Four Oaks East Podcast

Render Rightly

Pastor Joshua Hughes
Text: Matthew 22:15-22
Big Idea: Because King Jesus has all authority, kingdom citizens give to lesser authorities what they are owed properly (but not what they want ultimately).
1. A Pharisaical Maneuver
2. A Political Football
3. A Polemical Rebuke
Three applications:1. Pay attention to your affection
2. Pay attention to your attention
3. Pay attention to your devotion

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

Pastor Joshua Hughes
Text: Matthew 22:1-14
Big idea: The Father has prepared a feast, and we must respond to his call by coming to Jesus and being clothed by Jesus. 
1. An Irresistible Invitation (vv. 1-4)
Isaiah 25:6-9
2. A Terrible Treachery (vv. 5-6)
3. A Righteous Recompense (v. 7)
4. An Extraordinary Extension (vv. 8-10)
5. A Required Regalia (vv. 11-14)

Who Do You Think He Is?

Pastor Funmi Ojetayo
Scripture Passage: Matthew 21:23-46 Big Idea: our response to who Jesus is reveals our heart’s reception or resistance to grace, so don’t harden your heart in hypocrisy but instead fall broken on Christ the cornerstone.
Two Lessons from Two Parables:
The Two Sons: A heart hardened in hypocrisy immunizes you against grace.
The Vineyard: Christ is the cornerstone and you must fall on the rock or the rock with fall on you.
 Two Takeaways from the Text:
1. Care more about God’s opinion of you than people’s opinion of you.2. Fall broken on God’s love, for though your sin is great, God’s grace is greater still.

True Worship

Pastor Joshua HughesText: Matthew 21:12-22
Big Idea: Kingdom citizens have a duty to worship the right object in the right way in light of who Jesus is and what Jesus says.
1. The Temple Cleansed: Jesus has authority to regulate true worship.
Isaiah 56:3-8Jeremiah 7:8-11
2. The Teachers Corrected: Jesus has authority to receive true worship.
3. The Tree Cursed: Jesus has authority to require true worship. 
Micah 6:6-8, 7:1-2a
 

The Humble King

Pastor Joshua Hughes
Text: Matthew 20:21-21:11
Big Idea: The weak are welcomed by the king who comes low, so we must approach his humility in humility. 
1. The pre-requisite for kingdom citizenship is humble dependence.
Matthew 9:27 - “Have mercy on us, Son of David” Matthew 15:22 - “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David” Matthew 20:31 - “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David”
2. The pattern of kingdom leadership is humble descent.  

True Greatness

Pastor Joshua Hughes
Text: Matthew 20:20-28
Big Idea - We ascend to true greatness by embracing the downward mobility of a cruciform, Christ-like life of serving and suffering. 
1. An Audacious Ask
2. A Colossal Condition
3. A Commendable Confession
4. And Endowed Enthronement
5. An Ironic Invitation 
2 Responses:1. Put on the servant's towel2. Sturdy yourself for suffering

Is God Fair?

Text: Matthew 20:1-19
Big Idea: In the kingdom of heaven, followers of Jesus view all of life through the glasses of grace and receive all things from the Father’s hand with gratitude instead of grumbling. 

Trading Your Treasures

Pastor Greg Hutchins
Matthew 19:13-30

Marriage and Sexuality in the Kingdom

Pastor Joshua Hughes
Text: Matthew 19:1-12
Big idea: Seeing and submitting to God’s beautiful design for marriage, gender, sex, and singleness frees us from cultural captivity and brings blessing.
1. God ordains and orders marriage
Deuteronly 24:1-4
1 Cor. 7:15-16
2. God sees celibate singleness as a holy and honored status in the kingdom 
Isaiah 53:3-5
 

Forgiveness

Pastor Joshua Hughes
Text: Matthew 18:21-35
Big idea - Kingdom people handle the sickness of sin with limitless forgiveness that is simultaneously scandalous and suitable.
1. Jesus’ kingdom command is limitless forgivenessGenesis 4:23-24Hebrews 12:14-15Ephesians 4:31-32