The verse we are looking at in this message describes a strain: "I sleep but my heart wakens". The Song of Solomon speaks of the relationship between Christ and the church. The church is described as a garden with fragerance and fruitfulness seen in the testimony of believers and the winning of lost souls. The church does not always have fellowship it should have. The church can become careless, cold and complacent. "I sleep" describes a strain in the relationship. Things are not as they ought to be.
1. What caused the strain? - it was not the fault Christ - it is the fault if the church - the church was not completely asleep as something is stirring inside - Lot is an example as he was greedy for the well-watered plains near Sodom. Physically he was awake but spiritually he was sleeping
2. What aggravated the strain? - the plea from the beloved ("open to me" but the bride did not respond) - an indication of suffering ("my head is filled with dew") - an indifference to Christ ("I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on?")
3. How the bride came to feel the strain? - "I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself" - Christ withdraws himself - Christ is not at our beckon call - God does not act in spiteful ways but he does chasten - God is a wise and loving Father - Christ's withdrawal and chastening makes the church long for Christ all the more - reconciliation would eventually be accomplished ("I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine")
SERMON ACTIVITY
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