Four Oaks East Podcast

Creation of Humanity Pt. 1

Pastor Joshua HughesText: Genesis 1:26-28
Article III Creation of Humanity. We believe that God created human beings, male and female, in his own image. Adam and Eve belonged to the created order that God himself declared to be very good, serving as God’s agents to care for, manage, and govern creation, living in holy and devoted fellowship with their Maker. Men and women, equally made in the image of God, enjoy equal access to God by faith in Christ Jesus and are both called to move beyond passive self-indulgence to significant private and public engagement in family, church, and civic life. Adam and Eve were made to complement each other in a one-flesh union that establishes the only holy pattern of sexual relations for men and women, such that marriage ultimately serves as a type of the union between Christ and his church. In God’s wise purposes, men and women are not simply interchangeable, but rather they complement each other in mutually enriching ways. God ordains that they assume distinctive roles which reflect the loving relationship between Christ and the church, the husband exercising headship in a way that displays the caring, sacrificial love of Christ, and the wife submitting to her husband in a way that models the love of the church for her Lord. In the ministry of the church, both men and women are encouraged to serve Christ and to be developed to their full potential in the manifold ministries of the people of God. The distinctive leadership role within the church given to qualified men is grounded in creation, fall, and redemption and must not be sidelined by appeals to cultural developments. Gender is a fundamental given of human existence, with maleness and femaleness being congruent with human embodiment and being an unchangeable, stable, and consistent characteristic of each image bearer established by God’s creational intent. To his image bearers, God gave the mandate to build society through procreation and vocation. This means that most people will be married, though God also calls some to singleness (without loss or diminution of personhood, dignity, or contributive capability). Heterosexual monogamous marriage is God’s design for men and women called to covenant together in matrimony. Homosexual behavior, same-sex attraction, and gender identity confusion are a result of the fall to be redeemed through the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Big idea: Trusting there is no human flourishing for creatures apart from embracing humanity’s foundations in creation, we accept and rejoice in the gracious design of a glorious designer.
I. Our Creational Identities- Image of God- Embodied SoulsGen. 2:7- Male and Female
II. Our Creational Responsibilities
III. Our Creational Relationships

Revelation Part 2

Pastor Funmi OjetayoText: 1 Corinthians 2:6–13; 2 Peter 1:16–21; Hebrews 1:1–4; Deuteronomy 30:11–14
Big Idea: God’s Word is sufficient, clear, authoritative, and necessary. So believe what it teaches, obey what it commands, and trust what it promises. 
I. NECESSITY of Scripture (1 Cor. 2:6–13)Why do we need the Bible at all?1. Only God can reveal God.    * Creation shows His glory, but only Scripture reveals His grace.    * The Spirit of God alone reveals the mind of God.2. God’s self-disclosure brings salvation.    * You can’t feel, think, or guess your way to God.    * Long-distance love requires revelation—so does knowing God.3. God preserves His Word for every generation.    * From Sinai to the Psalms, God commands His Word to be written.    * Psalm 102:18: Written for future generations—including us.4. Eternal life comes through words.    * John 6:68: “You have the words of eternal life.”    * John 20:31: “These are written that you may believe…and have life in His name”
II. AUTHORITY of Scripture (2 Pet. 1:16–21)Why must Scripture rule us, not merely advise us?1. The written Word is more sure than experience.    * Peter says Scripture is more confirmed than even his eyewitness account of the Transfiguration.2. Scripture is inspired.    * “Carried along by the Holy Spirit” (v. 21) = divine origin, human instrument.3. Scripture is inerrant.    * What God breathes out cannot err.    * Jesus affirms Scripture’s truthfulness—so must we.4. To reject inerrancy is to question the voice behind the verse.    * We don’t sit in judgment over the Word. The Word stands over us.
III. SUFFICIENCY of Scripture (Heb. 1:1–4)Is Scripture enough? Or do we need more?1. God has spoken fully and finally in His Son.    * The prophets spoke truly; Jesus speaks finally.2. Christ’s session proves redemption is finished.    * If His work is done, His Word is complete.3. Revelation and redemption go together.    * To suggest ongoing revelation is to imply unfinished redemption.4. Scripture gives us all we need.    * For knowing God, living faithfully, structuring the church, and growing in grace.    * The Word is enough because Jesus is enough.
IV. CLARITY of Scripture (Deut. 30:11–14)Can we really understand the Bible?1. The Word is near, not hidden.    * You don’t have to climb, cross, or decode. It’s right in front of you.2. Scripture gives light to the simple.    * Psalm 119:130; Psalm 19:7 – God's Word imparts understanding.3. Clarity does not mean simplicity—but accessibility.    * Not every verse is equally clear, but the big truths are unmistakable.4. Jesus and the apostles treated Scripture as clear and decisive.    * “Have you not read?” assumes that we can understand what God has said.
V. APPLICATION* From Eden to today, the enemy’s oldest tactic is to question God’s Word: “Did God really say?”* But Jesus answered, “It is written.” That must be our confidence too.Why trust this Book?* It has outlasted empires, skeptics, and tyrants.* It has not been wrong yet.* It reads you better than you read it.This Word is:* Necessary – so treasure it.* Authoritative – so submit to it.* Sufficient – so stop looking elsewhere.* Clear – so read, understand, and obey it.

