His Love of Her Love [Family Worship lesson in Song of Songs 4:8–15]

What does Christ think of His church on their wedding day? Song of Songs 4:8–15 prepares us for the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these eight verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Christ delights in His church’s presence with Him, and in her He takes great pleasure. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: The devotional unfolds the profound intimacy between Christ and His church, portrayed through the Song of Songs, emphasizing that the Lord’s greatest delight is His bride’s love—expressed in heart, word, and deed. Central to this union is the image of the bride as a sealed garden and fountain, a private, sacred space of divine pleasure, yet one that overflows with life-giving fruit for others.

2026.01.27 Hopewell @Home ▫ Song of Songs 4:8–15

Read Song of Songs 4:8–15

Questions from the Scripture text: What invitation does Song of Songs 4:8 give? What does the Bridegroom say that the bride has done (Song of Songs 4:9)? How? What does He say about her love (Song of Songs 4:10), even compared to what two things? What two things does He superlatively praise in Song of Songs 4:11? How does He describe her in Song of Songs 4:12? What does He call her, here, for the third time (cf. Song of Songs 4:10, Song of Songs 4:11)? What plants does He describe as flourishing in that garden (Song of Songs 4:13-14)? What water sources does it have (Song of Songs 4:15)? 

What does Christ think of His church on their wedding day? Song of Songs 4:8–15 prepares us for the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these eight verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Christ delights in His church’s presence with Him, and in her He takes great pleasure. 

The wedding has taken place, and now He calls her “spouse” in five consecutive verses (Song of Songs 4:8-12). This passage on her beauty begins with an invitation, “Come with me” (Song of Songs 4:8a). Now that they are married, He insists that she always be with Him—no matter from how remotely (verse 8b–f). Their being together should be the great desire of the bride, because it is the great desire of the Bridegroom (Song of Songs 4:9). 

The church is Christ’s great love and desire. And, the first thing He loves about her is… her love (Song of Songs 4:10)! He loves, in her, what we began the song by hearing that she loves in Him (cf. Song of Songs 1:2–3). He loves her perfumes, her graces/adornments, which constitute likeness to Himself. Thirdly, He loves her praise, the fruit of her lips (Song of Songs 4:11). It all drips richly, sweetly, like honey—her prayers, her songs, her preaching; it is not superficial or light but thick and rich. He loves the worship that is the fruit of her lips. Indeed, not just on the lips, but even when it is still under the tongue—He loves the worship of her thoughts, her heart. Finally, He loves her actions, the garments with which He has clothed he (cf. Revelation 19:8). 

In the last four verses of our passage, the church is Christ’s garden (Song of Songs 4:12, cf. Isaiah 58:11; Jeremiah 31:12). Just as great palaces would have a royal garden for the delight of the king, so she has been prepared for Him. She has come out of the wilderness, and now she is a garden. She is “enclosed,” “shut up,” and “sealed,” because she has only one object of all of her devotion, affection, and obedience. These proceed from her continually, as from a fountain or a spring. The garden is developed in Song of Songs 4:13-14, and the spring/fountain in Song of Songs 4:15, expressing the great variety, preciousness, and usefulness of what Christ produces in His church. His pleasure is all her aim, but from her riches, He offers much to the world.

How are you responding to Christ’s desire for the presence of His church? To His taking pleasure in her?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for Your marvelous work in Your bride, the church. We rejoice to see Your delight in her on Your wedding day. Keep working in us by Your Spirit, and make us delightful for You to delight in, we ask in Your Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP45B “Daughter, Incline Your Ear” or TPH471 “The Sands of Time Are Sinking”

A Wedding Invitation [2026.01.25 Evening Sermon in Song of Songs 4:8–15]

The Lord Jesus appeals to His own delight in us, as He invites us to come with Him and look to Him.

