Four Oaks East Podcast

Speaker: Pastor Joshua Hughes Test: John 1:1-18

Speaker: Joshua HughesText: John 1:1-18
Big Idea: Because Jesus fully and truly entered our frailty and bore our sin, we are invited to fully and truly draw near and rest in him with our frailty and our sin.
1. What this Means:
- Jesus is fully and truly God
- Jesus is fully and truly human
2. Why this Matters: 
- For our comfort
- for our salvation 

Speaker: Joshua HughesText: John 1:1-18
Big Idea: Advent isn’t God resourcing you to be ok in your own strength, it’s God giving you the gift of being his child. 
# 1. What the gift is?
# 2. Why the gift matters?
# 3. How the gift helps?
# 4. How do we get the gift? 

Speaker: Pastor Joshua HughesText: John 1:1-18
Big Idea: Though we’re living in a land of death and darkness, we’re looking to Jesus the Logos who brings light and life.
1. Where we are living
2. Where we are looking
- To Jesus, the Preexistent Word- To Jesus, the Creator- To Jesus, who brings light and life
"The reason the darkness may be faced and lived in is that even in the darkness, there is one to address. The one to address is in the darkness, but not simply a part of the darkness. Because this one has promised to be in the darkness with us, we find the darkness strangely transformed, not by the power of easy light, but by the power of relentless solidarity." - Walter Brueggemann  

Speaker: Pastor Kyle Kraeft
Text: Colossians 4:7-18
Big Idea: Christ is all and in all so keep faith with all the faithful and continue co-working for the kingdom. 
1. Live in the Economy of Encouragement
True gospel encouragement points us to Jesus,  inspiring and igniting faith.
“Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth” (Col. 1:3-6). 
“Therefore, the Christian needs another Christian who speaks God's Word to him. He needs him again and again when he becomes uncertain and discouraged, for by himself he cannot help himself without betraying the truth. He needs his brother man as a bearer and proclaimer of the divine word of salvation. He needs his brother solely because of Jesus Christ. The Christ in his own heart is weaker than the Christ in the word of his brother; his own heart is uncertain, his brother's is sure.” - Bonhoeffer 
2. Live in the Mission of the Mustard Seed
We need to have our VISION and VALUES radically shaped by the kingdom so that we joyfully give ourselves away in faithful service  
Mark 10:42-44. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
“We see that our whole salvation and all its parts are comprehended in Christ. . . . If we seek strength, it lies in his dominion; if purity, in his conception; if gentleness, it appears in his birth. . . . If we seek redemption, it lies in his passion; if acquittal, in his condemnation; if remission of the curse, in his cross; if satisfaction, in his sacrifice; if purification, in his blood; if reconciliation, in his descent into hell; if mortification of the flesh, in his tomb; if newness of life, in his resurrection; if immortality, in the same; if inheritance of the Heavenly Kingdom, in his entrance into heaven; if protection, if security, if abundant supply of all blessings, in his Kingdom; if untroubled expectation of judgment, in the power given to him to judge. In short, since rich store of every kind of good abounds in him, let us drink our fill from this fountain, and from no other.” - John Calvin

Speaker: Pastor Funmi Ojetayo Text: Colossians 4:2-6Big Idea: Union with Christ compels us to speak to God about people and to speak to people about God, driving us to our knees in persevering prayer and to our feet in wise witness.
I. Speaking to God About People (vv. 2–4)+ Persevere in Prayer – Continue steadfastly+ Be Watchful in Prayer – Stay alert, guard your soul+ Give Thanks in Prayer – Cultivate a grateful heart+ Pray Missionally – Ask for open doors, gospel clarity
II. Speaking to People About God (vv. 5–6)+ Walk Wisely – Live in a way that adorns the gospel+ Seize the Moment – Buy up every gospel opportunity+ Speak Graciously – Let your words be full of grace and truth+ Answer Discerningly – Minister to each person with wisdom

Text: Colossians 3:22-4:1Speaker: Pastor Joshua Hughes
Big idea: Christians do Christian work for Christ, heeding his rule and hoping in his resurrection.
Luke 4:18-21
Philemon 15-16
1. Have an obedient posture in Christ
2. Aim to please in Christ
3. Be great at your job in Christ
4. Work for rewards in Christ
1 Cor. 15:19
Philippians 2:5-11
 

Text: Colossians 3:18-21Speaker: Pastor Joshua Hughes 
Big idea - The resurrection life in Christ recasts our vision of how we live and love in our family relationships.
1 - Resurrection Marriage Relationships
2 - Resurrection Parenting Relationships

Text: Colossians 3:5-17Speaker: Pastor Joshua Hughes 
Big idea: We live out our union with Christ by putting sin to death, putting his character on, and pursuing his peace together.
I. Put to death the sins to which we have died in Christ  (vv. 5–11)- In our bodies: sexual immorality, impurity, passion,- In our desires: covetousness- In our relationships: anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk, lying
Eph 4:29
II. Put on garments of those who have been raised with Christ (vv. 12–14)- Compassionate hearts- Kindness- Meekness- Humility- Forbearance- Forgiveness- Love
III. Prize the peace of the body of Christ (vv. 15-17)

SPEAKER: Pastor Funmi Ojetayo
TEXT:  Colossians 3:1–4BIG IDEA: Because believers have died and been raised with Christ, our true life and identity are now hidden with Him in heaven. Therefore, we must set our hearts, minds, and hopes on Him, living on earth as citizens of heaven.
I. A New Address (v. 1)+ Every believer has two addresses: one earthly, one heavenly.+ To seek the things above is to pursue the presence and reign of Christ.
II. A New Mindset (v. 2)+ Let God’s Word shape how you think and see the world.+ A heavenly mind makes an earthly difference.
III. A New Security (v. 3)* Your old life is dead; your new life is hidden securely in Christ.* The world may not understand you, but heaven does.
IV. A New Destiny (v. 4)+ Christ isn’t just part of your life, He is your life.+ One day His glory will be revealed in you.+ Live this day in light of that Day.