NEXT GEN IV

“Journey to Radical Abandonment”

I.                   TWO MAIN INTERPRETATIONS

1.      Natural Interpretation – depicts a love story between King Solomon and His Bride.

2.      Allegorical Interpretation – symbolic story that illustrates the love relationship we have with the Messiah.  (Galatians 4)

II.                A FEW FACTS ABOUT SONG OF SOLOMON

1.      More commentaries have been written on the Song of Solomon throughout church history than any other book in the Bible, except the book of Romans.

2.      This song illustrates the relationship between Jesus and the corporate church (Revelations.19:7-9, 21:9; Ephesians  5:23-25; 2 Corinthians  11:1-2).

3.      As an allegorical love song this book details many of the steps of development to passion for Jesus as well a spiritual maturity.

4.      The Song of Solomon is the greatest song ever written.

5.      The THREE main characters of the book

A.      King Solomon is depicted in the allegorical interpretation as a type of triumphant resurrected Jesus Christ who is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Jesus is the real king. Solomon is only the type.

B.      The Shula mite woman is depicted as a type or a picture of the Bride of Christ who eventually experiences full spiritual maturity and passion for Jesus.

C.      The “daughters of Jerusalem” are a group that appears regularly throughout the SONG. They are never clearly identified or defined. However, when we study what they say and do throughout the SONG, we learn that they love Jesus, yet never attain to the same degree of intimacy and maturity as the Bride.

III.             SONG REVEALS GOD’S PLAN TO BRING US TO RADICAL ABANDONMENT

1.      God wants all of our affection

Luke 14:26-27

²⁶ “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Phil 3:7-11

⁷ But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. ⁸ Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ …¹⁰ that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, ¹¹ if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

2.      He aims to “woo” us and “win” us drawing us to a place of abandonment

IV.              REVELATION OF THE SONG

1^st STANZA – The Awakening

1.     Awakening by the bride to the splendor of Jesus

Song 1:2-3

² Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—For your love is better than wine. ³ Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, your name is ointment poured forth; therefore the virgins love you.

2.     The Brides Prayer

Song 1:4

Draw me away! We will run after you...

                   2^nd STANZA – The Crisis

1.     Spiritual Crisis

Song 1:5-6

I am dark, but lovely… Do not look upon me because I am dark…My own vineyard I have not kept.

2.     Divine Affirmation

Song 2:2-7

² Like a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.

³ Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down in his shade with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. ⁴ He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. ⁵ Sustain me with cakes of raisins; Refresh me with apples, for I am lovesick.

           

                  3^rd STANZA – Shaking the Nest

1.      Challenging the Comfort Zone

Song 2:8-13

⁸ The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes Leaping upon the mountains, Skipping upon the hills. ⁹ My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, he stands behind our wall; He is looking through the windows, Gazing through the lattice. ¹⁰ My beloved spoke, and said to me: “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. ¹¹   For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. ¹² The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land.¹³ The fig tree puts forth her green figs, And the vines with the tender grapes Give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away!

2.      The Bride’s Compromise

Song 2:15-17

¹⁵ Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes. ¹⁶            My beloved is mine, and I am his. He feeds his flock among the lilies. ¹⁷ Until the day breaks and the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag upon the mountains of Bether.

      4^th STANZA – Making Her Rise Up

1.      Divine Chastisement

Song 3:1-3

By night on my bed I sought the one I love; I sought him, but I did not find him. ² “I will rise now,” I said, “And go about the city; in the streets and in the squares I will seek the one I love.” I sought him, but I did not find him. ³ The watchmen who go about the city found me; I said, “Have you seen the one I love?” ⁴ Scarcely had I passed by them, When I found the one I love. I held him and would not let him go…

2.      A New Perspective of Jesus as Trustworthy

Song 3:6-8

⁶ Who is this coming out of the wilderness Like pillars of smoke, Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the merchant’s fragrant powders? ⁷ Behold, it is Solomon’s couch, with sixty valiant men around it, of the valiant of Israel. ⁸ They all hold swords, Being expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh Because of fear in the night.