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

He Cannot Deny Himself [2026.01.25 Morning Sermon in Matthew 26:57–75]

Jesus confessed Himself to be Lord, so that by His grace, we also can

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

Wisdom’s Grace-Formed Values [2026.01.21 Midweek Sermon in Proverbs 20:29–21:3]

As God's grace makes us wise, we come to value maturity, chastening, God's sovereignty, and God's judgment.

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

What Every Sin Deserves [Children's Catechism 37 Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Children's Catechism question 37—especially explaining how God opposes all sin with all of His glorious being.

Q37. What does every sin deserve? The wrath and curse of God. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

How Pride Self-Destructs [Family Worship lesson in Proverbs 21:4–8]

How can one live righteously? Proverbs 21:4–8 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that one must be made righteous in order to live rightly. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2026.01.26 Hopewell @Home ▫ Proverbs 21:4–8

Read Proverbs 21:4–8

Questions from the Scripture text: What three things are sin (Proverbs 21:4)? What ensures plenty (Proverbs 21:5a)? What ensures poverty (verse 5b)? What might someone do (Proverbs 21:6a)? What is wrong with these treasures (verse 6b)? What is such a person actually seeking? What will the violence of the wicked do (Proverbs 21:7a)? Why (verse 7b)? What sort of path does a wicked man take (Proverbs 21:8a)? What sort of work does a pure man do (verse 8b)?

How can one live righteously? Proverbs 21:4–8 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that one must be made righteous in order to live rightly.  

The wicked do not take God into account. So, they have an eye, heart, and hand problem. Their eye is lifted up (Proverbs 21:4), meaning that they look down upon everything. YHWH hates such eyes (cf. Proverbs 6:16–17). Their heart is audacious because unrestrained by humility. Coming from such a heart, everything they do is sinful—even plowing. Pride is a recipe for making yourself, your heart, and all of your actions guilty before God.

So, there are those who have a diligence that proceeds from humility before the Lord. This will always lead, ultimately, to plenty (Proverbs 21:5a). But then there are those who are hasty to get rich (verse 5b), and therefore willing to sin to obtain it (Proverbs 21:6a). But whatever treasure they obtain is a vanishing vapor (verse 6b), because they can only ultimately obtain poverty (Proverbs 21:5b) and death (Proverbs 21:6b). Whatever they thought they could get from others by this sin, it only destroys them (Proverbs 21:7a), because they provoke God to His face (verse 7b).

The wicked live from out of their guilt, so all their ways turn out to be crooked (Proverbs 21:8a). But those who are pure—having been justified through faith in Christ, and being made like Him by His Spirit—will instead work what is right. The condition of our heart determines both the nature and the fruit of our works.

What is the condition of your heart? How do you “look” at things? In what ways, then, do you walk?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for teaching us about Yourself, and about ourselves. Grant that we would be humbled before You, and made right with You through faith in Christ. Thus, both forgive us and make us the pure ones who work what is right, we ask through Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP119I “According to Your Word, O LORD” or TPH51C “God, Be Merciful to Me”

2026.01.25 Lord's Day Livestreams (live at 11:10a and 3p)

ANY WHO CAN MAKE IT SAFELY ARE STILL GATHERING. To tune in for the Lord's Day streams, we recommend that you visit the livestream page. If we still have electricity and internet, we will livestream it.

True Strength [Family Worship lesson in Proverbs 24:5–6]

Pastor teaches his family a selection from “the Proverb of the day.” In these two verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that true strength is found in reliance upon the Lord, via His Word.

(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) True strength, according to Proverbs 24:5–6, is not found in self-reliance or human effort, but in wisdom rooted in divine knowledge and dependence on God. The passage calls believers to respond to life’s challenges not with self-reliance, but with renewed dependence upon God, by means of repentance, prayer, fasting, and diligent engagement with God’s Word, which cultivates the Spirit-led wisdom that is genuine power. Ultimately, strength is not found in human capacity, but in reliance upon God Himself.