Revelation Part 1

Pastor Joshua HughesText: Psalm 19
Article II. Revelation. God has graciously disclosed his existence and power in the created order, and has supremely revealed himself to fallen human beings in the person of his Son, the incarnate Word. Moreover, this God is a speaking God who by his Spirit has graciously disclosed himself in human words: we believe that God has inspired the words preserved in the Scriptures, the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, which are both record and means of his saving work in the world. These writings alone constitute the verbally inspired Word of God, which is utterly authoritative and without error in the original writings, complete in its revelation of his will for salvation, sufficient for all that God requires us to believe and do, and final in its authority over every domain of knowledge to which it speaks. We confess that both our finitude and our sinfulness preclude the possibility of knowing God's truth exhaustively, but we affirm that, enlightened by the Spirit of God, we can know God's revealed truth truly. The Bible is to be believed, as God's instruction, in all that it teaches; obeyed, as God's command, in all that it requires; and trusted, as God's pledge, in all that it promises. As God's people hear, believe, and do the Word, they are equipped as disciples of Christ and witnesses to the gospel.
Big idea: God has made himself known in the creation, in the canon, and in the Christ so that we might know him truly, trust him wholeheartedly, and follow him obediently.
I. The radiance of general revelation
II. The reach of general revelation
III. The role of general revelation
- to show us truth
- to indict our concience
IV. The necessity of special revelation

Article 1: The Triune God

Pastor Joshua HughesText: Mark 1:9-11
I. The Triune God. We believe in one God, eternally existing in three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who know, love, and glorify one another. This one true and living God is infinitely perfect both in his love and in his holiness. He is the Creator of all things, visible and invisible, and is therefore worthy to receive all glory and adoration. Immortal and eternal, he perfectly and exhaustively knows the end from the beginning, sustains and sovereignly rules over all things, and providentially brings about his eternal good purposes to redeem a people for himself and restore his fallen creation, to the praise of his glorious grace.
Three Trinitarian Foundations:1) There is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Exodus 3:13–15; Isaiah 45:5). 2) There are three persons in the one God. Each person is the same substance and holds the proper name Yahweh: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 3) The three persons are co-equal and co-eternal, the same in substance, equal in power, and glory. But they are not the same person. 
I. What the apostles read and believed 
II. What the apostles experience and wrote
III. What the church systematizes and confesses
IV. Why it all matters
- the Trinity oxygenates us by resizing us- the Trinity oxygenates us by relationalizing us- the Trinity oxygenates us by re-storying us

Introduction to A Confessing Church

Pastor Joshua HughesText: 1 Timothy 3:14-16
...while our finitude and sinfulness preclude the possibility of knowing God’s truth exhaustively, enlightened by the Spirit of God, we can know God’s revealed truth truly.- Article II of our Confessional Statement
Big Idea: The church is constituted with a call to confess the faith with clarity and conviction, so we must and we will.
1. Our constitution
2. Our calling
3. Our confession
- We confess for clarity- We confess for conduct- We confess for communion

Resurrection Hope

Pastor Joshua Hughes
Text: 1 Cor. 15:1-26, 50-57
1. The Resurrection is good news that changes everything
2. The Resurrection is the ground on which we stand
3. The Resurrection means death is defeated 
4. The Resurrection means tomorrow is transformed

Curious Coronation

Pastor Joshua HughesText: John 12:1-19
Big Idea: Christ’s curious coronation defies our expectations and defines our eternity, and how we respond to his reign is what matters most in the end.
I. Coronation Context
II. Coronation Consent
John 12:23
III. Coronation Character
Zech. 9:9
IV. Coronation Conflict
V. Coronation Consummation
Rev. 19:11-15
VI. Coronation Consolation
- Consider your story in light of Jesus' story.
- Come to Jesus while he is accessible

The End of the Matter

Pastor Joshua HughsText: Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:14
Big Idea: It is soberly seeing the vanity and brevity of life under the sun that enables us to joyfully embrace every stage of our fleeing life as the gift of God.
1. Something to rejoice in
- Receive the blessing of the ordinary
- Reject cranky Christianity 
2. Something to remove
- Live within limits
- Listen to your Lord- Listen to your Lord
3. Something to remember

You Don't Know

Pastor Joshua HughesText: Ecclesiastes 11:1-16
Big Idea: Because today is unknown, uncertain, and uncontrollable, we must sow and steward with tomorrow on the horizon and eternity in our hearts.
1. Venture propsectively2. Venture prudently3. Venture humbly

The Way of Wisdom

Preacher: Funmi OjetayoText: Ecclesiastes 10
BIG IDEA: Walk wisely in your words, your work, and your witness—because folly isn’t just dangerous; it’s deadly.
I. The Ruinous Road of Folly (vv. 1–3)+ One moment of folly can outweigh a lifetime of wisdom.+ The fool’s heart leans away from God—and that lean leads to ruin.
II. Wisdom Seasons Our Speech (vv. 12–14, 20)+ Wise words are gracious, humble, true, and loving.    - A wise person speaks worshipfully    - A wise person speaks encouragement    - A wise person speaks the truth    - A wise person speaks with gentleness    - A wise person speaks with humility    - A wise person speaks love+ Foolish words are destructive, presumptuous, and loud.
III. Wisdom Shapes Our Work (vv. 8–11, 15, 18–19)+ Fools are busy but aimless; their labor wearies but produces little.+ The wise sharpen their tools, steward their time, and labor for God’s glory.+ Wisdom knows when to act and when to wait.
IV. Wisdom Responds to Folly in Power (vv. 4–7, 16–17)+ Fools in high places create chaos below.+ The wise remain calm, rooted, and faithful—like Jesus before Pilate.+ Our hope rests not on Capitol Hill—but on Calvary’s hill.