3.      More Divine Affirmation

Song 4:1-8

Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold, you are fair! You have dove’s eyes behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats…³ your lips are like a strand of scarlet, and your mouth is lovely. Your temples behind your veil are like a piece of pomegranate. ⁴ Your neck is like the tower of David, Built for an armory…

                 5^th STANZA – The Bride Rises Up, The Bridegroom is enthralled

1.      She Trusts Him enough to give more

Song 4:6-8

⁶ Until the day breaks And the shadows flee away, I will go to the mountain of myrrh And to the hill of frankincense…⁸ Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, With me from Lebanon. Look from the top of Amana, from the top of Senir and Hermon, from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of the leopards.

2.      Ravished Heart of the Bridegroom

Song 4:9-12

You have ravished my heart…My spouse; you have ravished my heart with one look of your eyes…How fair is your love…My spouse! How much better than wine is your love, and the scent of your perfumes than all spices!... ¹²        A garden enclosed Is my sister, my spouse, A spring shut up, A fountain sealed.

3.      The Brides Heartfelt Prayer

Song 4:16

¹⁶ Awake, O north wind, And come, O south! Blow upon my garden that its spices may flow out. Let my beloved come to his garden and eat its pleasant fruits.

            6^th STANZA – The Test

1.      The Withdrawal of Nearness

Song 5:2-6

² I sleep, but my heart is awake; it is the voice of my beloved! He knocks, saying, “Open for me, my sister, my love, my dove, and my perfect one; for my head is covered with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.”…⁵ I arose to open for my beloved…⁶    I opened for my beloved, But my beloved had turned away and was gone ,,,I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

2.      Persecution from the Saints

Song 5:7-8

⁷ The watchmen who went about the city found me. They struck me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls Took my veil away from me.

3.      The Brides amazing Declaration in the Midst of Trial

Song 5:8

⁸ I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him I am lovesick.

4.      Daughters of Jerusalem were “trippin” at her response

Song 5:9

⁹ What is your beloved More than another beloved, O fairest among women? What is your beloved More than another beloved, that you so charge us?

5.      The Brides Declaration of Her Savior

Song 5:10-16

¹⁰ My beloved is pure and ruddy, chief among ten thousand. ¹¹ His head is like the finest gold; His locks are wavy… ¹² His eyes are like doves By the rivers of waters…His cheeks are like a bed of spices…His hands are rods of gold Set with beryl. His body is carved ivory Inlaid with sapphires. ¹⁵ His legs are pillars of marble Set on bases of fine gold. His countenance is like Lebanon, Excellent as the cedars. ¹⁶ His mouth is most sweet, Yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem!

6.      Daughters of Jerusalem want Him too

Song 6:1

Where has your beloved gone, O fairest among women? Where has your beloved turned aside, that we may seek him with you?

            7^th STANZA – Maturity

1.      Vindication of the Persecuted Bride. Song 6:11-7:9

2.      The Bride grows more in her commitment to Him Song 7:9B-8:4

3.      The Bride is Sealed with Divine Love

Song 8:5-7

Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her Beloved? Set me as a seal upon your heart… its flames are flames of fire…Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it.

NEXT GEN

(Part 3)

“JESUS: THE TRUE SUPERHERO NOTES”

Invariably, after I’ve finished my presentation and opened the floor to questions, a pastor raises his hand and says, “So what you’re saying is we need hipper worship bands. …” And I proceed to bang my head against the podium.

Time and again, the assumption among Christian leaders, and evangelical leaders in particular, is that the key to drawing twenty-somethings back to church is simply to make a few style updates - edgier music, more casual services, a coffee shop in the fellowship hall, a pastor who wears skinny jeans, and an updated website that includes online giving.

