him. Reflecting on this passage presses us to consider our response to Jesus as the true Light and to God as our Father.

Sermon | Who is Jesus? (John 1:1-5)

John opens his Gospel not with the details of Jesus’ birth or His earthly relationships, but with a revelation of His eternal identity. While the other Gospels show who Jesus is through His interactions, His family line, and historical moments, John steps back to unveil the divine nature behind it all. In John 1:1–5, we see Jesus as the eternal Word, present with God and fully God from the beginning. John declares that all life flows from Him, life that is everlasting. And in a world marked by darkness, Jesus shines as the true Light, a Light that darkness cannot overcome.

Sermon | A Common Life (Colossians 4:7-18)

Paul closes Colossians by showing that Christians share a common mission shaped by Christ’s love and courage. Even in his suffering, he reminds them that God is at work forming unlikely bonds and strengthening His people. Believers are called to comfort one another through presence, prayer, and living out Scripture together. In all things, Christ never abandons His people, and our lasting crown is our relationship with Him and each other.

Sermon | Witness in Work and Words (Colossians 3:23-4:6)

Paul calls believers to see every part of life - work, relationships, words, and witness - as a place where Christ is all and in all. He urges us to continue steadfastly in prayer, remaining watchful so our hearts are stirred to thankfulness to the Lord. He teaches us to walk in wisdom toward others, which requires discerning not only what to say but when to say it. And he commands us to speak graciously, seasoning our words with the Spirit’s wisdom while working heartily so that our lives testify to Christ.

Sermon | God's Design for the Home (Colossians 3:18-4:1)

Paul’s words remind us that every relationship is reshaped by our union with Christ. Whether it be as a wife, husband, father, or child, we are taking on a role defined by sacrifice, humility, and trust, with Jesus as our anchor. When we follow God’s design, our homes become places where His wisdom and goodness take root.

Sermon | Putting on Jesus (Colossians 3:12-17)

Paul calls believers to be clothed with the character of Christ because we are God’s chosen and dearly loved people. His love enables us to love even our enemies, letting Christ’s peace rule our hearts and His Word shape our lives. Through prayer, preaching, sacraments, and song, we speak and live out God’s truth with thankful hearts, allowing gratitude to drive out bitterness. In everything we do, we live in the name of Jesus, so that His love, peace, and Word become the defining marks of our lives.

Understanding Esther | Delivered From Death (Esther 9-10)

Many of our most cherished family traditions revolve around meals. Gathering family and friends around food shapes a group of people in a powerful way. This explains the significance of feasts in the Old Testament. These communal gatherings passed down through the ages connect the past, present, and future in a manner that grounds our identity and orientation to the world. Esther features six feasts that mark out significant moments in the narrative. The first three feasts, two by King Ahasuerus, and the third by Queen Vashti, establish the reality of Israel’s exile under foreign powers and sets up the rise of Esther. She, in turn, holds two feasts on consecutive days for the King and Haman which sets up a stunning reversal of fortune for the Jews. Here, in Esther 9-10, we encounter our final feast, Purim, which commemorates the deliverance of the Jews from destruction by Esther’s brave action. This feast ensures that future generations, when they partake of this meal, remember the faithfulness of God. That the same God who delivered his people in the past ever lives to care for his people in the present. This is Understanding Esther.

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