The Romance Of Redemption

Temple Baptist Church - 6-8-2008

Song of Solomon 1:1-17

Introduction:

A. The Song of Solomon is typical of Christ’s intimate relationship to His beloved Church. It is by no accident that He compares that relationship to the intimacy of marriage.

1. Marriage is twain becoming one.

2. Marriage is the giving completely on one to another.

3. Marriage is a sacred vow to fidelity.

4. Marriage is the complete sharing of two lives.

5. Marriage is the most amazing and wonderful institution on the face of the earth. (But only when it is started and kept within scriptural boundaries.)

B. In these verses, we find both the love of Christ and the love of the church. Christ is the Bridegroom while the Church is the Bride. What a beautiful type of marriage.

C. The love of the Bride or the Church’s love for Christ.
1. The Bridegroom is to be Loved!
2. The Bridegroom is to be Honored!
3. The Bridegroom is to be Obeyed!
4. The Bridegroom is to be Served!

D. The love of the Bridegroom or Christ’s love for the Church.
1. The Bride is to be loved!
2. The Bride is to be Cherished!
3. The Bride is to be Protected!
4. The Bride is to be Provided For!
5. The Bride is to be Kept!

E. Christ’s desire for the Church.
1. The Church Is Loved – vs. 2 “thy love is better than wine”
2. The Church Is Drawn – vs. 4 “draw me”
3. The Church Is Accepted – vs. 5-6 “keeper of the vineyards”
4. The Church Is Adored – vs. 8-10 “thou fairest among women”

F. The Church’s desire for Christ.
1. They Desire Him! – vs. 2, 7, 13b
2. They Savour Him! – vs. 3
3. They Follow Him! – vs. 4
4. They Prize Him! – vs. 4b


1. Love’s Expression – vs. 2-3 Someone once said, “A kiss is the baby’s right, the lover’s privilege, and the hypocrite’s mask.” Thus we find both the proper use of the kiss as well as the worldly perversion of the same.

A. The Kiss – an expression of gentle love

1) Offered by the “beloved” “him kiss me”

2) Accepted by the “loved” “let him kiss me”

B. An Expression of desire for relationship – More to be desired than the best the world has to offer!

2. Love’s Drawing – vs. 4

A. Initiated by Christ – John 3:16 “God so loved…that he gave”

B. Accepted by Individual Believers – “we will run after thee”

3. Love’s Overlooking – vs. 5-6 (We are clean through Christ! Faultless to one day stand before His presence with exceeding joy.)

Ezekiel 16:6 And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee [when thou wast] in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee [when thou wast] in thy blood, Live.

Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Clean while unclean. Comely yet uncomely! When He sees me, He sees the blood of the Lamb; He sees me as worthy and not as I am!)

4. Love’s Seeking – vs. 7-8

A. Tell me where you are that I might find rest and nourishment! “He leadeth me beside still waters…He restoreth my soul!”

B. I want to be where you are!

5. Love’s Admiration – vs. 9-12

A. Christ admires the Church! “fairest among women”

B. Christ adorns the Church! “make thee”

6. Love’s Satisfaction and Fidelity – vs. 13

A. The Church is intoxicated with Christ

B. The Church is intimate with Christ

7. Love’s Communion – vs. 17 - It is Our House and Our Rafters (When my wife and I go home, we close out the world, both the people and elements.)

Conclusion: What a wonderful relationship the Church (and the individual) has with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!