But here’s the thing: Having been advertised to our whole lives, we millennials have highly sensitive nonsense meters, and we’re not easily impressed with consumerism or performances.

In fact, I would argue that church-as-performance is just one more thing driving us away from the church, and evangelicalism in particular.

What millennials really want from the church is not a change in style but a change in substance.

We want an end to the culture wars. We want a truce between science and faith. We want to be known for what we stand for, not what we are against.

We want to ask questions that don’t have predetermined answers.

We want churches that emphasize an allegiance to the kingdom of God over an allegiance to a single political party or a single nation.

We want to be challenged to live lives of holiness, not only when it comes to sex, but also when it comes to simply caring for the poor and oppressed, pursuing reconciliation, engaging in creation care, and becoming peacemakers.

You can’t hand us a latte and then go about business as usual and expect us to stick around. We’re not leaving the church because we don’t find the cool factor there; we’re leaving the church because we don’t find Jesus there.

Like every generation before ours and every generation after, deep down, we long for Jesus.

I.                    JESUS PRE CREATION

1.     He was before all

John 1:1-4; 14-15

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. ⁴ In Him was life, and the life was the light of men… ¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. ¹⁵ John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.

John 17:5

⁵ And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

John 8:54-59

⁵⁴ Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. ⁵⁵ Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. ⁵⁶ Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” ⁵⁷ Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” ⁵⁸ Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” ⁵⁹ Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

2.     He made everything and holds it together

Colossians 1:16-17

¹⁶ For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷ And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

II.                  JESUS AND THE CROSS

1.     Born as a Man (Son of Man)

Matthew 8:20

²⁰ And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

2.      He was born of a Virgin. Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6-7

1 Corinthians 15:21-22

²¹ For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. ²² For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

3.      He Lived as a Man Anointed by the Holy Spirit. Phil 2:5-8

4.      His suffering was all for us.

Isaiah 53:5

⁵ But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

III.               THE RESURRECTION

1.      He raised Himself from the dead

John 10:17-18

¹⁷ “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

John 2:18-20

¹⁸ So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?” ¹⁹ Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

2.      He has an awesome resurrected body

Phil 3:21

²¹ who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

IV.               JESUS RIGHT NOW

1.      He sits in Heaven.

Eph 1:20

²⁰ which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.

2.     He has all Power

Matthew 28:18

¹⁸ And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

3.     Every Knee will bow to Him

Phil 2:10

¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Revelations 5:13

¹³ And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!

4.     Unchangeable.

Hebrews 13:8

⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

5.     He lives to Pray for us

6.      Chief among 10,000. Song 5:10

7.      He can help you when you are tempted.

Hebrews 2:18

¹⁸ For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

Hebrews 4:14-16

¹⁵ For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

V.                  WHAT IS HE LIKE

1.     Meek and Humble in Heart

Matthew 11:28-30

²⁸ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

2.     Savior

Luke 19:1-10

And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. ² And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. ³ And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. ⁴ And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him…⁵ And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house…⁷ And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. ⁸ And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. ⁹ And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

                       

3.      Love

-          Do unto others as you would want done unto you

-          When you are cursed – Bless

-          Give to those who are in need

-          Love neighbor as yourself

-          Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s

-          He came to give us life more abundantly

VI.               JESUS’ FUTURE

1.     He’s Coming Back to set up His Kingdom

2.      Enemies will Oppose Him but He wins. Psalm 2

3.      Satan will be bound 1,000 years. Rev 20

4.      He will reign 1,000 years on the Earth

5.      He has prepared an Eternal city

6.      He will prepare a new Heaven and a New Earth

VII.             WHO IS HE:

(Part II)

“THE DANGER OF SIN-SENSATIONALISM “

Genesis 3:3-7

³ but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” ⁴ Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. ⁵ For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” ⁶ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

I.                   THE PAIN /PLEASURE PARADIGM

1.      Humans seek to avoid pain and pursue pleasure

a.       Examples

·         Training Animals

·         Training Children (Stars and Spankings)

Proverbs 13:24

²⁴ He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly.

Proverbs 23:13-14

¹³ Do not withhold correction from a child, for if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. ¹⁴ You shall beat him with a rod, and deliver his soul from hell.

b.      This is God’s Design

·         We are all hedonist to a degree

c.       God enjoys it when our senses are stimulated

·         Beautiful scenery

·         A beautiful car, boat, etc,

·         Beautiful people

d. The challenge is disregarding God boundaries for pleasure

2.      Satan Tempts us based on this principle

a.       Good is a Hebrew word “Tobi,” meaning agreeable to the senses, “pleasant to the higher nature.”

b.      Pleasant means desirable, beautiful, covet; it means to lust or take pleasure in or delight in.

James 1:12-15

¹² Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been tried, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. ¹³ Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. ¹⁴ But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

II.                THE DANGERS OF SIN-SATION THROUGH WRONG SEX

1.      God’s Standard on Sexual Purity

Ephesians 5:3

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity.

1 Corinthians. 6:18

¹⁸ Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.

Colossians 3:5-6

⁵ Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. ⁶ Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.

Sexual Immorality Includes Definitions of Adultery, Fornication, and Uncleanness

Adultery: The act of a married person having sexual intercourse with someone who is not their spouse (Leviticus. 20-10), (Exodus. 20-14)

Fornication: Most common definition- sex before marriage

                        (Any unlawful sexual act)

            Includes: 

·         pornography

·         bestiality

·         homosexuality 

·         pedophilia

·         prostitution 

·         orgies 

·         wife swapping

·         masturbation

·         oral sex

·         sexting

·         virtual (video) sex

            Uncleanness: Whatever is defiling or contaminates

             Includes:  

·         an impure gesture or look

·         dressing provocatively

·         impure thoughts

·         flirting

·         dirty jokes

2.      Why sex is so pleasurable

a.       Dopamine – the reward hormone. Causes heart pounding exhilaration

b.      Oxytocin – Makes you feel close

c.       Prolactin – Satiation hormone (Surges when finished and makes you feel satisfied)

d.      Serotonin – antidepressant. Happy hormone.

e.       Norepinephrine – Makes body more sensitive to touch

III.             WHY PRE-MARITAL AND MONOGAMOUS SEX IS BAD

1.      It’s outside of our creators design.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

⁹ Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither, fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortions will inherit the kingdom of God.

           

2.      Sex is a physical and spiritual union.

1 Corinthians 6:13-17

“…Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body… Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! ¹⁶ Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” ¹⁷ But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

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3.      Sex often produces false intimacy. 

Alice Fryling. In an article titled “Why wait for sex” writes:

Genital sex is an expression of intimacy, not the means to intimacy. True intimacy springs from verbal and emotional communion. True intimacy is built on commitment to honesty, love and freedom. True intimacy is not primarily a sexual encounter. Intimacy has almost nothing to do with our sex organs.”

a.       Premarital sex short circuits the emotional bonding process

Study of 100,000 women studied showed dissatisfaction in their present marriages, unhappiness with level of sex and prevalence of low self-esteem.

4.      It usually causes sexual dissatisfaction in marriage

5.      There is Deeper Emotional tearing when relationships don’t work

6.      Possible STD’s and pregnancy

IV.             PURSUE SUPERIOR PLEASURES

1.      The Pleasure of Self-Denial (Discipline)

Luke 9:23-24

²³ Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. ²⁴ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

Galatians 5:16

¹⁶ I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

1 Peter 2:11

¹¹ Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.

2.      The Pleasure of Pleasing Jesus

John 8:29

²⁹ And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”

Acts 24:16

¹⁶ And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

3.      The Pleasure of Jesus’ Presence

Psalm 16:11

¹¹ Thou wilt show me the path of life: In thy presence is fullness of joy; At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Psalm 27:4

⁴ One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple.